Metro riders: February 16th service-change info now online

The formal Metro announcement is coming up later today, but thanks to a tweet from our north-end neighborhood-news friends at Ravenna Blog, we’ve learned that the key points of the next “service change” are now available online. You’ll find them here – be sure to click through the tabs and expandable text boxes to explore the whole thing. For West Seattle, changes are mentioned for two routes – here’s the exact verbiage for 21:

All afternoon and evening southbound trips to Westwood Village will continue from the terminal at SW Barton St & 29th Ave SW via 26th Ave SW, SW Roxbury St, 35th Ave SW and SW Barton St before returning to Westwood Village.

And for 55:

On weekdays, two morning peak period trips to downtown Seattle have been added leaving California Ave SW & SW Atlantic St at 6:34 and 8:17 am. Also, two afternoon peak period trips to the Admiral District have been added leaving 6th Ave & Blanchard St at 4:54 and 5:11 pm. These trips were added during the fall service change.

Some existing trips will also be revised to improve service frequency, including a new partial northbound trip to the Admiral District leaving 35th Ave SW & SW Oregon St at 7:22 am.

While there’s no mention of Route 50, Metro’s Jeff Switzer re-confirmed to WSB via e-mail that the previously announced plan to switch to its originally mapped route WILL take effect with this service change. Watch for more details later today; when Metro’s official announcement is out, we’ll add it here.

4:45 PM: Here’s the official Metro announcement, including word of a new type of timetable that they’re testing.

Noelle February 6, 2013 (10:39 am)

Where will the westbound Route 50 stops be in the Delridge area?

Mike February 6, 2013 (11:24 am)

Noelle, this is the latest via the North Delridge Facebook group:
– The Route 50 will return to its originally intended routing through North Delridge (via Delridge, Genessee, & Avalon) starting February 16th

– There will be a new set of bus stops put in place on Genessee just east of 30th Ave.

– Additionally, the southbound 120/125 stop at Delridge & Genessee will be relocated to the north side of the intersection so as to serve route 50 as well.

WSB February 6, 2013 (11:29 am)

I believe this is the correct permanent-route map, from one of our earlier stories:
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http://metro.kingcounty.gov/cftemplates/show_map.cfm?BUS_ROUTE=050&DAY_NAV=WSU

Noelle February 6, 2013 (11:42 am)

Thanks!

carolei February 6, 2013 (11:57 am)

Will there be a westbound stop near the community center and skatepark?

Rilesworth February 6, 2013 (12:12 pm)

Who cares about the 55? the 128 and 50 cover the same ground and it’s just as easy to catch the Rapid Ride from Downtown and transfer at the Alaska Junction. Where’s the god damned 56?

BWD February 6, 2013 (12:16 pm)

Now I get to listen to the bus try to get up the Genesee hill, and idle as they wait for the light to change,frequently. Joy. And, no, I am not anti-Delridge. I take this bus home from the SODO area everynight and still think the original routing up and down Genesee is ridiculous.

Admiral Resident February 6, 2013 (12:43 pm)

I second what Rilesworth says. Bring back the freaking 56 routes already!

patt February 6, 2013 (1:22 pm)

A good thing about the #50 correcting it’s route, is that the first stop after the bridge has no lighting and people who get off there to go to the community center walk through some very dark places.

Norma February 6, 2013 (1:29 pm)

Ditto about the #56!!!!

Diane February 6, 2013 (3:29 pm)

yes, we desperately need the 56 back

Matilda Williams February 6, 2013 (4:41 pm)

I really dislike the C Line. The seats are uncomfortable and arranged awkwardly. That is, if you can even manage to get a seat. I have ridden the C Line at various times of the day and it is always overcrowded—-forcing about 1/2 of the riders to stand.It also seems harder to maintain your balance while standing on these new buses. (I am a disabled senior and I usually am not the only senior standing due to overcrowding)

I always enjoyed going to West Seattle and went there frequently—-new new changes have made it a bum trip. I used to go to The Junction about once a week—–now I go there much less often.

Before the change I could go from Greenwood to the Junction on one #5 bus. Now I have to get off downtown and catch the C, The option to arrive on the #5 dropped. The consenus amongst my bus riding friends is that none of these changes make bus commuting any easier. Or faster. Or enjoyable.

Finally—-the printed C and D schedules do not include enough information for making connections in a timely fashion.

My only transportation is Metro. I really appreciate having a bus system in Seattle but I wish it was not so frazzling. There are alot of grocery cart-toting seniors (like me! )that depend on public transportation. I am not certain which segment of ridership is benefitted by Metro changes. I will miss going to The West Seattle Farmers Market on Sundays

Sunny.206 February 6, 2013 (5:11 pm)

It think that’s going to be the story for a lot of retailers in the West Seatlle area. I no longer shop at Westwood Village, eat at Zeeks or go to the Feedback, or to Thriftway. The congestion that’s been created is unnessary and being on the southend I can drive to many other places like Burien that don’t make a persons blood pressure go up. Seattle being number nine on the congestion list is all true and I don’t plan on voting for any of these people that think they have my best interest.

Not so sunny anymore in 206

David February 6, 2013 (5:26 pm)

It says that the 55 starts at 6th and Blanchard – according to Google maps there is no bus stop at that location.

eric1 February 6, 2013 (5:51 pm)

I find the 21 route amusing (I am assuming it is a modification since I don’t take the local anymore). So now instead of going to Arbor Heights and serving about 5000 people, they will loop around Roxhill and duplicate the C line which goes about every 10 minutes. Looks like they are saving about a mile on the trip and leaving out a whole neighborhood. There is logic in there somewhere….

Chris W February 6, 2013 (6:17 pm)

The 55 keeps my commute to two buses instead of three to South Lake Union. Someone asked who cares about the 55… I do! And the standing room only crowd that rides it in the mornings.

Paul February 6, 2013 (8:45 pm)

I suspect the 21 change is a nice freebie. The local terminates at Westwood, but the buses were probably going ‘around the block’ after the last stop to layover west of the Westwood stop. Now they’ll carry passengers, so people trying to use the local to get to stops on Roxbury don’t have to change buses at Westwood anymore.

I’ll probably still typically get off at 35th and Barton then march up the hill on 35th to get home, but it will be nice to have the option of staying on the bus to 35th/Roxbury if I’m not feeling well, or the weather is really bad, or I’m lugging a bunch of stuff with me.

mela February 7, 2013 (6:17 am)

no word about the 56. going to downtown with the 50 and the rapid ride during the day is longer than the 56 before, but still ok. But going back especially after 7.30 is horrible. sure we can transfer at the junction or sodo, but it takes much longer and the 50 only runs then every 60 min. Same on Sundays. We need the 56 back!
Also the 37 and 56 schedule should more alternate with the 57. Living off Alki, the 56 andf 37 I can take are leaving ( 61st or from Downtown) within a 5 min time difference. The 57 is not very helpful living down on/off Alki.

westside bus rider February 7, 2013 (10:06 am)

I think the 50 is a better option than people realize. I use it and transfer at SODO where I can catch either a train or bus to the tunnel within 2-3 minutes at most. If you are getting off at the Junction, I would encourage you to stay on.

As for the 21, I think going on to Roxbury is a no-cost way to help folks in Arbor Heights get home.

I would remind folks that the reason the midday 56 and Arbor Heights service was cut was due to low ridership at those times. The new system carries more people and makes more connections in my estimation.

dwar February 7, 2013 (11:47 am)

I DO care about the 55 and the 56. Having to go to the Junction and transfer to the C line is not productive at all and very uncomfortable due to overcrouding and people standing with their rears in your face. It also takes longer and the connections very seldom meet a advertised. It takes me a minimun of 80 minutes a day longer to do what i used to do on the 55 and 56 prior to the change to “Rapid Ridw”. I have waited as many as 17 minutes for the “C” inbound many tmes and much as 49 minutes d for the 128 northbound. The 128 is always late returning from Southcenter. Most South Base drivers are very inconsiderate and don’t pull in paralel to the curb at stops, forcing passengers to step down to the street to deboard. This whole change is a disaster and was botched by Metro and is not beinb corrected at all by Metro during this shakeup.

Sorry, comment time is over.