TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday notes

(Live view from the west-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:03 AM: Welcome to Wednesday. No major alerts for today/tonight so far – not even for the weekend ahead. If you’re a Metro rider, “Eye on Your Metro Commute” features advisories. If you see traffic trouble – call or text 206-293-6302 when you safely/legally can (no texting/calling and driving!) – thank you.

12:09 PM: SDOT says the signboards are finally fixed:

The equipment for the Variable Messaging Signs (VMSs), which provides travel times for drivers coming out of West Seattle, has been repaired and the system operation is fully restored.

bus_rider March 13, 2013 (9:14 am)

I just rode the C to downtown. There was a man with a cane who got on at the last stop and no one (I was standing as well) offered there seat! :(

RichWSeattle March 13, 2013 (10:08 am)

King County Metro continues to suck, and the crowding on the buses only contributes to incidents like bus_rider mentioned. I’m able-bodied and am still finding the C line a challenge. A 30 minute wait for a bus I could wedge onto this morning, because the first one was full to the doors.

Chris W March 13, 2013 (10:33 am)

I’ve experienced multiple issues getting to UW from downtown during evening rush hour the past few weeks. Including 1 1/2 hours toget from tunnel to UW last Thursday at 5pm. No busses for 45 minutes, then they were too full to board. The conspiracy theorist within wonders if they are hoping tax payers will cough up more dough.

Dan March 13, 2013 (10:55 am)

The C passed my stop @ Avalon & Yancy at 920a because it was full. Even when it does stop we are still crammed in there. Six months into the big change and still not working very well.

West Seattle Hipster March 13, 2013 (11:38 am)

Chris W, you have a valid point, because they are:

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020393904_transpopackagexml.html

“The plan offers King County Metro Transit the power to raise car-tab taxes by a County Council vote, or a citizen ballot, by an additional $70 per $10,000 of vehicle value; and the same power to Community Transit in Snohomish County, by a citizen ballot.

Metro might be able to raise $55 million a year this way, not quite a tenth of the annual operating budget. Earlier this year, General Manager Kevin Desmond warned of severe cuts, if state aid and a temporary $20 county car-tab fee expire in 2014 without replacement.”

I fully supported raising revenue via car tabs, but much like the Seattle School District, Metro is so poorly managed that giving them more money is the equivalent to providing drugs to an addict.

Rapid Ride should have been a supplement to existing heavily used routes (22, 54, etc). Instead it was a drastic reduction in service.