FOLLOWUP: Metro bus reroutes starting soon for Lander Street Bridge project

During his appearance at last Thursday’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting (WSB coverage here), King County Council chair Joe McDermott mentioned the imminent start of construction for the Lander Street Bridge project south of downtown, and Metro bus rerouting ahead as a result. That led to some comment discussion, and we promised to follow up. Here’s what Metro spokesperson Scott Gutierrez can tell us so far:

Metro routes 21, 37, 50, 116, 118 and 119 will have scheduled routing revisions for the duration of the South Lander Street project. These changes will be considered the regular routes and will take effect with the March 10 service change. Information will be posted soon on Metro’s website and will be part of all related data and timetables.

In general, routes will be revised to operate in both directions on First Avenue South between South Lander St and Edgar Martinez Drive South, and on Edgar Martinez Dr between First Ave South and Fourth Avenue South.

Customers who ride these routes should watch for temporary reroutes before, during or after major stadium events. We also encourage customers to sign up for Transit Alerts.

We’re checking with SDOT for timeline information beyond what Metro mentioned.

Kathy February 27, 2018 (2:34 pm)

This response from Metro does not address Route 50 as it claims. There is no reference to Route 50 on the map. Does the Metro spokesperson know Route 50 does not go downtown but turns south at Lander? It would make no sense to send the Route 50 all the way north to Edgar Martinez Drive and then turn south again at 4th or the SODO busway.

CAM February 27, 2018 (2:34 pm)

Thanks for this! Did they provide a new route map for the 50? I’m hoping that it will just exit at 4th so it can still get to the SODO light rail station.

WSB February 27, 2018 (2:36 pm)

This is all the info they could get me so far. More to come.
Kathy February 27, 2018 (3:22 pm)

If they exit at 4th, how will the Starbucks employees get to their headquarters? That is a large percentage of the ridership during the morning commute. Also, other SODO workers along the 1st Avenue corridor use those stops between Spokane and Lander Street. I would think rather than sending the 50 bus to Edgar Martinez, they might send it to the SODO busway via Holgate.
- KBear February 27, 2018 (3:33 pm)
  
  I think you are misreading the map, Kathy. The rerouted buses will still go past Starbucks HQ. They’ll be making more stops on 1st, not fewer.
  - Kathy February 28, 2018 (3:05 pm)
    
    I was trying to respond to CAM’s wish that the 50 would take the 4th Avenue exit.
- CAM February 27, 2018 (3:47 pm)
  
  If I read it correctly the project plan so far says that pedestrian access to Lander will be maintained throughout the project. It would seem that the people who need to be on 1st could take the 21 and the people who need to be on 4th before Holgate or Edgar Martinez could switch to the 50. Just my thinking though, maybe metro has something else planned that is better.

anonyme February 27, 2018 (3:16 pm)

Hopefully this re-route will eliminate the frequent half-hour train delays for the #21.

West Seattle since 1979 February 27, 2018 (4:07 pm)

It totally will, since the 21 will go over the overpass at Edgar Martinez and will not have to deal with train tracks any more!

Richard February 27, 2018 (3:53 pm)

There are route revision signs posted at the Sodo stops. The 50 heading towards Alki will continue north on the busway instead of turning left at Lander, and will stop at the stop just past Lander adjacent to the Sodo light rail station.

Peter February 27, 2018 (5:24 pm)

I love me some Lander Street overpass! So many hours I’ve spent stuck on an immobile 21 waiting for trains. And on foot, on bike, and even a couple times in the car. I’m very glad this is finally happening.

Kc February 27, 2018 (9:08 pm)

Please correct me if I am wrong

is this not the over pass the Chris Hanson was going to fully fund and more if he was granted a street vacation of occidental ave and if the city granted to ok the build a new basketball / hockey venue in sodo

WSB February 27, 2018 (9:14 pm)

That arena group had offered in 2016, according to this report among others, to cover what was at the time a funding gap in the project (the story says $27 million – the project has since been fully funded from other sources). – TR
- Kc February 28, 2018 (5:53 am)
  
  It is good to see that the city is so flush with funding that we can thump our nose at 27 million

Don Brubeck February 27, 2018 (9:56 pm)

The Hanson SODO arena group was promising to build a pedestrian bridge from 4th Ave over the rail lines and rail yard at Holgate into the proposed arena, and to pay 5% to 10% of the cost of the Lander Street overpass.

ACG February 27, 2018 (9:56 pm)

The construction will last until early 2020, correct?

WSB February 27, 2018 (10:00 pm)

Two years is what SDOT says, so if it starts in early 2018 (as in, soon), it would theoretically go until early 2020.

zark00 February 28, 2018 (11:06 am)

We may miss the trains on the 21 reroute – but it will take 45 mins plus to get from Lander to Edgar on 1st ave in the morning nightmare that is commuting by public transit in Seattle. Just yesterday I waited for 45 minutes while 2 21’s never showed up heading back to WSea – just didn’t show, nothing. Ended up taking the 116 and walking – a lot. I got rid of a car and moved to the bus 6-7 years ago for my commute. Worst decision ever. If anyone is considering it, just don’t do it, stick with your car, public transpo simply does not work in Seattle. I’m going back to a single occupant vehicle. Metro has got to be the worst public transportation company in the country – we won the prize for worst bus stop in America didn’t we? Pathetic. Keep you car, you’re gonna need it around here.

WSB February 28, 2018 (11:50 am)

Just a note here pending another followup, hopefully before day’s end, that will involve more than the Lander rerouting… the March 10th service change info is all online now and it includes a separate map for Route 50. Linked here: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/schedules-maps/service-change.aspx
Peter March 1, 2018 (12:42 pm)

The 21 is a terrible bus. Buses have been my primary means of transportation my entire life. Then I moved to a place just off 35th where the 21 is my only bus option, and I now dread my daily bus rides. No shows on the 21 are routine, as well as buses running so late they might as well be no shows. I can vouch for the claim of multiple consecutive no shows, I’ve suffered that many, many, many times on the 21. I have filed literally dozens of complaints with Metro about the abysmal performance of the 21. They do not care at all, not the tiniest bit, and they have never done anything at all to improve the reliability of the route. My concerns and suggestions are consistently ignored, and Metro _always_ shifts the blame to the bus driver rather than admit their abysmal route planning and scheduling.
Peter March 1, 2018 (12:47 pm)

I should add, use the link below to file complaints with Metro about the 21. I don’t believe they’ll ever do anything about it, but more honest feedback couldn’t hurt.

http://metro.kingcounty.gov/cs/index.html#comment

flicka February 28, 2018 (3:28 pm)

Sorry I can’t tell this on my own – if you take the 21 and were switching to Light Rail at SODO station, now you have to walk from 1st to 4th on Lander – and that will be possible during the project?

CAM February 28, 2018 (3:54 pm)

I think so. The project plan on the city’s website seem to suggest that pedestrian and bike access to Lander between 1st and 4th would be maintained.

This is the link the blog posted last time that I got that info from: https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/bridges-stairs-and-other-structures/bridges/s-lander-st

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