TRAFFIC ALERT: ‘Pack your patience’ heading this way

That’s the advice from Andy, who just emailed to say traffic heading out of downtown is so bad, “I got on the 56 bus 45 minutes ago at 3rd & Seneca and we are only in Pioneer Square. 45 minutes to go 2 miles.” We’ve heard about the delays here at West Seattle Summer Fest, from people who have been waiting for friends to join them here. We’re not seeing any one big incident, just a variety of factors.

21 Replies to "TRAFFIC ALERT: 'Pack your patience' heading this way"

  • Rob Law July 12, 2019 (5:25 pm)

    Hour and a half to go from SLU to the Junction on the C

    • Lynn July 13, 2019 (2:19 am)

      Gawd. I was stuck 45 mins from SLU to 3rd and Columbia.  Awful. 

  • Elton July 12, 2019 (5:29 pm)

    They just starting re routing buses turning Columbia to 1st down to 2nd and across Holgate. 

    • Ktrapp July 12, 2019 (6:20 pm)

      A half-hour too late for me.  Ended up being a 90 minute commute on a 21 “express”.  At this point, the regular 21’s might be faster, since they don’t go down to 1st.Is there any word on when Columbia to Alaska is going to open up for buses?  It might finally save some time to avoid that whole mess.

  • Zzzz July 12, 2019 (5:29 pm)

    I’ve taken this route a number of times over the last few weeks. This is not a one-off. It appears to be the result of routing all the bus traffic onto narrow Pioneer Square streets at peak hours. Also compounded by adding a new stop @King and 1st Avenue which commits Metro to using this route and not other options 

    • Meg July 12, 2019 (5:38 pm)

      My husband has been saying the same thing.   It’s happening nearly every evening and his bus driver told him that stop is why there’s no alt-route option.  

    • J July 12, 2019 (7:54 pm)

      Yea, I’ve been taking the C line from SLU to fauntleroy and it’s been consistently taking me approx. 70 minutes. It’s been like this for weeks now. I drove one day and it took 25 minutes. I dont want to be another SOV but when the bus takes 3 times longer, I think I should just drive. Isn’t it supposed to be this bad for 2 years while Seattle is in the “period of maximum constraint”?

  • Lacey July 12, 2019 (5:30 pm)

    Heading back to West Seattle from around the sculpture park. Been in the car for almost an hour, and just got past pike place, driving on Western. This is Fish Truck level insanity.

  • Bus rider July 12, 2019 (6:02 pm)

    One hour to get out of downtown.

  • FC July 12, 2019 (6:10 pm)

    Got on the 21 at 3rd and Pike was home in 30 minutes . 

  • NW July 12, 2019 (6:17 pm)

    Carpool transit move closer to work stop single car occupancy ride a bicycle multi commute. 

    • NH July 12, 2019 (7:31 pm)

      You are lecturing people that are on a bus.

  • Jennifer July 12, 2019 (6:49 pm)

    1 hr 40 min to home from 3rd and Seneca on the C line. Left work at 4:15. 

  • newnative July 12, 2019 (6:59 pm)

    Got two Metro alerts about 1st ave congestion. Stayed at the gym a little longer. Hopefully it’s calming down. 

  • TJ July 12, 2019 (8:38 pm)

    Sov is still easiest for most people NW. Especially when it’s 3 times faster for many people. Everyone needs to do their own cost/benefit analysis on commuting downtown. Even of it costs more to drive and park than busing it, but you are saving time and can relax in your own car with flexible options to change your schedule on a whim, I would always drive.

    • KM July 12, 2019 (9:33 pm)

      The cost of owning and maintaining a vehicle is cost prohibitive for many people. Only “easiest” if you can afford it.

      • Rick July 13, 2019 (6:21 am)

        Just get others to pay for it. After all, they owe you. Right?

  • AC July 12, 2019 (9:37 pm)

    Shout out to the C line that missed the Avalon exit this afternoon, got off admiral exit and got stuck at belvedere park! In all honesty though, bus was able to eventually turn around on small streets, avoiding cars and got back to avalon. With the congestion/re-routes out of downtown and summerfest, a lot they have do deal with navigating the roads. Great job turning around a tough situation.

  • Yma July 12, 2019 (10:04 pm)

    Super hard to rely on transit when daycare stops at ‘x’ time. 

  • Jim P. July 13, 2019 (11:49 am)

    I suspect this is going to become the norm as population continues to climb and they all filter into downtown and SLU and close by areas all about the same time.When I first moved here nine years ago, I got on the 120 at 7:52 near Westwood and walked into my office downbtown around 8:20 or 25.  I’ll bet I can’t come even close to that now (Retired thank goodness.)

  • Mj July 13, 2019 (5:50 pm)

    Wow a C bus on Admiral Way hope to see this service added permanently!

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