SHELTER SHIFT: Why one RapidRide stop just got reconfigured

| Luna Park | Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Thanks to Ann for the top photo and tip. The RapidRide C Line shelter on northbound Avalon Way at Yancy [map] was hoisted Saturday, moved from the east side of the protected bike lane to the west side. We asked Metro’s Jeff Switzer about it, and got his response today:

This shelter relocation was planned as part of SDOT’s SW Seattle Paving: 35th / Avalon Project, which rebuilt/reconfigured SW Avalon Way in 2019/2020. To support the addition of protected bicycle lanes on this section of roadway, SDOT constructed a transit island for our existing northbound RapidRide stop far-side SW Yancy St to eliminate merging conflicts at the new protected bike lane and to keep this as an in-lane bus stop. We were just now able to finally perform this work with staffing levels stabilizing. Some (photos) from the team to help show our efforts and the result:

Jeepney April 27, 2022 (4:12 pm)

Not really a fan of this. It pushes me closer to the traffic speeding by, I prefer having a bit of a buffer.

reed April 28, 2022 (8:21 am)

Now you know how every bicyclist feels. Its nice to see more people have a stake in the “game.”
- Jeepney April 28, 2022 (11:39 am)
  
  Funny you should mention, I am also a cyclist (as well as a motorist) and I feel much safer on my bike than I do as a pedestrian on these streets (Avalon & Delridge) since they were slimmed down. At several intersections SDOT installed curb bulbs that have me literally inches from cars and buses going by. Zero vision.
  - Jay April 29, 2022 (3:42 pm)
    
    I’m a cyclist too and I HATE those curb bulbs. Delridge is no longer bikeable like it used to be.
    - K April 29, 2022 (4:20 pm)
      
      The problem is we continue to pit peds/cyclists against each other for scraps. Peds should have safe crossings (curb bulbs help limit crossing distances and increase visibility), cyclists should have complete and robust infrastructure for all levels and abilities (not “protected” lanes going only one direction, for just some of the length of the road). But, our collective nation has “car-first” mentality so we can’t envision using our streets any other way. It really sucks that the Delridge redo has created so much chaos for cyclists. Sure, I can get to White Center now in a “protected” lane most of the way (assuming it’s not blocked by Amazon delivery drivers police vehicles, and debris), but there’s no reasonable way for me to get home.

bill April 27, 2022 (5:25 pm)

The island needs jersey barriers to protect people from drivers. Look at all the rubber on the curb. Some driver is going to wipe out a bunch of bus riders someday.

Bill April 27, 2022 (6:39 pm)

Bill … could also be a result of the actual bus running up next to the curb.

Steve April 27, 2022 (6:03 pm)

I bike that route. Also bus it. Good for SDOT as they figure this stuff out. That’s a great block to really slow down.

StuckInWestSeattle April 27, 2022 (6:11 pm)

That makes sense. However they made a mess of Delridge especially going toward Delridge park. I dont know where the hell to ride my bike anymore on Delridge. The bike lanes are gone and there are bus lanes and its scary as hell when they come up on you and you dont know where to go, turn etc. Horrible.

Jean April 28, 2022 (7:59 am)

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but they’ve rerouted the bike lane to 26th Ave SW there’s even a map that shows the reroute. You can turn down Avalon Way and take a left onto 26th if you’re headed southbound. 26th Ave SW is now a neighborhood only road as well so there’s way less car traffic. There is signage as you head south that will redirect you to Delridge when the official bike lane starts.
- sam-c April 28, 2022 (8:59 am)
  
  For turning left on 26th to head southbound (as an alternate to taking Delrdige), I think you might mean Andover instead of Avalon. IE, come from the WS low-bridge, take Andover to 26th, and turn left to head south.
- StuckInWestSeattle April 29, 2022 (1:06 pm)
  
  I had not! Thanks I will explore that.

VBD April 27, 2022 (7:50 pm)

I don’t ride my bike down Avalon often, but when I do, I’m usually doing 25+ mph. I can’t imagine riding down hill in that ridiculous bike lane at anything over 10 mph. Car doors, pedestrians, quick turns, and no escape route…. What were they thinking?

My two cents April 27, 2022 (10:06 pm)

Vbd – shouldn’t bike riders be aware and ride according to the conditions present? If we expect the same behavior for drivers, shouldn’t it be true for cyclists?
- bill April 28, 2022 (12:04 am)
  
  Call me naive, but when the city builds a bike facility I expect it to offer a degree of improved safety over running with the bulls in the general traffic lanes. That downhill lane on Avalon is crazy unsafe. There’s no telling whether a passenger in a parked car is going to pop a door open without warning. Pedestrians stand in the lane or wander into it. Drivers cross the lane to make right turns without looking. Drivers who don’t understand how to use the turn lanes turn right from the general traffic lane, again without looking.
- YES2WS April 28, 2022 (5:19 am)
  
  @my2cents; VBD stated that they normally cycle at 25mph, but when on the “improved” Avalon route, speed must be reduced to approximately 10 mph. I get what they were saying perhaps because I have to do the same thing. Otherwise, it’s just unsafe and neglectful riding. The point is, on a main thoroughfare route ( be it bicycle, car or bus) is it really an improvement to now have to travel 10 mph? We’re not talking about the occasional slow down. There’s no way to safely travel at the speed you’d expect on a main route in/out of the neighborhood. You’re questioning VBD, but don’t you see they’re doing exactly what you’re stating they should be should be doing? 🤷🏻‍♀️
- YES2WS April 28, 2022 (5:26 am)
  
  To add to my earlier post; as you can see, we cyclists sometimes opt to travel at speed on the main road. This defeats the purpose for all. Cyclists for protection, and cars for the luxury of not having to allow for cyclists. I personally don’t consider the Avalon bike lanes to be a successful improvement.
  - Joe Z April 28, 2022 (9:42 am)
    
    They should have removed all of the parking on Avalon. It’s an arterial street. It’s designed for moving people, not for parking vehicles. Less parking = more capacity to make travel faster. The parking takes up nearly half of the available road space! Plus, drunk/distracted drivers are constantly smashing into parked cars at the curve.
    - Jeepney April 28, 2022 (11:43 am)
      
      Last Saturday I counted at least 6 cars parked on Delridge and Holden that appeared to have been sideswiped by cars. Slimming that road down was not well thought out.

Auntie April 28, 2022 (10:09 am)

The bike lane/right turn lane for cars at Genessee and Yancy eastbound off Avalon are two of the most ridiculous configurations I have ever seen. Dangerous for bicyclists and unfathomable for drivers who are not familiar with them. Every time I drive down Avalon, I see a car that has failed to figure out how it works and just veers off to the right at the last minute. Epic fail, SDOT.

Kathy April 28, 2022 (10:39 am)

If only they would design a facility that would force people in cars to slow down when going downhill. On the west side of Admiral Way hill, cars are routinely driving 35-40 mph, whizzing by me while I’m biking 20-23 mph. That is not safe. A few chicanes with jersey barriers for protection and some speed bumps would do the trick.

Jay April 29, 2022 (3:48 pm)

I can make it up to 40 on Admiral and still get passed by cars going much faster. The sharrows on Admiral are awful and I usually avoid that route, but if you’re going from North Admiral to Delridge any detour adds at least a mile.

Jim P. April 28, 2022 (3:03 pm)

I may be missing something but how does a wheelchair or person with a walker or other mobility issues get over there as I do not see any sidewalk ramps anywhere and how will blind people know the bus stop is tucked out on that space instead of along the sidewalk?

Bus April 29, 2022 (1:38 pm)

The north end of the bus stop has a marked crosswalk across the bike lanes, with curb ramps to get from the sidewalk to the bus stop. It’s there, just hard to see in the photo.

SDOTHater April 28, 2022 (6:46 pm)

I’ve got to ask all the bikers who brave Avalon, how DO you like SDOT’s design? It would terrify the F out of me to be zooming down through that lane worried about turning cars coming through the gap between the street and the bike lane obscured by the parked car lane and bus lane what not. It’s a total cluster f&*$, am I right? Horrible, terrible design. You know where bikes belong on Avalon cruising down the hill? They belong on the f&8*ing street where they don’t have to worry about crazy Ivan turning traffic. Good job Sam. Also, this note of empathy goes out to the two or three folks who actually use that bike lane every day.

bolo April 28, 2022 (11:25 pm)

I am one who does not like it. Too many surprise blockages such as: moving trucks, delivery vans, USPS vehicles, cars parked halfway into the bike lane, car doors suddenly opening, car doors left open, signposts leaning into the bike lane, dogs, infant seats, groceries, random garbage, glass, rocks, bricks, etc. in addition to vehicles crossing in and out of driveways.

In the fall the slick leaves pile up in the bike lane causing loss of traction and easy wipeout. Stays thru most of winter. Supposed to be a special skinny streetsweeper for the bike lanes but I have never seen it, nor have seen the results of it.

All this forcing the cyclist to make a panic stops or exit the bike lane out to the general traffic lane but swerving in and out of the lanes is what the traffic safety experts explicitly tell us is most unsafe.

I now prefer and try to ride in the general traffic lanes as that feels safer. Until impatient drivers start honking and/or tailgating.

SDOTHater April 28, 2022 (7:49 pm)

I have to pile it on, because this situation with the buss stop cover is exhibit T. Have you noticed how many e-bikers use the bike lane? Would they be crazy to do that? Seems like they can keep up with traffic heading down that hill. E-bikes are kind of like motor cycles. Actually, they are motor cycles. They’re great. They should use the street. Has forward thinking SDOT, wanter of bridge destruction, though about how many e-bikes could cross the bridge? Or could have. This whole time.

Sorry, comment time is over.