VIDEO: Celebration wraps up Metro Flex’s first week of on-demand transit for Delridge and South Park

| Delridge | South Park | Transportation | West Seattle news

Today’s El Mercadito pop-up shop and farmers’ market in South Park had special guests:

Mayor Bruce Harrell, City Councilmember Rob Saka, Metro general manager Michelle Allison, SDOT senior deputy director Francisca Stefan joined South Park community advocates, including members of the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps, in celebrating this week’s launch of Metro Flex on-demand transit serving Delridge and South Park. While Metro is a county service, as we reported when the launch was announced two weeks ago, the Seattle Transit Measure is paying for the new service. That’s why both city and county reps spoke at Duwamish Waterway Park today – here’s what everyone had to say:

Harrell and Saka stressed that this is a boon for “underinvested” communities like Delridge and South Park.

Stefan said this is filling gaps in the transit network, and being able to get where you need to go “can be life-transforming.”

Allison said it’s about equity and flexibility as well as convenience, and reflects community voices.

One of those voices is that of South Park’s Ruby Montes De Oca, who said that additions like this are helping as “South Park is starting to shine with new hope”:

Metro Flex’s South Park/Delridge launch is the start of a two-year pilot. We asked Metro how the first week had gone; spokesperson Jeff Switzer said those numbers aren’t in yet but we might be able to get an update next week. They realize the word hasn’t gotten out widely yet and plan a new promotional campaign to ensure more hear about it. You can book a ride, in the service area, by calling 206-258-7739, using this website, or using this app. Here’s a peek inside one of the vans:

One of the places especially excited about Metro Flex is the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse and Cultural Center in West Seattle – their location at 4705 W. Marginal Way SW isn’t on a bus route but Metro Flex can take you there! The service is available seven days a week, 6 am to 11 pm.

Hummer July 28, 2024 (8:04 am)

“Harrell and Saka stressed that this is a boon for “underinvested” communities like Delridge and South Park.” Great news, but we have a long way to go to serve the “transit deserts” in our community where transit-dependent populations live and are underserved by mass transit.The current cost estimate for the West Seattle light rail link is $4 billion. A reasonable case can be made—through the lens of costs versus benefits—that the cost is excessive. The light rail extension will serve the parts of West Seattle that already have substantial access to mass transit. Alternatively, could some of those funds be used to improve existing transit services on the West Seattle peninsula and serve areas in our community where transit-dependent populations live and are underserved by mass transit?It’s a win-win situation for everyone, and it can be achieved with little environmental impact and without people losing their businesses, homes, or jobs.

K July 28, 2024 (11:41 am)

When fully operational, the light rail will replace busses, freeing up transit resources to improve bus service in undeserved areas. Metro and Sound Transit have different funding streams. You can’t take money from a ST project and divert it to Metro (not legally). But seeing the ST project to completion will ultimately help Metro, so it’s a win/win.
- CarDriver July 28, 2024 (1:31 pm)
  
  K. Has Metro committed themselves to restoring service to Alki and Genesee Hill and other areas? I’m willing to bet that answer is no. I’m certainly not holding my breath.
  - Foop July 28, 2024 (6:17 pm)
    
    H line and c will serve Alki to light rail.
    - CarDriver July 28, 2024 (6:54 pm)
      
      They’re going to run busses on Harbor/Alki/Beach Drive? Where can I find Metro’s statement on that?
    - 1994 July 28, 2024 (10:35 pm)
      
      That will be a slow fun bus ride over all the new speed cushion humps being installed! Hey – running frequent buses might do a better job at controlling the speedsters and cruisers on Alki. Get 2 things done at once!
Todd July 28, 2024 (12:23 pm)

A reasonable case can also be made—through the lens of costs versus benefits—that the cost is reasonable and worth pursuing and also end up being a win-win for the community.

I think it is great that people care about access to transit. I think it is hard to envision a more powerful incentive to realign our transit network towards these underserved areas than to build out already planned, mostly-funded, environmentally-neutral trains: with light rail serving these already-served areas the current bus routes will adjust into a hub-and-spoke system centering on stations and reaching further into these transit deserts. That sounds like a win!

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