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The next phase of the Seattle Squeeze is fast approaching. Hundreds of additional buses will soon be taking over the streets of downtown Seattle and the changes will affect commuters in the area.
Approximately 830 additional buses will soon be running through the streets of downtown Seattle on weekdays.
These buses currently use the transit tunnel, but as of March 23, only light rail will run underground, which is permanent.
Bus traffic will rise to the surface to allow for the expansion of the Washington State Convention Center and the construction of the tram network.
The following routes will be affected: 41 Lake City – Northgate, 74 Sand Point, 101 Renton, 102 Fairwood, 150 Kent Station – Southcenter, 255 Brickyard Park and Ride – Kirkland, 550 Bellevue – Mercer Island.
Thousands of cyclists will have to look for new bus stops in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Avenues.
Transportation planners say that all of these routes will take longer to travel through the city center because they will clutter up many buses and cars.
"This is going to be a disadvantage for a number of current bus drivers, but it will mean a much better day for mobility throughout the region when we serve tens of thousands of additional passengers in the tunnel by light rail," he said. said Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff.
Seattle is still at the beginning of the long period of compression that began with the closure of the Alaskan Way viaduct and ends in 2023 when the tramways transport commuters to new routes to Northgate and Eastside.
"We are currently building the transportation infrastructure for the city we have already become, and it will take a few years," said Heather Marx, director of mobility for downtown Seattle's transportation department.
In addition to tunnel modifications next month, some existing surface bus lines will also be moved to other streets and Metro says that these could end up being faster.
Another advantage, Sound Transit, says that light rail will operate much more reliably without all of these buses in the tunnel.
Commuters should keep an eye on their bus stops for information on where their new stops will be. Metro also has information on its website.
Some additional changes – Metro adds trips on multiple routes to reduce overcrowding. On the busy 3rd Avenue bus corridor, runners will be able to pay before boarding to avoid long lines at the main gate.
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