Coalition-backed initiative seeks to advance safety improvements and reliable transit
Earlier today, City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck (Position 8) announced the “Better Bus Lanes” Campaign on Seattle’s Capitol Hill, in response to a Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) proposal last month to remove a block of bus lane on East Union Street that serves the King County Metro Route 2 bus. After overwhelming public outcry on the issue, SDOT announced they would keep the bus lane in place and open the closed Route 2 bus stop on the block at East Union and 12th Avenue.
Councilmember Rinck made today’s announcement alongside Transportation Choices Coalition, Amalgamated Transit Union 587, Transit Riders Union, Aurora Reimagined Coalition, Fix the L8, and Central Seattle Greenways.
“For too long our city has missed the moment to ensure frequent and reliable bus service on some of our most used bus corridors. Now is the time to fix these longstanding issues head on,” said Councilmember Rinck. “I’m proud to stand with transportation advocates to find a new way forward for Seattle’s bus riders.”
The Better Bus Lanes coalition calls for faster buses throughout the city, because fast buses need great transit streets. The campaign will focus on three of the busiest and most critical streets for transit in Seattle:
- Denny Way
- Aurora Avenue
- Rainier Avenue
The Better Bus Lanes Campaign prioritizes three near-term safety and reliability improvements on these streets for riders:
- Two-way bus lanes on Denny Way from Queen Anne Avenue to Stewart St.
- Make the temporary 24/7 bus lanes on Aurora Avenue permanent, expand safe crossings, and move Seattle towards achieving Vision Zero.
- Expand bus reliability progress on Rainier Avenue in anticipation for RapidRide R around Mount Baker Station while promoting safety for all.
The buses that run along these streets (E Line, the Route 8, and Route 7) are some of the busiest bus routes in Washington state. Bus lanes are a smart, affordable investment that will help Seattleites get around during the World Cup and continued impacts of Revive I-5.
Background
The goal of the campaign is to ensure better bus service and reliability on three critical transit routes. The first of which is E Denny Way where Route 8 has been notorious for its lack of reliability. Piloting bus lanes along Denny Way allows the city to test new ways to ensure Route 8 can be as reliable as possible on one of our few east-west bus routes.
The second is Aurora Avenue N where there has been ongoing focus to fix the E Line (currently the busiest bus line in Washington). This is possible by making the 24/7 bus lanes on Aurora permanent to promote reliability and certainty for Seattle riders on one of the highest ridership routes while promoting improved pedestrian crossings, greater access to RapidRide E, and automatic speed cameras south of Green Lake.
The third is Rainier Avenue S which also has faced major reliability and safety issues for one of the most frequented buses in the city – Route 7. The route has a number of safety concerns for people of all modes of transportation. By building on previous improvements to transit reliability, the hope is that it will promote safety as a top priority for this corridor.
What’s next
Councilmember Rinck will seek action on this from SDOT by assessing budgetary options, code changes, and partnership with SDOT to ensure buses are serving the riders of Seattle. Councilmember Rinck has brought forward a Statement of Legislative Intent (SLI) to work with SDOT through the budget process to achieve these goals. Councilmembers will join partners and advocates to collaborate with SDOT on how best to implement these changes through the SLI.
Additional quotes
“Transit riders love SDOT’s bus lanes. That was evident when they came out in force to save the Union Street bus lane. Seattle’s busiest streets deserve the red carpet treatment. Aurora, Rainier, & Denny are three of the busiest transit streets in the state. SDOT has proven they can speed up transit with bus lanes on each of these streets. The Better Bus Lanes campaign calls on the City to build on those bus lanes ASAP.” – Kirk Hovenkotter, Transportation Choices Coalition
“Seattle and our region will not thrive, reach its full potential, or meet its equity or sustainability goals without safe and reliable public transportation. Bus only lanes are critical for public transportation to even work in Seattle or be a viable option or choice for the public. With all the billions of dollars, both past and future invested on public transit in our region, it’s important that we make decisions and take actions to improve its reliability and flow, not ones that would impede it.” – Greg Woodfill, ATU 587 President
“A healthy Seattle that cares for its citizens includes fast, frequent, reliable public transit. Through years of rider advocacy, Seattle has built a bus system that punches above its weight in capacity and accessibility. Now is the time to focus on reliability. Bus lanes are the common-sense choice for Seattle’s busiest corridors – cheap, proven, and effective. Let’s paint the lanes on Denny, Aurora, and Rainier, and get the people moving!” – Noah Williams, Seattle Transit Riders Union
“Donald Trump is doing everything in his power, and countless things outside of his power, to move us back as a country, including rolling back transit projects. The last thing we need is for SDOT to do the same by tearing out a bus lane. It’s more important than ever that we keep pushing forward as a city, and that includes expanding our bus lanes.” – Jason Li and Nick Sattelle, Fix the L8
“With an average weekly ridership of over 13,000, the Rapid Ride E Line serves as a critical connector along one of Washington state’s most dangerous and polluted highways. The Better Bus Lanes campaign strives to bring improved reliability of service and needed safety improvements for Washingtonians who depend on this route. As our region continues to grow, we encourage SDOT and the City of Seattle to further invest in creating safe, healthy, and reliable world class public transportation.” – Carlo Alcantara, Aurora Reimagined Coalition
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