Year: 2012

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Changes to Metro Service September 29 (not just the end of the Ride Free Area)

Thousands of riders will see changes to their routes starting Sept. 29. Dozens of routes will have different bus stops, travel on different streets or have changed schedules. Some low-ridership routes will be eliminated and buses moved to serve more people.

Riders can now go online and see a summary of the changes Metro has planned and use the online trip planner to map out which routes work best for them. Printed rider alert brochures will be distributed in coming weeks and teams of Metro personnel will be on the streets at the end of September and first week of October to answer rider questions. For our riders  who are limited in their English proficiency or without access to the internet, we recommend getting help from a case worker, friend or family member who can go online to understand the changes, or calling a Metro customer service representative at 553-3000 to learn what routes are changing and how to make regular trips using the new system after Sept. 29.

Sept. 29, there will be no free rides in downtown Seattle and riders will pay when boarding the bus. Metro is transitioning to a pay-on-entry system on all buses. Eliminating the downtown Ride Free Area, which has been in place nearly 40 years, will raise needed revenue and preserve transit service. Riders should prepare for initial delays as lines form to pay fares when boarding. Riders can speed up boarding times and be ready for the pay-on-entry system by getting an ORCA card. For those who relied most on the Ride Free Area to reach services in downtown Seattle, a free circulator shuttle will be implemented in association with the city of Seattle to serve those who need to access downtown human services and health resources.

Metro also is launching two new RapidRide lines Sept. 29, with frequent service and special features. RapidRide C Line will travel between downtown Seattle and West Seattle, and RapidRide D Line will travel between downtown Seattle and Ballard via Uptown.

Tools for riders

Metro Transit has many rider tools available, with more planned in coming weeks. If you’d like an alternate format of any of these materials, please feel free to contact us.

  • Route changes and Metro’s online trip planner are online at: http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/scvchange.html
  • Pay-on-Entry/Ride free area elimination information: metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/bus/ride-free-area/changes.html
  • Multilingual video about the end of the Ride Free Area (languages include Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Ukrainian and Somali) is available online at http://bit.ly/Uv3uH2
  • RapidRide information page: metro.kingcounty.gov/travel-options/bus/RapidRide
  • ORCA card information page: www.orcacard.com
  • Area specific route maps (coming soon)
  • Tips for getting help from customer service via phone in your own language, a brochure in 13 languages (coming soon)
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Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Construction Closures: Highlights for Friday, Sept. 7 – Monday, Sept. 17

Visit WSDOT’s website for a complete list of closures. Closure information changes frequently, so remember to check for updates throughout the week.

Highlights for Friday, Sept. 7 – Monday, Sept. 17

Corridor-wide:

  • Viaduct reinforcement work will close all lanes of southbound SR 99 between the north end of the Battery Street Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge at the following times:
    • 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, Sunday, Sept. 9 – the morning of Friday, Sept. 14.
    • 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly. Sunday, Sept. 16 – the morning of Friday, Sept. 21.

North:

Monday, Sept. 10 through Wednesday, Sept. 12

  • John Street between Sixth Avenue North and Taylor Avenue North will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The sidewalk and north parking lane also will be closed through Sept. 14. Local access maintained from Taylor Avenue North.

Monday, Sept. 10, through Friday, Sept. 14

  • The north parking lane and sidewalk on John Street between Sixth Avenue North and Taylor Avenue North and between Aurora Avenue North and the alley will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Thursday, Sept. 13 and Friday, Sept. 14

  • Flaggers will direct traffic on Sixth Avenue North between Denny Way and John Street from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Central:

Monday, Sept. 10, through Friday, Sept. 14

  • The southbound parking lane on Western Avenue between Marion and Columbia streets will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
  • The north-side parking lane and one eastbound travel lane on Marion Street between Alaskan Way and First Avenue will be closed from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly.

South:

  • All lanes of northbound SR 99 will be closed between South Royal Brougham Way and the West Seattle Bridge from 11 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.

Quick links:

 

Website links

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program

SR 99 Tunnel Project | South Holgate Street to South King Street Project

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Seattle Parks and Recreation Begins Repair on Pioneer Square Pergola

Seattle Parks and Recreation, with contractor and Ron Wright and Associates, begins repair to the historical Pioneer Square Pergola on Monday, September 10, 2012. It is anticipated work will complete on Wednesday, September 12, 2012. During construction, a portion of the multipurpose lane on First Avenue, both north and south of Yesler Way, will be blocked off. Temporary signage will be installed to direct pedestrians around the construction zone.

The work includes repair of the portion of the Pergola damaged by a truck collision in April 2012, and installation of a new, stronger bollard. This new bollard will be anchored into the ground providing extra strength and protection.

In 2001 the Pergola was hit and knocked down by a semi-truck. The Pergola was completely renovated at that time, and a surface mount bollard was installed to protect the historical structure from further strikes. However, the Pergola and bollard have been hit several times since 2001, necessitating repair and reinstallation of the old bollard. Now Seattle Parks and Recreation is collaborating with the Seattle Department of Transportation to install an in-ground bollard that will provide even more protection to keep this iconic piece of Seattle’s past in
tact.

The repair work will also include the replacement of the concrete sidewalk in this area, as well as the replacement of the existing ramp from the street to the sidewalk. A new cornice piece on the Pergola will be installed at a later date.

Constructed in 1909, the Pergola in Pioneer Square Park provided shelter for passengers waiting for the cable car that ran along Yesler Way. It was built in a Victorian style, out of iron and glass. It was restored in 1972, and designated a historic landmark in 1977.

For more information on the project, please contact Ron Wright of Ron Wright and Associates at rwright[at]rwaa.com or 206-728-4248.