[Transit] Fwd: Eastlake "rapid" ride route deficiencies

[Doug Trumm]

I think the RapidRide J is still a good project, but would have been better
if it stretched all the way to Roosevelt. I don't think we should advocate
against the J Line since that would put us in company with Alex Pedersen
and Eastlake Community Council trying to spike the project
<https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/08/28/eastlake-community-council-boots-board-members-for-supporting-rapidride-j-line/>
from day one. But I do think it would be fair to demand Metro and SDOT
sketch out the bus restructure to reassure riders. How will the northern
section of Route 70 be replaced? How will transfers to campus work?

Part of the communication problem here is that the project has been so
bogged down that much of the outreach was conducted in 2019
<https://www.theurbanist.org/2019/10/18/help-decide-how-route-70-becomes-rapidride-j/>
and
2020 and the next phase was slow to develop with the truncation
decision happening
in Dec 2020
<https://www.theurbanist.org/2020/12/11/sdot-presents-abbreviated-rapidride-j-plan-now-opening-in-2025-or-2026/>
when most students weren't even on campus. That 2019-2020 version was still
the 'all the way to Roosevelt Station' version projected to attract 20k+
riders
<https://www.theurbanist.org/2020/01/21/rapidride-j-aims-to-double-route-70-ridership/>.
I think the outreach for that version of the project was reasonably good,
but not so much for the revised truncated version.

*Douglas Trumm*, *Publisher*
Pronouns*: he, him*
The Urbanist <http://theurbanist.org/> | 320.237.4771




On Tue, Sep 5, 2023 at 2:15 PM Wes Mills <wesmills at wesmills.com> wrote:

> For some background, I know outreach has been done but from what I’ve seen
> it has been specific to neighborhoods (and, as we all know, Eastlake has
> been the very squeaky wheel getting a lot of grease).  The project teams
> came to the Transit and Pedestrian advisory boards and the question of UW
> access along Campus Pkwy didn’t come up.
>
> Ped board meeting minutes -
> https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SDOT/BoardsCommittees/SPAB/October%202022%20SPAB%20Meeting%20Minutes.pdf
>
> Transit board meeting minutes -
> https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SDOT/BoardsCommittees/TAB/TAB%20October%20Meeting%20Minutes.pdf
>
> My understanding is the pathway of RR J is “set” because of the Federal
> funding being used to build it and as a remnant of when it was going to go
> all the way to Roosevelt.  I have an inkling—but I can’t confirm from
> Internet searching so this might just be my bad memory—that pre-pandemic
> Metro was going to run a version of the 70 when the J began.  But that has
> definitely changed, a combination of the pandemic and truncating RR J.
>
> None of this is me trying to discourage pushing on this (I want a frequent
> bus route on every arterial in the city!).
>
> On Tue, Sep 5, 2023, at 13:44, kristina at transitriders.org wrote:
>
> As an active UW student, I have not heard about any community solicitation
> regarding this route change. Metro 70 is an important route for students &
> staff.
>
> Can we bring this to the UW transportation committee or ASUW or GPSS
> (student government)? I think this is an important concern to bring to the
> campus that we on campus have not discussed.
>
> Kristina Sawyckyj
> June 26, 2023 8:41 AM, "Katie Wilson" <katie at transitriders.org
> <katie at transitriders.org?to=%22Katie%20Wilson%22%20%3Ckatie at transitriders.org%3E>>
> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> Just wanted to share this email about the RapidRide J line. I haven’t been
> tracking this closely, do any of you have opinions about this restructure &
> access to UW campus?
>
> Katie
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
> *From: *Jon Weiner <jonweiner at hotmail.com>
> *Subject: **Eastlake "rapid" ride route deficiencies*
> *Date: *June 25, 2023 at 7:42:48 PM PDT
> *To: *"contact at transitriders.org" <contact at transitriders.org>
> Hello,
> Has the union formed an opinion on the Rapid Ride J line? This is
> basically a replacement of Metro 70 with the significant differenve of no
> longer travelling on Campus Parkway or 15th Ave meaning there will be no
> service from downtown (except for light rail) or SLU to UW.
>
> The nearest stops will be at NE 42nd St at 11th Ave (northbound) &
> Roosevelt Way (southbound), hugely inconvenient for employees & students
> who currently use the 70 to commute to the south part of main campus & UWMC.
>
> Metro claims there was much community input but I don't remember being
> solicited and I pay close attention to transit issues since I do not own
> nor want a car. Additionally, I have spoken with countless riders and none
> had any idea this was happening so I don't believe Metro's claims of rider
> input since I have yet to meet a single rider in favor of this re-routing
> of a heavily used bus line.
>
> Any suggestion? I have emails to and from various government officials and
> transit outreach staff if that would be helpful.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Jon
>
>
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