[Transit] Urgent: Seniors very concerned about Route 12

Thu Aug 22 18:25:19 PDT 2024

The changes that are related to new lines opening (RapidRide, Link, etc) seem to have pretty lengthy periods of outreach and feedback. I think I first saw surveys on RapidRide G bus restructure in March 2023. Those surveys caused TRU to advocate for the restoration of route 47, which is great!

Maybe we need to be doing something more proactive and systematic when Metro first announces planning processes like this? 

Cole

> On Aug 21, 2024, at 8:15 PM, kristina at transitriders.org wrote:
> 
> Great connection....
> 
> How can we be more proactive on these bus route changes and deletions? I feel like we are always fighting them after the facts of planning and wish METRO had a better way of letting us know or the community know. 
> 
> Kristina
> 
> August 17, 2024 7:55 AM, "Jo Claxton" <msjoclaxton at gmail.com <mailto:msjoclaxton at gmail.com?to=%22Jo%20Claxton%22%20%3Cmsjoclaxton at gmail.com%3E>> wrote:
> Thank you Wes for doing this! So great. I bet Debra really appreciated the support.
> On Fri, Aug 16, 2024, 8:33 PM Wes Mills <wesmills at wesmills.com <mailto:wesmills at wesmills.com>> wrote:
> Following-up on this:
> Turns out the meeting was today at 2pm (it was supposed to be last week but a person from Metro came down with COVID). Since I was in the neighborhood, I went over to the Subway on 12th to see what was going on. Apparently no one told Metro someone from TRU might be coming so the Metro staffer I first met was surprised, but I made sure to say I was just there to hear what the community is saying. (Incidentally, Diana from Metro has been on the receiving end of both letters we’ve written!)
> The meeting largely focused on Metro’s outreach efforts, or Debra’s perceived lackthereof. Plus, she didn’t get replies to her attempts at reaching out. The two Metro staffers, Diana and a planner whose name I sadly forgot (but I’ve seen at various street fairs), went over all of the sessions they’d held, Metro’s plans for outreach on the day of the service change, and specifics of what’s changing. Debra was mainly concerned because she’d heard the 10 and 12 were being deleted, as well as (after finding out they aren’t deleted) the location of the shared stops from the 12 and RapidRide G. Plus, Metro folks said they will send her more details on the specific stops plus work on where the lines of communication broke down.
> A friend who came with Debra was concerned about the prohibitions on left turns and right-on-red, stating bluntly “I’m not going to follow those because I don’t have time to go around blocks to get places.” I did not get into an argument with her on this point. :) (I did gently point out that those of us out walking and rolling do hope drivers will follow the traffic rules because it’s painful if they don’t, but that’s all.)
> Chatting with Diana after, Metro is going to have a party for RapidRide G. They are still nailing down the final details but TRU is welcome to have a table if we like! Also, she was happy that we are happy about the 47/3-Extension coming back and that it was something Metro was glad to be able to deliver in response to our (and others’) urgent feedback.
> Anyway, Debra left happy so it was a good chat. It feels like she felt like she wasn’t being heard and now she has been. I also wanted the Metro folks to know TRU is here, obviously, to advocate for transit riders but we also want to hear Metro and do what we can to help Metro, too.
> (Oh, and one of the employees at Subway asked about my TRU shirt and was very interested to hear about TRU. I gave them our web site and the 30-second pitch and invited them to the meeting in September.)
> Wes
> On Thu, Aug 8, 2024, at 13:24, Wes Mills wrote:
>> I hope it is as well. :) I just called and left Debra a voicemail with my number.
>> On Thu, Aug 8, 2024, at 11:39, Katie Wilson wrote:
>>> Thanks, Wes! Hopefully it’s mostly a misunderstanding and these seniors aren’t about to lose their bus service. :( Any chance you’d be able to give Debra a call today to chat and ask about the meeting with Metro? (I’m also happy to do this if you prefer, just let me know!)
>>>> On Aug 8, 2024, at 11:34 AM, Wes Mills <wesmills at wesmills.com <mailto:wesmills at wesmills.com>> wrote:
>>>> I’ve not heard that the 12 is going away. It is being changed as part of the RapidRide G service changes. Instead of going up and down most of Madison to get to 19th and Interlaken Park, it will use the Pike/Pine corridor and ride on Madison for a short bit.
>>>> From what I’ve heard—mostly through Ryan Packer’s reporting <https://x.com/typewriteralley/status/1820989455580459125>—the 12 is getting an infrastructure upgrade to add a short bit of wire at eastbound Pine and Madison so the 12 can go back to being a trolley route sometime in 2025 or 2026.
>>>> I’m on call so there is a slim chance I’ll get paged, but I am otherwise free at 2pm tomorrow.
>>>> On Thu, Aug 8, 2024, at 11:22, Katie Wilson wrote:
>>>>> Hi BATS,
>>>>> See below— has anyone been tracking the plans to delete Route 12, and is anyone available to attend a meeting (I assume virtual?) with Metro and Debra tomorrow at 2pm?
>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>> Katie
>>>>>> Begin forwarded message:
>>>>>> From: Kshama Sawant <kshamavsawant at gmail.com <mailto:kshamavsawant at gmail.com>>
>>>>>> Subject: Urgent: Seniors very concerned about Route 12
>>>>>> Date: August 8, 2024 at 11:04:50 AM PDT
>>>>>> To: Emily McArthur <emily.mcarthur206 at gmail.com <mailto:emily.mcarthur206 at gmail.com>>, Adam Ziemkowski <a.ziemkowski at gmail.com <mailto:a.ziemkowski at gmail.com>>, Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org <mailto:katie at transitriders.org>>, "contact at transitriders.org <mailto:contact at transitriders.org>" <contact at transitriders.org <mailto:contact at transitriders.org>>
>>>>>> Hello Transit Riders Union members,
>>>>>> Hope you all are doing well.
>>>>>> I am writing on behalf of Debra (Debbie) Green, a senior resident I've known for several years, and whom I ran into a couple of days ago. Debbie informed me that she and dozens of other working-class seniors and retirees are extremely concerned about the fate of the King County Metro Route 12. They have heard that Metro is about to end the route.
>>>>>> Most immediately, Debra wondered if anyone from TRU could accompany her at a meeting she is supposed to have with KC Metro on this topic tomorrow, August 9th, at 2:00PM.
>>>>>> I would greatly appreciate it if you could call Debra at 206.726.0216. I am not aware of the status of Route 12, and don't have details, but I certainly am opposed to ending the route.
>>>>>> Thank you all so much.
>>>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>>> Kshama
>>>>> 
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