The Route 70 corridor is next on the list to undergo a stop consolidation. From Metro’s website:
Currently, the corridor has 35 bus stops between downtown Seattle and the University Bridge, with an average stop spacing of about 830 feet. The plan would remove seven of these stops, increasing the average spacing between stops to about 1,060 feet.
As a result of this change, approximately 13 percent of Route 70 riders who board on the corridor between downtown Seattle and the University Bridge will have to catch their bus at a different stop. When the project is completed, all riders should have a faster, more reliable trip.
The northbound stops proposed for deletion are at John Street, Fairview /Eastlake, East Boston St and East Edgar St. Southbound stops include Valley Street/Fairview, East Boston Street and East Roanake Street. Routes 71-73 local would also be affected for evening and weekend runs. You can view the current stops and those proposed for deletion on an interactive map here. Comments are also being solicited via e-mail through community.relations@kingcounty.gov, online, or by phone.
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Glad to hear the 71-73 will match the deleted stops.
Great news, there are way too many stops on most routes, too bad it took a budget crisis for the city to make much needed route updates.
Finally! Anyone who occasionally rode the 70 during AM or PM peak knows this was long overdue. While I usually caught the 70 at E. Boston, it never made sense to have 3 stops in 3 blocks. The old adage the every bus stop has a constituency is obviously true, but I have trouble finding reasonable arguments to not eliminate stops like E. Boston. Hopefully Metro keeps the stop consolidation going in the future, budget crisis or not.
Don’t some of the stops slated for closure have that Scull-rowing art-stuff?
I don’t think any of those things are actually bus stops.
Sorry, disappointing! I left a comment asking them to close additional stops. For example, there will still be stops on Eastlake at Lynn and Louisa–one block from each other! The one at E Lynn makes the most sense to keep because it is also a connection point for the 66 Express to Northgate.
And there’s a N-bound stop on Eastlake at Allison and a block later at Harvard. For NO REASON. Get rid of the E Allison stop-there aren’t any transfers.
Just a thought: has Metro ever considered eliminating stops during certain hours only? I don’t know enough about the specific routes involved, but ISTM some stop reduction programs (not just in the Seattle area but all over the country) may be really only necessary at rush hour or maybe midday too. Is it feasible to have “non-rush hour only” stops, or “Night/Sunday only” stops? Or would that be too confusing for the public?
Look at routes 71, 72, and 73. It has some “night/sunday only” stops. It does confuse some people that can’t be bothered with reading a schedule and must have their information spoonfed to them.
It does make the transit system more confusing.
If you live in Ballard, and aren’t too used to the 71,72,73 but are in the area and need to ride it, you could find yourself at a stop where no one picks you up.