Friday Roundtable: cherry blossom season

33 Replies to “Friday Roundtable: cherry blossom season”

1. Latest Link mishap: Single-tracking south of KDM station. Passengers must transfer to go further north or south.

   1. Has that been resolved? It’s not in the alerts.

      1. It was resolved by about 7 AM on 3/13, likely why it wasnt in the alerts any longer.

2. 1-2” of snow on the ground in South Seattle.

   1. So much for “heralding the end of winter”. Ha!

      1. Did he say end? He meant start.

   2. Walked to Wright Park this morning. Yes, there were blossoms, but they were struggling under the weight of all the snow!

      Sledders were having fun though.

3. Some local GIS enthusiasts did a cherry blossom map: https://nathenry.com/writing/2023-03-28-seattle-cherry-blossoms.html

4. It looks like KCM March service change information has arrived.
   I see bunch of small tweak (not more than changing bay or increasing weekend service) in South King perhaps to prepare for the bigger change coming this fall.

   1. They’re also re-routing the 75 off of 5th Ave NE. Perhaps this is a good move to prepare for the Pinehurst Station restructure so we can send the 75 there and Bitter Lake? Yeah but Pinehurst Station is going to be busless for a month or more.

      1. The 75 is being rerouted to 15th/Pinehurst/Roosevelt/Northgate, then 5th due to construction of a roundabout at 125th and Roosevelt. It is expected to go back to its normal path in the fall.

      2. What I’m trying to say is that since it would be better to send the 75 to Bitter Lake, we could abolish service on 5th (since no other routes seem to cover it as well as the 75). This could be a good move.

   2. The biggest change I see in my area is that the 225 (Kenmore-Totem Lake-Overlake) is moving from hourly to half-hourly service.

      1. The approved Eastside Restructure did propose 30-min headway during peak period, but this was not reflected in the preview schedule to be implemented this spring. Perhaps they are waiting for some service hours to be released when they finished the final change this fall.

   3. This restructure is fairly minor (except for the 2 Line opening). We’ll have an article next week with the restructure info from all of the agencies. Most changes will occur in the Fall.

      1. Have you seen Community Transit’s restructure? It’s extremely minor, no routing changes, no new routes, it’s basically nothing. It seems like CT is starting to get the obsession that every transit agency has with the FIFA World Cup that it looks like they’re not deleting the 424 for the 908 this spring… Looks like we’ll have to wait until fall!!! GRRRRRR this makes me mad over how these transit agencies treat this FIFA World Cup like a king that they refuse to do restructures until after it. Though I’m really hoping that CT adds more service to the Swift Orange Line during the matches as it’s the closest route to my house and my most used one.

      2. Scooby Doo and the Goblin King

         At least CT is slow-killing 515, which is something you’d like to see I guess.

   4. Not much of the approved Community Transit 2024 service plan seems to have happened, besides the route path changes that have yet to include approved route 223.

      CT will save a little this summer by having just two runs each way on the 424, instead of replacing them with the approved four runs of the approved-but-not-yet-implemented 908.

      1. I emailed CT on the 223 and they said that the 223 was cancelled due to identified routing challenges with the original proposal and that they were “revisiting” the Marysville area. They said that they hoped to share proposals with the feedback in Spring 2026 but idk if that is going to happen, what about the Swift Gold Line, and the Cathcart P&R? It seems like CT is going slow these days.

      2. When the Gold Line enters service, will there be a local overlay route to serve the otherwise-to-be-closed stops on State Ave?

         Perhaps they are angling toward eliminating CT 904, in favor of 905, 907, and/or Gold+512.

      3. I think the 908 being delayed has more to do with the uncertainty around the 2 line opening (it takes many months to plan, and the pick sheets were likely already going out to drivers when the opening date was announced) than trying to save money. It’s perfectly in line with ST and Metro’s restructures.

      4. “ what about the Swift Gold Line, and the Cathcart P&R? It seems like CT is going slow these days.”

         CT board meeting last August addressed Cathcart P&R. It sounded like they were ready to have 109 to move in last fall but actual date depends on opening date. The route map was even updated with note opening 2026.

         Gold Line transit lane typical section layout were all over the place last year. I saw in one of the recent meeting recording that design contract was awarded.

         “ When the Gold Line enters service, will there be a local overlay route to serve the otherwise-to-be-closed stops on State Ave?”

         It is probably too early for them to think about it just like ST hasn’t told us anything about STRIDE restructure.

5. Well here’s what the ST Board is discussing at next weeks retreat:

   https://www.soundtransit.org/st_sharepoint/download/sites/PRDA/ActiveDocuments/Report%20-%20Capital%20Delivery%20Workstream%20Summary%20-%2003-18-26.pdf

   Unsurprisingly, they are not willing to revisit the basic significant cost drivers about ST expansion. No automation. No line restructuring. No technology changes. No elimination of tunnels anywhere. No DSTT2 removal. Even Lever 3 isn’t saving as much as the more refined cost estimates have increased things. And Lever 4 remains a mystery in this document but it appears to be merely phasing.

   Also, all extension cost savings are presented in total rather than by subarea. They imply that subareas no longer matter.

   These leaders are still living in denial that they can’t have ST3. I have no confidence that anything will come from the Enterprise Initiative except more difficult station transfers (let’s just eliminate escalators), more whining about shortfalls, longer project delays — and a big ask for at least doubling ST3 taxes for ST4 in 2028.

   What a predictable folly.

   1. Because changing the technology will surely magically fix everything of course and make things cheaper. Let’s just buy everyone a car for even cheaper.

      /s

      1. Changing the technology has a number of benefits that you may be unaware of. It’s much more systemically advantageous that just not having a driver. They include:

         – shorter train lengths and thus stations (cheaper)
         – more trains per hour
         – faster reversal at end stations
         – no need for driver break layovers
         – possibly tighter turning radii
         – possibly slightly steeper grades
         – possibly faster max speeds

         There’s a reason that most new transit lines opening around the world are automated.

         And imagine how much worse SeaTac internal circulation would be with less frequent, manually driven trains.

      2. And being able to climb steeper grades could be a huge advantage when dealing with the tangle under Seattle. It has the possibility of going under things like the highway 99 tunnel and get back up to a reasonable depth for a station quicker.

      3. Changing the technology on lines which will never run on the surface to Automated Light Metro can save twenty to thirty percent by making stations smaller and shallower, avoiding the cost of overhead power distribution — third rail is almost “free” — and eliminating some labor costs. Not all by any means, but some.

         Saving 20% on twenty-five billion dollars is F.I.V.E B.I.L.L.I.O.N D.O.L.L.A.R.S. Thirty percent is seven-and-a-half. Once they’ve taken the steps guaranteed to save money while actually increasing ridership, then, if there’s still not enough money to complete a useful system, they can start with the truncations, station eliminations and making people climb.

         The biggest cost saver would be axing WSLE and DSTT2 entirely. Of course one would substitute an effective BRT pathway to downtown Seattle in order to improve the bus experience in West Seattle, so it wouldn’t all be saved.

      4. Clarification: by “on the surface” I mean that literally “at grade”: ties on ballast on the Earth. An Automated Light Metro can certainly be elevated, even if only six or eight feet to keep people off the trackway.

      5. It’s also possible that the needed vertical clearance may be less too. Not only does that save on the size of tunnel holes, it could also mean that the Westlake Station crossing could run above existing Link tracks.

6. I had figured this service change would include the 72/372 swap but I guess not…

   1. It’s probably because of the 522 not being truncated to Shoreline South/148th (even though that shouldn’t be affecting the 372). The 372 should continue to operate with this change because there’s going to be no way to get from LFP/Kenmore/Bothell/Woodinville to Lake City with this change via one seat (I just don’t think there’s enough proof that riders would be able to transfer to light rail to reach their destination that would be normally done on the 372/522 south of 145th). Here’s what I would do instead:
      —————————————————————————————————-
      – Truncate the 522 as ST desires, but adjust it’s schedule so it can be timed with the 372 every 7.5 minutes between UW Bothell and 145th.
      – Continue to run the 372, but it would operate on Lake City Way NE between Roosevelt and Ravenna (replacing the proposed 77) and going from Roosevelt to U District and UW Medical Center via 12th/Roosevelt, Ravenna, The Ave, and Pacific. This change would replace the proposed 45/75 split and the proposed 77.
      – Extend the 75 to Bitter Lake via Pinehurst Station (replacing the 77).
      – Truncate the proposed 72 north to Lake City, this eliminates the overlap between the 72/522 on 145th (giving the 522 an exclusive corridor). Besides sending the 72 to Shoreline South/148th is kind of pointless due to the 372 still living. Run the 72 every 10 minutes.

   2. It was mentioned in a recent comment that major change that introduces new service and big restructure only happens in fall. Not sure if agencies intentionally do that, but it seems like the case based on service change event in recent years.

7. If you want some Cherry Blossoms without the snow, Waterfront Park in Portland and The Capitol Mall in Salem are attempting to bloom. Can’t guarantee there’ll be much left after the rain / wind storm of today and yesterday.

   By transit: walking distance from Amtrak or Flix Bus.

   Cheries are so ingrained into Salem culture the transit system goes by the name “Cherriots”

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