Metro looking for feedback on Ballard-Uptown RapidRide service

King County Metro Transit is hosting several informational sessions to solicit community ideas as it plans new RapidRide bus service between Ballard and downtown Seattle via the Interbay, lower Queen Anne and Belltown neighborhoods. The deadline for comments is Feb. 25.

Metro will debut the new streamlined RapidRide service in South King County in 2010, and the Ballard-Uptown line is expected to start by 2012.

The Ballard-Uptown RapidRide service – called the D Line – will operate on major arterial streets including: Third Avenue in downtown Seattle; First Avenue North, Queen Anne Avenue North and Mercer Street in Queen Anne; and Elliott Avenue West and 15th Avenue West in Interbay. The routing through Ballard to Crown Hill is yet to be determined, and that’s where Metro is looking for input.

Metro has worked with a community advisory group and the city of Seattle to develop two alternatives for the RapidRide service north of the Ballard Bridge. Those proposals call for the D Line to operate either on 15th Avenue Northwest or 24th Avenue Northwest between the bridge and Northwest 85th Street. Depending on the routing, the D Line will replace current service on Metro Route 15 and Route 18.

This new service for Ballard, Crown Hill, Interbay, Queen Anne and Belltown is funded by the Transit Now initiative approved by voters in 2006. The D Line will feature buses that arrive every 10 minutes or sooner through most of the day, and every 15 minutes after 7 p.m. The European-style buses will have low floors and three doors to speed up boarding. Bus stops will be farther apart to make RapidRide trips faster.

Right now, Metro is looking for feedback to determine the route and stop locations for the D Line. Then in 12 to 18 months, the communities will be asked about possible changes to other bus routes in neighborhoods along the D Line.

The open house meetings and information tables will be held:

• Tuesday, Feb. 3 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
  Whittier Elementary School, 1320 NW 75th St., Seattle
• Thursday, Feb. 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
  Seattle Center, Shaw Room, Republican Street & First Avenue North, Seattle
• Saturday, Feb. 7 from noon-3 p.m.
  Ballard Public Library, 5614 22nd Ave. NW, Seattle
• Thursday, Feb. 12 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
  Interbay Golf Course, 2501 15th Ave. W., Seattle
• Saturday, Feb. 21 from noon-3 p.m.
  Metropolitan Market, 100 Mercer St., Seattle

At these events, people can get more information about RapidRide plans and talk to Metro staff. If you can’t attend, you can still provide feedback before Wednesday, Feb. 25 by:
--Filling out an online questionnaire;
--Emailing comments to: barbara.demichele@kingcounty.gov;
--Leaving a recorded voice message at (206) 684-1955;
--Mailing written comments to:

King County Department of Transportation
Community Relations
KSC-TR-0824
201 S. Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98104