New bus lane will improve speed, reliability for busy Route 120

Striping work starting soon on Delridge Way Southwest

SEATTLE – A new bus lane will soon be under construction on Delridge Way Southwest to improve bus speed and reliability for Route 120 – one of Metro Transit’s Top 10 busiest routes.

During construction and restriping work, crews will maintain two open lanes of traffic by shifting lanes on Delridge Way Southwest. When weather-dependent construction begins later this month, work is planned during daytime hours outside of commute times, Tuesday through Saturday.

When complete, the half-mile-long northbound bus lane along a key stretch of Delridge Way Southwest will improve travel times approaching the West Seattle Bridge during the morning commute. The bus lane will operate 6-9 a.m. weekdays from Southwest Oregon Street to Southwest Andover Street and help reduce signal and queuing delays for Metro bus routes 120 and 125, benefitting more than 900 riders during the morning commute.

The roughly $170,000 bus lane improvements – striping, signs and pavement repair – are part of a larger $2.8 million Route 120 Transit Improvement Project funded by a State Regional Mobility Grant and King County matching funds. It is led by King County Metro Transit and coordinated with the City of Seattle.

Improvements include:

• Reducing the number of closely spaced bus stops to help buses move faster and operate on a more reliable schedule.
• Improving features at bus stops.
• Adding a northbound bus lane and bike lanes on Delridge Way Southwest
• Installing a bus bulb – a sidewalk extension allowing buses to serve passengers without pulling out of traffic – later this fall at 26th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Barton Street.
• Installing transit signal priority at key signals between the Burien Transit Center and the West Seattle Bridge.

Striping and sign installation is expected to be complete by the end of the month, followed by pavement repair work. All project work is expected to be completed by June 2013. Project details are online at metro.kingcounty.gov/have-a-say/projects/route120/.