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Transportation Today
Week of Jul. 28, 2008

Bus service improvements underway in Burien

Burien transit center
Architectural model of new Burien Transit Center.

A new expanded transit center now under construction in Burien will provide bus riders with better connections, improved security, and faster travel times for buses.

“This project is a model of how we can make it possible for residents to live and work in walkable, transit-rich communities,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “Metro Transit partnered with the city of Burien on the design of this transit center to make sure it was consistent with the city’s vision for its downtown core, and to make Burien better prepared to weather impacts when construction begins on the Alaskan Way viaduct.”

Transit center
Construction of the new Burien Transit Center begins this week. It is located at 4th Avenue Southwest and Southwest 150th Street, the site of the current transit center and Burien Park-and-Ride.

When completed in June 2009, the new transit center will have a passenger platform that can accommodate eight buses, and up to eight on-site layover spaces for buses. The buses will load and unload at the off-street bays rather than at the curb on 4th Avenue Southwest as they do now, and passengers will be able to transfer between routes without crossing a busy street. The new transit center will also have a loading platform for paratransit passengers, who will be able to transfer between paratransit vans and Metro’s regular routes at this facility.

The bus layover spaces will reduce the time required for buses to travel to and from the transit center, lowering costs, and improving service. It is expected to speed up bus travel times by five minutes or more per trip.

Other amenities at the transit center include new passenger shelters, benches, security cameras, and improved lighting. It is being built in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration and the city of Burien.

During construction, up to 125 parking spaces in the existing park-and-ride lot will be closed. The reduction in spaces will be phased, and most will not close until early August. Alternate parking is available at the 87 spaces in the city’s nearby municipal lot, or use one of six other local park-and-ride lots. See Metro Online for details.

Applications due this week to serve on Metro sounding boards

Metro is recruiting members for community advisory panels to provide advice on three large transit projects. The deadlines for applications are this week for the following:

Ballard-Interbay – Metro in consultation with the city of Seattle, is planning new bus rapid transit service called RapidRide for the Ballard-Interbay-Uptown Queen Anne corridor. A community advisory panel is needed to advise Metro about RapidRide routing, stop locations and other matters. Applications are due by Friday, Aug. 1.

Southeast Seattle – Bus service changes are coming in 2009 to neighborhoods in Southeast Seattle and Skyway/West Hill in conjunction with the debut of Link light rail service next summer. A sounding board of community members is needed to focus on possible changes for southeast Seattle and Skyway/West Hill. The application deadline is Thursday, July 31.

Southwest King County – The third advisory group will focus on bus service changes for the Tukwila, Highline, and SeaTac areas affected both by the coming of light rail service and Metro’s RapidRide line on Pacific Highway South. The application deadline for this group is also Thursday, July 31.

More information about all the projects is available on Metro Online.

Metro offers special service to hydro races on Saturday & Sunday

Hydros

Metro is teaming up with Seafair to provide special shuttle service on Saturday and Sunday to the Seafair hydro races on Lake Washington.

Shuttle service will be provided from the Eastgate Park-and-Ride and the Seattle Center with boarding near Third Avenue North and Mercer Street. The shuttles are non-stop to the hydro pits at Stan Sayres Pit Area near Genesee Park on the west side of the lake. Metro also has regular bus routes that travel within walking distance of the race viewing area. Ride regular Metro service from other locations and from all locations prior to Saturday.

The shuttles will operate approximately every 15 minutes from both locations on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, shuttle service starts around 7 a.m. On Sunday, it starts around 6 a.m. The roundtrip fare is $5, and will be collected by Seafair staff when you board. There will be no Metro special service to the pits from either location on Friday.

 

Blue Angels roar back to town; watch for I-90 bridge closures

Blue Angels

With a roar through the air and a flash in the skies, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are back at King County International Airport at Boeing Field (KCIA) to take part in this weekend’s Seafair Airshow.

Staff at KCIA is always glad to welcome back the Blues, and they in turn enjoy flying in and out of Boeing Field. KCIA’s 10,000-foot runway is more than long enough to accommodate the pilots and their F/A-18 Hornets. Making KCIA the base of operations also fits perfectly into the Angels’ flight plans because the airport is less than five nautical miles from the show site, and the tower crew can give the team personalized attention during takeoffs and landings.

As in past years, the Blue Angel pilots and support crew will make time in their busy schedules to talk to students enrolled at the Aviation High School and in KCIA’s “Opportunity Skyway” program. These visits help put a face to the students’ aviation studies.

The Blue Angels arrived early this year, and will practice that Thursday and Friday over the hydro racecourse on Lake Washington south of Interstate 90. The big Seafair Airshow is set for 1:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2 and 3.

Motorists and bus passengers should note that the Interstate 90 floating bridge will be closed for the practice and show during the following times:

  • Thursday, July 31 – 9:45 a.m. to noon, and 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – with express lanes closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Friday, Aug. 1 – 12:45 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. – with express lanes closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 2 & 3 – 12:45 p.m. to 2:40 p.m. – with express lanes closed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Boeing Field 80th anniversary attracts crowds

Boeing Field 80th

A great time was had by aviation and history buffs alike Friday and Saturday, as King County International Airport at Boeing Field celebrated its 80th anniversary.

The airfield was officially dedication on July 26, 1928, and one very special guest on that day was 5-year-old Bill Boeing, Jr. – son of the famous aviation pioneer. The now 85-years-young Boeing returned to the airport on Friday to remember the original dedication ceremony and pay tribute to King County’s very first airport. To see more highlights from Friday’s ceremony, watch this  video.

Hundreds of people turned out on Saturday to visit the airport, check out the displays, and watch teams of people try to pull a 767 cargo plane across the tarmac.

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