Today NE 45th Street Bus Shelter Being Removed

Children's Hospital posted on their Construction Blog that starting today, work will begin to demolish the westbound bus shelter, located on NE 45th St near 42nd Avenue NE.  The Metro bus stop will remain. 

During the demolition, which will be noisy at times due to breaking up and removing the concrete pad the shelter sits on, Metro Route 78 bus riders should use the existing westbound bus stop further east on NE 45th Street. 

Children's Hospital told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff about the shelter, which is owned by the Hospital:

We are removing the shelter because it is in poor condition and concerns were raised about safety issues related to transient activity at the shelter. The shelter wasn’t being utilized by Seattle Children’s staff, patients and families as intended waiting for the bus, and Metro supported it’s removal.  There is another bus shelter up the hill that metro considers the primary bus stop for this route, and it gets much more use.

Once the shelter is removed, the area will be replanted and blended with the surrounding landscaping. 

Metro 78 Rerouted This Month Due To UW Campus Projects

Starting this week through August, Metro Bus Route 78, will be rerouted due to two construction projects due to the closure on Stevens Way, on the UW campus.    

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) told the Laurelhurst Blog that it "looks like the route will go up the viaduct, down 15th Avenue NE, and around past the UW Medical Center to the regular stop by Husky Stadium.

The UW posted this information on the re-route:
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL LOOP -  From Children’s Hospital -  Regular route to Westbound NE 45 Street and Montlake Blvd NE
Continue on westbound on NE 45 Street
Left on southbound 15 Avenue NE 
Continue on 15 Avenue NE 
Continue on regular route to Children’s Hospital 

MISSED STOPS 
WB MONTLAKE BLVD NE/FS NE 45 ST
SB STEVENS WY/FS PEND OREILLE RD 
SB STEVENS WY/NS BENTON LN WB STEVENS WY/NS RAINIER VISTA
WB STEVENS WY/FS GARFIELD LN 
WB GRANT LANE/FS STEVENS WY 

USE STOPS 
WB NE 45 ST/FM UNION BAY PL NE
WB NE 45 ST/NS 27 AV NE – TEMPORARY STOP 
WB NE 45 ST/AT 19 AV NE – TEMPORARY STOP 
SB 15 AV NE/FS NE 43 ST 
SB 15 AV NE/NS NE CAMPUS PKWY 
SB 15 AV NE/FS NE 40 ST 

Legend   
Direction: EB = Eastbound   IB = Inbound   NB = Northbound   OB = Outbound   SB = Southbound   WB = Westbound 
Routing Turns: C = Continue L = Left R = Right 
Stop Orientation: AT = At FM = Far Side – Mid-block FS = Far side – just after the intersection NM = Near side – Mid-block NS = Near side – Just before the intersection OP = Opposite 

Go here for more information.

Route 78 started service in March of 2016, shortly after Light Rail began its service. Long-time neighborhood Route 25 was deleted due to low ridership. Route #78 is a much shorter route, running about every 30-40 minutes from 6am to 6pm to the UW (Montlake) Light Rail Station.   

New Neighborhood Shorter Bus Route To Light Rail Station Starts Today

Warning notices put on all

existing Metro 25 bus stops.

This alert was on NE 45th Street in front of Pro Robics

 

 

 

 

new bus stop and signage eastbound on NE 45th Street

 

new bus stop on Mary Gates Memorial Drive in front of Talaris

The new Metro Bus Route #78 started its weekday service today and runs from about 6am-6pm.  

The route begins and ends in the Children's Hospital turn around on NE 45th Street.  It then turns left onto 42nd Avenue NE, then right onto NE 41st, and stops in front of Talaris. This stop is located at the southeastern-most point of the Route 78 pattern in order to place it near the greatest number of former Route 25 riders.

The bus then veers to the left staying on NE 45th Street and stops in front of Burgermaster.

Next, it proceeds up the NE 45th Street hill through the UW campus and makes two stops along Stevens Way. 

Those connecting to Light Rail exit at the top of the new Rainier Vista plaza, which provides an improved lighted walkway straight down the hill and onto the Montlake overpass leading to the entrance of the Link Light Rail Station.

The total time estimated time from Children's Hospital to the Light Rail is about 25 minutes.  The bus route runs a continuous loop all day with no layovers.

 

After going through the UW, the bus crosses 15th Avenue NE to NE  Pacific Place Triangle and then stops at a new bus stop in front of the HEC Ed Pavilion. Passengers can exit there as well for the Light Rail station. Exiting at this stop instead of the one at Rainier Plaza adds about 8 extra minutes of travel time.  

 

The bus then travels northbound  on Montlake Boulevard and turns right at the 5 way intersection from NE 45th St onto Mary Gates Memorial Drive, the first stop on the way back to Children's Hospital.  

 

This stop is a companion stop for the existing stop on westbound 45th at Union Bay Place. So passengers who board the Route 78 at one stop can deboard at the other. This pair of stops is well-situated to use existing pedestrian infrastructure (crosswalks, sidewalks) to facilitate access to and from the stops. These stops are convenient for those living at the UW's Laurel Village multi-family housing complex.

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) has voiced their concerns about the dangerous location of this stop a the busy corner of Mary Gates Memorial Drive and NE 45th Street and has suggested Metro move it onto Mary Gates Drive.

One nearby neighbor said about this but stop:

Metro should move this stop down the road south at least about fifty more yards. Right now if it stays where it is, it is just an accident just waiting to happen with cars and pedestrians at such an extremely bus intersection.

 

 

After Route #78 ends for the day, Route #65 will come from the Light Rail Station along Montlake Boulevard heading north, and stop in front of Seattle Children's Hospital on 40th Avenue NE and NE 45th Street.  This route operates more frequently than the #78 as well as on Saturdays. 

Route 65 and 75 will serve the edge of Laurelhurst, coming about every 15 minutes until about 12:30 am and 1:30am respectively.

Two bikes fit inside each train and two outside. The Light Rail station is planning for 80 bike storage facility.  

There is no official place to drop off passengers by car, nor is there any official Light Rail parking. 

 

Metro considered the ridership on the previous Route 25 when determining the routing of the Route 78. The new Route 78 hours of operation most closely align with the highest ridership hours of the previous Route 25. 

Then, Metro determined stop locations based on the routing of new Route 78, the locations of existing stops, potential high-ridership locations, and safe pedestrian facilities like crosswalks and sidewalks.

Metro requested three new stop locations for the new route and SDOT approved. Metro notified by mail all adjacent property owners, including those in Laurelhurst.
 

Go here to see the full Metro Bus Route #78.  And full service change details can be found on Metro's website here. 

Here is in-depth information about the history and planning of the new route.

 

Neighborhood Metro Bus Service Update



Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC)'s most recent newsletter published information about the new Bus Route serving the neighborhood. It said:

Metro Bus Service

LCC is working with King County Council member Larry Gossett to clarify the times for bus service through Laurelhurst to the Link Rail at Husky Stadium.  

The November LCC Letter stated the bus would run from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. However, upon review of the currently proposed route information, the evening service is scheduled only until 6:30 p.m.  

LCC hopes to persuade Metro to extend the hours to better accommodate evening commutes and downtown event access.

 

The Laurelhurst Blog posted about the new Metro Bus Route 78, approved by King County Council in October, along with numerous other route revisions throughout the City. 

Long-time neighborhood route 25, was deleted due to low ridership. Route #78 will run about every 30-40 minutes from 6am to 6pm and will operate in a loop starting at Children's Hospital running to the new light rail station at Husky Stadium, scheduled to open in March of next year. 

LCC is pleased with the new route which they said is basically a dedicated loop Laurelhurst shuttle service to and from the Light Rail station at Husky Stadium.  The bus route will be  much shorter than route 25.

The loop goes as far as the Children's turn-around on NE 45th, goes down NE 45 Street to the University Village, through the UW Campus, along Pacific Street and onto Montlake Boulevard to the front door of the Light Rail station.  Then back into the neighborhood via Mary Gates Way, up NE 41st Street  to 42nd Avenue NE, left onto 42 Avenue NE, same as the current route, then right on NE 45 Street and back up to the Children's turnaround.

At  the October Laurelhurst Community Club monthly Board meeting, King County Councilman Larry Gossett, and five key staff members from Metro attended to discuss the changes and hear input from LCC and neighbors.

Many Laurelhurst residents expressed their views on the proposed new bus route 78, most of whom expressed the need for more convenient connectivity to the new Light Rail station at the UW Husky Stadium.

One LCC Board member said about the approved new neighborhood route 78:

LCC was directly responsible for getting a dedicated bus shuttle from the neighborhood to the light rail station. 

Larry Gossett and the Metro Planners who came to our last LCC meeting basically gave us what we asked for.  It would not have happened without the support of Gossett and LCC who took the initiative to get him involved.  LCC gave him and the Metro planners a very clear message as to what we wanted for the neighborhood and he delivered.

We will be getting a dedicated Laurelhurst only bus going to and from the Light Rail station every 30 minutes.  The only disappointment is that is doesn't go very far into the neighborhood, but it's our own bus, and maybe we can get it expanded over time.   

However, Metro  could have just dropped a Laurelhurst route all together, but they in fact are giving us extraordinary service if we're willing to walk/bike to the few Laurelhurst bus stops.

LCC said that apparently the change came about because Route 71 was reinstated.  The original plan was to combine Route 71 and Route 25 into the new Route 78, however View Ridge and Wedgwood residents were not happy about losing Route 71. 

"So the outcry from these folks, plus our comments to Gossett and the Metro planners who came to our LCC meeting must have done the trick.  We owe the 2 Metro planners plus Larry Gossett a huge acknowledgement. They heard us loud and clear," LCC said.

 

LCC said that Council Member Gossett called Josh Kavanaugh, UW's Director of Transportation Services, the day after the LCC meeting to work out the new plan, based on input from LCC and others.
 

LCC said:

Now we all have to get ready to use the new service it to make it viable.  Most importantly we encourage neighbors to take the bus thereby insuring we don't lose the service.

 

Metro says about the revised route changes:

The approved changes to Metro Transit routes serving parts of Capitol Hill, the Central District, the University District, Wedgwood, Laurelhurst and Lake City are focused on avoiding duplication of transit service and increasing efficiency on bus routes.  

The majority of the revised routes are focused on delivering bus riders to the new link light rail stations while making transit service more efficient and giving riders a way to move in and out of downtown Seattle that relies less on congested roadways

 

Go here to see the detailed #78 route.

For more information go here to a recent Laurelhurst Blog post.

For more information about the new route serving the neighborhood and vicinity go here.  Go here for detailed bus route changes.

For questions about the process, contact King County Council at 206-477-1000.

New Neighborhood Bus Route 78 Will Be Dedicated Short Loop From Laurelhurst To UW Light Rail Station





Proposed Metro Bus Route 78, serving Laurelhurst, was recently approved by King County Council, along with numerous other route revisions throughout the City. 

Long-time neighborhood route 25, was deleted due to low ridership. Route #78 will run about every 30-40 minutes from 6am to 6pm and will operate in a loop starting at Children's Hospital running to the new light rail station at Husky Stadium, scheduled to open in March of next year. 

LCC is pleased with the new route which they said is basically a dedicated loop Laurelhurst shuttle service to and from the Light Rail station at Husky Stadium.  The bus route will be  much shorter than route 25.

The loop goes as far as the Children's turn-around on NE 45th, goes down NE 45 Street to the University Village, through the UW Campus, along Pacific Street and onto Montlake Boulevard to the front door of the Light Rail station.  Then back into the neighborhood via Mary Gates Way, up NE 41st Street  to 42nd Avenue NE, left onto 42 Avenue NE, same as the current route, then right on NE 45 Street and back up to the Children's turnaround.

At this month's Laurelhurst Community Club monthly Board meeting, King County Councilman Larry Gossett, and five key staff members from Metro attended to discuss the changes and hear input from LCC and neighbors.

Many Laurelhurst residents expressed their views on the proposed new bus route 78, most of whom expressed the need for more convenient connectivity to the new Light Rail station at the UW Husky Stadium.

One LCC Board member said about the approved new neighborhood route 78:

LCC was directly responsible for getting a dedicated bus shuttle from the neighborhood to the light rail station. 

Larry Gossett and the Metro Planners who came to our last LCC meeting basically gave us what we asked for.  It would not have happened without the support of Gossett and LCC who took the initiative to get him involved.  LCC gave him and the Metro planners a very clear message as to what we wanted for the neighborhood and he delivered.

We will be getting a dedicated Laurelhurst only bus going to and from the Light Rail station every 30 minutes.  The only disappointment is that is doesn't go very far into the neighborhood, but it's our own bus, and maybe we can get it expanded over time.   

However, Metro  could have just dropped a Laurelhurst route all together, but they in fact are giving us extraordinary service if we're willing to walk/bike to the few Laurelhurst bus stops.

LCC said that apparently the change came about because Route 71 was reinstated.  The original plan was to combine Route 71 and Route 25 into the new Route 78, however View Ridge and Wedgwood residents were not happy about losing Route 71. 

"So the outcry from these folks, plus our comments to Gossett and the Metro planners who came to our LCC meeting must have done the trick.  We owe the 2 Metro planners plus Larry Gossett a huge acknowledgement. They heard us loud and clear," LCC said.

 

LCC said that Council Member Gossett called Josh Kavanaugh, UW's Director of Transportation Services, the day after the LCC meeting to work out the new plan, based on input from LCC and others.
 

LCC said:

Now we all have to get ready to use the new service it to make it viable.  Most importantly we encourage neighbors to take the bus thereby insuring we don't lose the service.

 

Metro says about the revised route changes:

The approved changes to Metro Transit routes serving parts of Capitol Hill, the Central District, the University District, Wedgwood, Laurelhurst and Lake City are focused on avoiding duplication of transit service and increasing efficiency on bus routes.  

The majority of the revised routes are focused on delivering bus riders to the new link light rail stations while making transit service more efficient and giving riders a way to move in and out of downtown Seattle that relies less on congested roadways

 

Go here to see the detailed #78 route.

For more information go here to a recent Laurelhurst Blog post.

For more information about the new route serving the neighborhood and vicinity go here.  Go here for detailed bus route changes.

For questions about the process, contact King County Council at 206-477-1000.

New Neighborhood Bus Route To Have Up To 5 Stops on 47th Near Laurelhurst School And Other Impacts To Neighbors, Submit Your Comments Today

At Monday night's monthly Laurelhurst Community Club meeting, the issue of  transportation needs for the NE area and the new Route #78 to serve Laurelhurst was discussed with featured guest, King County Councilman Larry Gossett, and five key staff members from Metro, including Deanna Martin, as well as other related agencies.

Public comment is being taken through today on this important issue which will impact bus service in Laurelhurst and connecting with the UW Light Rail station slated to open early next year. City Council is expected to make a decision on Monday of next week.

An LCC Board member told the Laurelhurst Blog staff that the meeting was well attended by a variety of neighbors, most of whom expressed the need for more convenient connectivity to the new Light Rail station at the UW Husky Stadium.

At the meeting, Metro confirmed that Route #25 is planned to be eliminated due to low ridership in favor of the new Route #78, which neighbors believe would have increased ridership due to the shorter ride (30 minutes including Light Rail connections), instead of the current 1 hour travel time.
 

The #78 route will operate in a loop to and through to the UW campus along Steven's Way.  However to then connect to Light Rail, riders would need to walk about 4-5 blocks along the UW's new Rainier Vista area, then across the elevated skybridge to connect to the station.  Neighbors said that the distance is too far for them to use that connection, if they have even minor mobility challenges.

Neighbors also expressed concerns about the number of stops along some neighborhood residential streets with the new route, particularly 47th Avenue NE near Laurelhurst Elementary School with  proposed stops  about every 15 minutes or every 1/4 mile per Metro guidelines.  

One neighbor said this frequency would completely change the character of the street.

The route then continues westbound on NE45th Street then turns left onto 42nd Avenue NE to NE 41 Street. Neighbors living in those areas commented that the new frequent bus service would negatively affect an already congested area, with more people trying to find parking to board the bus, as well as bus fumes and bus noise. 

Other neighbors were concerned about too few stops and hilly terrain to board the bus, especially for the elderly and those with disabilities.

One neighbor said that it appears that this new route is the major feeder route from Wedgewood, starting at NE 85th Street, through View Ridge, along Sand Point Way to the new Husky rail station.  So it  "means we will have many hundreds of people riding through our neighborhood every day.  The route 25 was as loop in Laurellhurst so we didn't have outside people coming through. That's all gong to change."

 

Another issue discussed with the Metro representatives was frequency.  Some neighbors requested daily service, while others suggested only morning and evening peak periods of service with no weekends.

LCC suggested that Metro run a short shuttle circuit, or " jitney" sized service along the back roads of the UW campus, that would connect more closely with the Light Rail Station without having the long walk from the campus. Metro looked into how the busses would drive safely on the unpaved roads in discussion and concluded they were not up to code as far as safety for the busses. The group mentioned using vans instead on the unpaved roads.

It was suggested by LCC that Metro adopt a pilot program to test the suggested transportation program to connect Laurelhurst with the Light Rail Station perhaps even through the perimeter of the E-1 parking lot since it is underutilized.

 

Councilman Gossett said he and his King County team would devote resources to seeing if a pilot could be implemented with the small , but frequent connection to Light Rail. Some transit connection were assured, but it may remain as the #78 route.

 

An LCC Board member said in general about the meeting:

Lots of pros and cons to every aspect of the bus service, but at least the needs of the community were heard, and we will see what Metro can devise for both connectivity, easy access and frequency to the new Light Rail.   

Though not expressed at the meeting, the real bottom line is that the new bus service will make it highly desirable to take public transit downtown and enhance the overall livability of the neighborhood. 

Most likely, we need to wait and see how the new route works out for the neighborhood, maybe review the new route after six months and get additional feedback to give to Gossett and the Metro planners.  This meeting started the dialogue. 

 

For more information go here to a recent Laurelhurst Blog post.

For more information about the new route serving the neighborhood and vicinity go here.  Go here for detailed bus route changes.

For questions about the process, contact King County Council at 206-477-1000.