Sunday Video: WSDOT's $3 Billion I-405 Fix, with Stride BRT Inbound
Josh Kline of YouTube channel Build Core recently took a look at the $3 billion plan to improve I-405 in Seattle's Eastside suburbs and deliver a new bus rapid transit network.
Bus Rapid Transit
Sound Transit Breaks Ground on Stride S3 Bothell-to-Shoreline Bus Line
When it opens in 2028, the S3 rapid bus line will provide riders across Bothell, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline with a more frequent, reliable transit option and extend the reach of Sound Transit’s light rail network.
Wilson, Mosqueda, Fain, and McLeod Join Sound Transit Board
Sound Transit’s four new members join other reappointments and board members whose terms are not up for renewal. This new freshman class will not have much time to get adjusted before being faced with major decisions around the future of the region’s transit system.
Why It Takes So Damn Long to Build a RapidRide Line
Corridor-wide bus revamps have been hitting delays and are often taking ten years to deliver, or more. A new King County Metro report released this fall outlines the myriad reasons RapidRide lines fall behind, as the overall program faces an uncertain future.
Sound Transit Selects Private Bus Operator for Stride BRT Network
The $433 million contract with MV Transportation extends through 2032, and includes full start-up costs for the three Stride lines. It’s the first time that Sound Transit has contracted with a private operator for core transit services.
Rinck Launches ‘Better Bus Lanes’ Campaign with Transit Advocates
Flanked by a crowd of transit advocates, Seattle Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck announced a “Better Bus Lanes” campaign on Wednesday, demanding expanded and improved bus lanes on the city’s busiest routes. The press event took place at the site of a recent victory by bus advocates: a new bus la
Metro Scales Back Scope of RapidRide K, R Lines
King County Metro has slashed the budgets for the K and R Lines by 20% to 25%, which could scale back planned reliability improvements and rider amenities. The move raises serious questions about the future of the overall RapidRide program.
King County Metro Delays Planned Electrification Work, Pushing Out Fiscal Cliff
Pivoting away from full-scale bus base retrofits that go all-in on battery electric buses means that Metro won’t face a fiscal cliff until the early 2030s, according to budget writers. Metro’s General Manager also framed the move as one that helps to preserve core bus services.
Op-Ed: SDOT’s Flawed Analysis of Denny Bus Lanes Is Political Theater
Assuming bottomless motorist demand and no mode shift to transit made the Seattle Department of Transportation’s study of Denny Way bus lanes effectively worthless. Route 8 upgrades deserves real consideration.
King County Council Unsnags RapidRide I Line After Property Disputes
After considering a broader slate of property condemnations to keep the RapidRide I Line on track for a 2027 opening, the council is poised to approve a compromise measure much narrower in scope.
Sound Transit Plans Major Program Reset Tackling 30- to 40-Billion-Dollar Shortfall
Work to close the 20-25% funding gap announced Thursday will likely have far-reaching implications on everything from system expansion projects to how Sound Transit delivers current service. The coming months will likely see assumptions long thought settled back on the table.
Op-Ed: Sound Transit’s Light Rail Plan Leaves Kirkland And Issaquah Behind
Planned 4 Line light rail would stop well short of urban cores in Kirkland and Issaquah and not open until the 2040s. This makes bus rapid transit a better fit that can be deployed more quickly and economically, Oliver Chen argues.
Sound Transit Breaks Ground on Stride Electric Bus Base in Bothell
This week, Sound Transit broke ground on a $274 million base in Bothell vital to the region’s Stride bus rapid transit plans. The base will support battery electric buses for the S1, S2, and S3 lines, which together compose 45 miles of service spanning from Lynnwood to Burien.