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Learn how the tunnel closure could affect you On
Saturday, Sept. 24, the bus tunnel in downtown Seattle closes for up to
two years to be retrofitted for use by both buses and light rail. The
closure will change the downtown routing for more than 70 Metro and
Sound Transit routes, affecting nearly 100,000 bus riders.The 21 routes currently using the tunnel will be relocated to surface streets – primarily Second, Third and Fourth avenues. Even if your bus doesn’t currently use the tunnel, your daily commute could be affected by the changes, and you should check for information about your specific routes. Changes for your bus trip could include: ● What street the bus travels on in downtown Seattle; ● How it enters or leaves downtown; ● Where it stops downtown; or ● Arrival or exiting locations may be different from boarding locations in Seattle’s Central Business District. Not all the changes are for bus riders. Anyone working or visiting downtown Seattle will be impacted by the traffic changes, particularly by the new rush-hour traffic restrictions on Third Avenue. Metro, Sound Transit, Community Transit, and the Seattle Department of Transportation are partnering on $16 million dollars in improvements to help keep downtown moving. This includes: changing street configurations to keep transit and traffic moving; designating Third Avenue between Stewart and Yesler a transit-priority corridor during the morning and afternoon commute; adding new bus stops and more bus shelters; and providing more incentives to use public transit during the tunnel closure. The next two weeks is a great time to educate yourself about the changes, both for bus riders and downtown drivers. Here where’s to go for more information: ● The tunnel project partners have teamed up to provide a comprehensive website at www.seattletunnel.org that provides an overview on all parts of the project. You can find information about retrofitting the tunnel, impacts for bus riders and downtown drivers, and incentive programs that will help keep everyone moving during the tunnel closure. ●  Metro
bus riders will want to check out several sites on
MetroOnline. There is a page that gives a great summary of changes affecting bus passengers. There is also more detailed information for all service changes that begin Sept. 24. And, there is an online version of the just-published “Guide to Downtown Seattle Bus Service.” ● There are two open houses this week that will provide lots of information for the public about the tunnel closure and its impacts. They will be held: Tuesday, Sept. 13 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Great Hall at Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle; and Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 721 Pine St., Seattle.  ● The “Guide to Downtown Seattle Bus Service” is also available in print format on buses and at Metro information racks. This brochure includes several maps of downtown bus stops and focuses on bus routes that serve the Central Business District along Second, Third and Fourth avenues. All of the information is for service effective Sept. 24 or after. ● Later this week, transit riders can visit the regional online Trip Planner and enter a travel date of Sept. 24 or later to receive new routing and stop information for specific routes. ● Starting next week, Metro will be hosting daily commute planning sessions to help people figure out the best way to travel downtown during the tunnel closure. These drop-in sessions will be held in various locations Monday through Friday for six weeks starting on Sept. 19.  ● Also next week and the week after, expect to see Metro and Sound Transit employees street teams assisting passengers near bus stops and tunnel entrances. The street teamers will have brochures and timetables to hand out, and can answer many of your questions about transit service changes. ●  Beginning
Sept. 15, pick up a new red timetable on your bus, at aMetro information rack, your work site, or local library. Also look for the new downtown guides and the Special Rider Alert brochures. If you ride Community Transit, Pierce Transit or Sound Transit service, please refer to their new schedules. ● Or, call Metro’s Rider Information Office at (206) 553-3000 from 5 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, or from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. TTY users can call 206-684-1739. “We know there will be some confusion, especially the first week the tunnel closes,” said Metro Transit General Manager Kevin Desmond. “But, transit will still be a great way to get downtown. There is a lot of information out there. We encourage everyone to prepare ahead of time, and that first week of tunnel closure will go a lot smoother.” |
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