Bus trips from West Seattle and Ballard to Downtown will soon be easier and more efficient! Thanks to the Bridging the Gap (BTG) Transportation initiative, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has been working closely with King County Metro to implement two new RapidRide corridors and on September 29 service begins. RapidRide buses will come more often, have fewer stops and faster boarding.
With funding from BTG, SDOT is making key investments to transit corridors across the city including the C-Line, which stretches from West Seattle to Downtown and the D-Line, running from Ballard to Downtown. A combination of factors contribute to keeping transit on-time and reliable, including road improvements and speedy passenger boarding. Here are some of the things we’ve done.
New ORCA card readers were installed at three stations on each line allowing bus riders to pay before they even get on the bus. We’ve also added real-time arrival signs at these stations. Real-time arrival signs have been shown to reduce stress and foster a stronger sense of safety and security, particularly for passengers waiting at night and during other times when buses do not arrive as often. Less noticeable to riders, but equally important, are the new transit lanes, signal prioritization and tweaks to on-street parking that have been made to improve transit flow.
The C-line connects communities in Southwest Seattle and will provide frequent connections to bus routes serving the Admiral District, Alki, Burien, Genesee Hill, High Point, Sea-Tac International Airport, South Seattle Community College, and White Center.
The D-line connects communities in NW Seattle to Downtown – Crown Hill, Ballard, Interbay, Uptown, Seattle Center and Belltown are all located on the D-line
Currently two RapidRide lines are operating in King County – the A-line connecting Federal Way and Tukwila and the B-line connecting Bellevue and Redmond. Both lines have seen a large increase in ridership since opening and a similar increase is expected in Seattle.
We look forward to hopping onboard! Information about the Bridging the Gap transportation initiative can be found here.