Greenwood Avenue N Speed & Reliability Improvements
Speed and Reliability Improvements are on the Way
Helping people improve the way they get around King County is what Metro works hard at every day. As a result of monitoring the bus service along the Route 5 corridor, we are evaluating a series of improvements to improve bus service in this busy corridor between N 46th St & Shoreline Community College.
Improvements will focus on making existing bus service safer, faster, and more reliable along the Route 5 corridor. Metro Route 355 will also benefit from these improvements.
Since these improvements could involve changes in street use, King County Metro Transit must work closely with the City of Seattle.
Top
Changes to Bus Stops
Along congested, high traffic volume corridors such as Phinney Avenue N and Greenwood Avenue N, we want to provide improved levels of pedestrian and traffic safety. Positioning bus stops near signalized intersections helps us achieve that. This also supports traffic signalization improvements and benefits transit operation and traffic flow.
We are proposing to close or consolidate a number of bus stops that are too closely spaced, not at signalized intersections, or that cause undue delays or safety hazards.
Most stops along the Route 5 are currently spaced about 600 feet apart. With the proposed stop pattern, stops will typically be spaced around 1,000 feet apart, or 4-6 stops per mile. By consolidating bus stops, we can provide smoother and more efficient service and allow greater investments into improved passenger facilities, such as shelters and improved lighting. The bus stop spacing revisions will allow us to shorten travel times on Route 5 and other affected
routes.
Top
Watch for a bright green bus stop notice posted at applicable bus stop(s) to see if the proposed changes will affect your boarding location. We will collect customer comments for a 2-3 week period after posting these Rider Alerts before finalizing our plan.
Check the Bus Stop Consolidation Plan. |
We realize that some riders may need to walk an extra block or two, however, we feel the resulting faster ride should help compensate for the inconvenience.
Top
Roadway Improvements
Buses, passenger vehicles, parked vehicles, pedestrians, and bicycles are all important roadway users. Each of these user groups have specific needs and often compete with others for limited road space. In the next few years, we will be evaluating the existing roadway uses along the Route 5 corridor, and suggesting changes to improve transit service. These types of changes could include revisions in parking regulations, improving intersection channelization and lane configuration.
Top
Traffic Signal Re-timing
The City of Seattle will be working with King County to optimize signal timing along parts of Greenwood Avenue N. These traffic signal improvements should reduce congestion and delays for all roadway users, including bus riders.
Top
Transit Signal Priority
Transit Signal Priority (TSP) gives transit vehicles a time advantage when approaching a signal, which can help improve transit speed and reliability along the corridor. Bus detection technology at selected signalized intersections along the corridor would be installed to inform the signal of the approaching vehicle and hold the green light to allow the bus to pass. Tools like TSP help us make the most out of our existing transportation infrastructure.
Top
|
