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RapidRide is a network of limited-stop bus routes with some bus rapid transit features in King County, Washington , operated by King County Metro . The network consists of eight routes totaling 76 miles (122 km) that carried riders on approximately 64,860 trips on an average weekday in 2016, comprising about 17 percent of King County Metro's total daily ridership.

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48-432: RapidRide lines are faster than typical local bus routes because they service fewer stops (on average, 40% fewer than the routes they replaced), make extensive use of bus priority to preempt traffic lights, and on some lines, use special lanes to bypass traffic. RapidRide lines run no less often than every 10 minutes during peak commuting hours and every 15 minutes on weekends and during most off-peak hours. Most lines (except

96-542: A backlit route map, and an ORCA reader for off-board fare payment. Shortly after the approval of Transit Now, Metro's revenues sales tax revenues saw a steep and prolonged decline. To combat the loss of income Metro underwent a series of efficiency measures, including restructuring routes to reduce operating costs. The RapidRide system was largely shielded from these cuts because federal and state grant funding helped pay for new buses and infrastructure. Also, in many cases, Metro actively restructured its network to shift riders to

144-593: A district of predominantly low-income housing through the 1990s. In 2003, the Seattle Housing Authority began work on the first phase of a six-year project to redevelop High Point into a mixed-income community. The redevelopment removed all existing housing, roads, and utilities. In their place, new roads, underground infrastructure, about 1,600 new housing units, and community facilities were built. The redevelopment embraced many sustainable development principles. The site and rental housing are certified at

192-401: A new bus stop flag featuring route information, a solar-powered area light, and a stop request strobe light, to signal to drivers that a passenger is waiting. Additionally, moderately busy stops received new shelters, benches and trash cans. The busiest stops were improved into "stations" with large shelters and a "tech pylon" with an electronic real-time arrival sign, audible arrival information,

240-426: A “green wave” for traffic along the transit line's route. Passive techniques require no specialized hardware (such as bus detectors and specialized traffic signal controllers) and rely on simply improving traffic for all vehicles along the transit vehicle's route. Active TSP techniques rely on detecting transit vehicles as they approach an intersection and adjusting the signal timing dynamically to improve service for

288-575: Is a conglomeration of neighborhoods in Seattle , Washington , United States. It comprises two of the thirteen districts , Delridge and Southwest, and encompasses all of Seattle west of the Duwamish River . It was incorporated as an independent town in 1902 before being annexed by Seattle five years later. Among the area's attractions are its saltwater beach parks along Elliott Bay and Puget Sound , including Alki Beach Park and Lincoln Park . The area

336-483: Is a neighborhood in the Delridge district. It is so named because it contains the highest point in the city of Seattle: the intersection of 35th Avenue SW and SW Myrtle Street, which is 520 feet (160 m) above sea level . The neighborhood is located on the east side of 35th Ave SW, with approximate north and south boundaries at SW Juneau Street and SW Myrtle Street. The hill is dominated by two large water towers ; it

384-728: Is also known for its views of the Olympic Mountains to the west and the Cascade Range to the east. One-third of Seattle's green space and urban forest is located in West Seattle, much of it in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. West Seattle is the oldest neighborhood in the city and considered the birthplace of Seattle proper. The Southwest Seattle Historical Society maintains the Log House Museum at Alki Point . High Point

432-547: Is also the location of Our Lady of Guadalupe School and Parish, on the peak of the highest hill in West Seattle. It is also known for the High Point Projects which were torn down in 2005 to make way for new mixed-income housing . High Point is one of Seattle's most diverse neighborhoods, with a substantial immigrant population from Southeast Asia and East Africa . The neighborhood was originally developed during World War II to provide government housing, and it remained

480-451: The COVID-19 pandemic . The Westwood Village shopping center, between S.W. Trenton and S.W. Barton Streets in the south end of West Seattle, has undergone several makeovers and now provides a mall-like shopping experience, including a Target and a Marshall's. However, it is unlikely that a movie theater will be allowed here because of restricted parking. Before the annexation of West Seattle,

528-538: The Fauntleroy ferry terminal to the West Seattle Bridge; 35th Avenue Southwest; and Delridge Way. Alki Avenue and Harbor Avenue form a continuous ring along the north shore of the peninsula and have a parallel multi-use trail. West Seattle is served by bus service from King County Metro , the county's public transit system, with connections to Downtown Seattle and other nearby destinations. These routes include

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576-627: The RapidRide C Line on California Avenue and Fauntleroy Way and RapidRide H Line on Delridge Way; both lines have bus rapid transit features and continue across the West Seattle Bridge to Downtown Seattle. Washington State Ferries operates automobile ferries from the Fauntleroy terminal to Vashon Island and Southworth on the Kitsap Peninsula . The passenger-only King County Water Taxi also runs between Seacrest Park and Downtown Seattle; it

624-535: The "Move Seattle" property tax levy passed in November 2015. The network will create a grid of frequent bus lines connecting the major population centers in King County. In many cases, the opening of the routes is timed to coincide with the expansion of Sound Transit's Link light rail system. On September 23, 2020, King County Metro announced delays to the I, J, K, and R lines. Work on the I and J lines will proceed while

672-573: The 2007 ULI Global Award of Excellence , the 2007 EPA National Award for Smart Growth, and the 2007 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence . Alki Point is traditionally credited as the point where the Denny Party founded Seattle before moving across Elliott Bay to what is now Downtown . A similar landing at Alki has been reenacted annually since 1950 as part of the week-long Seafair celebration of Seattle's marine and boating heritage. Seafair coincides with West Seattle festivities including Hi-Yu and

720-471: The 2016 Sound Transit 3 ballot measure as one of two in-city corridors and is estimated to cost at least $ 6.7 billion to construct. The extension will be part of the 3 Line and is scheduled to open in 2032 with three stations in West Seattle, a new bridge over the Duwamish River, and a temporary terminus at SODO station . The remainder of the 3 Line to Snohomish County would open later in

768-452: The 358 Express. While the implementation of the E Line did not trigger another major restructuring of routes, it did require a major improvement project along Aurora Avenue. As part of the project, the cities of Seattle and Shoreline implemented BAT (Business Access and Transit) lanes along most of the corridor, reserving the outside lanes for buses and right-turning vehicles. The cities also made major improvements to pedestrian facilities along

816-786: The A and E lines were equipped with monitoring pumps to detect fumes from narcotics, including fentanyl , to study its effects onboard buses. Bus priority Bus priority or transit signal priority (TSP) is a name for various techniques to improve service and reduce delay for mass transit vehicles at intersections (or junctions) controlled by traffic signals . TSP techniques are most commonly associated with buses , but can also be used along tram/streetcar or light rail lines, especially those that mix with or conflict with general vehicular traffic. Transit signal priority techniques can generally be classified as "active" or "passive". Passive TSP techniques typically involve optimizing signal timing or coordinating successive signals to create

864-647: The B, F and H lines) also have night owl (late night and early morning) service. The creation of the RapidRide network was one of the main elements of King County's " Transit Now " initiative that was proposed in April 2006 and approved by voters in November 2006. Funding for the construction and operation of the lines came from a 0.1% sales tax increase included in Transit Now, contributions from local cities and over $ 80 million in grants from state and federal agencies. One of

912-795: The C Line would serve the Alaska Junction (a major transfer point for buses), the Fauntleroy ferry terminal and Westwood Village. For the D Line, the decision was made to serve Ballard High School and the Crown Hill neighborhood and offer frequent connecting service to the Ballard business district via Route 44 on NW Market Street and the new Route 40 on Leary Ave NW. In the years since the change, both Route 40 and 44 have become so popular that they are now scheduled to be converted into RapidRide corridors. RapidRide service from Downtown Seattle to Ballard and West Seattle began on September 29, 2012. The opening of

960-571: The Morgan Street Junction at the southern end where Fauntleroy Way S.W., S.W. Morgan Street, and California Avenue S.W. intersect. The West Seattle Summer Fest, a multi-day street festival at the Junction, is hosted annually in July. It includes live music , shopping, art galleries, and other events in the neighborhood. The festival was established in 1982 and was cancelled for 2020 and 2021 due to

1008-770: The R and K lines have been put on hold. The table below details the routing, project status, and expected opening of each RapidRide line expected to open before 2025. King County also plans to add a further seven RapidRide routes between 2025 and 2040. Stops are farther apart than typical Metro service in order to increase speed and reliability, and create "stations" that are akin to what is found on light rail lines. The stations look different from normal bus stops and have "tech pylons" that feature ORCA card readers for off-board fare payment, real time information signs and automated voice announcements to communicate estimated arrival times of RapidRide buses. To increase security, stations are lit and are patrolled by transit police. Because of

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1056-532: The RapidRide corridor enabled a major restructure of most of the bus routes serving the Eastside. In addition to the B Line, three new routes were created, 11 routes received new a routing, and 13 routes were deleted. Next up were the RapidRide corridors in Seattle, but the nationwide economic downturn forced Metro to create a lower cost routing than was proposed in the Transit Now measure. The connection between Ballard and

1104-568: The Renton Landing also allowed Metro to eliminate Route 110. The F Line began operation on June 7, 2014, after several months of delays. In June 2015, midday frequencies were improved on the RapidRide C, D, and E Lines, bringing up Monday-Saturday daytime frequency from every 15 minutes to every 10–12 minutes to accommodate increased ridership. Following those changes, in March 2016, the RapidRide C and D Line were disconnected from one another. The D Line

1152-572: The Seattle skyline, Puget Sound, and the Olympic mountains. The Junction is the name used for the commercial district that centers on the intersection of California Avenue S.W. and S.W. Alaska Street. It is sometimes called "West Seattle Junction" or "Alaska Junction" by residents. West Seattle also has two other intersections of note: the Admiral Junction in the northern part of the peninsula where California Avenue S.W. and S.W. Admiral Way meet, and

1200-505: The West Seattle Summer Fest street festival held each July. Along with its historical significance, Alki is also home to the most popular beach in the Seattle area. Fittingly named Alki Beach, it features a long strip of sandy beach full of driftwood, seashells, and fire pits. Low tides offer West Seattleites an opportunity to explore marine life in tidepools. Alki also hosts a flat bike and running trail from which visitors can view

1248-474: The corridor. The E Line opened on February 15, 2014 after several months of delays. In late 2009, the construction of a sixth line was added to the system that would run between Burien and Renton in South King County. The King County Executive had initially dropped the line from the Transit Now initiative, but higher than expected tax revenue and lower than expected costs from the five initial lines, allowed

1296-609: The decade after the completion of the Ballard Link Extension . The three stations in West Seattle are expected to be an underground station at Alaska Junction on the site of the Jefferson Square shopping center; a retained cut station at Avalon Way; and an elevated station at Delridge Way near Andover Street. The community is served by the West Seattle Herald , which published a weekly newspaper until 2021 and

1344-509: The frequent headways, riders do not have to wait as long at stations as they do at normal bus stops. RapidRide uses low-floor, diesel-electric hybrid articulated buses that are equipped three doors and painted with an identifiable look (a red and yellow livery) distinct from the buses used on other Metro routes. RapidRide uses a proof-of-payment system: passengers who have a valid transfer or who tap their ORCA Card at an off-board validator (located at most "station" stops) can board any of

1392-430: The highest BuiltGreen levels; most housing is Energy Star rated . The site makes extensive use of permeable paving , including porous sidewalks, parking areas, and the only porous pavement street in the state of Washington. Some houses were built to reduce symptoms for people with asthma . The neighborhood redevelopment plan has been recognized with some of the most prestigious land use and development awards, among them

1440-437: The late 2010s, plans were made to construct and open 13 new RapidRide corridors by 2025. The city of Seattle plans to pay for seven of the routes located primarily within its borders, while King County will locate the funding for the six routes in suburban areas outside of Seattle. The improvements are expected to be funded by federal and state grants. Additionally, the improvements in the city of Seattle will be partially funded by

1488-746: The line to be funded. The F Line connects several major South King County transportation hubs including the Burien Transit Center, the Tukwila International Boulevard Link station (also served by the A Line), the transit center at Southcenter Mall , the Tukwila Sounder station , and the Renton Transit Center. The F Line was initially slated to replace Route 140, but an extension to the Boeing Renton Factory and

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1536-458: The measure. Along each of the corridors, fiber-optic cable was utilized to enable a Transit Signal Priority system (to synchronize traffic signals with buses), an automated vehicle location system and the features on "tech pylons" to be installed at certain locations. Every stop along the line received some level of improvement, with the degree of investment determined by the ridership. All stops were enhanced with new concrete, RapidRide signage, and

1584-555: The midtown area of Downtown Seattle. The move allowed King County Metro to purchase fewer buses and save on operations expenses. This interline was finally broken in March 2016 after the passage of Proposition 1 in the City of Seattle, dedicating additional tax revenue to support the Metro system. After several months of outreach by the Seattle Department of Transportation, it was decided that

1632-515: The most notable local contributions was from Seattle, which funded traffic signal and roadway improvements with the city's "Bridging the Gap" property tax levy, passed at the same time as Transit Now in November 2006. Transit Now called for a network of routes that included these bus rapid transit features: These improvements were to be made on five key travel corridors identified in the initiative: Planning and construction began shortly after approval of

1680-597: The nearby Central Link light rail line that opened just months before the A Line. The A Line has terminals at the Tukwila International Boulevard Link station and the Federal Way Transit Center (which is expected to receive Link Light Rail service in the future). One year later on October 2, 2011, the B Line opened on the Eastside , connecting Redmond, Overlake, and Bellevue. The opening of

1728-462: The neighborhood of White Center radiated north and south of Roxbury, but now with the city line going down the middle of the old neighborhood is it unclear whether the northern part of the area should still be referred to as part of the White Center neighborhood. West Seattle also includes suburban neighborhoods in the southwest end, including Gatewood, Fauntleroy, Arbor Heights, and Arroyo Heights in

1776-412: The new faster, high-capacity RapidRide routes. The A Line between Federal Way and Tukwila International Boulevard station was the first to begin service on October 2, 2010, leveraging the pre-existing high-occupancy vehicle lanes on Pacific Highway South and International Boulevard (both part of State Route 99 ). The line replaced Route 174, that mainly operated along the same corridor and complements

1824-429: The new lines (along with budget cuts forced by the economic downturn) prompted a substantial restructuring of Metro's system in Seattle. Five new routes were created, dozens were revised, and 15 were deleted (including several routes that dated back to the streetcar-era). The third line to open in Seattle, was the E Line along Aurora Avenue North . It replaced one of the busiest and most infamous routes in Metro's system,

1872-531: The rapid growth of cracks in the concrete was discovered. The parallel, low-level Spokane Street Bridge is a swing bridge that opened in 1991 and also carries a multi-use trail across Harbor Island. To the southeast is the First Avenue South Bridge , a pair of movable bridges on State Route 99 . The peninsula's major north–south streets include California Avenue, which runs from Hamilton Viewpoint to Thistle Strete; Fauntleroy Way, which connects

1920-400: The south downtown stadium area was scrapped in favor of interlining the West Seattle and Ballard lines. Upon reaching downtown, northbound C Line buses would change signs to continue north as the D Line and southbound D Line buses would change signs to continue south as the C Line. For riders, that meant that instead of running to the south downtown stadium area, the Ballard line would only reach

1968-473: The southernmost section of West Seattle. West Seattle has three bridges over the Duwamish River that connect the peninsula to SODO and Downtown Seattle . The high-level West Seattle Bridge , opened in 1984 and carries seven lanes of traffic on a short freeway that continues towards Interstate 5 on the Spokane Street Viaduct . The bridge was closed from 2020 to 2022 for extensive repairs after

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2016-479: The three doors on the bus; those who do not must board through the front door, pay their fare, and get a transfer, which serves as proof-of-payment. Fares are enforced through random spot checks by contracted fare inspectors who are assisted by Metro's transit police . Coaches feature racks for 3 bikes, Wi-Fi , and security cameras. RapidRide buses have fewer seats than similar articulated buses in Metro's fleet, allowing for more room for standing riders, which increases

2064-552: The total number of passengers the bus can carry. Coaches were the first to feature on-board automated announcements and signage that inform riders of the next available stop as the vehicle approaches. Metro has since deployed the same technology to all buses in the fleet. In 2010, New Flyer discontinued the "Advanced BRT" styling (DE60LFA) that was purchased for the coaches running the A Line. Later coaches were ordered with New Flyer's "Restyled" package (DE60LFR) and include one passive restraint for wheelchair users. In 2023, buses on

2112-398: The transit vehicle. Unlike passive techniques, active TSP requires specialized hardware: the detection system typically involves a transmitter on the transit vehicle and one or more receivers (detectors), and the signal controller must be “TSP capable”, i.e. sophisticated enough to perform the required timing adjustments. Active strategies include: West Seattle, Seattle West Seattle

2160-529: The waterfront, including Lincoln Park and the Emma Schmitz Overlook to Jack Block Park facing the port. The West Seattle Golf Course, West Seattle Stadium, and Camp Long Outdoor Learning Center are found in the middle of the peninsula with unique opportunities to recreate outdoors including overnight camping in rustic cabins. In addition, Seattle Parks and Recreation maintains Community Centers (Alki, Delridge, and Hiawatha), Coleman Pool, SouthWest Pool, and

2208-463: Was extended to its original planned terminus in Pioneer Square, connecting riders better to South Downtown employment sites and visitors attractions. The C Line was extended into the vastly growing Denny Triangle and South Lake Union areas using new transit priority lanes on Westlake Avenue. The H Line began operation on March 18, 2023, replacing Route 120. RapidRide operates on eight corridors. In

2256-1065: Was later replaced by Westside Seattle after a merger with the Ballard News-Tribune . A hyperlocal blog website named the West Seattle Blog was established in December 2005 and has remained independently owned and operated. West Seattle is home to South Seattle College , West Seattle High School , Chief Sealth International High School , Seattle Lutheran High School , Gatewood Elementary School, Madison Middle School, Denny International Middle School , Roxhill Elementary School, K-5 STEM at Boren, Alki Elementary School, Lafayette Elementary School, Highland Park Elementary School, Sanislo Elementary School, Pathfinder K-8, Holy Family School Seattle, Holy Rosary West Seattle, Genesee Hill Elementary School, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Hope Lutheran School, Arbor Heights Elementary School, and Fairmount Park Elementary School. West Seattle has many parks along

2304-467: Was upgraded to year-round all-day service in 2022. King County Metro operates shuttle buses that connect West Seattle Junction, Alki, and the Admiral District with water taxi runs from Seacrest Park. Sound Transit , the regional public transit agency of the Seattle metropolitan area , plans to build a Link light rail extension between Downtown Seattle and West Seattle. The project was approved in

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