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News & ArtsThursday, February 5, 2009
City
Metro Proposes Eliminating Only Route Serving Vets Linking VA to downtown
Posted by Erica C. Barnett on Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Updated to reflect the fact that the 60 goes to the VA entrance, but does not go anywhere near downtown.
As part of its proposed changes to bus routes serving Southeast Seattle, King County Metro is proposing a new route 50 that would—finally, hallelujah!— connect Southeast Seattle to West Seattle and Georgetown. That's the good news. The bad news is, Metro is also proposing to eliminate the only bus route that directly serves links the Seattle Veterans Affairs hospital on Beacon Hill—the 39—to downtown. (It's also a great way for South End residents to get to Fremont, because it turns into the 28). Metro community relations planner Sarah Luthens points out that at least two other routes, the 60 and the 36, skirt the VA hospital; she says former 39 users will be able to either "ride the route 50 to SoDo and transfer in the [E3] busway, or go to the MLK stop and transfer onto light rail." However, she added, "I have heard from a number of people at the VA who have concerns about losing that service."
The question isn't merely one of making a few people walk a couple of blocks. Currently, the 39 is the only route that directly serves VA users, many of them disabled. According to Metro spokeswoman Linda Theilke, on an average weekday, 324 riders boarded the bus at the VA stop, and 215 disembarked. If you're in a wheelchair, elderly, or on crutches, walking blocks up- or downhill to another bus (or transferring from one bus to another) may mean you just can't take the bus.
Ann Dee Levine, a 39 rider and disability advocate, says that while "it’s easy for me, as an able-bodied person, to get off and transfer at light rail or the busway, for a disabled person, it’s three minutes on and three minutes off." VA public affairs specialist Ken LaBlond confirms that the facility has "a fair number of veterans who are disabled; the shorter the distance they have to walk, the better." LaBlond adds: "This is a huge facility, and the 36 is far away from the main entrance... It sort of speaks for itself that these changes may affect people in negative ways."
Although Metro has encouraged feedback and amended its Southeast Seattle proposes in response to community feedback, comments by Luthens and Thielke indicate the agency is unlikely to bring back the 39. And that, in turn, is certain to have an impact on disabled vets who get around by bus. "In all the time I’ve ridden the 39, I don’t think there has ever been a time they haven’t picked up a wheelchair passenger," Levine says. "This is going to have a tremendous impact."
Finally, what? I'm on the edge of my seat!!
Helps reduce carbon emissions, check. Can make busses in USA, maybe even in De-troit, check.
Oh wait, we have to have lots of tax cuts. Never mind!
The twice a day I ride it, it detours directly into the parking lot and up to the main entrance.
Of course, the big deal about going downtown is that people can get there on another bus and then transfer to the 39, so I'm not sure why adding another transfer is a dealbreaker.
Should read:
... from Downtown Seattle to the VA hospital's main entrance.
I won't disagree with the observations about problems that disabled people have with transferring on public transit, but let's not assume that all vets come from downtown Seattle. The reality is they come from all over the place. It's not clear that more vets will have to transfer onto the new Rt. 50 than now have to transfer onto the old Rt. 39.
And we should also note, it is unfortunate the VA chose to design their facility in the suburban model, with the front door set far back from the city street. How much more convenient it would have been to have the front door open onto a public sidewalk or narrow plaza fronting the street.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s…
@9, the 60 doesn't go downtown. The 36's deviation to the loop stop only occurs late night and on weekends, and that deviation is planned to stop as part of the service change. Usually it just runs down Beacon Ave.
Which is why there'll be, as I said, no direct connection between the front door and downtown Seattle.
(caveat - except people like me who drive there)
At the same time, compared to the 36, the 39 is barely ever even 1/4 full (except at rush hour when there are non-articulated buses!) so I can see Metro's point, especially in these financial times. I also agree that the construction of the VA is completely car-centric and directly contributes to this problem (see the massive parking lot!). The 39 used to go right up to the main entrance of the VA but had to move down further from the entrance due to homeland security problems. I think a better solution would be for the VA to make a bus stop in their parking lot on the back side of the building. Most veterans know this area of the hospital well because both the canteen and the PX are located here. The bus could loop here and head back out onto S. Beacon Ave. heading either north or south. I'm not sure if the stop could be located here due to homeland security regulations, but I think its time for the VA to weigh the true reality of veteran being hit crossing the road with the theoretical risk of security problem on a public bus.
In the VA's defense, we have great bike commuting facilities and the government subsidizes public transportation for people who work at the facility.
(*Oh - and in filling out said questionnaire - I ranked on the fact that the 36 suuhhhhhcks big time in terms of frequency and meeting ETA's and that the 60's run ends way too early...)
Good post, but most 36s are trolleys and therefore can't deviate from their path along Beacon Ave to come right up to the hospital.
Read the plan ECB links to!
1) Metro is planning to extend trolley wire from Beacon to Myrtle & Othello and terminate all 36s there. The last stretch to RB will be covered by a rerouted 106. So there's nothing preventing the 36 from going all-trolley
2) The 50 exactly matches the 39 between Seward Park Ave/Othello St and the SODO link station. So, in fact, Seward park will have more service with the 50 (30 min headways nights and weekends, 15 min. in the peak) than they ever did with the 39.
3) A limited number of 34 runs have been restored in the latest batch of Metro plans, as you would have known had you checked the plan.
Uphill.
Or, if in a wheelchair ...
This is just my ignorance, but by trolley, do you mean the buses that use the electric lines overhead or do you mean the articulated buses? The articulated 39 and 60 already use the front VA parking lot to turn around. I don't remember the 36 running all the way on electricity, but admit I've never paid close attention.
#24,
The bus stop used to be at the entrance, but was moved down the sidewalk to meet homeland security regulations in 2005.
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