RapidRide C Line

Last updated

C Line
RapidRide wordmark.svg
King County Metro Rapid Ride New Flyer DE60LFR 6085.JPG
RapidRide bus running on the C Line
Overview
System RapidRide
Operator King County Metro
Garage Ryerson Base
Vehicle New Flyer articulated buses
Began serviceSeptember 29, 2012
PredecessorsRoute 54, 54X
Route
Locale King County
Communities served South Lake Union
Downtown Seattle
West Seattle
Fauntleroy
Westwood
Landmarks served Lake Union Park
Alaska Junction
Morgan Junction
Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal
StartSouth Lake Union
Via Westlake Ave N
3rd Avenue
Alaskan Way Viaduct
West Seattle Bridge
California Ave SW
Fauntleroy Way SW
EndWestwood Village
Length12 miles (19 km)
Service
FrequencyPeak: 6-8 minutes
Off-peak: 12-15 minutes
Late night: 30-75 minutes
Weekend frequencySaturday: 12-15 minutes (most times)
Sunday: 15 minutes (most times)
Journey time56 minutes
Operates24 hours
Ridership8,300 (weekday average, spring 2015) [1]
Timetable C Line timetable
Map C Line map
Route diagram

Contents

BSicon bvvWSLa.svg
BSicon HSTg.svg
BSicon STRf.svg
Valley St
BSicon STRg.svg
BSicon BHFf.svg
Fairview Ave N
BSicon bSHI2+lr.svg
BSicon HSTg.svg
Valley St
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon utCONTg.svg
South Lake Union Streetcar
to Fred Hutchison Cancer Center
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon BHFf.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon NULf.svg
BSicon utBHF.svg
Mercer St
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon NULf.svg
BSicon utBHF.svg
Harrison St
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon utBHF.svg
Denny Way
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon utCONTf.svg
South Lake Union Streetcar
to Westlake
BSicon BHFg.svg
6th Ave
BSicon CONTgq.svg
BSicon ABZg+r.svg
RapidRide D Line icon.svg to Ballard | RapidRide E Line icon.svg to Shoreline
BSicon BHF.svg
Virginia St
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon utCONTg.svg
Line 1 (Sound Transit) icon.svg
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon utBHF.svg
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon utBHF.svg
Seneca St
(Symphony station)
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon utCONTf.svg
Line 1 (Sound Transit) icon.svg
1 Line
to Angle Lake via Airport
BSicon BHF.svg
Columbia St
BSicon ABZgl.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
BSicon BOOT.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
Seattle Ferry Terminal
BSicon BHF.svg
S Jackson St
BSicon hbKRZWae.svg
BSicon ABZgl.svg
BSicon CONTfq.svg
RapidRide H Line icon.svg to Burien
BSicon BHFf.svg
SW Bradford St
BSicon BHFg.svg
SW Yancy St
BSicon BHF.svg
SW Avalon Way
(West Seattle Recreation Center)
BSicon BHF.svg
Fauntleroy Way SW
BSicon BHF.svg
California Ave SW
(Alaska Junction)
BSicon BHF.svg
SW Findlay St
BSicon BHF.svg
Fauntleroy Way SW
(Morgan Junction)
BSicon HST.svg
SW Myrtle St
BSicon HST.svg
SW Webster St
BSicon HST.svg
SW Rose St
(Lincoln Park)
BSicon BOOT.svg
BSicon BHF.svg
BSicon HST.svg
45th St SW
BSicon HST.svg
California Ave SW
BSicon bSHI2lr.svg
BSicon BHFg.svg
BSicon HSTf.svg
35th Ave SW
BSicon HSTg.svg
BSicon STRf.svg
SW Roxbury St
BSicon HSTg.svg
BSicon STRf.svg
28th Ave SW
BSicon bvvWSLe.svg
BSicon NULgq.svg
BSicon lBHF.svg
26th Ave SW
(Westwood Village)
RapidRide H Line icon.svg
Legend
BSicon BHF.svg
station
BSicon HST.svg
stop
BSicon HSTg.svg
northbound only stop
BSicon HSTf.svg
southbound only stop
  B Line  {{{system_nav}}}  D Line  

The C Line is one of eight RapidRide lines (routes with some bus rapid transit features) operated by King County Metro in King County, Washington. The C Line began service on September 29, 2012, [2] running between downtown Seattle, West Seattle, Fauntleroy and the Westwood Village Shopping Center in the Westwood neighborhood. The line runs mainly via Westlake Avenue, 3rd Avenue, Washington State Route 99, the West Seattle Bridge, California Avenue and Fauntleroy Way. [3]

History

This corridor was previously served by King County Metro routes 54 and 54 express. [4] which carried a combined average of 4,650 riders on weekdays during the last month in service. [5] Since the implementation of RapidRide on the corridor, ridership has grown 79 percent and the C Line served an average of 8,300 riders on weekdays in spring 2015. [1] The C Line originally interlined with the D Line, which continued north from downtown to Lower Queen Anne, Interbay, and Ballard. The two routes were uncoupled during a service change on March 26, 2016, and the C Line was moved onto Westlake Avenue to terminate in South Lake Union, sharing several stops with the South Lake Union Streetcar. [6] [7]

The C Line originally accessed downtown via State Route 99 and the Alaskan Way Viaduct, using the Seneca Street and Columbia Street ramps. The viaduct closed on January 11, 2019, and the route was moved to a new alignment in SoDo using the SODO Busway and 4th Avenue. [8] A new C Line stop serving the waterfront, at Alaskan Way and South Jackson Street, opened in February 2022. [9]

Service

Headways
TimeWeekdaysSaturdaySunday/
Holidays
5:00 am – 6:00 am151515
6:00 am – 8:00 am6-8
8:00 am – 9:00 am12
9:00 am – 3:00 pm12
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm6-8
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm10
7:00 pm – 11:00 pm1515
11:00 pm – 1:00 am303030
1:00 am – 5:00 am60-7560-7560-75

Improvements

The city of Seattle made major improvements to the RapidRide C and D lines with money generated by Proposition 1 (which increases sales tax by 0.1 percent and imposes a $60 annual car-tab fee). [10]

The first round of improvements came in June 2015 when headways on the RapidRide C and D lines were decreased. Buses will arrive every 7–8 minutes during weekday rush hour, every 12 minutes during the midday hours on weekdays, every 12 minutes during the daytime on Saturday and every 15 minutes on Sunday and during weekday and weekend nights. [11] [12]

The second round of improvements came in March 2016 when the RapidRide C and D lines were split apart. [10] C Line buses now continue north through parts of Belltown and onto transit only lanes Westlake Avenue in the South Lake Union neighborhood, [13] terminating on Valley Street near the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center campus. D Line buses now continue south on 3rd Avenue into Pioneer Square, using layover space on 5th Avenue south of Terrace Street. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington State Route 99</span> Highway in the Seattle metropolitan area, Washington, U.S.

State Route 99 (SR 99), also known as the Pacific Highway, is a state highway in the Seattle metropolitan area, part of the U.S. state of Washington. It runs 49 miles (79 km) from Fife to Everett, passing through the cities of Federal Way, SeaTac, Seattle, Shoreline, and Lynnwood. The route primarily follows arterial streets, including Aurora Avenue, and has several freeway segments, including the tolled SR 99 Tunnel in Downtown Seattle. SR 99 was officially named the William P. Stewart Memorial Highway by the state legislature in 2016, after a campaign to replace an unofficial moniker honoring Confederate president Jefferson Davis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Seattle</span> Neighborhood between the Duwamish River and Puget Sound

West Seattle 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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel</span> Rail tunnel in Seattle, Washington, United States

The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT), also referred to as the Metro Bus Tunnel, is a 1.3-mile-long (2.1 km) pair of public transit tunnels in Seattle, Washington, United States. The double-track tunnel and its four stations serve Link light rail trains on the 1 Line as it travels through Downtown Seattle. It runs west under Pine Street from 9th Avenue to 3rd Avenue, and south under 3rd Avenue to South Jackson Street. 1 Line trains continue north from the tunnel to Lynnwood City Center and south through the Rainier Valley past Seattle–Tacoma International Airport to Angle Lake station as part of Sound Transit's light rail network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King County Metro</span> Public transit operator in King County, Washington, US

King County Metro, officially the King County Metro Transit Department and often shortened to Metro, is the public transit authority of King County, Washington, which includes the city of Seattle. It is the eighth-largest transit bus agency in the United States. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 78,121,600, or about 281,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024. Metro employs 2,477 full-time and part-time operators and operates 1,540 buses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Seattle</span> Overview of transportation modes and routes in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Transportation in Seattle is largely focused on the automobile like many other cities in western North America; however, the city is just old enough for its layout to reflect the age when railways and trolleys predominated. These older modes of transportation were made for a relatively well-defined downtown area and strong neighborhoods at the end of several former streetcar lines, now mostly bus lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1 Line (Sound Transit)</span> Light rail line serving Seattle, Washington

The 1 Line, formerly Central Link, is a light rail line in Seattle, Washington, United States, and part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system. It serves 23 stations in King and Snohomish counties, traveling 33 miles (53 km) between Lynnwood City Center and Angle Lake stations. The line connects Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline, the University District, Downtown Seattle, the Rainier Valley, and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. The 1 Line carried over 26 million total passengers in 2023, with an average of nearly 80,000 daily passengers on weekdays. It runs for 20 hours per day on weekdays and Saturdays, with headways as low as six minutes during peak hours, and reduced 18-hour service on Sundays and holidays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Lake Union Streetcar</span> Streetcar line in Seattle, Washington

The South Lake Union Streetcar, officially the South Lake Union Line, is a streetcar route in Seattle, Washington, United States, forming part of the Seattle Streetcar system. It travels 1.3 miles (2.1 km) and connects Downtown Seattle to the South Lake Union neighborhood on Westlake Avenue, Terry Avenue, and Valley Street. The South Lake Union Streetcar was the first modern line to operate in Seattle, beginning service on December 12, 2007, two years after a separate heritage streetcar ceased operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International District/Chinatown station</span> Light rail station in Seattle, Washington

International District/Chinatown station is a light rail station that is part of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel in Seattle, Washington, United States. The station is located at the tunnel's south end, at 5th Avenue South and South Jackson Street in the Chinatown-International District neighborhood, and is served by the 1 Line of Sound Transit's Link light rail system. The station is located adjacent to Sound Transit headquarters at Union Station, as well as intermodal connections to Amtrak and Sounder commuter rail at King Street Station and the First Hill Streetcar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pioneer Square station</span> Light rail station in Seattle, Washington

Pioneer Square station is a light rail station that is part of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel in Seattle, Washington, United States. The station is located under 3rd Avenue at James Street, between Symphony and International District/Chinatown stations. It is served by the 1 Line, part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system, and provides connections to local buses and Colman Dock, a major ferry terminal serving areas west of Seattle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symphony station (Sound Transit)</span> Light rail station in Seattle, Washington

Symphony station, formerly University Street station, is a light rail station that is part of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel in Seattle, Washington, United States. The station is located under 3rd Avenue at University Street, near Benaroya Hall, and is served by Sound Transit's 1 Line. It is located between Westlake and Pioneer Square stations and has surface connections to buses operated by King County Metro and other providers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westlake station (Sound Transit)</span> Light rail station in Seattle, Washington

Westlake station is a light rail station that is part of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel in Seattle, Washington, United States. The station is located under Pine Street between 3rd and 6th avenues in Downtown Seattle, near Westlake Center and Westlake Park. It is served by the 1 Line, part of Sound Transit's Link light rail system, and also connected above ground by buses at several stops, the South Lake Union Streetcar, and the Seattle Center Monorail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RapidRide</span> Brand of bus routes in King County, Washington

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northgate station (Sound Transit)</span> Light rail and bus station in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Northgate is a light rail and bus station in the Northgate neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States, and part of 1 Line on Sound Transit's Link light rail system. The transit center, located adjacent to the Northgate Mall, has four bus bays served by 22 routes. The station also has parking for 1,475 vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RapidRide A Line</span> Bus rapid transit route in King County, Washington

The A Line is one of eight RapidRide lines operated by King County Metro in King County, Washington. The A Line began service on October 2, 2010, running from Tukwila to Federal Way, mostly along Pacific Highway South. The northern terminus is Tukwila/International Boulevard Station. From there, riders can transfer to Sound Transit's Link light rail, the RapidRide F Line, or to other King County Metro buses that serve Burien, Tukwila, SeaTac, Georgetown, SoDo, and downtown Seattle. Its southern terminus is Federal Way Transit Center and connects riders to buses serving Tacoma, Pierce County, and Auburn. Between the termini there are a total of 13 stations plus 13 intermediate stops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RapidRide B Line</span> Bus rapid transit route in King County, Washington

The B Line is one of eight RapidRide lines operated by King County Metro in King County, Washington. The B Line began service on October 1, 2011, running between downtown Redmond, Overlake and downtown Bellevue. The line runs mainly via NE 8th Street, 156th Avenue NE, NE 40th Street and 148th Avenue NE. Unlike most of the RapidRide lines, the B Line does not offer scheduled service during late-night and early morning hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RapidRide D Line</span> Bus rapid transit route in Seattle, Washington

The D Line is one of eight RapidRide lines operated by King County Metro in King County, Washington. The D Line began service on September 29, 2012, running between Carkeek Park in Crown Hill, Ballard, Interbay and Uptown and downtown Seattle. The line runs via Holman Road NW, 15th Ave NW, 15th Ave W, Elliott Ave W, W Mercer Pl, Queen Anne Ave N/1st Ave N and 3rd Ave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RapidRide E Line</span> Bus rapid transit route in Seattle, Washington

The E Line is one of eight RapidRide lines operated by King County Metro in King County, Washington. The E Line began service on February 15, 2014, running between Aurora Village Transit Center in Shoreline and Pioneer Square, Seattle in Downtown Seattle. The line runs mainly via Aurora Avenue N and 3rd Ave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Route 41 (King County Metro)</span> Urban bus route in Seattle, Washington

Route 41 was an express bus route operated by King County Metro in Seattle, Washington, United States. It connected Lake City and Northgate to Downtown Seattle, with non-stop service on Interstate 5 south of Northgate Transit Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RapidRide G Line</span> Bus rapid transit route in Seattle, Washington

The RapidRide G Line is a RapidRide bus service in Seattle, Washington, operated by King County Metro on Madison Street between Downtown Seattle and Madison Valley. It uses five-door articulated buses to serve a mix of side and center platforms at its 21 stations. The line opened for service on September 14, 2024, and cost $133.4 million to construct; it features several sections with bus lanes and transit signal priority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westlake Avenue</span>

Westlake Avenue is a major street in Seattle, Washington, connecting Downtown Seattle to the neighborhoods of South Lake Union, Westlake and northeastern Queen Anne. The street runs north–south along the west side of Lake Union for 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from McGraw Square to the Fremont Bridge.

References

  1. 1 2 2015 Service Guidelines Report (PDF). King County Metro. October 2015. p. A-22. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  2. "RapidRide". King County Metro Transit. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
  3. "RapidRide C Line Route Map". King County Metro. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  4. "Meet the C Line on Sept. 29". King County Metro Transit. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  5. Lindblom, Mike (July 7, 2014). "RapidRide use is way up". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  6. "More frequent, reliable bus service will soon connect more riders to congestion-free light rail" (Press release). King County Metro. March 9, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  7. "RapidRide C and D line extensions". King County Metro. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  8. "Alaskan Way Viaduct Closure" (PDF). King County Metro. January 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  9. Bancroft, Ethan (February 25, 2022). "New bus stops opened on the Seattle Waterfront, serving southwest Seattle and King County neighborhoods". SDOT Blog. Seattle Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  10. 1 2 Lindblom, Mike (November 4, 2014). "Metro bus service to get boost with passage of Prop. 1". Seattle Times. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  11. "RapidRide C Line Schedule". King County Metro. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  12. "Metro Transit Service Change Effective Saturday, June 6, 2015". King County Metro. June 6, 2015. Archived from the original on September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  13. Lindblom, Mike (March 22, 2015). "Transit plan for South Lake Union: Drop 2 car lanes". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  14. "RapidRide C and D Lines Extension". King County Metro. Retrieved August 25, 2015.