Seattle Squeeze Part 2: Metro Buses Leave Transit Tunnel Forever

SEATTLE, WA - We survived the three-week closure of SR 99 and the Alaskan Way Viaduct, but Puget Sound commuters should start preparing for the next squeeze as the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel closes to buses on March 23.

The closure will affect commuters in almost every city in the Seattle area, from Duvall to Renton. Drivers will be affected too because there will be more buses on downtown Seattle streets, including along 5th and 6th avenues, major streets for drivers trying to get to I-5.

The transit tunnel is closing for two reasons. There's the expansion of the Washington State Convention Center, which forced the closure of the Convention Place bus stop last July. Plus, Sound Transit will be expanding light rail service in the tunnel beginning in 2021 with more stops north of the University of Washington, and in 2023 as trains from the Eastside begin using the tunnel.

Here are the major changes to watch out for coming up in March.

3rd Avenue All-Door Boarding: On March 23, riders that use bus routes along 3rd Avenue will be able to pay before boarding using ORCA readers. That means riders can board at rear exit doors, hopefully speeding up boarding times.

There are ORCA readers at 21 stops along 3rd Avenue, and the remaining nine will be in place by December. In the interim, Metro employees will be stationed at those nine stops with portable readers.

6th, 5th Avenue Bus-only Lanes: This is of note for drivers. Buses that use these streets will get priority lanes 3 to 7 p.m. weekdays. The priority lanes span Olive Way to Cherry Street. Bus routes that will use these lanes include: 74, 76, 77, 252, 255, 257, 301, 308, 311 and 316.

Individual bus route changes: 41 bus routes will undergo some sort of change this spring, including some Sound Transit routes that serve the Eastside and Snohomish County.

• Route 41, Lake City to Downtown Seattle: Leaves bus tunnel. Southbound trips use Stewart Street and 3rd Avenue; northbound trips use 3rd and Olive Way/Howell Street.
• Route 74, Sand Point, U-District, Downtown: Leaves bus tunnel. Southbound trips use Union St and 2nd Ave; northbound trips use 5th and 6th avenues and Pike Street.
• Route 76, Wedgwood to Downtown: Partially leaves 4th Avenue. Northbound trips use 5th and 6th avenues and Pike Street. Southbound trips remain the same.
• Route 77, Shoreline to Downtown: Partially leaves 4th Avenue. Northbound trips use 5th and 6th avenues and Pike Street. Southbound trips remain the same.
• Routes 101 and 102, Renton, Beacon Hill, Downtown: Leaving bus tunnel. Northbound trips will use 4th Avenue and Pike Street; southbound trips use Union Street and 2nd Avenue.
• Route 104, Renton: Will no longer use Edmonds Avenue Northeast and Northeast 4th. Instead, the route will continue on Northeast 3rd Street after Renton Technical College.
• Route 150, Kent, Tukwila, Downtown: Leaves bus tunnel. Northbound trips will exit the Sodo busway onto 4th Avenue. Southbound trips will use Union Street, 2nd Avenue, 4th Avenue South, and the busway.
• Route 201, Mercer Island: This route from south Mercer Island to the park-and-ride lot will be deleted.
• Route 204, Mercer Island: Will be converted into a DART (dial-a-ride) route. The route will be expanded to run on Saturdays.
• Route 224, Bellevue, Redmond, Duvall: Will be converted to a DART route.
• Route 252, Kingsgate to Downtown Seattle: Leaves 4th Avenue partially. Northbound trips will use 5th and 6th avenues. Southbound trips will not change.
• Route 255, Kirkland to Downtown Seattle: Leaves bus tunnel. Trips to Seattle will travel along Stewart Street and 5th Avenue. Northbound trips will travel along 5th and 6th Avenues and Olive Way.
• Route 257, Kingsgate to Downtown Seattle: Leaves 4th Avenue partially. Northbound trips will travel along 5th and 6th Avenues. Southbound trips unchanged.
• Route 301, Aurora Village to Downtown Seattle: Leaves 4th Avenue partially. Northbound trips will travel along 5th and 6th Avenues. Southbound trips unchanged.
• Route 308, Lake Forest Park to Downtown Seattle: Leaves 4th Avenue partially. Northbound trips will travel along 5th and 6th Avenues. Southbound trips unchanged.
• Route 311, Woodinville to Downtown Seattle: Leaves 4th Avenue partially. Northbound trips will travel along 5th and 6th Avenues. Southbound trips unchanged.
• Route 330, Shoreline/Meridian Park to Downtown Seattle: Leaves 4th Avenue partially. Northbound trips will travel along 5th and 6th Avenues. Southbound trips unchanged.
• Routes 891, 892 and 894, Mercer Island: These routes will now depart Mercer Island High School at 3:15 p.m.
• Sound Transit Route 550, Bellevue to Downtown Seattle: Leaves bus tunnel. Routes traveling to Seattle will use 4th Avenue and Pike Street. Return trips to Bellevue will use Union Street and 2nd Avenue.
• Sound Transit Route 555, Issaquah, Bellevue, Downtown Seattle: Trips between the Issaquah Highlands park-and-ride and Bellevue will be deleted. The route will still run between the Bellevue Transit Center and Northgate.