According to The Inlander, Monroe is STA's third busiest route, with nearly 650 bus trips taken on the route every week. So the newspaper asked STA how things will work with buses stopping to pickup and drop off passengers on a narrowed roadways.
To start, the Inlander reports, STA plans to reduce the number of bus stops in that stretch- but only by one stop, so there will be a total of three stops.
STA officials are hoping that off-board ticketing that lets bus riders pay ahead of time will speed up the boarding process and "level boarding" will put wheelchairs at the same level as the buses, which will reduce the time required to load them onto buses.
Even if STA didn't reduce stops or implement the other technology that could speed things up, officials say the lane reductions would only add about 25 seconds to your commute during the "rush hour" period.
6 comments:
I mainly ride the #28 bus and it stops on Spokane Falls Blvd by WSU and blocks traffic while loading or unloading, but it is pretty quick stop and go. Between the #26 and #28 buses it has 15 minute service like Monroe so anyone can see what it will be like on Monroe when the construction ends.
Seems to me that it's not going to be much different than it already is as far as buses are concerned. I think the business aspect of losing customers to construction is a bigger deal.
Right now you can pass a bus in the other lane, which will go away when the construction is done. A lot of people say they will not use Monroe when it is three lanes because of the buses blocking traffic, I think is a plus for the businesses. Those that come can get to the businesses easier and safer. Construction no matter how much they try to not impact the businesses will impact the businesses but in the long run much better for everyone.
A lot of people I have talked to say they don't pass buses on Monroe now because the lanes are too narrow, so they just hang back and pace them. I realized not everyone does this but if some are already doing it, a lot might not change. And adding 25-30 seconds to your drive through the area doesn't change anything in my book.
I agree with in the long run, the businesses will do better. I have been communicating directly with one business owner, who also happens to be a planner for her job, who doesn't think her business (a restaurant and bar) can stand 6-8 weeks of construction. She doesn't have much complaint about the project other than that.
I know when they did the construction on Market the construction workers ate at the local restaurants so that helped, but surviving the construction is still hard.
Maybe the city will employee the same program they did with the construction downtown recently where they challenge different businesses or agencies to patronize the businesses, then they in turn are charged with challenging a different company. Either way, Monroe is going to need work at some point so it will happen sooner or later.
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