Get on board with Rapid Ride bus line coming to Eastlake

The Seattle Division of Transportation is asking the Eastlake neighborhood to simply accept an enormous change: to surrender just about all on-street parking alongside its primary arterial, Eastlake Avenue East — some 350 areas — and convert it to protected bike lanes. Together with that, the native #70 bus shall be upgraded to a RapidRide, the J line.  

The mixed infrastructure enchancment is nice for the planet (RapidRide J will use electrical trolley buses), and the elevated capability and comfort of RapidRide and the bike lanes are crucial for Eastlake’s future development.  

That development is shortly coming, most of it with restricted to no parking. There are seven proposed developments for Eastlake Avenue alone with a complete of 694 models and 189 parking areas. 

On aspect streets, single- and multifamily properties are being razed to create space for denser growth. Boylston Avenue East alongside Interstate 5 is zoned for eight tales.  

A growth throughout from Rogers Playground on Eastlake is sort of full and can have 207 models, 96 parking areas and 181 bike stalls. Builders are banking on the attractiveness of Eastlake as a bike- and transit-friendly hall.

Many Eastlake companies and residents are balking. Flyers posted across the neighborhood ask, “Do you want to park on Eastlake Ave.?” with a QR code that hyperlinks to the SDOT RapidRide J line page at seattle.gov, presumably to let town know that you just do and wish to maintain the established order. 

Worry of dropping enterprise is behind the battle to maintain parking on Eastlake Avenue regardless of research after research displaying that eradicating parking for bike lanes has a impartial to constructive impact on native companies.  

The company has studied side-street bike routes exhaustively in Eastlake and concluded {that a} protected bike lane on Eastlake Avenue is the perfect route accessible. Such a lane has lengthy been sought by the bicycling neighborhood. As a result of it would present bicyclists and different rollers the identical direct route that motorists have lengthy loved, and since will probably be secure, many extra will use it.  

The J line will use the present general-purpose site visitors lane and cease at inline stations. Visitors behind the bus goes solely as quick because the bus and can cease when the bus does, making a “platooning” impact permitting automobiles in entrance to clear and the bus to maneuver shortly ahead. Boarding shall be quick, like getting on a light-rail prepare. ORCA card readers shall be in any respect bus doorways.

RapidRide J will enable quicker connection to Hyperlink gentle rail. From Lynn Road, will probably be 4 direct stops earlier than the U District Station, in comparison with the 70 bus’ seven oblique stops.

The three-year development venture, scheduled to start out in 2024, features a new water primary that might be wanted anyway to serve the deliberate developments. Will probably be difficult for everybody, however the outcomes shall be definitely worth the ache — a brand new roadway for easy bus rides with frequent service; protected bike lanes that can make bicycling enjoyable and secure; improved, accessible sidewalks; state-of-the-art transit stations; and slower site visitors within the neighborhood, which will make it extra nice to stroll and produce extra pedestrians to native companies. 

The RapidRide J venture is 100% designed however till development begins, something can occur. And there may be an energetic motion to kill the venture led by the Eastlake Neighborhood Council. The council’s August letter opposing the venture is working its manner by metropolis and state workplaces and, except it’s withdrawn, stays the neighborhood’s official phrase.