The City of Seattle is partnering with King County Metro to help keep buses on schedule through new off-street bus facilities. After finishing their trips, Metro buses often pull over in designated spaces to wait for a few minutes before starting their next trips. These planned layovers are important. They help late buses start their next trips on time. Layovers also allow bus drivers to take their breaks, helping them stay alert behind the wheel. The city is growing and there are many competing uses of curb space so the City and Metro are working together to find off-street locations for bus layover, called Bus Hubs.
The City of Seattle is updating the Land Use Code to allow for Bus Hub facilities and Metro is identifying locations in north downtown to build them. The first “bus hub” will be located on Eastlake Ave E. This surface facility will accommodate approximately 12 buses and provide a comfort station and an operations office for operators.
We want to hear from you. Please visit the online open house, which will be open to the public on Wednesday, January 17 through January 31. There, you can give feedback on land use changes and the design features of the Eastlake hub. For questions about the land use code amendments, please email Elizabeth Weldin, Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, at elizabeth.weldin@seattle.gov. For questions about the Eastlake site, contact Tristan Cook, King County Metro, at tristan.cook@kingcounty.gov.