If you thought the latest batch of bus route changes were a done deal, you might want to think again. The proposed changes include elimination of the 39 (which serves the Veterans Hospital here on the Hill) and removal of part of the 14 route in Mount Baker, both of which are controversial.
Folks in Mount Baker are definitely not happy, and at least one reader of the Rainier Valley Post is campaigning to have the 38 route removed completely, to save the electric loop of the 14.
Another commenter has pointed out that the 38 serves a useful purpose for people who live on the unusually steep east slope of the Hill near McClellan, particularly the elderly and disabled, even if the 38 does follow the same route as the light rail from McClellan up to the Beacon Hill station.
The question is, then, should Metro nuke the 38 in favor of the 14 loop, thus requiring people who need to get from Rainier to the top of the hill to walk to the Mount Baker rail station near Rainier Avenue? Or should Metro stick with the current plan? (If you feel strongly either way, you might want to email your comments to metro-feedback-se@kingcounty.gov or call Metro’s message line at 206-684-1146 now. Comments are due today.)
The 39 is not really going to be eliminated. Basically, the same area will be covered except that it will be called the 50. Now, it is true that the current 39 goes downtown and the proposed route 50 will instead go from SODO to West Seattle, so some folks will not have a transfer-free way to go downtown. On the other hand, people will be able to transfer to light rail and in most cases end up downtown as fast or faster even with the transfer. A benefit of the 50 will be the creation of an few east-west connection in the south end that will enable people will be able to go directly between SE Seattle and West Seattle w/out transferring downtown.