Metro eliminating nearly half of Route 28 bus stops

Doree Ballard

If you ride the number 28 bus, you may have seen the bus rider alert notices at bus stops. King County Metro is eliminating 56 bus stops between Denny Way and North 145th Street. That’s about 42 percent of all the stops.

Metro says it’s increasing the spacing between bus stops to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, reduce operating costs and speed up service. Metro estimates that about 25 percent of riders will need to catch their bus at a different stop when the changes are implemented on Sunday, April 4.

You can call the Route 28 Hotline at 206-296-4511 for more information and to leave a comment. Comments will be accepted through March 19.

42 thoughts to “Metro eliminating nearly half of Route 28 bus stops”

  1. I used to commute on this bus daily and I must say this is great news.

    That bus literally stops every two blocks on 8th Ave above 65th for the express and pretty much every 2-3 blocks (entire route) for the local.

  2. they should do this more for every bus line. sure it is nice sometimes to not have to walk more than a block for your stop, but it isn't necessary at all.

  10. This is good news is the reason you ride the bus is to get quickly in and out of downtown during commute hours.

    If you use the bus as your primary or only means of transportation — including any kind of shopping that involves hauling stuff around, or traveling with children — having the stops placed further apart than every couple of blocks is not a service improvement, especially if you are already walking half a mile to get to the route in the first place. I can understand why Metro is doing this, but – I have no car access and I've experienced this type of change on other routes, and I can't say I'm thrilled.

  11. Agreed, TFQ! The existing Express routes are meant to offer a faster service with fewer stops, which gives people who need those in between stops an option to take the Local route. Commuters *and* the rest of the public both get what they need. We are not the only public transit system to grapple with this kind of decision recently. In the similar story of Snohomish County's cuts, the people with few other options lose a critical service.

    When we can't take care of those in our community who would without public transit be stranded or isolated, we all lose.

  12. I sure couldn't find any info online about which stops are getting the axe.. I will gladly trade walking another 100ft if the rout gets faster..

  14. It makes sense, (been waiting a long time to say that)
    I do wonder how it will impact special needs folks, and if that means the discontinued stops will become permanent bum perches?

  15. The local also serves a lot of commuters who work in the South Lake Union area. I ride the local every day, and this is excellent news! I know some new stops are also being put in if the gap is extreme between closed stops (for example along Dexter).

  16. As a Metro driver, I am thrilled! The 28 is one of the hardest in the system to keep on schedule and to do so involves literally constant speeding and braking. Then if the Fremont bridge is up you are S.O.L.
    I challenge anyone in the scheduling dept. at Metro to drive this route in their car, at the speed limit(30) and see if they can stay on schedule.
    I hope these changes can make it a little easier to stay on time.

  17. I AM PISSED!

    If it was getting rid of stops that actually make sense to eliminate (every other block in a neighborhood of single family homes), I'd totally be for it, BUT… this revision doesn't make ANY sense. They are getting rid of stops that actually are transfer points to OTHER buses, and KEEPING the ones that don't connect to ANY buses. It is completely illogical.

    Its totally backwards, and will but a huge snarl in my commute every single day.

  20. 8th & 85th (connect to 48) & 145th & Greenwood (connect to 5, 345, 304) that I've noticed. Sure there are more…

    I just dont get it… they are keeping stops like 8th & 80th? Doesn't make sense to me.

  23. Thanks melissa, I'll give them hell too.
    They did 'ef' up a good idea, royally…
    The stops that are habitually empty, sure, but not transfer locations.
    This County can't do the simplest stuff right.
    Bunch of morons.
    And why didn't that metro driver say anything??? Idiot.

  24. Are you sure they aren't just moving that 85th bus stop half a block or so away? I would be willing to wager that they are just moving it slightly, they are doing that at some other locations. I'd like to see something online, that would help.

  25. It's a couple more blocks, hardly a hardship. We all need to make adjustments.

    XXOO,
    Metor bus user….for shopping and otherwise…

  26. The 8th & 85th stop is not going anywhere. I was at the 8th & 87th stop yesterday morning and it had a sign saying it would be closing and to use the stop at 8th & 85th. There was no sign at 85th this morning, so I think it's going to stay. Although someone had mowed down the bus stop pole and the neighboring garbage can with their car. Yikes.

  28. I can't help but wonder about the increase in buses driving off with people running toward them screaming and waving their arms for the bus to stop so they can get on because they couldn't walk the extra distance fast enough to get there on time but the driver doesn't want to get off schedule or he gets in trouble with Metro for not performing up to expectations. What about that?

  29. h20_girl, which direction? I'm speaking of NB, and there's a giant sign there stating it will be closing on 4/4, and after then to use the one on 8th & 87th OR 8th & 80th… I'm pretty sure you must be thinking of the SB stop because there is no garbage can at the NB stop, there is merely just a pole w/ a Metro sign there.

  31. Oh yes, sorry – I am talking about southbound. Wasn't even thinking about the other direction. Sorry! What a pain to get off at 87th and then hope the stoplight is in your favor to re-cross 85th and get the 48 there. Jeez. They should keep the 85th stop and get rid of the 87th stop, like they are doing SB.

  34. I think people will get used to it quickly. Remember, they did it on the 15 several years ago. Hopefully the 18 and 75 will be next inline.

  35. I love how some people will always respond with “that's what the express is for.” It immediately reveals that they're not regular riders.

    In Seattle, express routes run only in the peak direction, only a few times per route, and go for miles non-stop in the middle — you can't use them for halfway trips even if you would be willing to walk further. It is ludicrous to suggest that service improvements on the locals (i.e. 99% of trips) are redundant thanks to the existence of the expresses.

    That said, there are two ways that we can expect Metro to screw this up:
    1) closing the wrong stops — 85th definitely counts in either direction;
    2) not bothering to update the schedules, to that some buses run early and have to sit idle at time-points, negating any gains from the stop closures — this is already true for many evening buses.

  36. My favorite point on the 28 northbound is once we hit 80th, because stopping at 85th immediately follows. This makes sense. Stopping every other block for no more than 1 or 2 people to get off after 65th has been so frustrating for too long. They can walk an additional few blocks.

  38. I emailed Metro and asked for a list of closed stops and here they are:

    Bus Stops Posted for Closure on Route 28

    Outbound Stops

    Stop ID Location
    18460 NB Dexter Ave N 90′ FS Republican St
    18490 NB Dexter Ave N 68′ FS Highland Dr
    18540 NB Dexter Ave N 100′ FS Crockett St
    28360 WB N 36th St 55′ NS Greenwood Ave N
    28400 WB Leary Way NW 70′ FS NW 41st St
    28460 NB 8th Ave NW 80′ FS NW 53rd St
    28480 NB 8th Ave NW 95′ FS NW 58th St
    28500 NB 8th Ave NW 70′ FS NW 62nd St
    28520 NB 8th Ave NW 70′ FS NW 67th St
    28540 NB 8th Ave NW 70′ FS NW 73rd St
    28560 NB 8th Ave NW 60′ FS NW 77th St
    28600 NB 8th Ave NW 100′ FS NW 84th St
    28621 NB 8th Ave NW 85′ FS NW 88th St
    28640 NB 8th Ave NW 80′ FS NW 92nd St
    28670 NB 8th Ave NW 40′ NS NW 100th Pl
    28690 EB NW 103rd St 50′ NS 3rd Ave NW
    28710 NB 3rd Ave NW 90′ FS NW 107th St
    28730 NB 3rd Ave NW 20′ NS NW 112th St
    28750 NB 3rd Ave NW 60′ FS NW 117th St
    28770 NB 3rd Ave NW 30′ FS NW 122nd St
    28790 WB NW 125th St 50′ FS 6th Ave NW
    28820 NB 8th Ave NW 20′ NS NW 130th St
    28840 EB NW 132nd St 10′ NS 6th Ave NW
    28860 NB 3rd Ave NW 60′ FS NW 135th Pl
    28880 NB 3rd Ave NW 100′ FS NW 140th St
    28910 EB NW 145th St 210′ FM 3rd Ave NW
    5550 SB Greenwood Ave N 120′ FS N 145th St

    Inbound Stops

    Stop ID Location
    7941 NB Linden Ave N 90′ FS N 143rd St
    7942 NB Linden Ave N 85′ NS N 145th St
    75400 WB N 145th St 108′ NS Greenwood Ave N
    27800 SB 3rd Ave NW 40′ FS NW 143rd St
    27810 SB 3rd Ave NW 20′ FS NW 140th St
    27830 SB 3rd Ave NW 70′ NS NW 135th Pl
    27850 WB NW 132nd St 90′ FS 6th Ave NW
    27870 SB 8th Ave NW 100′ FS NW 130th St
    27900 EB NW 125th St 130′ FS 6th Ave NW
    27920 SB 3rd Ave NW 90′ FS NW 122nd St
    27940 SB 3rd Ave NW 80′ FS NW 117th St
    27960 SB 3rd Ave NW 100′ FS NW 112th St
    27980 SB 3rd Ave NW 90′ FS NW 107th St
    28010 WB NW 100th Pl 40′ NS 7th Ave NW
    28030 SB 8th Ave NW 65′ FS NW 97th St
    28051 SB 8th Ave NW 90′ FS NW 92nd St
    28071 SB 8th Ave NW 70′ FS NW 87th St
    28110 SB 8th Ave NW 70′ FS NW 77th St
    28130 SB 8th Ave NW 90′ FS NW 73rd St
    28170 SB 8th Ave NW 95′ FS NW 63rd St
    28190 SB 8th Ave NW 90′ FS NW 59th St
    28200 SB 8th Ave NW 100′ FS NW 57th St
    28220 SB 8th Ave NW 50′ FS NW 53rd St
    28270 EB Leary Way NW 90′ FS NW 41st St
    28320 EB N 36th St NS Dayton Ave N
    18310 SB Dexter Ave N 50′ NS Dexter Way N
    18330 SB Dexter Ave N 60′ NS Hayes St
    18342 SB Dexter Ave N 75′ FS Comstock St
    18380 SB Dexter Ave N 20′ NS Republican St

  39. I noticed this morning that the sign on my bus stop was removed! And now there is a sign on the stop at 87th & 8th :)

    still not sure about my buses for where I work… that list is really confusing.

  42. Update on closures of stops on #28

    After considering input from transit riders, some of the proposed stop closures will not be implemented. These include:

    Dexter Ave N at Crockett St
    8th Ave NW at NW 73rd St
    8th Ave NW at NW 97th St / NW 100th Pl
    NW 100th Pl at 7th Ave NW westbound
    3rd Ave NW at NW 117th St
    3rd Ave NW at NW 140th St
    Greenwood Ave N at N 145th St southbound

    Buses will continue to make stops at these locations. If you use a different stop that is posted for closure, which will occur on April 4, 2010, please reference the rider alert that is posted at the stop for alternative boarding locations.

    Thank you for your input on this project.

    Mike Cechvala PE
    King County Department of Transportation
    Transit Route Facilities
    206-263-4954

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