SEATTLE -- Starting next Monday SDOT will be adding two new bus stops on 3rd Avenue in downtown Seattle. The stops will be on opposite sides of the street, running in each direction. City leaders are hopeful that the new stops will help clear some of the heavy congestion and hopefully it will lead to a reduction in crime.
"Between Pike and Pine we have about 25,000 customers getting on and off the bus every day," said SDOT Deputy Director of Planning and Development Barbara Gray. "We have so many patrons in the 1500 block, the Pine Street block, that it is a very crowded environment to wait for the bus. It's not particularly pleasant."
That's why Gray said the two new bus stops will help greatly. There will be one in each direction and each of them will open up on Monday, November 23.
"Splitting those services between the two blocks gives us the ability to spread out the existing passengers," Gray said.
Since the beginning of the year the Seattle Police Department has worked with several agencies to reduce crime in downtown Seattle. One of the things that made enforcement more difficult was the large amount of people in the area. With the addition of the bus stops, the thinner crowds will help assist the police department with their increased emphasis.
"We do all of our work in partnership with the police," Gray said. "We've been working with the police department and the mayor's office on the "9 ½ Block Strategy" to really focus on supporting public safety and some other goals in the business district downtown."
The city continues to work with Metro to improve the entire 3rd Avenue corridor between Jackson and Denny. The majority of that work will begin in 2017.
