Thanks for the tips about the new signs announcing Metro‘s plan to remove two bus shelters on the west end of the south side of SW Alaska in The Junction’s transit hub.



(WSB photo)

This is part of the “problem-solving project” we first told you about back on October 6th, after a walking tour involving reps from Metro, Metro Transit Police, Seattle Police, the city Department of Human Services (HSD), the West Seattle Junction Association (WSJA) and some of its merchants, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, and the WS Chamber of Commerce.

The major complaint involved loitering in those shelters and in the nearby parking lot, with multiple police calls resulting from fights, disorderly conduct by intoxicated people, and maintenance issues. According to a preliminary follow-up report from Metro planner Dale Cummings that was sent to walking-tour participants, a Metro ridership study showed removal of those shelters was feasible because the RapidRide shelters on the east end of the block – which are NOT proposed for removal – get most of the use. Cummings wrote, “Since the RapidRide bus stop was added at The Junction, ridership at this bus stop that serves Rts. 37, 50, 55, 128 has dropped to around 400 boardings per day.”

The Junction had already taken steps to try to reduce the problems through changing the environment, including removing some of the vegetation and seating areas on the southeast corner of Alaska and 44th. The organization also planned to evaluate lighting in the parking lot, and to look at how to remove access to electrical outlets that have been in place by the SW Alaska bus shelter dating back to the Farmers’ Market use of the parking lot.

According to the Metro notices that just appeared in the shelters, they are to be removed in mid-November. We’ll be following up with the Junction Association about any other impending steps from the “problem-solving plan.” Meantime, if you have a comment for Metro about the impending removal, the notices point you to its Customer Service division – contact info is on this page of the Metro website.

MONDAY AFTERNOON NOTE: We’ve spoken this afternoon with Junction Association director Lora Swift and, as noted in comments, she confirms that despite Metro’s posting of all four structures west of the parking-lot driveway behind KeyBank, the two on the west are the only two slated for removal. We also talked about the other area challenges discussed during the October 6th walking tour and will have updates in our upcoming followup – we’ve been waiting all day for Metro to answer some questions before finishing the story.