That’s my bus! The beloved #8!
Considering how abysmally bad bus service is in most cities, the Seattle Metro isn’t that bad.
My short term concern is directed to the Sound Transit rail, which will be expanding in months, with more expansions next year. The performance of the Metro is a given, while the effect of this increased ridership on light rail is still unknown.

As we so often do in Seattle, we neglected basic maintenance in favor of shiny new things like "healthy streets" and bus lanes. So much so that we have streets that are in horrible condition and don't really work for anyone.

While I think the city did a good job with the bike lanes on Second through downtown, the Third Avenue "transit plaza" (or whatever it's called) has turned a major street - and one of only two two-way streets in downtown - into an under-utilized ghost town. Fourth through downtown is just stupid.

It's a good thing the cops aren't enforcing traffic laws anymore, because two lanes of vehicle traffic does not work, so everyone drives in the bus only lanes.

Some reality based traffic management would make for more enthusiasm for a larger bond issue.

@2: “…we neglected basic maintenance…”

And have for decades. The pavement is so bad in poorer neighborhoods, it should be an equity issue. Keeping a car becomes much more expensive when it’s constantly jouncing over bad pavement.

tensorna dear, all you have to do is step outside the Seattle Municipal Tower and take a look at Columbia Street between 5th and 6th to see an abysmal stretch of street

Repaving existing, dilapidated streets does not “pave the way for more driving,” it simply makes the travel that’s already being done - via cars, buses, bikes, and scooters - smoother and more efficient.

There isn’t a more common-sense approach to infrastructure investment than the ‘fix it first’ approach to prioritizing basic maintenance and preservation of what you already own.

Maybe ask a phd candidate in Transportation Systems to weigh in next time - ideally one versed in viable solutions (as the climate card is only selectively applied - see progressive opposition to congestion tolling downtown).

Side note/grouchy old person alert: why can’t all these public scooter riders practice some basic etiquette when finished with their trip? Don’t just leave it in the sidewalk where people have to navigate around it.