Inaugural ULink ride: So long tunnel segment of some bus routes

RantWoman has done it! She has taken an inaugural non-opening day ride to the new station at Husky Stadium. Thank you #ULink2016

 

[RantWoman had inaugural day adventures too but they get a separate post with the following note: RantWoman and another person got a great and very sociable overview of the design of the Husky Stadium station and nearby bus stops and pedestrian and bicycle friendly elements. RantWoman got enough info to be able to figure out the next increments she will need mostly on the fly. RantWoman thinks there are some blind people who will travel the station regularly who probably just need to make a reasonable accommodations request and ask for travel training from someone with the proper training and specifically aimed at helping the blind system users identify blind relevant landmarks and traffic patterns.]

 

But back to RantWoman’s official non-opening day inaugural ride. It was time for RantWoman’s weekly Wednesday evening trip to the U District. Actually, it was past time and RantWoman was running late. Nothing new. Sigh.

 

RantWoman has the luxury of a nearby bus stop with two basic choices about routing, the 48 with a short walk on either end or the 7 + something out of the bus tunnel to the U district. Like most transit geeks RantWoman knows RantWoman tends to take what comes first, especially if there is rain in the picture.

 

One 7 was rolling away from the stop as RantWoman approached. Fine wait for the next bus.

 

RantWoman was hoping for a 48, the better to enjoy the blooming trees, despite risk of traffic tie-up at Montlake.

 

Up shortly rolled another 7.  Okay, the tunnel.

 

Light rail or…Rantwoman almost forget she had one more week of option for the 71x, 72x, 73x. RantWoman REALLY likes these options for one thing because they let her off an easy two block walk to her destination.

 

Okay, take whatever comes first.

 

Wouldn’t you know. Two inbound buses and then…the train!

 

Okay, the train it is. Say goodbye to the 70’s from the tunnel without RantWoman.

 

Travel to Westlake was about average with one BIG difference. RantWoman usually would get on one of the 70X’s at the International District specifically because by the time the bus reached Westlake, it tended already to be SRO with extra staff available to cram more people in. Awesome especially since RantWoman would want off at the first stop after the ship canal bridge.

 

Anyway, the train it is, underground tunnel. No blooming trees. No rain on the windshield. But lightning fast to Capital Hill and then to Husky stadium, 10 or so blocks E of where rantWoman really wants to be, and raining to boot.

 

OKAYYYYYY.

Long escalators.

 

Find an elevator partly because RantWoman does not see the pedestrian ramp she thinks she remembers from Saturday but does find the elevator and the pedestrian overpass over Montlake. RantWoman REALLY likes this overpass even in the rain.

 

In better weather or with better timing, RantWoman SHOUD just add the walk to her pitiful standard of a fitness regimen. But today RantWoman would need ot take a bus.

 

Luckily, RantWoman found both the old bus and the new stop that will open with the #bus2Link #Bus2Link schedule shakeup. And for our next adventures….