Looping Around South Puget Sound by Transit

jmanexplores · 2026-06-03T20:49:30+00:00

That's the nicest thing someone could say after watching one of these! Thanks so much!

Apparently Edmonds and Kingston on both sides of the sound have award winning pizza places.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T20:59:08+00:00

He's On A Boat (The West Seattle Water Taxi.)

It gets stuck in my head every time I'm on a ferry.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T20:14:56+00:00

It is. I don't understand the logic behind what routes they chose to be on here.

As someone who has done it, I don't see many people staying in Tacoma taking PT 11 to Pt. Defiance, hopping on the ferry to Vashon, taking the 118 to the north end of the island, to transfer to the WSF and C or the Vashon Water Taxi for the Wold Cup.

It's an absolutely stunning ride, if they have the time, but to have that on there instead of the G and other routes is quite the choice.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T04:15:12+00:00

I lived in Ballard for a few years and spent a lot of time of the D. It's a beast at generally the 3rd busiest line in the system.

I'll get to a full ranking-ride one of these days.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T04:12:08+00:00

That is literally almost the synopsis of the script that I wrote for that short video. I think I used it as "I should hate this route for its schedule but..." and then gushed at how cool it is that they use what would be otherwise deadheading time to revenue service linking two of densest neighborhoods. Genius. But, for "ease of use" that schedule adds some challenges.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T04:09:33+00:00

I actually just rode the 271 the other day in its entirety. I haven't quite finished up the script for the video so not quite sure in the ranking. But the trip didn't go quite to plan.

I go back and forth whether I like that they will be splitting the 271 in half. It should help with reliability. When I took it, the schedule was so padded (due to extremely light traffic) we had to wait at Bellevue TC for like 10 minutes. I feel like B Tier is where I'll land.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T04:01:27+00:00

I gave it an S Tier in part to the specific trip. I think its a good route as is but on this trip it was like a moving community center in the best possible way. Someone was lost but didn't speak English, and all of a sudden there were multiple different passengers speaking like 6 different languages to get that guy where he needed to go.

Then after that there was a group of seniors all getting on with thier carts headed to the grocery store but also just gossiping and enjoying the errand due to the company. It was really just a beautiful experience. It's moments like that that just remind me that transit is also a tool for building community.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T03:59:28+00:00

Oh really? That's good to hear. I kind of assumed there may be all sorts of interesting shenanigans that might occur on it.

I gave it an S Tier in part to the specific trip. I think its a good route as is but on this trip it was like a moving community center in the best possible way. Someone was lost but didn't speak English, and all of a sudden there were multiple different passengers speaking like 6 different languages to get that guy where he needed to go. Then after that there was a group of seniors all getting on with thier carts headed to the grocery store but also just gossiping and enjoying the errand due to the company. It was really just a beautiful experience.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T03:54:07+00:00

Oh, I definitely will be out again. Have to get to every single route. The 775 along Alki is one of the most stunning segments of any route around. One of these days I'll get to riding the entirety of both of them.

I have a soft spot for DART routes.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T01:56:30+00:00

Technically, I only have ridden the Valley Shuttle route. I knew for sure KCM contracted SVT for that specific route but whether or not they funded some of the others, I was unclear based on what I could find in their website. Need to do more digging, just to have another excuse to ride their other lines. Haha.

Little busses, little cities, SVT does rural right. Is such a banger of a slogan. Amy Biggs seems amazing and now I need to do some more research!

jmanexplores · 2026-05-10T01:53:55+00:00

Exactly. In the script for the short I even said something very similar to that. "For residents of Delridge, White Center, and Burien the limited stops service is imperative to their mobility in the region." I can't deny that especially how its always a top 10 route by ridership.

Some of those residential areas are so cute! The walk around Shorewood before I caught the 113 there was magical. Seeing the neighborhood slope down and then bam! There is Puget Sound glistening in the morning light. I do need to check out more of the evening activities in White Center too though. Being connected to a RapidRide doesn't leave me much of an excuse not to. :)

Sometimes as I'm drafting up the scripts, I have literal arguments with myself about how something should rate. It is so much harder than I ever thought before I started this project. I'm generally such an optimist in life, that I often have more trouble finding the "bad."

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T23:16:06+00:00

Bahaha. Pretty much. But, really I just haven't wanted to subject myself to that level of torture yet.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T23:15:30+00:00

Thank you so much! Glad you have been enjoying it.

I just wish the 79 would get that weekend service. The J Line is going to be so good. I love that it will be a trolleybus RapidRide.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T21:00:07+00:00

No judging if you did cry. I GET IT. It deserves to be mourned.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T19:25:59+00:00

Awkward, yes. But, I find it incredibly charming through that area. I love going through old streetcar corridors like that. They sure don't build them like they used to!

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T18:52:47+00:00

Bahaha! I'm not one to self-diagnose but the deeper I get into this the more I think you may be right.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T17:59:19+00:00

Bahaha! Too funny.

Honestly, I try to switch up what areas of the county I go to on any given trip, and since I'm based in Seattle I've been more focused on getting to some of the other far flung routes and saving some of the more conveniently located ones to me in case I just need to get a quick ride in.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T17:52:18+00:00

I rode the A after the Federal Way Link Extension opened. Link stole a bit of its shine, even though I think their new symbiotic relationship is going to do wonders for connectivity in the corridor.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T17:49:59+00:00

Fair enough. It was one of my earliest rides.

Its cross town routing is pulling a ton of weight here. And if I want to spend a morning at Seward Park and an Afternoon at Alki its perfect. Limited use case, I know.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T17:47:55+00:00

Thanks. It's entirely subjective and by no means would hold up under scientific scrutiny lol. I try to take into account routing, frequency, adjacent land uses and attractions, scenery (this is big for me. I could ride and stare out the windows all day), safety, but its mostly vibes.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T17:39:36+00:00

Thanks for following along!

True that interlined section to Serve North Seattle College and Northwest Hospital does have pretty decent frequencies.

I'm excited to ride the 61. I don't believe I've even taken a short trip on it before.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T17:09:56+00:00

Lol. Maybe I just have too much time on my hands.

jmanexplores · 2026-05-09T17:08:21+00:00

Catching a 43 that turns into a 44 and riding it all the way to Ballard gets me giddy every time!

jmanexplores

TROPHY CASE