New bus lane on NE 45th Street improves transit for riders
A new BAT Lane (Business Access and Transit) is open and buses are rolling smoother than ever eastbound on Northeast 45th Street in the University District.
This was a collaborative project between Metro and the City of Seattle, improving five key blocks from Roosevelt Way Northeast to 15th Avenue Northeast.
Thanks to this effort, riders now have faster, more reliable trips on Routes 20, 31, 32, 44, 49, 70, 167, 372 and Sound Transit Express Route 586 (as well as Route 48 on Saturdays.) The new BAT lanes will save time for an estimated 20,000 bus riders on the average weekday.
More improvements are in the works this year in the Ballard, Wallingford, and Phinney Ridge neighborhoods. The rest of the Route 44 improvements will be constructed through 2022. More information about improvements can be found on the Route 44 project page.
Operator Teshim Awalom receives award for assisting disabled rider in snow
Last New Year’s Eve, while driving Metro Route 5 in north Seattle, Operator Teshim Awalom saw a pedestrian trying to recover their walker, which had fallen in the snow. Teshim worked with the person to locate the walker, helped them onto his bus, and asked if they needed any medical assistance.
On May 19, King County Metro General Manager Terry White recognized Awalom’s actions that snowy day, presenting him with the George Turner Award, given by the Northwest Chapter of the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Chapter member DeeAnne Cooper was at Metro’s Central Base to congratulate Awalom for the award.
The award acknowledges a transit operator who best exemplifies a positive attitude and awareness of the elderly and disabled communities. A passenger on Teshim’s bus as he assisted the person in the snow sent in a commendation for Teshim, saying that he had all the essential qualities to be honored with this award: “humanity, care, respect, politeness.”
Read more on our Metro Matters blog.
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