Program Updates
We’re Talking to Seniors About What They Think of Recent Transit Updates
Seattle welcomed three highly anticipated Link Light Rail stations last October in North Seattle! These new Light Rail stations did not come alone; they were accompanied by other changes to transit, including several northern bus line reroutes. All these changes last fall had reverberating effects among all transit users in Seattle, including our seniors. Now that these changes are running smoothly and folks have had time to adjust, we want to ask our seniors if these transit updates are working for them and how we can improve.
We reached out to seniors at four different senior centers last year and heard from them that while the new stations were exciting, they would need time to learn how to navigate them, and the accompanying bus reroutes reduced their mobility and added to travel times. In response, TAP will be hosting a set of in-language focus groups this fall to better understand how seniors are responding to the transit changes after the initial adaptation period with the help of partners like the Lake City and Northgate Senior Centers. We’ll take their feedback to see how SDOT can work with King County Metro and Sound Transit ensure service updates benefit everyone in our community.
The Youth Ambassadors Program is Returning!
The Youth Ambassadors are back this fall! Our Youth Ambassadors Program creates opportunities for youth to learn about topics like mobility justice, transportation access, climate justice, and transportation equity. Youth Ambassadors can look forward to practicing community organizing, advocacy, and outreach skills in this paid role.
This year, TAP is partnering with the Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP) to put on the Youth Ambassadors Program. SYEP supports youth ages 16-24 from qualifying-income households and communities that experience racial, social, and economic disparities by connecting them with meaningful careers.
Applications for SYEP’s Foundations and Pathways will close soon on October 19; successful applicants will be placed in various career-oriented positions based on the interests they express and will be considered for placement with the Youth Ambassadors Program!
Welcome, Director Spotts!
The TAP team is happy to say hello to Greg Spotts, the new SDOT Director! Greg left Los Angeles, his home of nearly a decade, to help build a more connected Seattle. “Spott” him out and about; he’s committed to a car-free lifestyle over the next few months to get to know our streets, and the challenges and opportunities for improving Seattle’s transportation landscape! If you’re interested in inviting Greg to a listening tour in your neighborhood, please fill out his Listening Tour Request Form. You can also follow all of Greg’s Seattle escapades through his
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