On July 10, hundreds of participants took to the streets of Seattle, engaging in a playful race up Denny Way to highlight the notoriously slow and unreliable route 8 bus.
The event, dubbed Race the L8, featured a vibrant mix of hopscotch, conga lines, and choreographed dances, combined with an accordion serenade while traversing one of the city’s key east-west transit routes.
Known for its sluggish pace, the eastbound route 8 bus averages an astonishingly slow 3.5 miles per hour during afternoon rush hours, making it a point of frustration for many residents in Capitol Hill.
The spirited gathering showcased the strength and zeal of Seattle’s transit community, all while enjoying a warm summer day filled with revelry.
Sponsored by Central Seattle Greenways and organized by Nick Sattele and Jason Li, the half-mile race commenced at Denny Way and Dexter Ave.
Mirroring the bus’s habitual lateness, the race too began behind schedule.
Many local transit riders quickly outpaced the usual tardy route 8 bus, with one participant humorously dressed in a bright yellow shirt, energetically running up and down the hill, reminiscent of an Olympic torchbearer.
Additional costumed racers added to the festive mood: a clown on a miniature tricycle, individuals in fleece frog onesies enduring the summer heat, and a fellow donning The Stig’s iconic white helmet while carrying a toy sports car.
One sign at the event aptly summarized the lighthearted yet serious call for better transit, exclaiming, “Girls just wanna have bus.”
Volunteers at the race’s pitstop greeted racers with water and informative flyers detailing the event’s goals, engaging both passing pedestrians and drivers caught in the adjacent traffic snarl.
Many onlookers understood the underlying message of fun mixed with frustration as they too grappled with the infamous traffic congestion of Denny Way.
The race, even at its relaxed pace, saw a school bus and another route 8 bus inching ahead, along with a private commuter bus for a nearby tech company, illustrating the irony of the competition.
Participants, like Aaron Schechter, were moved to join the race after learning about it through the Katie Wilson mayoral campaign.
“I’m a big fan of public transit and I take the bus all the time.
I really wanted to be here to see what it was like,” he shared at the happy hour celebration later at Pine Box.
He cheekily noted the presence of another bus closely trailing the first use, calling it a case of “poetic justice.”
Iz Berrang, from the Transportation Choices Coalition, emphasized the essential nature of reliable public transit for improving overall public health and equity.
“[Transit] is very central to creating a more equitable and healthy city and state for everyone if you can find ways to get around, get to health care, jobs, education, and connect with your community,” she expressed.
Another participant, Merlin Rainwater, maneuvered his bicycle up the hill, showcasing a sign that read, “Sorry you’re L8,” paired with the campaign’s whimsical cartoon bus logo.
Rainwater voiced his frustration, stating, “The 8 is one of the buses that serves my neighborhood where I live.
And it’s a fantastic route.
It’s scandalous and embarrassing that the city has allowed it to be the slowest and latest bus line in the city.”
The pervasive issues plaguing route 8 were echoed by both the Transit Riders Union and Central Seattle Greenways, who cited recent statistics indicating that the bus’s on-time reliability often dips below 40% during evening rush hours — significantly lower than Metro’s target of 80%.
Mike Estey, Acting Director of the Transit and Mobility Division at the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), expressed enthusiasm for the race, sharing his perspective as a regular bus rider.
“A successful public transit system is one in which you don’t even have to consider whether it’s reliable,” he affirmed.
Moving forward, Estey noted that SDOT is conducting an in-depth analysis to enhance route 8’s efficiency.
This ongoing study involves traffic pattern assessments and community surveys that will incorporate feedback from local residents and businesses.
The study, projected to wrap up by the end of 2025, aims to provide actionable insights for potential improvements in 2026.
A transit expert, who asked to remain anonymous, noted that unlike San Francisco, which had invested in public transit infrastructure decades ahead of its population boom, Seattle’s infrastructure struggles to keep pace with its growing community.
Issues, such as the bottleneck effect created by Denny Way’s connection to the I-5 freeway, further exacerbate the delays experienced by transit riders.
When asked about the potential of closing this freeway onramp, Estey explained that such a move would necessitate negotiations with state authorities since I-5 falls under their jurisdiction.
Organizers Sattele and Li cited successes in implementing designated bus lanes on other routes, asserting that these measures have led to reliability improvements for riders on routes that were previously more congested.
They pointed to the recent enhancements on route 7 as evidence that simply utilizing designated lanes has led to increased ridership despite the pandemic’s impact.
“Just adding the paint adds enough enforcement,” Sattele stated.
“And paint is cheap.
I will pay for the paint if that’s what it takes.”
Sanders Lauture from Downtown Seattle Greenways echoed the sentiment of frustration among commuters who often find themselves waiting for buses that fail to arrive on time.
“That’s frustrating for people.
And if that happens enough, people will make a different decision, and that decision is usually to take a car,” he explained.
Sattele encouraged public involvement, inviting citizens to support improvements for Seattle’s public transit system.
He urged interested parties to visit fixthel8.com for action alerts to send messages to local leaders advocating for transit upgrades.
“You can join our workgroup and volunteer with us.
You can join organizations like Seattle Greenways or the Transit Riders Union,” he added.
Both Sattele and Li recognized SDOT’s willingness to support their initiatives.
Li also voiced concerns about the visibility and lobbying power of car drivers versus transit riders, stating, “Anytime you see a transit project, their reaction is very negative.
But we know transit is popular in Seattle.”
He cited a chamber of commerce poll indicating that communities respond favorably to transit investments, such as extending the West Seattle and Ballard Link transit lines, even if it means exceeding budget constraints.
Ray Delahanty, known as City Nerd, reflected on the stark disparities between different transit user demographics, highlighting the influential voice of affluent individuals and their alignment with car-centric preferences as significant factors in transportation planning.
Delahanty emphasized the need to design public transit systems that are competitive with personal vehicle use, noting comfort and convenience as key drivers in attracting riders who have the option to drive.
“For transit to be effective, it needs to be better than driving,” he stated, citing Portland’s success in concentrating density around light rail stations as a model.
He lamented Seattle’s lost opportunity to develop a cohesive public transit system decades prior when the Forward Thrust initiative, which aimed at establishing a rail network, failed to garner support.
As the race concluded, participants celebrated their achievements at the finish line, where they gathered at a bus stop on a small concrete island at the intersection of Denny Way and Stewart Ave.
The race took just 16 minutes, whereas the bus trail behind took 22 minutes, averaging only 1.4 mph.
The bus drivers joined in the fun, waving at the jubilant transit supporters while heading off into more traffic.
With the race behind them and the sun beginning to set, participants gathered at Pine Box for refreshments and relished the camaraderie built during the event.
The atmosphere was one of hope and determination, with organizers and participants alike expressing a united front advocating for a better future for public transit in Seattle.
The unique grassroots effort showcased strong support for transit initiatives, and Estey remarked, “This one was a little bit unique.
The people who were part of the race were transit advocates, and it was a little bit of a celebration of transit.
I think it was effective.”
image source from：realchangenews
