RapidRide D Line

The D Line is one of eight RapidRide lines (routes with some bus rapid transit features) operated by King County Metro in King County, Washington. The D Line began service on September 29, 2012,^[3] running between Carkeek Park in Crown Hill, Ballard, Interbay and Uptown and downtown Seattle. The line runs via Holman Road NW, 15th Ave NW, 15th Ave W, Elliott Ave W, W Mercer Pl, Queen Anne Ave N/1st Ave N and 3rd Ave.^[4]

D Line
D Line bus in Downtown Seattle
Overview
System	RapidRide
Operator	King County Metro
Garage	North Base Atlantic Base
Vehicle	New Flyer articulated buses[1] New Flyer XDE60
Began service	September 29, 2012
Predecessors	Route 15, 18
Route
Locale	King County
Communities served	Crown Hill, Ballard, Interbay, Uptown, Downtown Seattle
Landmarks served	Ballard High School, Fishermans Terminal, Seattle Center
Start	Crown Hill
Via	Holman Road NW 15th Ave NW 15th Ave W Elliott Ave W W Mercer St Queen Anne Ave N/1st Ave N 3rd Ave
End	Downtown Seattle
Length	8.8 miles (14.2 km)
Service
Frequency	Peak: 7-8 minutes Off-peak: 12-15 minutes Late night: 30-75 minutes
Weekend frequency	Saturday: 12-15 minutes (most times) Sunday: 15 minutes (most times)
Journey time	43 minutes
Operates	24 hours
Ridership	11,700 (weekday average, spring 2015)[2]
Timetable	D Line timetable
Map	D Line map
Route diagram 7th Ave NW (Carkeek Park) Mary Ave NW NW 85th St NW 80th St NW 75th St NW 70th St NW 65th St (Ballard High School) NW 60th St NW Market St NW Leary Way Ballard Bridge W Emerson St (Fishermen's Terminal) W Dravus St W Armour St W Wheeler St W Armory St W Newton St W Galer St W Prospect St 3rd Ave W Queen Anne Ave N W Mercer St Republican St (Seattle Center) W John St Denny Way Cedar St Vine St to Shoreline Bell St to South Lake Union Virginia St 1 Line to Northgate Pike St (Westlake station) Seneca St (Symphony station) Columbia St to West Seattle | to Burien 5th Ave Yesler Way (Pioneer Square station) 1 Line to Angle Lake via Airport Key station stop northbound only stop southbound only stop This diagram: view talk edit ← C Line  {{{system_nav}}}  E Line →

Prior to March 2016, the D Line was through-routed with the C Line, with buses continuing to West Seattle from Downtown.^[4]

History

This corridor was previously served Metro routes 15 and 18.^[5] which carried a combined average of 7,630 riders on weekdays during the last month in service.^[6] Since the implementation of RapidRide on the corridor, ridership has grown 53 percent and the D Line served an average of 11,700 riders on weekdays in spring 2015.^[2]

Service

Headways

Time	Weekdays	Saturday	Sunday/ Holidays
5:00 am – 6:00 am	15	15	15
6:00 am – 8:00 am	7-8
8:00 am – 9:00 am		12
9:00 am – 3:00 pm	12
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm	7-8
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm	10
7:00 pm – 12:00 am	15	15
12:00 am – 1:00 am	30	30	30
1:00 am – 5:00 am	60-75	60-75	60-75

Later developments

D Line buses at their northern terminal near Carkeek Park

The city of Seattle made major improvements to the RapidRide C and D lines after their opening with funds generated by Proposition 1 (which increased sales tax by 0.1 percent and imposes a $60 annual car-tab fee).^[7]

The first improvements came in June 2015 when headways on the RapidRide C and D lines were improved. Buses will arrive every 7–8 minutes during weekday rush hour, every 12 minutes during the midday hours on weekdays, every 12 minutes during the daytime on Saturday and every 15 minutes on Sunday and during weekday and weekend nights.^[8][9]

In March 2016, the city split the previously interlined RapidRide C and D lines apart after the successful passage of additional funding for the two routes.^[7] C Line buses now continue north through parts of Belltown and onto Westlake Avenue in the South Lake Union neighborhood,^[10] terminating on Valley Street near the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center campus. D Line buses instead continue south on 3rd Avenue into Pioneer Square, using layover space on 5th Avenue south of Terrace Street.^[11]