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'Its a zoo': Frustrations grow over Seattle's new bus-only lanes

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Published  August 8, 2025 7:04pm PDT
Transportation
FOX 13 Seattle
Community at odds over new bus-only lanes

Community at odds over new bus-only lanes

You'll see more bus-only lanes throughout parts of Seattle. It's all part of what's being called the Route 40 Transit + Multimodal Corridor.

The Brief

    • Traffic jams on Westlake Avenue are frustrating commuters and businesses, with newly added bus-only BAT lanes partly blamed for extended rush hours.
    • The BAT lanes are part of the Route 40 project, aiming to improve transit reliability; more lanes will be added in Crown Hill, Ballard, and Fremont, affecting parking and access.
    • SDOT reports increased ridership and expects reduced travel times, while the Fix Route 40 coalition calls for traffic studies and project changes.

SEATTLE - Commuters and businesses are growing frustrated with traffic jams along Westlake Avenue and some believe newly added bus-only lanes are partly to blame.

The bus-only lanes are officially called Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes, and they are part of the Route 40 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor Project.

"The project is designed to improve reliability, reduce delays, make the corridor safer and more accessible for everyone," said Chris Saleeba, Transit Corridors Program Manager for the Seattle Department of Transportation.

Big picture view:

BAT lanes give priority to buses and bicyclists, while allowing drivers to make right turns and access other entry points.

Commuter Bo Morgan believes the lanes installed along Westlake Avenue this summer have led to "nightmare" rush hours.

"It used to be a time where you could leave before work like, maybe at 3:00, but I think rush hour is now extended from 3:00–6:00 because of things like this," said Morgan.

Morgan says regardless of transportation mode, you can't avoid traffic jams on this stretch in South Lake Union.

BAT lanes are the next phase of the Route 40 project which started construction in 2024 and more will be added in Crown Hill, Ballard and Fremont in the following locations:

  • Holman Rd NW between 3rd Ave NW and N 104th St in the northbound direction. The existing two-way center turn lane will remain, allowing drivers to make left turns onto side streets.
  • N 36th St in Fremont will gain an eastbound Bus Only lane, (SDOT says: the Fremont area Bus Only lanes will be installed as a later phase)
  • Leary Ave NW will include a new northbound Bus Only lane
  • NW Market St will have both eastbound and westbound Bus Only lanes between 22nd Ave NW and 24th Ave NW.
  • Westlake Ave N will see new Bus Only lanes in the northbound and southbound direction. There will be a new two-way center turn lane to help drivers access businesses and homes along the street.

SDOT says Route 40 has the 5th highest ridership route in King County Metro's network, serving more than 8500 riders every weekday through 13 neighborhoods.

What they're saying:

Saleeba says he's seen a gradual increase in ridership of 10 to 11 percent year over year since 2019 and their models have the agency anticipating a 5-10 percent overall reduced travel time along Route 40, along with the additional upgrades also coming with the project.

"The number of cars that I look at right now, even that are five-person occupancy vehicles and there's one person in them — like, part of me doesn't feel a whole lot of sympathy for it," said Seamus Overcash.

Overcash says he's lived in Fremont since 2017 and is happy to hear BAT lanes are coming to N. 36th Street.

"Your 15-minute extra commute is kind of worth it for my 45-minute faster commute," said Overcash.

Several businesses we spoke with off-camera in Fremont tell FOX 13 they're not worried about BAT lanes, and they accept this is part of living in a city.

Michael Peck with Peck Properties shared another perspective.

"It's going to take away two dozen parking places and impact access to our businesses," said Peck.

Peck joined dozens of businesses and organizations to form the Fix Route 40 coalition, demanding city leaders to make major changes to the project in its current form.

"We'd like to see them consider the traffic patterns," said Peck. "They haven't done a traffic study on this at all."

SDOT expects construction to continue into 2026 and are holding weekly drop-in sessions for anyone to weigh in or ask questions.

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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Nia Wong.

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