Transiterranean

This discussion makes me think about Tacoma, a city served by two transit agencies (Sound Transit + Pierce Transit). Sound Transit's T Line Hilltop light rail extension is a useful north-south connection between east-west Pierce Transit bus routes, but there's no system map showing that connection.

Sure thing!

A Pierce Transit Route 11 bus serves a bus stop blocked by trash bins stored on the sidewalk.

Tacoma still has a lot of work to do to make transit a more appealing option. Storing trash bins at bus stops doesn't help.

#Tacoma #TacomaWA #PublicTransit #PNW

That's an understatement.

From where to where? Despite its L shape, Route 1 on 6th Avenue and Pacific Avenue functions like a Tacoma crosstown route. (It just needs more frequent weekday evening and better weekend service.)

Also in this edition ...

🚍 More frequent ST Express Route 574 service can't come fast enough

🚊Wayward motorists vs @sound-transit.bsky.social T Line platforms

➡️ Full newsletter: transiterranean.beehiiv.com/p/basque-che...

A box of assorted chocolates.

Have you ever tried a box of transit adjacent assorted chocolates from Johnson Candy Company? (Take the T Line to the Hilltop District Station and walk one block north!)

An Amazon delivery truck partially obstructs a bus stop.

Analyzing the Route 1 bus stop at 6tu Avenue & Alder Street, which is regularly blocked by delivery drivers.

A bridge entrance is blocked off with caution tape.

The Chihuly Bridge of Glass is currently damaged and closed, cutting off pedestrian access between the Museum of Glass and the T Line at Union Station.

Tacoma’s new transit accessible cheesecake window; analyzing an often obstructed 6th Ave. bus stop Also: Bridge of Glass closed; free NYE transit; S Line service held up well during South King County flooding.

I recently checked out Tacoma's new transit-accessible cheesecake window as part of my latest newsletter edition.

Also in this edition ... 🧵

transiterranean.beehiiv.com/p/basque-che...

#Tacoma #TacomaWA #PublicTransit #PacificNorthwest

What I like about Federal Way Link; a delicious S Line dinner stop in Kent Also: Tacoma seeks safety feedback on S. 56th Street

In my new newsletter-blog edition, I outline what I like about Federal Way Link, make a dinner stop in Kent via the S Line, and look at safety conditions along S. 56th St in Tacoma.

transiterranean.beehiiv.com/p/federal-wa...

#Tacoma #Seattle #PublicTransit

The interior of a 2004 New Flyer DE60LF at night, brilliantly lit up by the red brake lights of the coach in front

Night bus vibes 🚌✨

An illuminated nighttime photo of the Beaux Arts style Elks Temple with a light rail trail approaching an adjacent station.

Good evening, Tacoma.

#Tacoma #TacomaWA #PNW #Transit #PublicTransit

The Federal Way extension of Sound Transit’s 1 Line, visible on Apple Maps if you follow the instructions in this post. You can see the extension all the way south to Federal Way from Angle Lake.

@oranv.com @transiterranean.bsky.social pro-tip: you can see upcoming rail extensions on Apple Maps once an official date has been set by tapping on the entrances at future stations, then tapping the “service resumes” date in the card and then “view on map” in the following menu

Weigh in on ST Express 2026 bus changes; seeking out Sig’s deviled eggs Also: Free local bus rides for furloughed feds; Tacoma’s most transit accessible ballot drop box; an $80 ride to Point Defiance.

My newest newsletter-blog edition covers a lot of ground, including:

🗳 #Transit accessible ballot dropboxes in #Tacoma
🚍 @sound-transit.bsky.social wants feedback on ST Express bus fall 2026 changes
🥚 Seeking out deviled eggs at Sig Brewing

Read more: transiterranean.beehiiv.com/p/st-express...

Two T Line Link trains travel along adjacent street-level tracks running past older commercial buildings in Downtown Tacoma. A station platform with yellow platform strip and ORCA fare validators are in the foreground.

Two T Line light-rail trains pass one another on Commerce Street in Downtown Tacoma near the Theater District Station.

#Tacoma #TacomaWA #PublicTransit #PNW

A graph of ridership growth, 2025 vs 2024, in the 10 largest US Metro Areas by Transit Use

Given the Link light rail's rapid expansion, Seattle now has the fastest transit ridership growth of any major US metro area, beating out the continued recovery of DC

A darkened interior of a bus with some orange-yellow illumination.

Nighttime views on the @sound-transit.bsky.social Express 594 bus between Downtown Seattle and Tacoma via I-5.

#Seattle #Tacoma #Transit #PublicTransit #PNW

TheBus system map showing new Skyline stations from Aloha Stadium, Pearl Harbor, Daniel K Inoue International Airport, Lagoon Drive, and Kalihi Transit Center. New A, U, and W rapid bus lines.

Happy Skyline extension and TheBus service change day!

You can now take the train from the west side of Oahu to the Honolulu airport or connect from Skyline to a rapid bus into town, UH Manoa or Waikiki at the Ahua Lagoon Drive station or many local buses at Kalihi Transit Center.

Alpenglow on Mount Rainier with homes in the foreground.

Good evening, Tacoma. The mountain is out.

#Tacoma #TacomaWA #PNW

A grassy, hilly area with trees and fall foliage amid blue skies.

On of the best destinations along the T Line in Tacoma is Wright Park, especially this time of year.

#Tacoma #PNW

Checking out Puget Creek via transit; khao soi along the T Line Also: New pedestrian crossing improvements take shape along 6th Avenue in Tacoma.

Newly published in my Tacoma-centric newsletter-blog ...

🥾 Puget Creek's indirect transit connection to Commencement Bay.

🚧 New pedestrian crossings take shape in the 6th Ave. Business District.

🍲 Khao soi along the T Line.

transiterranean.beehiiv.com/p/tacoma-pug...

#Tacoma #Transit #PNW

Metro Plans Trolleybus Investments, with Long Implementation Timelines » The Urbanist # After pivoting away from an aggressive schedule for battery-bus adoption, King County Metro plans to focus attention on the tried-and-true trolley network. But limited staff, delays obtaining materi...

The good news: Metro still plans to restore the Route 2 and 12 as trolleybus routes, and electrify the Route 48.

The bad news: that's not planned until late 2026, 2029, and 2032 (!) respectively.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/13/m...

The interior of a bus looking forward with many seats occupied. There are two pink overhead running light strips.

A Pierce Transit Route 1 bus heading eastbound on 6th Avenue in #Tacoma.

#TacomaWA #PublicTransit #Transit #PNW

Sound Transit will operate special Sounder train service for ALDS Game 5 on Friday, departing Lakewood at 2:11 p.m. and Everett at 2:45 p.m., and leaving 45 minutes after the game ends. Regularly scheduled 4:55 trains to Lakewood and 5:15 to Everett will be canceled to accommodate service.

Some alpenglow on Mount Rainier as viewed from Downtown Tacoma with the Tacoma Centre office building in the foreground.

I'm still a relative newcomer to #Tacoma but is it normal for random strangers to approach you downtown asking if you'll drive them to Titlow Beach so they can "wrestle an octopus" in the water?

With this unsolicited request, I can commiserate with the lack of transit access to Titlow Beach.

#PNW

A Sound Transit bus travels in a red-painted bus-only lane in the University District.

As someone who commutes a few days a week between Tacoma and UW's Seattle campus via transit, I never take the 586 express bus, which is often delayed on I-5 and proposed to be axed next year. Last Wednesday, the 586 was running 51 minutes behind!

transiterranean.beehiiv.com/p/sound-tran...

Sound Transit Express bus changes proposed for 2026 Also: Pupusas via the South Tacoma Station and Route 3; and getting home from Tacoma Opera's ‘Das Rheingold’ via transit.

My most recent edition includes:

🚍 Sound Transit's proposed express bus changes for fall 2026.

📍Transit-oriented pupusas via the S Line's S. Tacoma Station and Pierce Transit's Route 3.

🎼 Getting home from Tacoma Opera's Das Rheingold via transit.

transiterranean.beehiiv.com/p/sound-tran...

Transiterranean A Tacoma-centric newsletter-blog exploring commuting, food, drink and destinations across the City of Destiny, Western Washington, and beyond using transit.

I've rebranded my transit-oriented account on Bluesky to align with my new Tacoma-centric transit blog-newletter: transiterranean.beehiiv.com

#Tacoma #TacomaWA #PublicTransit

Lawrence cta station

Argyle cta station

Berwyn cta station

Bryn Mawr cta station

Went to the new Red Line stations tonight, they’re beautiful!