Are there any attempts to improve East-West transit travel in Seattle?

I’ve been living in Seattle for 7 years now and solely taking public transportation. I’ve noticed that East-West travel is very tough between many neighborhoods. I’m really confused why north-south travel is so streamlined and fast, but East-West travel is garbage.

I understand geographically Seattle is tall and skinny, but people need to get east-west! It seems that the workhorses of East-West travel are the 44 and the 8 busses. Both are regularly stuck in traffic, run delayed, and don’t serve all areas. Most times they are packed. They also are major arteries to light rail stations. I feel they should be prioritized more. Designated lanes, more frequent running, or making them designated east-west travel only (no deviations north or south). I especially think the 8 should be cut in half, only serving East-West, then make another bus to do the north-south bit down to Mount Baker.

I’m trying to understand the proposed light rail expansions, but I don’t see very much East-West prioritization, just more north-south. Am I wrong? I get adding a Ballard stop will increase transit to and from Ballard, but It looks like a vertical line, not a horizontal one?

For years I lived in Ballard and commuted to cap hill. I had to rely on the 44 to the light rail, or take the 40 and then the 8. It always took an hour. I get Ballard is a special case, but a contributing factor to that is basically only the 44, 40, and D serve the area (2/3 of which are N/S travel). Now I live in Northgate, and it takes me an hour to get to cap hill again: taking the 40 (another bus that consistently runs late) to the light rail, or the E and G. When I want to visit my friend in Roosevelt/Wedgwood, I have to take three buses (E, 45, 79) and it also takes an hour+! It’s faster to get downtown or Shoreline, which are way farther geographically.

I can’t be the only one with this problem. Loads of people in Seattle don’t have cars and need to go east-west. Every year there are bus revisions, but I haven’t seen much improvement traveling latitudely.

Are there planned improvements to East West travel I am unaware of? Does King county Metro ever look at their complaints or suggestion boxes from their website? I’m just baffled by this.

Note: I can’t afford a car, and the neighborhoods I live(d) in were due to limited housing options, not by preference.