Current News and Promotions I-90 floating bridge to close on July 5 for major repair work Can you work from home or a flexible schedule? Travel to work very early in the morning? Take some vacation time? If you answered yes and use westbound I-90, start making plans now. Everybody who crosses Lake Washington faces major congestion starting on July 5 when WSDOT completely closes the westbound mainline lanes of the I-90 floating bridge. They are funneling all westbound traffic into the two I-90 express lanes while they make safety repairs to the bridge. Additional travel delays on westbound I-90 are predicted to be 30-60 minutes or more depending on how many drivers change how or when they commute. It likely means severe congestion on westbound I-90 – worse than the hour-long commutes we saw from Issaquah to Seattle in May when they closed just the I-90 express lanes for similar work.
The best bet for commuters will be to set their alarms an hour or two early and leave no later than 6 a.m. on weekdays. Some good news: While delays will be severe for two straight weeks, they are paying the contractor to finish by July 20. That’s more than a week earlier than the July 28 they previously planned. For Mercer Island drivers: Plan ahead and choose which of the two westbound I-90 ramps you will use to get to Seattle. Only 77th Avenue SE and Island Crest Way will be open for westbound drivers.
For more information go to www.wsdot.wa.gov and search “I-90 bridge repair”, or call the WSDOT hotline at 206-440-4444.
 New Transportation Benefit for King County Employees!
Starting Saturday, July 18th Sound Transit’s Link light rail trains will begin passenger service between downtown Seattle and Tukwila. By late 2009, light rail service will extend all the way to SeaTac Airport. The schedule and travel times show how convenient Link is for employees who need to travel to Southeast Seattle and to the airport. Your ID/FlexPass will be good for unlimited rides on Link light rail trains. No additional tickets or upgrades are needed to pay for Link light rail fares. Enjoy! Just like the Sounder Commuter Rail, Link will use a "Proof of Payment" system, eliminating the need for riders to go through turnstiles before boarding the train. Once onboard, you can show your ID/FlexPass to the Sound Transit fare inspectors if asked. If you have questions about your transportation benefits, please contact your Employee Transportation Program Coordinator at emtrans@kingcounty.gov, call 206-263-4575 or visit the Employee Transportation Program site. Link Light Rail Information
|
