News from King County Department of Transportation
Release date:  Dec. 15, 2006 - 10 a.m.

Now the clean up begins

In the wake of one of the worst windstorms in recent memory, the King County Department of Transportation begins the monumental task of debris clean up while attempting to return Metro Transit service to normal.

The department’s Road Services Division reports hundreds of downed trees have closed roads in communities throughout the county. At this time, an estimated 35 roads maintained by the county have been closed. Every available maintenance employee has been dispatched – armed with chainsaws in an effort to clear trees and get roads reopened. Traffic crews are also responding to malfunctioning signals that were damaged by the high winds.

But the division is warning that clean up will be time consuming, given the magnitude of the storm, and the work that lies ahead. All available road maintenance crews will likely work through the weekend to clear roads. In some cases, tree removal will need to wait until power crews can remove power lines that have also fallen. And crews will also continue to keep a close eye on the weather. Forecasts call for the possibility of falling temperatures tonight, which may prompt road crews to respond to snow or ice.

Given the devastating wind damage, especially in eastside neighborhoods north of Interstate 90, King County Metro Transit made the decision earlier this morning to limit transit service to park-and-rides, freeway stops and the Bellevue Transit Center. There are just too many downed trees and power lines preventing buses from keep regular schedules on arterials. Power problems have also grounded Metro’s trolleys serving several Seattle neighborhoods near the downtown area. While all available spare motor coaches have been deployed on trolley routes, passengers should still expect service delays, given the lack of vehicles.

In the meantime, re-routes remain in effect due to the closure of the Evergreen Point Bridge (State Route 520). Metro and Sound Transit routes will make regular stops in downtown Seattle or the University District, and then operate via I-5, I-90, and I-405. Stops at Montlake Freeway Station, Evergreen Point Freeway Station, and Yarrow Point Freeway station will not be made. However, a shuttle will serve Evergreen Point and Yarrow Point freeway station and will connect to other service at Bellevue Transit Center. The bridge will reopen to traffic when winds subside and the bridge has been inspected. This could be as late as noon today.

As blockages are cleared and highways reopen, Metro will reassess service changes and reroutes and make adjustments until conditions are back to normal.

In the meantime, residents throughout King County should continue to monitor weather conditions and news reports. While the brunt of the windstorm is behind us, significant road and transit disruptions remain as transportation workers scramble to deal with all the damage that has been left behind.