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Week of Apr. 23, 2007
Metro celebrates Earth Day by ‘closing the loop’
King County Executive Ron Sims speaks at the Earth Day event. | By the end of the month, King County Metro Transit will receive its first shipment of fuel made from crops grown by Eastern Washington farmers. The biodiesel is made from canola seed grown on Yakima County farms and fertilized with biosolids from King County's two wastewater treatment plants.It will be a groundbreaking delivery closing the loop in a cycle that turns waste into resources. "This ultimate act of recycling shows how far we've come in developing new approaches to creating energy independence while reducing our carbon footprint,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. The canola-based biodiesel purchase was announced last week at King County’s annual Earth Day Expo. Another part of the Earth Day celebration came two days later, when Metro and other local transit agencies, hosted a free-ride day on all buses in a three-county area. The invitation to ride the bus was well received by both transit-savvy customers and brand-new riders. Many said they were riding on Sunday because it was Earth Day and they wanted to make a difference. And, all said they appreciated Metro sponsoring a fare-free day. Metro Transit is one of the “greenest” transit agencies in the nation. The fleet of 1,350 buses and 800 vans includes hybrid-diesel electric buses, electric trolleys, and diesel coaches that run on the cleanest fuels available. Metro is a nationwide leader in the use of alternative fuel. The majority of its fleet operates on a 20 percent mix of biodiesel called B20.
Sample canola seeds used to make biodiesel. | Metro has committed to purchase 2 million gallons of canola-based biodiesel, which will be mixed with Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel to produce a 20 percent blend for use in Metro diesel-powered buses. This will result in nearly a year’s supply for Metro.The purchase of canola-based biodiesel will further King County’s global warming reduction goals. Metro’s use of biodiesel is expected to remove an estimated 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air, or the equivalent of removing 2,800 vehicles from King County roadways. More than 6,628 trees would have to be planted to offset the same amount of carbon dioxide that’s being eliminated through this use of biodiesel. Using the canola crop grown in Yakima County completes a waste-to-resources loop that starts and ends in King County. The cycle includes: • Biosolids, a by-product of the sewage-treatment process at King County’s wastewater treatment plants, are sent to farmers to be used as fertilizer.
• Some of those biosolids are used to grow canola crops in Yakima County.
• The canola seeds are sold to Natural Selection Farms for crushing into canola oil.
• The oil is then brought to Seattle Biodiesel (Imperium) and refined into biodiesel.
• The biodiesel is taken to Associated Petroleum Products, where it is blended with Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.
• The fuel is then delivered to Metro to fuel its diesel-powered buses.
Water Taxi starts season this Sunday Starting Sunday, April 29, King County Metro Transit’s Water Taxi sets sail to offer daily service across Elliott Bay between the downtown Seattle waterfront and West Seattle. The 2007 season will run through Sept. 30. Again this year, there will be a free West Seattle shuttle that connects the dock at Seacrest Marina Park to Alki, the Admiral District, and the West Seattle Junction. The Water Taxi will be operated by Argosy Cruises on the “MV Sightseer,” a 149-passenger vessel. It will have the same schedule as last summer, operating seven days a week across Elliott Bay, between Pier 55 at the foot of Spring Street on the downtown waterfront and Seacrest Park in West Seattle. The Sightseer takes approximately 12 minutes to make the crossing in good weather. There will be a community celebration for the new season on Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. at Seacrest Marina Park. There will be music, family activities, and free rides on the Water Taxi all day.
As we slide into mid-spring, Metro is offering more and more special service to special events. This coming weekend, there will be special shuttles for both the Mariners baseball games and the thoroughbred races at the Emerald Downs racetrack. There will be special shuttles from 12 outlying park-and-ride lots to and from Saturday and Sunday’s baseball games between the Ms and the Royals. The shuttles begin service approximately two hours before the first pitch is thrown. Metro’s Pony Express service connects downtown Seattle with the horse racing in Auburn. Each Saturday and Sunday, it leaves downtown shortly before 1 p.m. and returns after the last race is run. For details on all special service, check out Metro Online. |
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The King County Road Services Division will close the South Park Bridge over the Duwamish River on 14th/16th Avenue South for repairs from 7 a.m. Saturday, April 28 through 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 1. During the closure, motorists can detour via the First Avenue South Bridge. One side of the drawbridge will be opened for larger marine traffic with a two-hour advance notice while the work is underway. There will be no pedestrian access across the bridge during the four-day closure. Studies of the South Park Bridge show the condition of the 76-year-old span is severely deteriorated and was made worse during the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake. In recent years, the aging bridge has been difficult to operate due to long-term movement of the drawbridge piers. King County is proceeding with design of a new parallel drawbridge, the alternative selected as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. | Subscribe to DOT DashSign-up to receive an e-mail text version of "Transportation Today," along with other significant DOT news by sending an e-mail to us with subscribe King County DOT Dash in the subject line.
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