Week of Sep. 1, 2008

$32 million boost in transit service for first phase of viaduct work

  See Ron Sims' speak about the expanded service
  See Dow Constantine speak about the expanded service

More buses, more often is the centerpiece of a $32 million  transit plan that will help Seattle commuters during next year’s start of Alaskan Way Viaduct construction. West Seattle, Ballard and Aurora Avenue – the neighborhoods most affected by construction – will see the most service as well as incentives for transit passes, carpools and other ways to help people avoid being stuck in traffic.

“This investment by Washington State will mean more convenient service during construction and will help us be ready for more than 4,000 new riders expected to ride Metro and leave their cars at home,” said King County Executive Ron Sims. “Metro Transit will be able to fast track delivery of new buses, add more frequent service on popular routes, and get bus passes in the hands of more downtown Seattle employees.”

The transit mitigation plan is part of the first phase of planning currently underway by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), King County, and the city of Seattle to repair or replace the first half of the seismically vulnerable viaduct. It will offer more service and more choices to many of the 200,000 workers commuting to downtown Seattle each day. About 40 percent of all downtown workers rely on the bus to get to work. Discussions are still underway for transit mitigation during construction of the one-mile center section of the viaduct.

Work is scheduled to begin on the southern end of the Alaskan Way Viaduct next year.

Additional transit improvements in the pipeline will benefit first-time transit users and employers alike. Working with employers, Metro Transit plans to provide more than 3,500 transit, carpool and parking incentives to downtown Seattle workers who choose to share a ride during viaduct construction. Metro will also work with selected companies to develop innovative approaches to telecommuting and flexible work schedules.

To support the Moving Forward projects, Metro is preparing to accelerate the purchase of 30 new 60-foot hybrid coaches and the delivery of coaches already on order for its own future transit expansion. It will also increase the use of some buses currently in service. Metro expects to take delivery of the first 15 buses in 2009, in time for the start-up of initial viaduct construction.

With this initial set of transit improvements identified, the state, county and city now turn their attention to the next phase of transit mitigation required to keep the region moving during construction of the central portion of the viaduct. The central waterfront transit mitigation plan will be part of a larger set of viaduct recommendations that will be issued late this year.

Take the bus to the ballgames Metro will be offering special shuttle service to the University of Washington’s home football opener this Saturday, and to the Mariners homestand against the Yankees this weekend. Metro is offering free shuttles from eight park-and-ride lots to Husky Stadium for the BYU game. The partnership with the UW also includes free game-day trips on regular Metro service to and from the stadium area for riders who show their game ticket. The Mariners host the Yankees Friday through Sunday at Safeco Field. Special shuttles run between Safeco and 13 outlying park-and-ride lots. For weekend games, there is special service both to and from the park-and-ride lots. The fare is $3 each way. See Metro Online for all the details on service to the Husky and Mariners games. County plans two rural road safety projects King County will be improving traffic safety along two road corridors in East and Southeast areas of the county with federal funding from the Rural Safety Innovation Program (RSIP). The $200,000 grant will provide 80 percent of the funding to complete safety improvements on Southeast Lake Holm Road between Auburn and Enumclaw, and along Northeast Novelty Hill Road east of Redmond. The King County Road Services Division has identified both locations as high-collision areas. Over the years, the majority of the collisions along these corridors have involved single vehicles running off the road, or vehicles crossing the centerline. County traffic engineers say there are steep grades and tight curves along these roads that have contributed to the higher accident rates. The proposed safety improvements include lower-cost projects that use technology to enhance roadway safety.

KCDOT annual report for 2007 now online The King County Department of Transportation is unique in that it is the second largest public transportation agency in the state with a diverse array of transit, road, aviation, and marine services, along with fleet management. Because of the breadth of the multiple transportation modes supported, KCDOT is an important partner in regional transportation planning to manage growth and improve mobility. The department has recently published an annual report for 2007 that documents the work accomplished last year for the entire department and all its divisions. That report is now available online.

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