 County seeking federal funding for South Park BridgeKing County is making a final major push to secure critical funding for the replacement of the 78-year-old South Park Bridge over the Duwamish River. If construction funds to replace the bridge cannot be secured, the bridge will be closed in 2010 due to its extreme deterioration.
South Park Bridge from the air | An application for a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant was submitted this week to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The county and its partners are requesting $99 million toward the $153 million replacement cost of the bridge. The grants will be awarded early next year.The bridge is located on 14th/16 Avenue South, and borders the cities of Seattle and Tukwila along with neighborhoods in unincorporated King County. The crossing is used by approximately 20,000 vehicles a day, and has a moveable span that opens to accommodate large marine vessels on the river. It is a key transportation asset that serves one of the largest manufacturing/industrial centers in the Northwest, an international seaport, and an aviation hub. The partners on the project include the Port of Seattle, the Boeing Company, and city of Tukwila. Together, industries in areas served by the bridge support an estimated 70,000 jobs. King County Executive Kurt Triplett said last week that the remaining life of the South Park Bridge can be counted in months – not years – which would impact the entire region. He said if the bridge is forced to close, the immediate South Park area could see hundreds of jobs lost and up to 20 percent of the local businesses suffer extreme hardships. It is also one of the few Duwamish River crossings for residents of South Park, White Center, Boulevard Park and other lower-income neighborhoods who depend on the bridge for access to job centers on the east side of the river.Regionally, transportation to and from the industrial areas and job centers would also be disrupted and congestion could increase. If the bridge is closed, all of its vehicle traffic must be rerouted to other river crossings. Diversion of the 20,000 vehicles, including 2,800 trucks that cross the South Park Bridge daily, would impact other routes including State Route 99, State Route 509 and Interstate 5. Studies of the South Park Bridge show that the condition of the span is severely deteriorated and was made worse during the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake. There is widespread steel corrosion on the main spans, crumbling concrete piers, and an outdated electrical control system. The bridge has become increasingly difficult to maintain and repair, resulting in frequent bridge closures that disrupt both vehicle and marine traffic. In 2002, King County inspectors gave the bridge a sufficiency rating of 6 out of a possible 100, per Federal Highway Administration criteria. This rating has since fallen to 4. The Minneapolis bridge that collapsed in 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145, had a rating of 50.
The ORCA fare card is now expanding to more bus, train and ferry riders around the region, as the seven transit partner agencies encourage their customers to trade up for a new electronic card.
ORCA – One Regional Card for All – is a smart card-based electronic fare system for public transportation agencies serving King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. ORCA replaces about 300 various passes, tickets and transfers with a single card that works by simply tapping the ORCA card on a reader device.
ORCA was launched last April in a “limited rollout” phase to ensure the system could handle its complex transactions before greatly expanding its customer base. Now, it’s ready to expand.
Riders who purchase their own monthly transit pass online or by mail likely have already been converted to an ORCA card. Starting this month, riders who purchase passes in person will receive an ORCA card for their October transit pass. Riders who get their transit passes from their employers are being converted to ORCA as their employers’ annual contracts come up for renewal.
For information about ORCA, visit the website, or call 1-888-988-6722 (ORCA)/ TTY Relay: 711/ 888-889-6368.
King County Metro has a promotion for new vanpools with a great price.
Riders in the first 36 new groups to start commuting in one of Metro's 7-passenger vans will pay $40 or less out of pocket in each of the first two months they are on the road.
That’s no matter how many miles their daily commute is, or how many riders in the group. It’s the same price – just $40 or less for two months. Gas, insurance and maintenance are all included.
This offer will end on December 31, or as soon as all 36 vans have been assigned. For more information, visit RideshareOnline or call (206) 625-4500.
King County will host its semi-annual auction of surplus vehicles and equipment this Saturday, Sept. 26 in Renton. The bidding starts at 9 a.m.
This auction features many pick-up trucks, vans, passenger cars, and several former sheriff patrol cars. There are also used street sweepers, landscape materials, and miscellaneous equipment.
The auction is managed by the Fleet Administration Division of the King County Department of Transportation. It will be held at 3005 NE Fourth Street, Renton, near the Renton Technical College.
Previews will be held Thursday and Friday, Sept. 24 and 25, at the auction site from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Saturday starting at 8 a.m. For more information, visit the auction website.
Vashon Water Taxi open house SaturdayThe King County Ferry District is hosting an open house on Vashon Island Saturday, Sept. 26 from 2-4 p.m. to debut the new boat for passenger-only service. Everyone is welcome to tour the Melissa Ann, the vessel that will be used for the passenger-only service once the county takes over operations this fall. The catamaran is expected to make the crossing between Vashon and downtown Seattle in 22 minutes. At Saturday’s open house, you can explore the vessel, meet the crew, and pick up a new sailing schedule.
Here’s hoping the home team is not in for a mauling this weekend, as the Seattle Seahawks host the Chicago Bears for a classic football matchup. The game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27 at Qwest Field. Beat the crush and ride the bus to the game. Metro Transit has many routes that stop at or near the stadium. Use the online Trip Planner to look up the routes and times that work best for you.
The Metro Employees Historic Vehicle Association (MEHVA) is hosting a three-hour tour of Seattle's distinctive and varied nightlife neighborhoods this Saturday, Sept. 26, beginning at 7 p.m. The historic trackless trolleys will tour through Pioneer Square, Broadway, lower Queen Anne and the University District with stops for photos and coffee. The trolleys depart from Pioneer Square at Second Avenue South and South Main Street. No reservations are accepted, and passengers will be boarded in arrival order until all buses are filled. Fares are $5 for all passengers over the age of 5. Metro transfers, tickets, or passes are not accepted. Please, do not bring food or beverages onboard the historic buses. For information, call the MEHVA hotline at (206) 684-1816, or visit the organization’s website.
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