Did you know SDOT has a Traveler’s Information Map?  The map serves Seattle area travelers by providing access to live traffic congestion information.  Find out in real time if vehicle traffic is moving slowly on a street so you can choose another route if necessary. 

The map and more traffic information including construction impacts are all available here.  Happy (and informed) traveling!

Check traffic conditions in real time before you travel!

The goal of the Pedestrian Master Plan is to make Seattle the most walkable city in the nation.  To achieve this goal, the plan recommends providing pedestrian safety education targeting both drivers and pedestrians.  And next Saturday, you can get a little taste of safety education in action.

The Aurora Traffic Safety Project has partnered with PCC Natural Markets – Greenlake on a traffic safety education event to take place on Saturday, February 13^th.  The goal of this effort is to reduce unsafe behavior that contributes to collisions on Aurora such as speeding, failure to yield to vehicles and pedestrians, and inattention.   

We will be handing out informative cards containing facts about Aurora as well as safety reflectors and reusable shopping bags branded with the PCC and Aurora Traffic Safety Project logos (see photo below). 

Join us on Saturday, February 13^th from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Greenlake PCC Natural Markets (7504 Aurora Ave) to learn more.   

The Aurora Traffic Safety Project is funded by a grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Dr. Jose Rizal during the daytime

Close up of steel at the Dr. Jose Rizal Bridge

Motorists are kindly asked to slow down and use caution when passing the work zone and expect some congestion due to reduced lanes.

If you are interested in knowing more about when to expect SDOT construction projects, we’ve got a calendar for that. In addition to providing traffic advisories via Twitter, we prepare a construction “look ahead” calendar. Details are provided based on location in the city and impacts you can expect. Check it out by clicking here.

Click image to view open house flyer

The Westlake Transportation Hub is getting a well-deserved facelift to improve pedestrian, bike, and transit access in downtown Seattle. SDOT plans to construct a new pedestrian and bicycle-friendly plaza at the current terminus of the Seattle Streetcar by closing one block of Westlake Ave to traffic between Olive Way and Stewart Street. As part of the project, improvements to the historic McGraw Square Park will be integrated into the design along with new landscaping, covered bicycle parking, and additional streetcar station amenities. Slated to begin construction later this year, this grant-funded project is almost halfway through the design phase and we want to hear from you!

SDOT is hosting an open house to discuss project details. Your feedback is critical to finalizing several elements of the plaza and ensuring its success.

Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, February 3 from 5:30 – 7:30pm at the Central Branch of the Seattle Public Library (Level 4, Room 2: Wright/Ketcham Meeting Room). For background info, visit the project website here. Please note that the page is currently being revised, so stay tuned for updates.

Seawall construction along Seattle's waterfront in the 1930s

Plans to replace the aging Elliott Bay Seawall are advancing, with design scheduled to begin this spring.  Join your neighbors and Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith at City Hall this Wednesday, February 3rd, for a chance to learn more about the project and provide your feedback to the City.

More information about the open house here.

If you’ve been traveling near the South Spokane Street and 4^th Avenue South area, you’ve likely noticed some rubble…and something missing. The old 4^th Avenue South ramp, off of the West Seattle Bridge – with its precarious 90 degree turn – is no more (or at least in chunks and on its way out).  

The old sharp-turn ramp had to come down for crews to begin work to widen the South Spokane Street Viaduct that leads to the West Seattle Bridge. The upper Spokane roadway will nearly double in width to the north. Meanwhile, the new 4^th Avenue off-ramp is expected to open this fall.

For all the details about the closures and detours, please click here.

SBAB in Action!

Have you ever wanted to get involved in shaping Seattle’s future pedestrian and bicycle system?  Then SPAB or SBAB may be right for you. 

SPAB, otherwise known as the Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board, is a committee of volunteers that advises the Mayor, City Council, and SDOT on the city’s pedestrian programs, projects, and policies.  The board participates in the planning of projects big and small – from new sidewalk projects to the Alaskan Way Viaduct Project.  One of SPAB’s greatest responsibilities is supporting the implementation of the Pedestrian Master Plan. 

The board’s meetings are open to the public so come down to City Hall to see what SPAB is doing to make Seattle the most walkable city in the nation.  SPAB meets the second Wednesday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. in City Hall room L280.  SPAB will be looking for new members in 2010.  Check out their website for more information.

SBAB, or the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board, also advises the Mayor, Council, and SDOT on matters related to bicycle facilities, safety, access, and mobility.  Board members rely on their experiences as cyclists to achieve their goal of making Seattle a world-class city for bicycling.  The bike board contributes to project development, evaluates city policies, design guidelines and regulations, and supports the implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan.

Meetings are open to the public and are held from 6 to 8 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month in room L280 in City Hall.  SBAB will also be recruiting new members in 2010.  See their website to find out how to get engaged.

SDOT Staff along with many other city agencies will be on hand to discuss the department’s budget plans Sunday, January 31, at the 2010 Citizen’s Budget Conference on the third floor of the Seattle Center House from Noon until 5:00pm. Mayor Mike McGinn and City Council Budget Chair, Jean Godden, will welcome attendees at 12:30 p.m. and wrap up the event after a panel discussion among City Councilmembers on their spending priorities. Show up and learn why budgeting matters and how to get involved in the decisions that affect you.

…So do we and we’re here to help fill them. SDOT’s street crews respond to requests to fill potholes regularly and try to get to requests quickly. You can report a pothole online here or by calling 206-684-ROAD (7623).