Seattle has long been committed to increasing equity city contracting, and in 2016 SDOT exceeded our goals to support Woman and Minority-Owned Business Enterprises (WMBE). “A healthy and diverse business sector is essential to Seattle’s economic vitality,” Mayor Murray declared in his 2014 Executive Order, and at SDOT we’ve worked… [ Keep reading ]
When you drive through an intersection and look at up a traffic signal, it doesn’t look that big, right? Well, they are actually quite large. The most common comment we get from people on the street is about how large a signal is when you actually see one up close. Below,… [ Keep reading ]
In observance of Presidents’ Day, City of Seattle offices are closed on Monday February 20th in observance of the federal holiday. On-street parking is free in Seattle on February 20th, Happy Presidents’ Day! Presidents’ Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February. Originally established in 1885… [ Keep reading ]
While many of the new President’s cabinet nominees have garnered days of media coverage, a few have flown under the radar. This includes the newly confirmed Secretary of Transportation, Elaine Chao, who could impact SDOT’s work. The new administration is also proposing a $1 trillion infrastructure package, which if passed, could… [ Keep reading ]
How long do contractors have to wait before digging into new pavement? If crews are working on a brick street, must they restore the work area with bricks when they’re done, or can they use another street material? These questions and more, were answered in a series of public workshops on SDOT’s… [ Keep reading ]
In September 2017, Seattle will more than double its service investment between 2 and 5 a.m., establishing new late-night connections throughout Seattle, and providing late night cross-town transit options for the first time ever. Currently, Seattle fully funds the Night Owl Network (routes 82, 83, and 84) after a Metro… [ Keep reading ]
We use bright green paint to make crosswalk-like stripes at intersections where bicyclists and drivers have come into conflict. Some people call these striped lanes a “crossbike.” Think of it as a crosswalk for people biking. One such intersection was E Pine St and Nagle Pl, a block east of Broadway on… [ Keep reading ]
On January 11, 2017, Portland was hit with a massive snowstorm, making national headlines. So we sent crews to help out the Portland Bureau of Transportation. It was hard work, but our crews say they’ll never forget the trip to help our friends to the south. Our Maintenance Operations Division sent more than a dozen crew… [ Keep reading ]
Our recent Commuter Mode Split Survey Report shows that more than 70 percent of downtown’s estimated 247,000 daily commuters opt for transit, ridesharing, biking, walking and teleworking – leaving less than 30 percent of commuters to drive alone to work. That continues a strong downward trend in solo driving from… [ Keep reading ]
Red, yellow, and green. Did you know that Seattle has over 1,000 traffic signals? Under the right conditions, a traffic signal can reduce crashes and keep people and goods moving throughout our city. But, as community needs and traffic patterns change, signals that were useful in the past could now… [ Keep reading ]
