#SeattleSqueeze Alert: More Uniformed Police Officers on downtown streets Mar. 25–27, 2019.

March 25, 2019 by Jeanne Clark

Uniformed Police Officers (UPOs) will be at key downtown intersections to keep cars, transit, and people moving.

To help keep transit moving during the first commute days of the buses coming out of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, with the help of our partners at King County Metro and the Seattle Police Department, we’re placing uniformed police officers (UPOs) at key downtown intersections on weekday evenings.

Beginning Monday, March 25, officers will help direct traffic, keeping bus lanes and intersections clear, and keeping cars, transit, and people moving. Officers will not override traffic signals; rather, they will ensure intersections are kept clear. This helps everyone traveling through Seattle at peak commute hours. Our traffic engineers worked closely with our partner agencies to identify the appropriate locations and number of officers staged.

If you’re not a bus, then you (generally) shouldn’t be in the transit lane.

Stay in your lane. If you’re not driving a bus, then you (generally) shouldn’t be in the transit lane. In some instances, you can hop into a bus lane to turn off the street, but for the most part, bus lanes are for buses, so please don’t use them to get around gridlock.

Please, don’t block the box. Keep the intersections clear.

Don’t block the box. Keep the intersections clear. When you pull into an intersection, make sure you can clear it before the signal changes to a red light. Wait your turn. Don’t be that person who holds up traffic and blocks the crosswalk – it’s not safe for anyone involved, plus, it negatively impacts those with mobility challenges. Also, there’s nothing like being honked at and getting the warranted evil eye from people trying to cross the street.

Thanks for doing your part to help keep Seattle moving safely during the #SeattleSqueeze!

#SeattleSqueeze, Seattle’s new normal.

Over the next five years, Seattle’s downtown will be in a state of transition to meet the needs of our growing city and region – #SeattleSqueeze. We’re making changes to our city and to our regional transportation system and help people get where they need to go safely and efficiently. New mobility projects are being developed and constructed to connect communities to downtown with fast, regular service and to create the public spaces our growing region needs. For more information, tools, and resources on #SeattleSqueeze, please visit our website!

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Another new normal. Another new chapter. 7 buses make their final ascent to surface streets.

March 22, 2019 by Jeanne Clark

Image by Wyatt Olson via https://www.instagram.com/cvtydreamer/

Another new normal. Another new chapter.

Tonight, we bid our final farewell as the buses exit stage left and right of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel platform.

By the time most of you wake up on Saturday morning (3.23.19), seven bus routes will have made their permanent ascent from the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT) to Seattle’s surface streets. Another new normal, another new chapter for our growing city as we make changes to accommodate the Washington State Convention Center construction and future Link light rail expansion.

We’ve prioritized transit by streamlining and improving transit operations.

With these additional buses operating on downtown streets, we’ve partnered with King County Metro to streamline and improve transit operations as we continue to squeeze some more, #SeattleSqueeze. Here’s what we’ve delivered and what it means for you:

N E W !

We expanded Third Ave bus-only hours.

We expanded the bus-only hours on Third Ave from Stewart St to just south of Yesler Way. This means for seven days a week, from 6 AM in the morning to 7 PM at night, Third Ave is reserved for buses, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

N E W !

We installed ORCA transit card readers & real-time bus arrival signs.

New ORCA transit card readers and real-time bus arrival signs are at every single stop on Third Ave between Yesler and Denny. This means starting on March 23, you’ll be able to tap your ORCA transit card prior to boarding the bus to speed up your bus on-boarding.

Permanent off-board fare readers are already installed at 21 of the corridor’s 31 bus stops, and installation at the remaining ten stops is scheduled April through December 2019. Until permanent equipment is installed, transit operators will serve as ORCA boarding assistants and will scan riders’ ORCA cards using handheld fare readers at ten stops during weekday commutes between about 3 – 7 PM, the busiest period for boarding on Third.

N E W !

Peak-only bus pathways on 5th & 6th avenues.

To keep transit moving reliably, we installed a new bus pathway on 5^th and 6^th avenues to serve as a PM peak-only bus lane to help buses move travelers north. These buses are traveling to northeast Seattle and the Eastside, and we’re thrilled to be providing a quick and reliable commute for these travelers, as well as working with Metro to make sure our other downtown streets are clear for transit.

The King County Metro routes that will use the pathway include 74, 76, 77, 252, 255, 257, 301, 308, 311, and 316.

If you ride one of these buses, your bus route has changed.

If you ride one of these routes: 41, 74, 76, 77, 101, 102, 150, 252, 255, 257, 301, 308, 311, 316, 550, you will now get on and off at the new bus stops downtown.

NEW MAP: Bus stops on 2^nd to 6^th avenues.

Adjusting and prioritizing transit is a key way to making sure people can keep moving reliably and affordably throughout Seattle. We really appreciate our partners at King County Metro for their collaboration and hard work with us to make these critical transit improvements.

And finally, thank you, again and again, Seattle, for adjusting with us as we grow together as one of the best cities of the world!

#SeattleSqueeze, Seattle’s new normal.

For more information, tools, and resources on #SeattleSqueeze, please visit our website!

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This Sunday, March 24: Landscape maintenance on Mercer St

March 22, 2019 by Casey Rogers

Image courtesy of Google Street View: https://goo.gl/maps/QdbQ7CutcmQ2

Our landscape crews will be performing a spring cutback, weeding, and cleanup of the medians on Mercer St between Dexter Ave N and Terry Ave N this Sunday, March 24, 2019. The lanes adjacent to the median (both the east and westbound) will be closed from 7 AM to 3:30 PM.

Thanks for your patience!

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A free & fun activities for all at the High Point Play Area celebration on Sat, Mar 23!

March 22, 2019 by Jeanne Clark

Join the celebration!

Hey, everybody! Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) and Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) invite the community to celebrate the new High Point play area on Saturday, March 23, 2019, from 2 to 4 PM at the High Point play area located behind the High Point Community Center in West Seattle, next to the Walt Hundley Playfield at 6920 34^th Ave SW.

It’s free & open for all!

The celebration is free and open to all. The event will include a ribbon cutting, refreshments, face painting, music, a bike decorating station, low-ropes course challenge activities, and a children’s bicycle parade at 3 PM.

The High Point play area is newly renovated!

The renovated High Point play area is four times the size of the original play area and includes new swings, slides, and several climbable structures, as well as a new seating area.

The park features a rolling hill with a net climber and an overhead climbing structure. In partnership with SPR’s Greenways Initiative, the project incorporates a bike path that connects the play area and Walt Hundley Playfield to the neighborhood greenway currently in construction by SDOT along 34th Ave SW.

We’re hosting a design workshop for a decorative pavement park!

We’re hosting a bike decorating station and a design workshop for the decorative pavement park connection on 34^th Ave. SW. Phase 1 of the West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway is wrapping up in 2019 and will connect the High Point Community Center and Play Area to EC Hughes Playground and Roxhill Park.

The route will be extended to connect Camp Long and additional High Point Neighborhood parks in 2020. Come celebrate the play area, discover new greenway connections and participate in the 3 p.m. bike parade.

The West Seattle Bee Garden and Neighborhood House will help us celebrate the new play area with bike decorating supplies, bee educational materials, and button making activities.

We hope to see you there!

For more information, visit our webpage. If you have questions about the event, please contact Karen O’Connor at karen.o’connor@seattle.gov or 206.233.72929. To learn more about Camp Long and the challenge course visit their website.

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March 23-24: Get ready for round two of closures at S Massachusetts St & 23rd Ave S.

March 22, 2019 by Casey Rogers

This weekend, March 23-24, our work continues from last weekend at the 23rd Ave S and S Massachusetts St intersection to replace the existing concrete panels on S Massachusetts St as part of the larger 23rd Ave Corridor Improvements project. This weekend we’re completing the second half of the project and replacing the concrete panels on the east side of the intersection. Our goal is to improve safety and mobility for people who drive, walk, bike, and take transit in this area.

Here’s what you can expect:

S C H E D U L E

This weekend we’re focusing on the east side of the intersection. Starting at 7 AM on Saturday, we’re closing the east leg of the 23rd Ave S and S Massachusetts St intersection to dig up and remove the old concrete panels, then form, and pour new ones. The road will stay closed Sunday to allow the concrete to cure and will return to normal on Monday, March 25, at 5 AM.

C L O S U R E | D E T O U R

The east leg of the 23rd Ave S and S Massachusetts St intersection will be closed. For the duration of the closure, motorists will be detoured to the arterial. Local access will be maintained along S Massachusetts St between 23rd Ave S and Martin Luther King Jr Way S.

N O I S E

We’ve obtained a noise variance to start work at 7 AM on Saturday. Neighbors will see and hear construction activity throughout the weekend. Thanks for your patience!

Want more information about this project?

Visit our website!

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the project team at 23rdAveCorridor@seattle.gov or call the project information line at 206.727.8857.

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Mar 26 – Apr 5: We’re removing asphalt along Wilson Ave S to prepare for repaving.

March 22, 2019 by Casey Rogers

We’re making progress on the Wilson Ave S Transportations Improvement Project! The 2.5 miles of Wilson Ave S between S Dawson St and S Morgan St will be repaved to improve the safety, accessibility, and comfort for all users. Plus! We’re also installing a new protected bike lane.

From March 26 to April 3, 2019, we’ll be grinding the top several inches of asphalt on Wilson Ave S so we can repair the base of the street. This work is weather dependent and subject to change.

Here’s what you can expect:

S C H E D U L E

Our work hours will be from 6 AM – 10 PM on Tuesday, March 26 through Wednesday, April 5. We’ll work to minimize disruptions as much as possible. This includes weekend work. Grinding may take about 9 days to complete.

March 26

We plan to grind the east side of Wilson Ave S starting at Seward Park Ave S and then move north to S Dawson St.

March 27

Next, we’ll grind the west side of Wilson Ave S starting at S Dawson St and then move south to Seward Park Ave S. Any remaining work will be completed on Thursday.

Street repairs

During this work, we’ll make additional repairs to the road, including casting repairs, concrete base repairs, and asphalt base repairs. This work will be noisy.

Paving work

Paving work is scheduled for April 3 to 5, following the grinding work. This work is weather dependent and could potentially push back to the week of April 8. Once paving is complete, temporary striping will be installed.

C L O S U R E S, A C C E S S, & D E T O U R S

While we’re working, Wilson Ave S will be closed to northbound traffic.

If you’re driving northbound on Wilson Ave S, you’ll be detoured to Seward Park Ave S between S Morgan and S Dawson streets (peek below map).
If you’re driving south on Wilson Ave S, we may use cones to shift which lanes you drive to allow for work to be conducted. Thanks for your patience!

Turns will be limited to/from driveways and side streets on the side of Wilson Ave S where grinding takes place. Driveway access may be disrupted for 30 to 45 minutes as our grinding machine passes. Access to Wilson Ave S from S Graham St will be closed. Please use 52nd Ave S.

P A R K I N G

On-street parking will be closed on both sides of the street, 24/7 for the next several weeks. Drivers will only be permitted to turn right off of 25th Ave NE.

Access for cars for people walking will be maintained when parked in driveways and on side streets; please use designated crossings for your safety (S Morgan St, S Orcas St, and S Dawson St).

N O I S E

You can expect loud noise, dust, and vibrations while crews are working.

P R O J E C T O U T C O M E

We’re repaving approximately 2.5 miles of Wilson Ave S between S Dawson and S Morgan streets. Repaving will make the street more comfortable to drive on and extend its useful life. The project will also:

Install or upgrade curb ramps to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Replace traffic detection loops that control the signals
Repair and replace some sections of sidewalk in the project area
Bring storm drainage into code compliance where triggered

Want more information?

For more information on this project, please visit our project page. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the construction outreach team at WilsonAve@seattle.gov, or 206.256.5232. Again, thank you for your patience during this work.

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DUDE, WHERE’S MY BUS? Check out our new bus map to help with your commute!

March 21, 2019 by Casey Rogers

Seattle, your bus route is changing. It’s time to prepare.

If you ride one of these routes:

41, 74, 76, 77, 101, 102, 150, 252, 255, 257, 301, 308, 311, 316, 550

You will now get on and off at the new bus stops downtown.

NEW MAP: Bus Stops on 2^nd – 6^th Avenues.

Get ready for the first commute.

Saturday, March 23 marks the first day where commuters who get on and off their bus in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel will now get on and off their bus on downtown streets. The tunnel is becoming Link light rail-only to support the expansion of the Washington State Convention Center and Link light rail service.

Things are going to feel different downtown.

There will be more buses on downtown streets, more riders getting on and off buses, and a new pathway for buses on 5^th Ave and 6^th Ave. Get ready and make a plan before you go, Seattle – the #SeattleSqueeze isn’t over yet.

If you can, continue to shift your commute and use different ways besides driving alone to get downtown. Biking, taking transit, walking, using the light rail, or carpooling all continue to be great options and help keep our streets clear and traffic volumes low. It takes a village city!

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CHAPTER 1 #SeattleSqueeze Data: Less driving, more transit, more biking!

March 20, 2019 by Jeanne Clark

Image courtesy of Chun Kwan, SDOT.

Approximately 250,000 people commute to and through downtown each day. With the new SR 99 tunnel now open, we’ve been analyzing the data from the closure to understand what went well, how we could have done better, and how we can keep the good changes going during the next chapter of the #SeattleSqueeze. Our entire region came together to take on this challenge and be part of the solution. Here are the results in a nutshell: people drove less, took transit, and biked more. Read on!

. D R I V I N G .

People drove less downtown.

One of our goals during the SR 99 closure was to prevent gridlock by having fewer cars downtown. We can’t say it enough, Seattle, we couldn’t have done it without the collective whole working together.

Peek the data!

We were able to produce comparable data by counting vehicles that came into downtown Seattle from location points north (at Mercer St) and south (at Holgate St) into the center city and compared the numbers to a baseline period back in September 2018. For every single day that SR 99 was closed, fewer vehicles drove into downtown. See that blue line in the data graphic to the right? That’s the baseline volumes in 2018. The green was the daily volumes during the three-week SR 99 closure. You’re the best, Seattle.

. T R A N S I T .

People took transit and shifted their commutes.

Peek the ridership data!

King County Metro tracked daily ridership along major corridors and on the water taxi. Bus and water taxi ridership varied during the closure, but ridership increased during two of the three weeks compared to January 2018. During each week of the closure, the percent of riders during the midday was higher as compared to the same month last year. That means there was a shift from commute times out of the peak/rush hours towards the midday.

Sound Transit’s Link light rail ridership during the three-week viaduct closure was up 14 percent from last year, to more than 79,000 daily boardings.

. T E L E C O M M U T I N G .

People changed their work schedules.

Based on a survey of some of the largest downtown employers, people used telecommuting as a great way to reduce commute trips downtown. We launched an Alternative Work Arrangement Pilot for Chapter 1 of the Seattle Squeeze. The City previously had 12.5 percent of employees that had alternative work arrangements, which included telework or flexible work hours. Now, 30 percent of Citywide employees are participating in alternative work arrangements, with 38 percent in the downtown core.

. B I K I N G .

People biked more.

Peek the bike data!

The number of people biking to and through downtown increased during the SR 99 closure. We installed bike counters at the Spokane St. Bridge, the Fremont Bridge, the Elliot Bay Trail, and 2nd Ave downtown. We saw 40,000 more trips in January 2019 compared to the same time in 2018.

We also expanded our free-floating bike share program and made it permanent. Our data shows that change paid off; we also saw a significant increase in people who used free-floating bike share. Peek the bike share data!

. I N F O | C O N T A C T .

Don’t miss a thing.

Keep up with all things #SeattleSqueeze by visiting our website.

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March 19-26: Lenora Street Pedestrian Bridge closed for overhead viaduct demolition work

March 19, 2019 by Casey Rogers

Image courtesy of WSDOT

The Lenora Street Pedestrian Bridge will be closed March 19 – 26 as a safety precaution while crews remove a section of the viaduct overhead. During the closure, a free shuttle will provide rides between the top and bottom of the bridge.

For more information see WSDOT’s website here.

See what’s moving in Seattle this week! March 19-23, 2019

March 19, 2019 by Casey Rogers

Image by United Way of King County

Here’s a snapshot of this week’s events moving Seattle that may affect how you get around. See our trip planning tools section of this post to help plan ahead.

T H U R S . M A R 2 1

Pacific Northwest Ballet presents Director’s Cut: At McCaw Hall. Event hours: 7:30 – 10:30 PM. Estimated attendance: 3k per day.

F R I . M A R 2 2

Pacific Northwest Ballet presents Pinocchio: At McCaw Hall. Event hours: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM. Estimated attendance: 3k per day.

Pacific Northwest Ballet presents Director’s Cut: At McCaw Hall. Event hours: 7:30 – 10:30 PM. Estimated attendance: 3k per day.

S A T . M A R 2 3

Mariner FanFest: At T-Mobile Park. Event hours: 10 AM – 4 PM. Estimated attendance: 10k per day.

Pacific Northwest Ballet presents Pinocchio: At McCaw Hall. Event hours: 3:30 – 5:30 PM. Estimated attendance: 3k per day.

Supercross: At CenturyLink Field. Gates Open/Practice & Qualifying starts at 12:00 PM. FanFest hours: 12:00 to 6:00 PM. Opening Ceremonies at 6:30 PM. Racing starts at 7:00 PM. Estimated attendance: 35k.

Pacific Northwest Ballet presents Director’s Cut: At McCaw Hall. Event hours: 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM. Estimated attendance: 3k per day.

S U N. M A R 2 4

LLS Big Climb: At the Columbia Center. Event hours: 8 AM – 5 PM. Estimated attendance: 6k per day.

Mariner FanFest: At T-Mobile Park. Event hours: 10 AM – 4 PM. Estimated attendance: 10k per day.

Pacific Northwest Ballet presents Director’s Cut: At McCaw Hall. Event hours: 1 – 4PM. Estimated attendance: 3 per day.

Trip planning tools

For an expanded list of upcoming constructions and events, visit our website!

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SDOT Blog Department of Transportation

Uniformed Police Officers (UPOs) will be at key downtown intersections to keep cars, transit, and people moving.

If you’re not a bus, then you (generally) shouldn’t be in the transit lane.

Please, don’t block the box. Keep the intersections clear.

#SeattleSqueeze, Seattle’s new normal.

Another new normal. Another new chapter.

We’ve prioritized transit by streamlining and improving transit operations.

N E W !

We expanded Third Ave bus-only hours.

N E W !

We installed ORCA transit card readers & real-time bus arrival signs.

N E W !

Peak-only bus pathways on 5th & 6th avenues.

If you ride one of these buses, your bus route has changed.

NEW MAP: Bus stops on 2nd to 6th avenues.

#SeattleSqueeze, Seattle’s new normal.

Join the celebration!

It’s free & open for all!

The High Point play area is newly renovated!

We’re hosting a design workshop for a decorative pavement park!

We hope to see you there!

Here’s what you can expect:

S C H E D U L E

C L O S U R E | D E T O U R

N O I S E

Want more information about this project?

Here’s what you can expect:

S C H E D U L E

C L O S U R E S, A C C E S S, & D E T O U R S

P A R K I N G

N O I S E

P R O J E C T O U T C O M E

Want more information?

Seattle, your bus route is changing. It’s time to prepare.

Get ready for the first commute.

Things are going to feel different downtown.

. D R I V I N G .

People drove less downtown.

. T R A N S I T .

People took transit and shifted their commutes.

. T E L E C O M M U T I N G .

People changed their work schedules.

. B I K I N G .

People biked more.

. I N F O | C O N T A C T .

Don’t miss a thing.

T H U R S . M A R 2 1

F R I . M A R 2 2

S A T . M A R 2 3

S U N. M A R 2 4

Trip planning tools

NEW MAP: Bus stops on 2^nd to 6^th avenues.