Join Commute Seattle’s 2019 Bikes and Bakeries Challenge!

May 2, 2019 by Molly Wright

Bike. Eat treats. Win. It’s that easy!

May is #BikeMonth, and we’ve got just the sweet treat for you to get riding! Join Commute Seattle’s Bikes and Bakeries Challenge, where you can win amazing bike-related prizes just for riding your bike and supporting bakeries across the city!

Participating is as easy as 1-2-3:

Ride a bike to one of the participating bakeries.
Scan the QR code at checkout and let Commute Seattle know which bakery you visited. Forgot to scan the code? Click here to submit your entry.
Visit four bakeries during the month of May and be entered to win amazing bike-related prizes from local bike shops! Each additional bakery gives you another chance to win.

Check out the participating bakeries!

15 bakeries are participating in the Bikes and Bakeries challenge! Use this interactive map to see them all.

Don’t forget: you can #ShoptheSqueeze and win a $100 pre-loaded ORCA card or Visa gift card!

Bonus: if you visit a bakery in a Downtown-area neighborhood, you can also enter to win a $100 ORCA card or Visa gift card through the #ShopTheSqueeze contest! Shop the Squeeze encourages folks to explore Seattle’s small business scene via bike, bus, walking, or however you choose to get around without driving solo.

Entering #ShopTheSqueeze is easy:

1. Visit a small business in Belltown, Chinatown-International District, the Downtown Retail Core, Little Saigon, or Pioneer Square via alternative transportation

2. Post a photo from your visit to your Instagram, Twitter, or the OED Facebook page and tag or include the name of the business

3. Finish your post by using #ShoptheSqueeze and tell us how you got there in your caption!

That’s right—you can enter two contests for the price of one! Check out seattle.gov/shopthesqueeze for contest details.

And, once it’s all over, let’s CELEBRATE! 🎉

On Friday, May 31st from 4:30-6:30 PM, join Commute Seattle for a Bike Month Celebration at Optimism Brewing Company! They will select winners for our prize drawings and celebrate employers who support bike commuting throughout May and beyond!

Wednesday, May 1: Prepare for May Day Travel Impacts

April 30, 2019 by Molly Wright

The 20^th Annual May Day March for Worker and Immigrant Rights is expected to impact traffic through the city on May 1. Please plan ahead for delays due to crowds along demonstration routes and potential traffic disruptions.

Here’s what you can expect:

SCHEDULE

The event will begin at Judkins Park at the intersection of 20^th Pl S and S Dearborn St at 1 PM on Wednesday, May 1. The march is expected to reach the U.S. District Courthouse around 3 PM, and the rally will continue until 7 PM.

CLOSURES | DETOUR

The march route begins on S Jackson St and is scheduled to end at the U.S. District Courthouse at 700 Stewart St. The route will go along 20^th Ave S, E Yesler Way, 12 Ave, Madison St, Broadway, E Pine, 6^th Ave, and 7^th Ave, ending at Stewart St. About 650 people are expected to participate.

TRANSIT

King County Metro Routes 2, 11, 12, and 14 may be impacted by this event. Please refer to King County Metro Alerts for service alerts and information about impacts along your route.

OTHER IMPACTS

The Mariners play the Chicago Cubs at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, May 1. First pitch is at 3:40PM. Estimated attendance: 35,000. Prepare for increased travel times around the stadiums.

Please plan ahead and prepare for impacts to travel on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Thank you for your patience!

APRIL 19 – 20: Traffic Changes at 7th Ave N and Denny Way

April 19, 2019 by Molly Wright

The three cars at left are taking a lane that will become part of the work zone needed to demolish part of the Battery Street Tunnel’s entrance and raise up the old lanes in the middle (view looking north). Photo: WSDOT

Crews are expanding their work zone at the north end of the Battery St Tunnel.

Get ready: changes are coming to the intersection of Denny Way and 7^th Ave N (previously Aurora Ave N) as crews begin work to fill the north end of the Battery Street Tunnel.

The ground beneath the closed SR 99 lanes coming in and out of the Battery Street Tunnel is being raised up (view looking south). Photo: WSDOT

Starting April 19, here’s what you can expect.

S C H E D U L E

Beginning Friday night, 4/19 at 8 PM, lanes will be reduced and sidewalks will be closed around the intersection of 7th Ave N and Denny Way until 5 AM Saturday morning. Police officers will direct traffic while crews modify traffic signals and establish the new work zone with barrels.

Then, beginning on Saturday morning, 4/20, 7th Ave N southbound will be reduced to one lane between John Street and Denny Way, and there will be no left turns from 7th. This will be a long-term lane configuration while construction continues in this area.

Crews will return Tuesday night, 4/23, to replace construction barrels with roadway barrier. Southbound 7th Ave N will be closed overnight between John St and Denny Way for this work.

L A N E R E S T R I C T I O N S

One travel lane will remain open in each direction. Drivers heading south on 7^th Ave N approaching Denny Way will no longer be able to turn left onto Denny Way or 7^th Ave. People driving will have to continue straight on Wall St or turn right on Denny Way. Drivers taking the southbound SR 99 off-ramp to downtown will still be able to take a left on Harrison Street.

T R A N S I T

The southbound bus stop on Seventh Avenue North just north of Denny Way will remain open.

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

Crews are expanding their work zone as they begin work to fill in the north end of the Battery Street Tunnel. This is part of the North Surface Streets project to reconnect Harrison St, Thomas St, and John St, which were previously cut off by SR 99’s old path.

For updates on road closures in this area, subscribe to WSDOT’s weekly construction email.

Visualize your company’s commute habits using our Commute Trip Reduction Tableau Tool.

April 18, 2019 by Molly Wright

Photo by Lex Photography from Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/magic-keyboard-1109543/

Sharing survey data in a new, modern way to let you visualize your commute.

We’ve partnered with Commute Seattle, the Washington State Department of Transportation, and Tableau to launch an interactive Tableau dashboard tool to view employee commute habits for businesses across Seattle.

The tool allows you to view an overall breakdown of different modes of transportation, a heat map of employee’s zip codes, and travel patterns from each zip code. It is an easy way to find out where employees are commuting from.

In addition, you can see how your business stacks up against other organizations in your network. Now, you can learn how your company’s transportation program compares to similar employers!

Big companies, big solutions.

This tool is available to companies who are affected by the state of Washington’s Commute Trip Reduction law, which requires companies with 100 or more employees to mitigate the traffic impacts of their business by working to reduce driving. Nearly 300 Seattle employers are affected by the Washington Commute Trip Reduction law.

Changing your company and commute for the better.

CTR-affected companies are required to complete a survey every two years to determine the percentage of employees driving or taking other modes of transportation such as transit or light rail. Previously, all results were delivered only through paper copies with limited charts or graphics.

This new dashboard provides employers with data they can visualize and use when strategically planning to invest in new commute programs.

There are lots of benefits to using a visual dashboard for viewing employee commute data.

Quickly and easily understand and interpret survey data.
Identify opportunities for employee carpools, vanpools, and employee shuttles.
Provide employers with historical data they can visualize and use when strategically planning to invest in new commute programs.
Reduce the number of drive-alone trips in and out of downtown.

“By partnering with Tableau, organizations can now offer even more data to inform critical commute decisions in and out of downtown during the Seattle Squeeze, Seattle’s period of transition over the next five years to meet the needs of our growing city, and beyond.”

Heather Marx, Director of Downtown Mobility, SDOT

Want more information?

For over 10 years, Commute Seattle has helped Seattle businesses of all sizes unlock their potential and empower employees to utilize convenient, affordable, and sustainable transportation options. If you have questions about Commute Trip Reduction, such as how to meet your requirements or how to start and maintain an employer commute program, contact Commute Seattle for more information!

Take Via to Transit – Your New Car-Free Commute in Southeast Seattle!

April 16, 2019 by Molly Wright

Via to Transit is a convenient shuttle service to & from light rail stations in SE Seattle & Tukwila.

We’ve partnered with King County Metro & Sound Transit to bring you Via to Transit, a convenient shuttle service to and from light rail stations in southeast Seattle and Tukwila.

Via to Transit lets you request on-demand shuttle vans to and from five Sound Transit Link stations: Mount Baker, Columbia City, Othello, Rainier Beach, and Tukwila International Boulevard. The service costs and works the same as transferring to or from a Metro bus with an ORCA card.

Download the Via app or call 206.258.7739 to request a ride.

You can use the service to get between most parts of southeast Seattle (and some parts of Tukwila) and these five Sound Transit Link light rail stations:

Southeast Seattle vans run Monday through Saturday from 5 AM to 1 AM and Sunday from 6 AM to midnight.

Tukwila service runs Monday through Friday from 6 to 9 AM and from 3:30 to 6:30 PM.

Via to Transit costs the same as a Metro bus ride, & you can transfer between Via shuttles, Metro buses, & Link light rail.

You must pay with an ORCA card or the Transit Go app (sorry, no cash or paper transfers).

Don’t have an ORCA Card? It’s easy to get one – you can order yours online, by mail, or in person. Visit the ORCA Card website for more info! See if you qualify for free or reduced fares for seniors, people with disabilities, students, or people in need.

It works in four easy steps.

Request a ride on demand using the Via app or call 206-258-7739. Customers do not need to have a smartphone.
Select your pickup and drop-off locations in the defined southeast Seattle and Tukwila service areas and confirm your ride. One end of your trip must be the designated Link light rail station for the service area.
Expect to be picked up within 10 to 15 minutes of your trip request. Your pick-up location may require a short walk. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are available.
You will likely share a ride with other Metro customers in vehicles that can carry up to six passengers traveling in the same direction.

The year-long pilot project is mostly funded by $2.7 million from the voter-approved Seattle Transportation Benefit District. Sound Transit and King County Metro are also contributing funds toward the project. Sound Transit also successfully applied for a Mobility on Demand Sandbox grant from the Federal Transit Administration to test the effectiveness of providing on-demand ride-share connections to transit stations.

As we continue navigating the #SeattleSqueeze, getting you to transit quickly & easily is another solution.

As we continue navigating the Seattle Squeeze, our new era of tough traffic over the next five years, we want to make sure that we have the newest, most innovative solutions to help people throughout Seattle get to transit. On-demand services like Via to Transit will make it easier for you to take transit, especially if you do not own a car, you prefer not to drive, you live within a long walking distance of a transit hub, or you can’t find open parking spaces near the stations.

Home, work, or school is just a short, on-demand ride away from your Link light rail station with Via to Transit!

Try an on-demand shuttle in West Seattle or Bellevue, too!

Don’t forget: the Ride2 on-demand shuttle service is still available in West Seattle and Eastgate! If you commute or travel to West Seattle or the Eastside, use Ride2 as your on-demand shuttle service to and from the West Seattle Water Taxi dock and the Alaska Junction bus stop or the Eastgate Park & Ride.

Read more about the Via to Transit announcement on King County Metro’s website.

APR 15: Construction begins to repair & reconfigure SW Avalon Way for all users.

April 15, 2019 by Molly Wright

Construction begins to repair & reconfigure SW Avalon Way to improve safety, accessibility, & comfort for all users.

SW Avalon Way and 35th Ave SW connect West Seattle to many local retail establishments and services. They’re also a major transit and transport route with service connecting West Seattle to the rest of the city. We’re beginning construction for the repair and reconfiguring of SW Avalon Way to improve safety, accessibility, and comfort for all users.

Starting April 15, 2019, we’ll demolish the east side of SW Avalon Way from SW Genesee St to SW Yancy St. This work is weather dependent and subject to change.

Starting April 15, here’s what you expect.

S C H E D U L E

Beginning April 15, 2019, Crews will be surveying and demolishing SW Avalon Way from SW Genesee St to SW Yancy St. We will also be conducting utility work on the east side of SW Avalon Way at SW Genesee St. Work hours are typically on weekdays from 7 AM to 5 PM.

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

The east side of SW Avalon Way from SW Genesee St to SW Yancy St will be closed to traffic. We will maintain one lane of traffic in each direction on SW Avalon Way from SW Genesee St to SW Yancy St.

L A N E R E S T R I C T I O N S

On-street parking will be closed on both sides of the street. People driving will only be able to turn right onto SW Avalon Way. Pedestrian detours will be in place to maintain safety and mobility for people walking.

N O I S E

Expect loud noise, dust, and vibrations while crews are working.

T R A N S I T

Sign up for Metro’s Rider Alerts to stay up to date on stop relocations. If a stop is relocated or a bus is detoured, signs will also be posted along the corridor.

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

We’re repaving SW Avalon Way and 35th Ave SW between SW Spokane St and SW Alaska St. Repaving will make the street more comfortable to drive on and extend its useful life. The project will also:

Upgrade curb ramps
Make minor drainage system upgrades
Install protected bike lanes
Make bus stop improvements

For more information on this project, please visit our project page. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the construction outreach team at AvalonPaving@seattle.gov, or 206.900.8734. We appreciate your patience during this work.

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APR 12: We’re repaving the east side of 25th Ave NE for all users.

April 12, 2019 by Molly Wright

We’re in construction to repave 25th Ave NE to improve safety, accessibility, and comfort for all users.

Starting at 8 PM tonight, April 12, we’ll pave the east side of 25th Ave NE between Montlake Blvd NE to NE 65th St. Here’s what you can expect.

S C H E D U L E

Crews will pave the east side of 25th Ave NE from Montlake Blvd NE to NE 65th St tonight, April 12. Crews plan to work from 8 PM on April 12 to as late as 2 PM on Saturday, April 13.

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

25th Ave NE will be closed to northbound traffic during this work. People driving north will be detoured from Montlake Blvd NE to 35th Ave NE. One lane of southbound traffic will be maintained during paving. During the day (before 8 PM), a single lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction. Please follow marked pedestrian detours.

Tonight, when paving is taking place in front of properties on 25th Ave NE, residents and businesses will not have access to their driveway from 8 PM to as late as 2 PM on Saturday. Please use driveways and side streets east of 25th Ave NE and walk to homes and businesses if you need to leave before 2 PM on Saturday. The pavement needs 4 to 6 hours to cure and crews will be opening driveways as they are able.

N O I S E

Expect loud noise and tar-like odors as the roadway is being paved.

T R A N S I T

For changes in Metro routes during paving, please refer to King County Metro Alerts.

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

We are repaving approximately 1.25 miles of 25th Ave NE between Montlake Boulevard NE and NE 65th St. Repaving will make the street more comfortable to drive on and extend its useful life. The project will also:

Upgrade curb ramps;
Make minor drainage system upgrades;
Replace traffic sensors; and
Make bus stop improvements.

25th Ave NE connects the Ravenna and Roosevelt neighborhoods to many local retail establishments and services. 25th Ave NE is also a transit route with service connecting northeast Seattle to the U District, Link light rail, and downtown Seattle.

For more information on this project, please visit our project page. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the construction outreach team at 25thAvePaving@seattle.gov, or 206-733-9050. We appreciate your patience during this work.

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Starting April 8: Northbound drivers detoured off 35th Ave NE between NE 75th and NE 95th Streets for several weeks.

April 5, 2019 by Molly Wright

We’re in construction to repave 35th Ave NE to improve safety, accessibility, and comfort for all users. Starting on Monday, April 8, crews will be grinding the top several inches of asphalt on 35th Ave NE between NE 75th and NE 89th streets to prepare for paving.