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A Vibrant Seattle Through Transportation Excellence.

Save 30% on Parking from April 1 – 14 When You Try the PayByPhone App!

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Cheaper parking – say what?!

If you’re parking on Seattle streets between April 1-14, you can save 30% by parking with PayByPhone as a first-time user.

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What is PayByPhone?

PayByPhone, SDOT’s mobile parking vendor, offers an easy and secure way to pay for parking in seconds with your mobile phone and is free to use at all of Seattle’s street parking locations. The app includes a variety of features that make parking convenient – including text message reminders before your parking expires, and the option to extend your parking time from your phone.

One in three people who park in Seattle already use PayByPhone to pay for their parking because it’s so easy and convenient. Join them!

Sweet! How do I use it?

Download the PayByPhone app from the iTunes or Google Play Store here, or pay for your parking directly at m.paybyphone.com.

Then, when you’re ready to park, look for the PayByPhone signs. Simply enter the location number found on the sign into the app, choose your parking duration, and confirm your parking! With the app’s “nearby” feature, you can save time by selecting your location from an automated list of nearby PayByPhone parking location numbers.

New PayByPhone users, don’t miss the chance to save 30% the first time you use the app for on-street paid parking during this promotion period! To learn more about this offer, visit paybyphone.com/seattle.

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Hey! I’m walkin’ (to work) here! Walk to Work Day is April 5.

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walking downtown

Just in time for spring showers…it’s Walk to Work Day tomorrow, April 5! So, get your rain jackets, umbrellas (yes, they are acceptable), walking shoes, and mobility devices ready. #WalktoWorkDay

As we continue through the #SeattleSqueeze, walking continues to be a great option to get to and through downtown, and Walk to Work day is the perfect day to get started.

Walking keeps you healthy, happy, and helps the environment. Wins all around!

Adding any number of steps to your day, even if it’s just a small part of your commute, is a great way to burn calories, lower your risk of chronic disease, improve your mood, and is free. #Winning! Even if you don’t live within walking distance to your workplace, you can look for ways to add in some extra steps, like getting off the bus a stop early. Y’know, to pick up a donut and offset those burned calories. You earned it.

This koala added strength training to their cardio routine.

So, how do I start?

Check out the Seattle Walking Map! This map was designed to help people choose a walking route that best suits their interests and fitness level. It includes routes that follow sidewalks, shoulders on quiet streets, and park trails.

South Seattle Walking Map

The South Seattle Walking Map is one of three walking maps throughout the city.

King County Metro’s Downtown Accessibility Map lets you plan trips to downtown Seattle destinations that avoid the hills using public transportation and a variety of building elevators and escalators.

Accessibility Map

 

Regardless of how you’re getting around, remember to look out for yourself and others.

Here are some basic safety tips to keep in mind on Walk to Work Day and every day:

  • All intersections (not just the marked crosswalks) are legal crossings. Expect pedestrians and be on the lookout for people crossing the street.
  • Look both ways (remember what we learned as children: left, right, left again). It’s also a good idea to look over your shoulder for turning vehicles.
  • If you’re driving, take it slow. Math + basic physics = increased crashes as speed increases. And survivability for pedestrians involved in a crash goes down with each additional MPH. It’s 20 MPH on residential streets, and 25 MPH on arterials, unless otherwise posted.
  • Pay attention. No matter how you get around, get your head out of your apps. Keep your phone out of reach, especially when you’re behind the wheel. If you’re crossing the street, pop it into your pocket and be aware of your surroundings.

Happy walking! #WalktoWorkDay

people with dogs

Bonus points: bring a furry friend.

 

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#MoreMetro = More trips on bus routes for you!

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As of March 23, there are more trips on bus routes with high ridership demand.

 

The buses are out of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, but that’s not the only change that’s happening to our downtown streets! As of March 23, there are more trips on bus routes with high ridership demand serving many parts of Seattle to make transit an even more reliable option during the #SeattleSqueeze and beyond.

 

Photo by: Jeanne Clark

 

More daily bus trips to get you where you need to go.

 

Thanks to the Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD), there’re more daily bus trips to get you where you need to go.

 

  • Route 40: Added 11 daily trips on weekdays, providing 10-minute or better service from 6 AM – 7 PM
  • Route 41: Improved Night Owl service (late-night bus service in your neighborhood) on Saturdays
  • Route 50: Improved weekday midday service with buses coming every 20 minutes
  • Route 106: Added 48 trips on Sundays, providing 15-minute or better service from 8 AM – 7 PM to match Saturday service levels
  • Route 120: Added 28 trips on weekdays, providing 10-minute or better service from 6 AM – 7 PM and added 43 trips on Sundays, providing 15-minute or better service from 8 AM – 7 PM to match Saturday service levels

 

For additional service information on routes 15, 102, 111, 204 and 312, check out King County Metro’s website.

 

71% of Seattle households are now within a 10-minute walk of 10-minute or better transit service!

 

With the weekday service improvements on Routes 40 and 120, 71% of Seattle households are now within a 10-minute walk of 10-minute or better transit service, up from just 25% in 2015. We’re excited to partner with Metro to bring you the transit service you need to get around Seattle.

 

Upgrades on the remaining routes are helping to increase options and access for bus riders at all times of the day, and all days of the week.

 

STBD helps us improve transit access and options for students, low-income families, + more!

 

STBD Proposition 1 was passed by Seattle voters in November 2014. Through a $60 vehicle license fee and 0.1% sales tax increase, STBD raises roughly $50 million per year to fund improved King County Metro transit service within Seattle. It helps us improve transit access and options for students, low-income families, and more. Check out the STBD Year 3 Annual Report for more information.

 

This is just the latest chapter of the Seattle Squeeze.

 

In case you missed it,  March 23 also marked the end of buses operating in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (home now to Link light rail-only). All buses that previously operated in the tunnel are now serving stops on downtown surface streets. For more information, check out Metro’s website.

 

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, and we’re excited to provide expanded, reliable transit service to get you where you need to go.

 

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NEW Peak-Only bus lane on 5th & 6th Avenues installed!

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✨NEW✨ pathway on 5th Ave and 6th Ave to serve as a PM peak-only bus lane to help buses move commuters and travelers north.

 

Our crews have been working hard to install new striping and remove old markings quickly and safely in time for the next phase of the Seattle Squeeze on March 23, when all buses that use the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel will permanently move to surface streets.

 

Crews removing old road markings on 5th Ave.

 

To keep transit moving reliably, we installed a new pathway on 5th Ave and 6th Ave to serve as a PM peak-only bus lane to help buses move commuters and 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 ensure 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.

 

Fresh paint drying on 5th Ave.

 

Here’s the latest.

✔️ COMPLETE: Striping along 5th Ave and 6th Ave! Look for white paint and the words “BUS ONLY” to know where the buses will be traveling beginning March 23.

 

✔️ COMPLETE: Signage has been installed, and a new bus bulb at Union St (where the sidewalk will be extended into the street to make space for people getting on and off transit) has been installed as well.

 

📅  Bus shelters at 5th Ave and Marion St will be installed.

 

Installation of the new PM peak-only bus lane on 5th Ave between Columbia St and Marion St.

Heads up: You will see bus drivers using this lane for practice!

King County Metro drivers will be out on the pathway to practice their driving patterns before the actual service change begins on March 23.

Look for buses Monday – Friday from 7 AM to 3 PM as drivers get used to their new routes! This will ensure that they are prepped and ready once those buses start filling up and they begin carrying commuters to their next destination.

 

Reminder: keep up those commute changes from January.

Those changes you made in January, like biking, taking transit, or shifting your commute hours? They worked! Traffic volumes remained low across the region and we avoided any major incidents, so thank you, Seattle! We don’t want you to stop now that the tunnel is open, though – public and private construction projects are going to continue to challenge how we get around, so check out our Tools page to find everything you need to change your commute. Keep it up!

 

Seattle’s new normal – #SeattleSqueeze

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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