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A little snow didn’t stop some of Seattle’s bikers from getting around.

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Central District bike rider (in 2019). Photo by Jeanne Clark

While bicycle traffic goes down when it snows, there were still many riders who got around on their two wheels this week.

 

The Fremont Bridge Counter recorded a total of 1,167 bicycles on Monday, January 13th! That’s down 59% from the Monday prior with 2,845 bicycles over the bridge, but that’s still a lot of people braving the cold and snow on bike.

 

If you decide to bike next time it snows, please dress for the weather with reflective clothes, lights and a helmet, make sure your bike is tuned and equipped to handle inclement weather, ride slowly and use extra caution. Road conditions can change at any time. Remember that drivers may also be navigating unfamiliar road conditions.

 

SDOT crews spreading salt on a protected bike lane.

SDOT crews spreading salt on a protected bike lane.

 

We’re working to help people get around by bike when it snows.

 

One thing that we’re doing differently this year is we now have a designated team for treating and clearing protected bike lanes along with a separate team to treat and clear curb ramps and pedestrian paths on overpasses.

 

On Monday, January 13, 2020, we were able to inspect, treat, & spot clear 46.82 miles of protected bike lane.

 

In some cases, we re-treated the same lanes multiple times for very heavily used bike routes like the 2nd Ave protected bike lane.

 

Our crews focused on protected bike lanes in the Central Business District, Capitol Hill, and Westlake. We have smaller plows for the bike lanes, but much of the work this week was done by hand where snow depth wasn’t enough for motorized vehicles. We continue to inspect, treat, and clear protected bicycle lanes as-needed, between the hours of 7 AM and 7 PM during snow and icy conditions.

 

Mini snow plow for bike lanes

We’re not able to clear most of our neighborhood greenway routes because by design, their routes are narrow & have roundabouts & speed bumps to keep car traffic to a minimum.

 

Unfortunately, these features that increase the bike-ability of these roads the majority of the year, prevent snow plows from accessing the roads. Thank you for being patient and finding alternative routes.

 

Plan your bike commute in the snow.

 

Know which roads have been recently plowed and treated on our Winter Weather Response map. Our snow plows push snow to the right. In some cases this means more snow is in bike lanes before the plows are able to do another pass at the road and move snow completely to the side.

 

Use caution & know your comfort level.

 

If you don’t feel comfortable biking in the snow, choose an alternative option. You can bus, walk, light rail, or maybe even cozy up at home. You can hop back on your bike next week when temperatures are forecasted to be in the 40s with typical Seattle winter rain.

 

If you’re one of the brave who choose to bike in the snow, dress for the weather with warm layers, reflective clothes, lights and a helmet, pay attention to road conditions, ride slowly and use extra caution, and turn around if you realize conditions are beyond your comfort level. And have fun!

 

More resources:

 

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More snow and wind in the forecast for tonight!

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Snowy backyard in north Seattle. Photo by Sarah Quackenbush

The National Weather Center is calling for up to 3 inches of new snowfall & wind up to 26 mph on Tuesday night.

 

Does anyone else love the look of snow delicately collecting on tree branches? It’s peaceful and magical – until the winds pick up. The heavy snow can weigh down branches and cause them to break more easily, especially when it’s windy.

 

Report fallen trees and branches.

If you notice fallen trees or other debris blocking streets or sidewalks, contact our 24-hour dispatch crews at 206-684-ROAD (206-684-7623).

 

Be prepared for possible power outages. If the snow & wind pick up, there’s a good chance that falling branches will take out power lines.

 

Go grab your flashlights, batteries, and warm blankets now so they’re convenient if your power does go out. Make sure your mobile phones and devices are fully charged and have backup batteries fully charged and available. Never use propane heaters or grills indoors, and use caution when using a fireplace for warmth.

 

Check out City Light’s outage map and tips for what to do when your power goes out.  Should there be widespread outages, Seattle City Light has crews on standby ready to respond and work 24/7 until every single customer is back on. You can also stay connected, even when the power is out by downloading Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE) mobile app, to track and report power outages in your neighborhood and check status and estimated restoration times, all in the palm of your hand. Follow PSE on Twitter.

 

Traffic light photo by Davis Sanchez via Pexels

When traffic lights are out, treat the intersection as a 4-way stop.

 

That means who ever arrives first gets to go first. If you arrive at the same time, the car to the right goes first. If two cars across from each other arrive at the same time, cars going straight get the right-of-way. Communicate with other cars by using your turn signals and making eye contact.

 

Remember, never touch or approach a downed wire or anything in contact with the wire.

 

If you see a downed power line, call 911 immediately. If wires have fallen on your car, stay in your vehicle until first responders arrive. They will let you know when it’s safe to exit the vehicle. The wires could be energized and you could be electrocuted.

 

If you notice a downed power line, DO NOT touch or approach it. Please report downed wires or outages to Seattle City Light at 206.684.7400. Check out City Light’s outage map and tips for what to do when your power goes out.

 

Report fallen trees & branches.

 

If you notice fallen trees or other debris blocking streets or sidewalks, contact our 24-hour dispatch crews at 206-684-ROAD (206-684-7623).

 

Help clear blocked street gutters & storm drains.

 

If you see a blocked street gutter, please help clear the leaves and debris to keep the 80,000 storm drains throughout our city flowing smoothly and to help prevent flooding. Please report flooding issues to Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) at 206.386.1800. Follow @SeattleSPU on Twitter.

 

Snowplow and cars on Capitol Hill from 2019 snow. Photo by Tim Durkan

More resources:

 

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Snow starts off charming, but when it turns to ice it gets truly alarming.

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Washington Arboretum after past snowfall. Photo by Girma Nigusse on Unsplash

This morning Seattle woke up to a blanket of snow clinging to trees and rooftops.

Our crews hit the roads at noon Sunday to pre-treat the roads before the snow started accumulating. They worked throughout the night to clear roads of snow and ice. We’re happy to report that all city snow routes are treated and safe to drive on and that no streets were closed due to snow Monday morning. Our Snow routes include high-priority routes at schools and hospitals.

Today, crews are still on the roads to make sure there isn’t slush and standing water on roadways that could turn to ice when the temperatures drop. They’re also focusing on clearing walking and biking routes including overpasses, sidewalks, curb ramps, and protected bike lanes. Our street use inspectors are educating property owners about snow clearing responsibilities.

 

We can’t be everywhere at once. With over 2,400 miles of sidewalk in Seattle, we depend on the public to do your part and clear the sidewalks and curb ramps in front of your homes and businesses.

Clearing the sidewalks isn’t just the law, it’s also the right thing to do so that everyone can travel safely during a snow storm, especially people who have special needs that find it extra challenging to get around.

 

Here are things to keep in mind when shoveling your sidewalk:

  • Snow should be cleared within 12 hours after snowfall ends, and as the snow melts and refreezes, you should keep an eye out for icy patches and other hazards that may form.
  • Make sure that the cleared path is at least 36 inches wide so that people with mobility aids like wheelchairs can get around too.
  • Make sure that the storm drains are clear of any snow and ice. If melted snow can’t drain, it can form puddles which can refreeze overnight. 
  • If you see a curb ramp that hasn’t been cleared yet, pitch in to help your community stay safe and moving. 

 

Talk to your neighbors to find out who will need help in your community, work together to support one another, and come up with a plan to ensure that all the sidewalks on your block are kept clear so that everyone can get around safely.

Snowplow and cars on Capitol Hill from 2019 snow. Photo by Tim Durkan

No matter how good a driver you think you are, you just can’t be too careful around ice.

The roads may be fine now, but as the temperatures drop and precipitation continues, road conditions can change. Remember:

  • Check which roads have been cleared of snow and ice.
  • Carry food, water, blankets, and an emergency kit in your car.
  • Remove all snow and ice from your car before hitting the roads – not just the windows, but the hood and top of your car also.
  • Take your time & leave plenty of room to stop
  • If you don’t feel in control, find a safe spot to pull over
  • Obey street closed signs – they’re closed for your safety

Remember, if you don’t have to drive, leave your car at home.

Walk, bus, light rail, bike, or cozy up and stay put in your home.

More resources:

 

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Seattle traffic report gives an in-depth look at 2018 travel trends

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Woman in wheelchair crossing Rainier Ave

Every year, we release core data sets including traffic volumes, speeds, and collisions. Data drives our plans, policies, and decisions on everything from safety to paving. It also plays an important role in evaluating project performance and identifying trends.

 

Read the full Traffic Report to see 2018 transportation data and trends.

 

What does the data tell us?

People are continuing to use a variety of healthy and active ways to get around Seattle as the population and economy booms.

 

Charts showing that fewer people in Seattle are driving alone

Keep up the great work Seattle! Only 45% of people commuted by driving alone. That’s a big drop from five years ago!

 

 

The number of people using active transportation in their commute increased, with 12.3% of people walking and 3.8% biking. We counted 19% more bikes passing data collection points around the city, and bike rides on the Fremont Bridge broke a 2014 record with 1,051,880 trips.

 

While we don’t have full 2019 numbers yet, we know that Seattle bike riders have continued to set new records all year long with massive ridership this winter, more people than ever riding shared bikes, and once again smashing the Fremont Bridge ridership record.

Chart showing increasing bike ridership on Fremont Bridge

Increase in bike rides over the Fremont Bridge

In 2018, Seattle’s population grew by 2.3% to 730,000 people, employment increased to over 600,000 jobs in the city, and over 2 million jobs in the Puget Sound region. Even with a lower portion of people driving, the growing population and other factors have still led to a slight increase in driving overall.

 

On average, people took about 1 million car and truck trips in Seattle each day (including freeways), of which about 440,000 trips were on surface streets. This was a 3.6% increase from 2017, although the number of surface street trips was a little lower than 2016.

 

While Seattle has made national headlines for being one of the only cities to see ongoing increases in transit ridership, the 2018 report reveals that this trend might be beginning to level off. While 23% of Seattle residents say that they commute by transit, overall trips on transit only increased by about 1%. This is because transit remains an increasingly popular choice during peak commute times, but has not seen the same increases during off-peak times or weekends.

 

We are continuing to work with our transportation partners at King County Metro and Sound Transit to invest in improving transit reliability by adding over 8,000 weekly bus trips, 90 new blocks of red bus lanes, and providing free ORCA cards to 16,000 students and low-income residents through the voter-approved Seattle Transportation Benefit District and other funding sources.

 

Crash data emphasizes the importance of our Vision Zero plan

 

The report also includes a detailed look at citywide crash data from 2018. While there was a drop in Seattle traffic deaths in 2018, serious injuries increased moderately. Preliminary 2019 crash data, which is published in our 2019 Vision Zero update, indicates that traffic deaths and serious injuries have both increased this year.

 

In 2018, there were 12,185 crashes on Seattle streets, including 177 serious-injury crashes and 14 people who were killed. Pedestrians were the most vulnerable, and represented 9 of the 14 people who died after being hit by a car. Distraction was one of the most frequent contributors to crashes and was cited in nearly 2000 collisions. Intoxication was a factor in 489 crashes, a 19% increase from 2017.

 

Mayor Durkan recently announced a series of steps to improve safety on our streets and reaffirm the City’s commitment to achieving the Vision Zero goal of ending traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. We will be reducing the speed limit to 25 mph citywide, enhancing safety at traffic signals and crosswalks, and investing to make Seattle more walkable.

 

Why wait a year to release the report?

 

The traffic report is prepared in compliance with the Seattle Municipal Code, which requires the City Traffic Engineer to present an annual traffic report that incudes information about trends and collisions. We gather data throughout the year, but it takes time to process, double check, and analyze it all.

 

It takes a particularly long time to verify and analyze crash data. Initial police reports do not always tell the full story, so our preliminary data may change as it is reviewed for a variety of reasons. For example, people’s medical condition can change after the initial police report is filed, some crashes may not be reported at first, or further details may be revealed through a police investigation.

 

We work with Seattle Police Department (SPD) and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to review collision data over time. It typically takes about 2-3 months for WSDOT to review and process collision reports. We continuously update our public data portal as reports are processed, and publish a final report in December of the following year.

 

From data to action.

 

See how the data from the 2018 report is informing our plans and policies. Take a look: 2019 Vision Zero update, 2019 Bicycle Master Plan update, 2019 Pedestrian Master Plan update, Transit Master Plan, and Freight Master Plan.

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We’re stepping up our efforts to make crossing the street safer.

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Caption: Preschool children using a brand new traffic signal in Fremont. Photo courtesy of Fremont.com and Fremont Chamber of Commerce.

 

Of all the things we do to keep Seattle moving, public safety is by far our absolute highest priority. 

 

Mayor Jenny Durkan has announced four steps on December 10 to make our streets even safer and achieve our Vision Zero goal of ending traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030. Along with lowering speed limits, one critical step is enhancing safety for people walking and rolling as they cross the street by installing leading pedestrian intervals.  

 

An alarmingly high number of serious crashes take place at crosswalks when people turning in cars hit people crossing the street. 

 

Installing leading pedestrian intervals (the technical term for re-timing traffic signals to give people a few seconds head start to begin walking across the street before people in cars get a green light) is one way to enhance safety. People in the crosswalks become more visible to people driving and this method has proven to reduce crosswalk collisions by 60%.  

 

Preventing crashes with a few seconds head start for a pedestrian.  

Federal Highway Administration: Leading pedestrian intervals prevent 60% of car versus pedestrian crashes.

New York City Department of Transportation: Deaths and serious injuries dropped by 40%.  

 

We’re committing to double the number of leading pedestrian intervals next year to 250 locations. That’s 25% of the traffic signals in Seattle.

 

We’re excited to announce signal upgrades are going way faster than we announced earlier this year. So we set a more ambitious goal and are committing to double the current number of leading pedestrian intervals by the end of 2020.  

 

Chart showing that SDOT will add leading pedestrian intervals to 250 locations by end of 2020

We’ve been improving traffic signal safety at hundreds of intersections.

 

We prioritize safety upgrades where we’ve seen a concerning history of collisions, in urban centers, & near buildings like schools, hospitals, & community centers.

 

We also add leading pedestrian intervals every time we do other traffic signal maintenance work that creates the opportunity unless there’s a specific reason why it does not make sense in a particular location. 

 

We’ve added leading pedestrian intervals to 125 intersections so far.

Look out for each other. 

While we’re excited about increasing the number of LPIs across the city, we also want to take a moment to remind everyone that we all have a role to play in improving safety. 

As you’re traveling Seattle’s streets, look out for yourself and for each other. Recognize that every intersection is unique, so stay alert. If you’re driving, pay attention, slow down, and expect people are walking and biking in every part of the city at all times of day.  

With your help, and with changes big and small, we can get closer to our Vision Zero goal of ending traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030. 

 

Safety is the top priority when we install new traffic signals. 

Building new traffic signals is another way we’re working to enhance safety by using city-wide collision data to help prioritize where signals are most needed.  

 

Some of the new traffic signals we’ve built this year include 1st Ave NW & NW 36th St in Fremont, the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91, and 35th Ave NE & NE 68th St in Wedgwood. Next year, we plan to build new traffic signals along high traffic areas in South Seattle, High Point, Bitter Lake, and Lake City. 

 

A traffic signal at Aurora Ave N & N 92nd St lets school children press a button to control when cars get a red light. Collisions in this area have dropped by 50% since this push-button signal was built in 2017. Photo courtesy of Dongho Chang

 

We’re also planning to keep on working on other ways to make traffic signals safer for people walking, rolling, and biking.  

In 2020, we plan to make updates to our traffic signal policy, including the guidelines we use to make sure people of all ages and abilities have enough time to get across the street safely.  

 

We’ll also be taking a look at how we use push-buttons to address frustrations we’ve heard. We don’t want to make you press a button if you don’t need to, and there are also some places where giving pedestrians control to stop car-traffic makes the most sense. So we want to make sure that we’re programming these buttons consistently with a pedestrian’s perspective in mind.  

 

The goal will be to balance the needs of all modes of transportation so that everyone can get where they need to go safely and conveniently.  

 

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Slower speeds save lives: a path to end traffic deaths & serious injuries in Seattle 

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Mayor Jenny Durkan has announced 4 steps to make our streets even safer & achieve our Vision Zero goal of ending traffic deaths & serious injuries on city streets by 2030.  

 

Along with making crosswalks safer, one step is reducing speed limits to 25 miles per hour (MPH) on major streets citywide. The speed limit on smaller neighborhood streets was already reduced to 20 miles per hour.  

 

Today we launched the effort by reducing speeds to 25 MPH along Rainier Ave S., which will now have a consistent speed limit for 3.5 miles south of S Alaska St. 

 

In 2020, we will begin lowering speeds on the rest of Seattle’s major streets, starting in Southwest and Southeast Seattle. We’re also working closely with our partners at WSDOT to lower speeds on state highways within our city, including Aurora Ave and Lake City Way.  

 

Traffic deaths & injuries are a serious epidemic, & reducing speed limits helps ensure everyone can travel safely.

 

Severe crashes are increasing all over the country. Even in Seattle, which is consistently recognized as one of the safest cities in the country, there are over 13,000 crashes a year. On average, 20 people die, and 150 people are seriously injured each year, and while the trend dipped in 2018, it has gone back up in 2019. This trend is not acceptable. We don’t want anyone to experience the tragedy of a friend or loved one being killed by a collision.  

 

Reducing speed limits has a proven safety benefit.

 

 

A person walking, rolling, or biking is twice as likely to be killed if they are hit by a person driving 30 MPH than someone going 25 MPH. 90% of people hit by cars going 20 MPH are injured but survive. 

 

Chart showing that a person’s chance of surviving being hit by a car decreases drastically with faster speeds.

A person’s chance of surviving being hit by a car decreases drastically with faster speeds. Graphic: ProPublica. Data: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report.

 

We’ve seen increases in safety everywhere we’ve reduced speed limits to 25 mph. 

 

  • Downtown & South Lake Union: 10% fewer crashes and 20% fewer severe injuries and deaths  
  • Greenwood & Phinney Ridge: Crashes were lowered by 34% 
  • Greenlake & Roosevelt: 44% reduction in collisions 

 

It’s not just Seattle. New York City dropped speed limits throughout their city to 25 MPH in 2014. From 2014 to 2018, they were one of the only major cities in the country to see a consistent drop in traffic fatalities. The World Health Organization has concluded that a 5% reduction in average speed can result in a 30% decrease in traffic fatalities.  

 

Slow & steady wins the race. Speeding causes collisions, & collisions cause 25% of traffic congestion.

 

 

We expect a negligible impact on how long it takes people driving to get where they’re going. Most trips will only take 20-40 seconds longer to drive a mile at 25 MPH than the current speed limit. About a quarter of the time we spend sitting in traffic is due to collisions, and lowering speed limits prevents about a third of them. It’s a win–win. 

  

Practicing the 3 E’s. Along with engineering, enforcement & education are both critical parts of our Vision Zero efforts. 

 

As we implement lower speed limits, we’ll be installing signs at more frequent spacing so drivers see the speed limit more often. And as part of Mayor Durkan’s four steps, in 2020, Vision Zero Street Teams will share information about lower speed limits at educational events throughout the city. Speed limit information and safe driving tips will be shared through print, social, and ethnic media.   

 

The City will also create a new Major Crash Review Task Force which will convene a panel of experts to analyze every serious and fatal collision in our City and provide recommendations to prevent similar incidents from happening again. The City will also launch Vision Zero Street Teams raise awareness around transportation safety issues and educate the public about lower speed limits and other infrastructure projects.

 

We work closely with our friends at the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to enforce the rules of the road and keep everyone safe, with a focus on warnings first to raise awareness. We’re working with SPD to develop further strategies to ensure traffic enforcement is equitable and does not disproportionally impact communities of color. We use data to inform focus areas to make sure to consider both collision trends and demographics to determine locations for enforcement. We take a high visibility approach to enforcement and inform people about our additional hours of enforcement through our network of dynamic message signs and media. After all, the intent of the added hours of enforcement is not to issue citations, but to change behaviors.  

 

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The Move Seattle Levy Update: A look back on a successful (& nearly complete!) year of work.

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Our Quarter 3 (Q3) Report on the Levy to Move Seattle was published on October 30, and we’re here to tell you about all the great things we invested Levy dollars in last season.

 

Brace yourselves! It’s a lot!

 

It’s been about a year since we published the Updated Levy to Move Seattle Workplan Report and we’ve come a long way in just one year. With better reporting in place and more accountability to the clear and measurable plan in the Workplan Report, we’re excited to show real results and progress being made.

 

The 9-year Levy to Move Seattle was approved by voters in November 2015 and provides $930 million to improve safety for all travelers, maintain our streets and bridges, and invest in reliable, affordable travel options for a growing city.

 

The Q3 Report is a regular update to the Move Seattle Levy Oversight Committee detailing SDOT spending on Move Seattle programs.

 

Read our Q2 blog post for a look at our accomplishments over the first six months of the year, and then dive in to our Q3 Report to see what has happened since then!

 

We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished for you, Seattle!

 

The majority of the year’s portfolio is on-track and we’re proud of the many accomplishments and successes achieved in Q3 and throughout 2019.

 

Here’s a huge shout-out to our crew-delivered, maintenance, & operations programs on the progress they’ve made this year!

 

SDOT staff celebrate the installation of the 8th Ave PBL

 

Q3 was a big quarter for progress across all programs, but especially in crew-delivered and maintenance/operations programs like sidewalk safety repair, curb ramps, paving spot improvements, markings, stairway rehabilitation, and transit spot improvements.

 

Here’s a quick rundown of our major Move Seattle successes so far for the year:

 

BIKE LANES

We added more than four miles of protected bike lanes in Q3, including important connections that are part of the Center City Bike Network. Check out our blog post on the fun event we held to celebrate the opening of the 8th Ave protected bike lane!

 

PAVING PROJECTS

Eight of nine paving projects for the year are complete! Did you get that? Eight of nine! We started construction on an additional 20 lane miles of paving that will continue over the next two years: the Avalon Way/35th Ave S paving project and the Green Lake/Wallingford area paving project. Through partnership with the Bike Safety program, these will also help make critical connections in the citywide bike network.

 

FAIRVIEW BRIDGE

We started construction of the Fairview Bridge Replacement project, a major milestone for this critical public safety and maintenance project.

 

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

Seventeen Safe Routes to School projects were built in Q3 alone! Safe Routes to school is a program that seeks to encourage more kids to walk and bike to school and improves safety in areas around schools for kids who walk and bike. The total number of Safe Routes to School projects for the year is now 27 – WOW!

 

TRANSIT SPOT IMPROVEMENTS

You’ve probably seen more red pavement around downtown, and maybe your bus stop saw some enhancements or upgrades, which are all part of the Transit Spot Improvements program that has exceeded its planned accomplishments this year, putting 27 spot improvements in the ground.

 

Look what our Levy Oversight Committee had to say!

 

We’ve continued to work with the Levy Oversight Committee to keep them informed along our way. Here’s what our Committee Co-Chair had to say!

 

“We were glad to see the arterial paving accomplishments noted in the 3rd Quarter Report. SDOT contractors and crews have already completed almost all the work scheduled for this year and even begun work on projects scheduled for next year. This kind of accelerated project delivery is critical to restoring and improving transportation infrastructure in our fast-growing city. Underspending in a few areas, though well explained in each case, needs to be monitored carefully to stay on track.” 

Ron Posthuma and Betty Spieth-Croll, Co-Chairs

 

We’ve faced new challenges delivering the Northgate Bridge, inspiring us to work even harder to move forward.

 

The Northgate Bridge, which will improve connections over I-5 for people walking and biking to connect to the future light rail station at Northgate, has faced a few delays this year due to permitting. However, through this process, we’re only more determined to begin construction by the end of this year and working hard to move things forward. Sign up to receive project updates with the latest information on the Northgate Bridge webpage.

 

So far this year, we’ve invested $137M of your tax dollars in safety, maintenance, & mobility enhancements – up 30% from last year.

 

2019 continues to be the biggest year of levy delivery. In Q3 alone, we invested $51.3M in transportation enhancements, which 10% higher than Q3 last year and 36% higher than Q3 spending in 2017. We spent about $8M less than we initially planned for Q3 which is due to several key project delays that we’ve been talking about with the Levy Oversight Committee throughout the year. Check out the Q3 Report for more detail.

 

Want to know more about the Levy to Move Seattle Q3 Report?

 

We’re closely monitoring all programs, projects, and levy spending, and we regularly share information with the Levy Oversight Committee. The Q3 Report is the last progress update on the levy before we’ll publish the 2019 Annual Report next March. But, keep your eye here on the blog, where we post ongoing project and program updates so you can keep track of the work we’ll continue to do before the year’s over!

 

Read the full report or attend a Levy Oversight Committee meeting.

 

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The Two-Way Columbia St Transit Pathway is On Its Way!

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RapidRide C Line Bus from West Seattle.

 

We’re working with King County Metro to install a two-way transit pathway on Columbia St between Alaskan Way and 3rd Ave, opening to transit in early 2020. This pathway will support all-day transit service between West Seattle and downtown Seattle by creating an efficient and reliable route for buses to access the new Viaduct-free Alaskan Way in early 2020, relocating these routes from 1st Ave and 4th Ave.

 

These changes are crucial to the next step in opening up the Waterfront for transit use and are the final step of the larger project to reconstruct Columbia St to accommodate two-way transit operation.

 

Here’s what you can expect.

 

Click here to download our Columbia St transit pathway flyer:

Two-Way Columbia Street Transit Improvements

Between Alaskan Way and Western Ave:

 

 

  • The southern curb lane will be a 24-hour bus-only lane to allow buses to travel eastbound on Columbia St.
  • The center lane will be a left turn only lane onto southbound Alaskan Way.
  • The northern curb lane will be a 24-hour bus-only left turn lane onto southbound Alaskan Way.

 

Between Western Ave and 1st Ave:

 

 

  • The southern curb lane will be a 24-hour bus-only lane to allow buses to travel eastbound on Columbia St. There will also be 24-hour bus-only lane to travel westbound toward Alaskan Way.
  • The two other lanes are for traffic turning left onto southbound Western Avenue or heading straight toward Alaskan Way and a right turn only lane onto northbound Western Avenue.

 

Between 1st Ave and 2nd Ave:

 

  • The southern curb lane will be changed to a 24-hour bus-only lane to allow buses to travel eastbound on Columbia St.
  •  The existing left turn only lane will be converted to a left turn plus through lane.
  •  A new bus signal will be installed at Columbia St and 2nd Ave to keep the new eastbound buses moving.

 

Between 2nd Ave and 3rd Ave:

 

  • The southern curb lane will be changed to a 24-hour bus-only lane to allow eastbound buses on Columbia St to turn left onto 3rd Ave.
  •  The existing westbound through lane adjacent to the new lane will be converted to a left turn plus through lane.
  •  A new bus signal will be installed at Columbia St and 3rd Ave to manage the new left turning bus traffic.

 

Which buses will use the Columbia St Transit Pathway?

 

RapidRide C Line in downtown Seattle

 

West Seattle, Burien, and neighboring area buses including the 21x, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, and the RapidRide C Line will use this new pathway.

 

West Seattle bus riders, we heard you about the extended travel times on 1st Ave through Pioneer Square this summer. Working with King County Metro, we moved southbound buses to 4th Ave S and temporarily moved northbound buses to that pathway while S Dearborn St was closed.

 

Northbound buses will remain on the 1st Ave pathway and southbound buses will remain on 4th Ave S until early 2020, when these buses will move to Alaskan Way and begin using this two-way transit pathway on Columbia St to access  Ave.

 

 

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The Anatomy of a Curb Ramp

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Completed curb ramps at E Republican and 16th Ave E

Completed curb ramps at E Republican and 16th Ave E

Curb ramps make our city more accessible for everyone, & they’re a high priority for our Maintenance Operations Division (MOD) Concrete Crews.

 

Pursuant to a Consent Decree, the City of Seattle builds at least 1250 curb ramps per year, and our MOD Concrete Crews complete a significant portion of that required total. Their goal for this year was to complete 300 ramps, and as of Friday, September 13, they’d exceeded their goal! They’ve installed 328 ramps and completed 6 retrofits , for a total of 334 ramps. They’ve done all this with a team of 57 regular concrete crew members and 10 temporary staff (all of them do many other kinds of concrete work, too). They also are supported by our asphalt crews, who assist with drivers and operators when needed.

 

Here’s a step-by-step guide for you.

 

Concrete crew member Alex Savini took some great photos documenting two curb ramp projects recently, and we’d like to share them with you, along with a step-by-step explanation of how curb ramps are built. These photos are from two sites: E Valley and 24th Ave E, and E Republican and 16th Ave E.

 

Step 1: demolishing the old sidewalk at E Valley St and 24th Ave E

Step 1: demolishing the old sidewalk at E Valley St and 24th Ave E

 

Building a curb ramp is a complicated & multi-stage process.

 

After demolishing the old sidewalk, curb, and connecting structures, we clear and prep the area for the new curb ramp. Our crews form up the ramp, wings, sidewalk, and landing pad.

 

Forming up a new curb ramp

Forming up a new curb ramp

 

Once the forms are in place, we level and complete a rock base, which is then compacted. After this is finished, we’re ready for a forms inspection.

 

I Esponoza works on compacting the rock base at E Valley and 24th Ave E

I Esponoza works on compacting the rock base at E Valley and 24th Ave E

 

Our team tackles challenges as they arise. Many of these curb ramps present design complexities & execution challenges.

 

In the case of this curb ramp at E Valley St and 24th Ave E, the ramp and sidewalk were adjacent to private property steps and other structures. When our projects connect to private property, we must obtain “right of access” to pour the ramp. In this situation, the ramp landing was at base of the homeowner’s steps.

 

Darryl Shears, I Espinoza, Savang Suth, and Alex Savini work on finishing the first pour

Darryl Shears, I Espinoza, Savang Suth, and Alex Savini work on finishing the first pour

 

The process by which concrete is formed & poured varies by project.

 

In these photos, the ramp, wings and gutter were all poured at once. After that, the sidewalks around the ramp are completed. While the concrete is wet, team members score it.

 

Robert Pasquariello, Troy Perry, and I Espinoza score the sidewalk and landing pad

Robert Pasquariello, Troy Perry, and I Espinoza score the sidewalk and landing pad

 

And now for the final steps!

 

After all the pours are complete, the concrete must cure completely over a 24-hour period before it can be walked on.

 

Bricks are placed on the warning tactile to hold it in place while the concrete cures

Bricks are placed on the warning tactile to hold it in place while the concrete cures

 

Finally, we replace the adjoining street surface (which may be cobblestone, asphalt, or concrete) so that the street meets the edge of the gutter smoothly.

 

The finished product at E Valley and 24th Ave E

The finished product at E Valley and 24th Ave E

 

We’re so proud of their great work! Our concrete crews are a committed team, and will continue on their mission to go above and beyond in building curb ramps throughout the fall.

 

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A critical safety project to replace the aging Fairview Ave N bridge kicks off construction next week.

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South Connection of the new Fairview Ave N Bridge

 

Thousands of people travel on Fairview Ave N between South Lake Union and Eastlake every day without even realizing that they’re passing over Seattle’s last remaining major road on a wooden bridge. The road next to the historic Lake Union Steam Plant building just south of where Fairview Ave N splits off from Eastlake Ave E is held up by wooden posts built over 65 years ago which desperately need to be replaced. On Monday, September 23, this section of Fairview Ave N will close for approximately 18 months so that crews can rebuild this aging bridge which does not meet current seismic standards.

 

Your Move Seattle Levy tax dollars at work!

 

Peeking underneath the Fairview Ave N bridge, which will be rebuilt to improve safety and seismic vulnerability.

Peeking underneath the Fairview Ave N bridge, which will be rebuilt to improve safety and seismic vulnerability.

 

This critical public safety project will be funded by the Levy to Move Seattle passed by Seattle voters in 2015. The Levy will provide a $27 million investment in the Fairview Bridge Replacement project, which is one of three major bridge projects funded by the Move Seattle Levy. The Levy committed to replacing Seattle’s aging and seismically vulnerable Fairview Ave N bridge, improving safety and updating the street design to accommodate all people.

 

With funds from the Levy’s Maintenance & Repair category, the Fairview Bridge Replacement project is an investment in the future with improvements to move people and goods more safely and efficiently. We’re proud to begin construction on this cornerstone project and deliver on our commitment to voters.

 

Getting around during construction.

 

A map showing how to get around during the Fairview Ave N Bridge closure.

A map showing how to get around during the Fairview Ave N Bridge closure.

 

To replace the bridge, we will need to close this section of Fairview Ave N for 18 months starting on September 23. We know this will be a challenging period as we’re all dealing with the ongoing traffic created by the Seattle Squeeze, but this is an absolutely critical investment in public safety. Learn more about the details of the closure and detour on the Fairview Ave N Bridge Replacement Project web page.

 

This is a critical safety investment.

 

Decaying timber piles hold up the Fairview Ave N bridge.

Decaying timber piles hold up the Fairview Ave N bridge.

 

While the 65-year-old bridge is safe to travel on today, it will not last forever and does not meet current seismic standards.

 

The timber posts which hold up the western half of the bridge are decaying and the concrete girders which stabilize the street on the eastern half of the bridge are cracked. Rebuilding the bridge is essential for public safety.

Concrete girders which stabilize the street on the eastern half of the bridge are cracked

Concrete girders which stabilize the street on the eastern half of the bridge are cracked

The final bridge design has many benefits for our community.

 

The final bridge design includes improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles

The final bridge design includes improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles.

 

When the bridge is completed in 2021, all people will be able to move through the corridor more safely. A new wider street will benefit all users and provide more room for people to drive, walk, bike, and get to transit.

 

Unlike the current bridge, the design will feature sidewalks on both sides as well as a protected 12-foot, 2-way bike lane on the west side of the bridge. Just like today, there will be three lanes for cars and buses.

 

Along with seismic improvements, we’re building 3 new lookout points along the west side of the bridge to provide viewing platforms looking out to Lake Union. They will replace the current lookout area located on the northern end of the bridge.

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