A Weekly Summary of WSDOT News and Activities
WSDOT is encouraging people to weigh in on the designs for the new SR 520 floating bridge. An estimated 190,000 people cross this bridge daily. |
There’s a lot of interest in what the future State Route 520 bridge and highway will include. The route is key for commuters and freight drivers who cross Lake Washington each day between Seattle and the Eastside – about 115,000 vehicles and an estimated 190,000 people.
But the aging and vulnerable floating bridge must be replaced with a facility that is more reliable and safer, and also improves mobility for people and goods. We recently completed a careful analysis of our plans to build a new six-lane floating bridge and highway from I-5 to Medina. Our report is online and now is the best time for people to weigh in on those designs.
This report, called a supplemental draft environmental impact statement, puts us one step closer to completing environmental review of the project and applying for construction permits.
Here are a few highlights from the report:
- Buses and carpools are expected to see travel time benefits once high-occupancy vehicle lanes are added to the SR 520 floating bridge and corridor. In 2030, eastbound commuters in the HOV lane during the heaviest traffic will travel up to 40 minutes faster if the project is built.
- Drivers will have wider, safer freeway lanes and shoulders.
- Bicyclists and walkers will be able to cross the lake on a 14-foot-wide regional path.
- Stormwater from the roadway will be treated before it reaches Lake Washington.
- Greenhouse gas emissions are expected to be lower in 2030 than if the project is not built.
- Neighbors will hear less traffic noise because of noise reduction measures along the highway.
The environmental report has many more details and is currently available for review and comment on the SR 520 program Web page . Comments will be accepted through March 8.
If you’re interested in learning more about the project, please join us at an environmental hearing and open house on Tuesday, Feb. 23, from 5 - 7 p.m., at the Lake Union Park Naval Reserve Building, 860 Terry Ave. N., Seattle.
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Secretary of State Sam Reed and Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond recognize WSDOT Maintenance Tech. Brad Kuhlmann (center) for his idea to improve worker safety. |
Innovative thinking by a WSDOT Maintenance Technician will help spare his fellow workers from having their jobs becoming a major pain in the back.
Brad Kuhlmann from WSDOT's Toppenish maintenance crew, devised a truck-mounted lifting device to assist crews when they remove traffic barrels from the roadway. The device significantly reduces the risks of sprains and strains and helps avoid potential injury claims and lost days of work.
Kuhlmann's idea was spawned from personal experience. "When we set up a work area, we typically have 50 barrels or more and they each weigh about 70 pounds," said Kuhlmann. "Picking up the work zone meant we had to throw the barrels overhead into the truck. It was painful on the back. I knew there had to be a better way."
Kuhlmann was recognized for his idea and given an "Innovations in State Government" award by the State Productivity Board during a ceremony Feb. 17 at the Capitol Rotunda in Olympia. Jay Wells from WSDOT's Headquarters Maintenance was also recognized for his thorough evaluation and testing of Kuhlmann's idea. The new device is being adopted by WSDOT maintenance areas across the state.
Reducing sprains and strains is one of the target areas in WSDOT's goals to improve worker safety. The agency has adopted new goals for each WSDOT region based on the rate of injuries per 100 workers. WSDOT’s regions and divisions are preparing injury reduction plans to reduce the frequency and severity of such injuries.
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I-5 Maytown - Crews on the I-5 Grand Mound to Maytown project shifted traffic on Feb. 18 to new lanes on the southbound Scatter Creek Bridge. They will now move their work to the northbound direction in order to shift northbound traffic to the roadway in the median, allowing crews to demolish the existing northbound Scatter Creek Bridge and build the new one. This work brings the I-5 Grand Mound to Maytown project closer to completion. Crews broke ground on this $61.5 million project in May 2008 and work, which adds a third lane in each direction along this eight-mile stretch of I-5, is scheduled to be complete by fall 2010.
I-405 Bellevue - Crews began creating a construction work zone on Feb. 16 using nighttime closures of the NE 12th Street Bridge. They need this work zone to begin building a new longer and wider bridge over I-405. Crews need to add temporary lighting, remove curbs, modify signals, restripe the roadway, and make other temporary adjustments to create the work zone. The closure is part of the I-405 – NE 8th Street to SR 520 Braided Ramps Project known as the Bellevue Braids because it builds a series of weaved ramps between NE Eighth Street and SR 520 that look like braids. For nearly three weeks the bridge will close at 8 p.m. each weeknight, Monday through Thursday, and reopen at 5 a.m. the next day. The closure is scheduled to last until the first week in March.
SR 519 Seattle - Work continues on the First Avenue S./S. Royal Brougham Way intersection as crews head toward this spring’s opening of the Royal Brougham Way Bridge. The work is part of the SR 519 Intermodal Access Project . In this project crews are building a new I-90/I-5 off-ramp to S. Edgar Martinez Drive/S. Atlantic Street and a bridge over the railroad tracks on S. Royal Brougham Way. The project also includes the widening of the First Avenue S. and S. Atlantic Street/Edgar Martinez Drive S. intersection, which was completed in spring 2009. These improvements will create a safer SR 519 for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists and move freight, daily commuters, sports fans and ferry travelers faster through the corridor. The project will be complete in June 2010, in time for major construction to replace the southern mile of the Alaskan Way Viaduct between S. Holgate and S. King Streets.
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Amtrak Cascades finishes 10th year with strong ridership and improved on-time performance
Amtrak Cascades wrapped up its 10th anniversary year with continued growth in ridership and improvement in on-time performance. A total of 761,610 passengers rode Amtrak Cascades in 2009 and on-time performance improved by eight percent.
WSDOT has released the Amtrak Cascades 2009 Performance Report , an annual summary of ridership, on-time reliability, operating costs and revenue for the service, which is sponsored by Washington State in partnership with Amtrak and the state of Oregon.
“We see passenger rail as viable alternative available to travelers up and down the I-5 corridor, which is why Washington has invested more than $331 million in passenger rail since 1994,” said Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary. “With our recent Recovery Act funding award of $590 million, we will offer increased travel options and improved reliability.”
Ridership for 2009 was up 12.5 percent over 2007, just a few points below 2008’s record levels. In August, a second daily service to Vancouver, B.C. began which contributed to additional ridership growth. Amtrak Cascades improved its on-time reliability averaging nearly 72 percent for the year. This is a significant improvement towards the performance goal of 80 percent or higher.
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23, Tuesday, 5 - 7 p.m., Open house and Environmental hearing, SR 520 Bridge Replacement - Seattle: Project staff for the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program will host a public open house and environmental hearing on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the floating bridge and west side designs. This is an opportunity for citizens to learn more about the project and share your comments, including an environmental hearing and public open house. Location: Seattle Lake Union Park Naval Reserve Building, 860 Terry Ave. N, Seattle.
23, Tuesday, 6 - 8 p.m., Open house, Vancouver light rail - Vancouver: The City of Vancouver, C-TRAN and the Columbia River Crossing project will host an open house to provide local residents, property owners and businesses with updated information about the proposed light rail route in Vancouver. The open house will feature information about the light rail route, benefits to the community, and effects to properties along the route. Location: Clark Public Utilities Building,1200 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver.
24, Wednesday, 6 - 8 p.m., Open house, Vancouver light rail - Vancouver: The City of Vancouver, C-TRAN and the Columbia River Crossing project will host an open house to provide local residents, property owners and businesses with updated information about the proposed light rail route in Vancouver. The open house will feature information about the light rail route, benefits to the community, and effects to properties along the route. Location: Vancouver Housing Authority, 2500 Main Street, Vancouver.
Express Lane Archive
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