Washington

[Hurricane Rex]

Has SR-900 been decommissioned between Renton and Tukwila? I just noticed this morning that the SR-900 shields have been covered up on the BGS's to the Bronson Way exit on northbound I-405.

It's still posted, at least on Google maps, could anyone else who lives closer confirm or deny this?: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.4884883,-122.2354566,13.73z

[KEK Inc.]

Has SR-900 been decommissioned between Renton and Tukwila? I just noticed this morning that the SR-900 shields have been covered up on the BGS's to the Bronson Way exit on northbound I-405.

I'm pretty sure it's still signed on I-5 in Tukwila/S. Seattle. 

[jakeroot]

Has SR-900 been decommissioned between Renton and Tukwila? I just noticed this morning that the SR-900 shields have been covered up on the BGS's to the Bronson Way exit on northbound I-405.

Just the 900 shields? RCW 47.17.825 is still in effect, so I don't believe it was decommissioned.

[duaneu2]

Has SR-900 been decommissioned between Renton and Tukwila? I just noticed this morning that the SR-900 shields have been covered up on the BGS's to the Bronson Way exit on northbound I-405.

Just the 900 shields? RCW 47.17.825 is still in effect, so I don't believe it was decommissioned.

Interesting. I wonder why they were removed then.

[jakeroot]

Has SR-900 been decommissioned between Renton and Tukwila? I just noticed this morning that the SR-900 shields have been covered up on the BGS's to the Bronson Way exit on northbound I-405.

Just the 900 shields? RCW 47.17.825 is still in effect, so I don't believe it was decommissioned.

Interesting. I wonder why they were removed then.

I went by there yesterday. Sure enough, they're covered up. The directional signs after the interchange split still have the 900 shield on it, though.

[Bruce]

Downtown Seattle's mode-split survey for 2017: transit is up to 48.4 percent, driving alone is down to 25 percent. Includes 262K employees who work in the center city.





This is despite the addition of 60,000 new jobs since 2010:

[jakeroot]

Does Rideshare take into account HOV? Or is it just Uber and Lyft?

Regardless, these are great numbers. Glad to see Transit is really catching on.

[webny99]

Also, are the two graphs supposed to be identical?

[Hurricane Rex]

And, for curiosity purposes, do you know if there is a report for the rest of Seattle?

[Bruce]

Does Rideshare take into account HOV? Or is it just Uber and Lyft?

Regardless, these are great numbers. Glad to see Transit is really catching on.

Rideshare includes carpools, vanpools, and rideshare.

And, for curiosity purposes, do you know if there is a report for the rest of Seattle?

Probably have to dig around ACS or state-level data. It should look relatively similar to this downtown dataset, though, since the only large employer outside the downtown/First Hill/Capitol Hill area is the University of Washington, and they have huge transit patronage.

[Bruce]

Sustained winds of over 25 mph or waves of at least 2 feet would trigger a shutdown of the westbound I-90 floating bridge, as it did today: https://wsdotblog.blogspot.com/2018/02/new-wind-and-wave-criteria-changes.html

At one point the backup was past Eastgate. Not bad for a Sunday jam.

[jakeroot]

The 405/167 HOV flyover is coming along nicely. Girders are being placed now...



WSDOT Flickr

[Bruce]

Noticed recently that there is a new traffic signal on the I-90 express lanes just south of Corwin Place (approximately here), which is being used as truck access for the East Link staging area just to the north. Not often you see a traffic signal re-added to an interstate.

[jakeroot]

I've realized after viewing the "Redesigning Interchanges" thread that Washington has very few full freeway-to-freeway interchanges (no missing movements, 4-way junctions, no signals) that don't involve some sort of collector lane situation. For example...

- I-90/I-5 (Seattle): I-5 has C/D lanes through the interchange
- I-90/I-405 (Factoria): Collector lanes between the 405 and Bellevue Way
- I-5/I-405 (Lynnwood): Technically missing some movements (although the movements would be unpopular)
- WA-167/WA-18 (Auburn): missing some movements
- I-5/I-705 (Tacoma): I-5 has C/D lanes from the south
- I-405/WA-520 (Bellevue): C/D lanes south and east of the interchange
- I-405/WA-522 (Bothell): collector lanes between UW-Bothell and the 405.
- I-5/WA-18 (Federal Way): almost counts but there's an off-ramp signal SB to WB.
- I-5/I-405/WA-518 (Tukwila): really close but technically there's a C/D lane going south, collecting traffic from 518 and Klickitat Dr/Strander Blvd/Southcenter Pkwy.

The interchanges that don't involve any C/D lanes and are aren't missing any movements (and are basically all freeway-to-freeway)...

- I-182/WA-240 (Richland): probably the most normal looking freeway interchange in the state -- 240 technically turns into an arterial to the north, but I'm going to count it anyway
- US-12/US-395/WA-397 (Pasco): debatable as to whether or not 395/397 is actually a freeway, but it could be argued that it is
- I-405/WA-167 (Renton): super close due to Rainier Ave being directly north of the 405, but technically no C/D lanes and is freeway-to-freeway.
- I-205/WA-14 (Vancouver): unconventional design, but missing no movements, and all merges/diverges are from the mainline. No arterial around, so perhaps the only no-brainer example here.

[Bruce]

Noticed recently that there is a new traffic signal on the I-90 express lanes just south of Corwin Place (approximately here), which is being used as truck access for the East Link staging area just to the north. Not often you see a traffic signal re-added to an interstate.

Decided to walk over to Rizal Bridge and get a picture:


Traffic signal on I-90 express lanes by SounderBruce, on Flickr

[jakeroot]

Noticed recently that there is a new traffic signal on the I-90 express lanes just south of Corwin Place (approximately here), which is being used as truck access for the East Link staging area just to the north. Not often you see a traffic signal re-added to an interstate.

Decided to walk over to Rizal Bridge and get a picture:

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/809/40919149682_0c7e2e1010_b.jpg

Interesting. It's just buses that use those lanes, correct? At least until the Eastlink trains roll through.

[Bruce]

Noticed recently that there is a new traffic signal on the I-90 express lanes just south of Corwin Place (approximately here), which is being used as truck access for the East Link staging area just to the north. Not often you see a traffic signal re-added to an interstate.

Decided to walk over to Rizal Bridge and get a picture:

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/809/40919149682_0c7e2e1010_b.jpg

Interesting. It's just buses that use those lanes, correct? At least until the Eastlink trains roll through.

They're still open to HOV traffic entering from 5th & Airport Way for now. Beginning in September, it will be closed to all traffic.

[Bruce]

Mayor Durkan has announced her intention to implement a downtown congestion charge by 2021

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-mayor-wants-a-tolling-plan-to-reduce-traffic-congestion-greenhouse-gases/

Way too soon of a timeline. Durkan should at least wait until Link is built to Lynnwood, the Eastside and Federal Way before trying to touch the issue. And there needs to be a massive amount of transit priority added before it can go online...far more than the $30 million package proposed in One Center City.

[jakeroot]

And there needs to be a massive amount of transit priority added before it can go online...far more than the $30 million package proposed in One Center City.

I have noticed that the peak-use bus lanes tend to see very little use during off-hours (although maybe your experience differs). Most notably those along 4th Ave, between the I-90 off-ramps and Olive Way. I will use it as my own little bypass lane (as long as there aren't any parked cars or right-turn-only modifications). Changing those lanes to 24/7 bus lanes (like those on Aurora) would be an easy change, and I'm sure most wouldn't notice the difference.

They better finish the 1st Ave Streetcar if they want to implement a congestion charge. Those charges work in other countries because they have a large transit backbone. Seattle is working towards this, but we're not there yet.

[Henry]

Not surprised that Seattle is throwing its hat into the congestion charge ring (after San Francisco); downtown traffic is bad enough, but I agree that public transit needs to be expanded in order for the charges to be justified.

However, the new Alaskan Way tunnel is a good start.

[The Ghostbuster]

Hopefully the congestion pricing plan, if approved, will be based on fluctuating prices, similar to pricing plans found on Express Toll and High Occupancy Toll Lanes. If it is a flat charge, like London's cordon pricing plan, it will be far less effective long-term.

[kkt]

Yes.  I hope it's daytime, not evenings or weekends.  Not too crazy about taking the bus downtown for shopping and carrying heavy packages back, or dinner at a white-tablecloth sort of place or theater.

[Bruce]

And there needs to be a massive amount of transit priority added before it can go online...far more than the $30 million package proposed in One Center City.

I have noticed that the peak-use bus lanes tend to see very little use during off-hours (although maybe your experience differs). Most notably those along 4th Ave, between the I-90 off-ramps and Olive Way. I will use it as my own little bypass lane (as long as there aren't any parked cars or right-turn-only modifications). Changing those lanes to 24/7 bus lanes (like those on Aurora) would be an easy change, and I'm sure most wouldn't notice the difference.

They better finish the 1st Ave Streetcar if they want to implement a congestion charge. Those charges work in other countries because they have a large transit backbone. Seattle is working towards this, but we're not there yet.

Yeah, the peak-only lanes on Stewart and Howell especially need to become all-day, since the two streets function as both the inflow and outflow during both peak periods, thanks to deadheading buses. These lanes won't see as much use after 2024, but it would be nice to have some temporary measures to speed up transit until Link is finished.

[kkt]

Really?  I thought after the Link is finished, the tunnel will be just for light rail, and all buses would be moved to the streets.  Not true?

[Bruce]

Really?  I thought after the Link is finished, the tunnel will be just for light rail, and all buses would be moved to the streets.  Not true?

The tunnel will become light rail only in 2019 or 2020, because Convention Place station is being demolished for a convention center expansion.