Category Archives for Transportation

It has been a busy month for vehicles versus large stationary objects

Image: @jordanilarde

Image: @jordanilarde

June has gotten off to a real bang. There have been no less than three vehicle-versus-large-object collisions in Montlake since the beginning of the month. First, there was a June 3rd collision at the Snohomish Overpass to Hec-Ed on Montlake Blvd (above). Then early Tuesday morning, a car crashed into a house on 24th Ave E just after 1am.

The woman’s boyfriend told KIRO 7 a small animal startled her as she was behind the wheel, and she panicked, causing her to back abruptly from her driveway, through a fence, and into the house next door.

Inside the home, part of the rear bumper was visible through a large crack in the wall.  The impact scattered furniture and other belongings around the living room.  Firefighters put yellow tape across the room to keep the couple out of the area that might have been unsafe.  Neither they, nor the driver were injured.

Image: KIRO 7 News

And today, the Washington State Patrol responded to a truck collision with the Arboretum’s Wilcox Footbridge, a popular place for overheight vehicle strikes. While it appeared no one was injured, the truck’s rack and roof were destroyed.

Image: Montlaker

Image: Montlaker

The 1910 bridge seemed okay. It has seen worse, like this 2008 Garfield High School charter bus collision.

In other large-object-news, Pontoon T, one of the cracked pontoons for the new 520 Bridge, is heading off to dry dock today. Tug boats Solana and Mudcat will guide ‘T’ through the Ballard Locks around 6pm, before overnighting in Shilshole Bay. Tomorrow ‘T’ begins a 4-5 journey to Portland, OR, where it will be retrofitted with post-tensioned tendons and carbon fiber wrap to seal up its concrete cracks. More info on pontoon progress from WSDOT here.

520 Weekend closure Friday night to Monday morning

20130531-122657.jpgImage: WSDOT Flickr stream

It’s time for another weekend closure of the 520 floating bridge. The highway will close from 11pm on Friday, May 31st until 5am Monday morning — from Montlake Blvd to I-405. Getting across the lake will take extra time on I-90 so be sure to plan ahead. Crews will use this closure to divert lanes through Eastside construction zones and begin work on the westbound transit stop at Evergreen Point.

Saturday’s Opening Day for boats means Montlake Bridge will close for cars

20130503-145300.jpgImage: Seatlle P-I Collection, MOHAI

Saturday is the Opening Day of boating season and Windermere Cup regatta so the only traffic passing through Montlake will be the floating kind. The Montlake Bridge will close to vehicles from 7am 10am to 4pm as will 520′s westbound exit to Montlake Blvd. Thousands of people attend this annual event and with sun in the forecast through the weekend, a big turnout along the shores of the Ship Canal is expected.

The Windermere Cup will be Ivy League this year, as Washington hosts Cornell and Dartmouth. Races begin at 9:55 and wrap up with the Women’s and Men’s Eights just before noon. The parade of boats follows until 3pm with upwards of 900 vessels steaming out into Lake Washington.

For those with sails approaching 60′, you’ll be pleased to know that construction crews working on the new 520 Bridge have moved their barges out of the East Channel for this weekend’s boat traffic. Cruise through now, because at 11:59pm Sunday night it’s back to drawspan openings at mid-lake.

This would be a good time to remember that WSDOT provides email and text alerts for 520 drawspan openings two hours beforehand. Sign up here to avoid the traffic backups (same rules as last year: no openings from 6:30-10am and 3-7pm Monday-Friday) or risk hanging out on the bridge for up to half an hour.

Enjoy the weekend!

Update: WSDOT’s original press release has been corrected to say the Montlake Bridge will close at 10am, just as the crew races begin.

520 Bridge closed this weekend

Image: WSDOT Flickr stream

The 520 Bridge will close for weekend construction tonight at 11pm and reopen Monday, April 22nd at 5am. Prepare to take the long route across I-90 if heading to or from the Eastside this weekend. The highway will be closed from Montlake Blvd to I-405.

From WSDOT:

During the closure, crews will also install new roadway lighting and drainage near 84th Avenue Northeast and begin paving the final Evergreen Point Road roadway across the new lid. The work is weather-dependent and could be delayed in the event of inclement weather. We will keep the public informed if the closure needs to be postponed.

And news for boaters:

Boaters, set your sails: SR 520 east navigation channel will be open May 2-5 for Opening Day weekend

Opening Day of boating season is right around the corner on May 4. Boaters are encouraged to be aware of the latest conditions on Lake Washington related to SR 520 floating bridge construction. Crews are constructing the new bridge, and 11 pontoons are currently on the lake along with cofferdams, barges and other equipment.

Since spring 2012, the east navigation channel near Medina has remained closed to traffic for construction, meaning vessels over 45 feet in height must use the center drawspan to navigate through the bridge.

However, there are several 2013 boating season special dates when the east navigation channel will be open to boaters:

  • May 2 to May 5 (Opening Day of Boating Season weekend)
  • May 24 to May 26 (Memorial Day weekend)
  • July 4 (Independence Day)
  • Aug. 1 to Aug. 4 (Seafair weekend)
  • Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 (Labor Day weekend)

Also, expect more pontoons to arrive from Aberdeen soon. Another float out is expected next week — this time with water tight concrete — we hope.

House Transportation amendment requires full funding for 520 construction, delays WABN

Existing + WABN phase + full 520 Replacement. Image: WSDOT

Existing + WABN phase + full 520 Replacement. Image: WSDOT

Publicola reports that an amendment to the House Transportation Bill, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Pedersen and supported by Seattle’s delegation of legislative leaders, would require full funding for the Seattle portion of the S.R. 520 Replacement and HOV Program before construction can begin.

In a reverse of the infamous “stick it to Seattle” clause in the state legislation authorizing the waterfront tunnel, the state house passed its $8.4 billion transportation budget this morning with an amendment sponsored by Rep. Jamie Pederson [sic] (D-43, Capitol Hill) that prevents construction of the western portion of the 520 bridge unless the budget includes money to fully fund the west side of the new bridge in Seattle.

Pedersen’s Seattle amendment says, in part, that:

the Washington state department of transportation shall not engage in or contract for any construction on any portion of state route number 520 between Interstate 5 and the western landing of the floating bridge until the legislature has authorized the imposition of tolls on the Interstate 90 floating bridge and/or otherfunding sufficient to complete construction of the state route number 520 bridge replacement and HOV program..

This is good news for Seattle, but it also provides a political nudge to the senate to sign off on tolling I-90, a controversial, but likely key, source of funding for the project.

“Good news for Seattle” is major news for Montlake and Madison Park. ”The purpose of the amendment is to delay any construction west of Madison Park (including WABN) until the earlier of July 1, 2015 or approval by the legislature of a plan for full funding of the entire west section of the 520 project,” said Rep. Pedersen this afternoon. Should the amendment survive this legislative session, the currently planned West Approach Bridge North phase of construction would not begin as planned in June 2014.

The amendment calls for the “least amount of construction” to connect the new floating bridge now under construction to the existing West Approach:

.. the “western landing of the floating bridge” means the least amount of new construction necessary to connect the new floating bridge to the existing state route number 520 and anchor the west end of the new floating bridge.

Going forward, WSDOT could scale back the 6-lane WABN plan to merge into 4-lanes at the “western landing” rather than at the Montlake mainland. The disruptive construction through Union Bay, Foster Island and the Arboretum would be put off until the full corridor was designed, funded and shovel ready.

The amendment also gives WSDOT chance to pause and recover from the costly design errors that have plagued the floating bridge section. With an expert review of the project due later this year and a new Transportation Secretary getting established, halting the aggressive construction schedule makes good fiscal sense — especially as Mercer Island, Eastside and freight interests gather support against tolling Interstate 90.

Montlake Community Club to hold public open house on local traffic concerns

Images: Montlaker

Have a traffic pet peeve? Images: Montlaker

The Montlake Community Club is set to host a public open house Wednesday evening to discuss traffic on neighborhood streets. While long standing issues are sure to arise, given recent traffic fatalities in Seattle, the topic seems to have renewed urgency. Feedback from the meeting will help guide the Club in efforts to manage Montlake’s notorious traffic issues.

The purpose of the meeting is to ask residents:

1) What traffic or parking problems affect your street? Describe the problem and its location.
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2) What are your suggested improvements / solutions?
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3) Are you willing to team with others to work on these issues and solutions?
Break out tables will concentrate on specific areas in the neighborhood and allow folks to discuss issues in depth. The focus is local — the small stuff that matters when you’re out walking the dog — with the hope that improvements can made in anticipation of 2016, when light rail and the 520 West Approach Bridge North change the way people move through Montlake.
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Montlake Community Club Traffic Meeting — Wednesday, April 17th, 7-9pm — Montlake Community Center
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traffic_LWB

Sound Transit thanks neighbors for patience with ‘Cross Passage 17′

Image: Sound Transit Flickr steam

Image: Sound Transit Flickr steam

Sound Transit put a ‘Thank You, Montlake’ note in its latest U-Link newsletter, acknowledging the patience neighbors showed in dealing with the Cross Passage 17 dewatering mess. Last June, 20th Ave E adjacent to Montlake Elementary was hastily closed to make way for drilling equipment to “dewater” the soil around the twin light rail tunnels below. After six months of tanker trucks, generators, pumps and pipes — peace has returned to the shire. From Sound Transit:

Thanks to the Montlake community for its patience during the construction of Cross Passage 17, which has been underway 100 feet below the surface since July, 2012.

Montlake neighbors, families and the Montlake Elementary School staff have endured the presence of large equipment, traffic and parking revisions, well drilling and other surface work for longer than anticipated.

What is Cross Passage 17?
Cross Passage 17 is one of 21 horizontal tunnels, 18-24 feet long and about 10 feet in diameter, that connect the two University Link tunnels running between downtown Seattle and Husky Stadium. Cross passages provide emergency access as well as entry and exit between tunnels for routine maintenance.

Building Cross Passage 17 became very challenging when the contractor encountered more water than originally anticipated. To stabilize the area for mining, it was necessary to remove water from the ground surrounding the tunnel to give crews a safe working environment. For more than six months, generator-powered pumps removed water from soils around the tunnels. Today, Cross Passage 17 is nearly complete and work has turned to finishing the U-Link tunnels, including installing concrete duct banks, walkways, light rail tracks, power and signaling supply lines, tunnel lighting and communications systems.

On the surface, crews recently removed equipment and restored streets. Landscaping will be completed soon in order to return the location at 20th and McGraw to its original condition.

In hindsight, neighbors — and school staff and students — were patient because they are generally supportive, excited even, about light rail coming to the ‘hood. Yet, the street closure further complicated the zoned parking restrictions around the school, causing more than a few grumbles about a bad situation made even worse. Relief may be on the way for teacher parking soon enough… and Montlakers will be able to walk to light rail come 2016.

Now that cross passage work is complete, Sound Transit contractors will start work on the track bed, including installation of those train-noise-shushing high compliance fasteners.

Previous “dewatering” posts:

 

Wired: Tech gadgets on new 520 Bridge include water sensors, ‘red phone’ alerts, Vegas lights

Image: WSDOT

Image: WSDOT

Wired.com has posted a review of the high-tech gadgetry on the new 520 floating bridge, shedding light on how crews will monitor safety systems, respond to emergencies and keep people moving across the lake. A maintenance facility at the east end will serve as central command, staffed with 8-10 engineers available at all hours of the day.

Features of the new bridge include:

  • Fire hydrants supplied with water pumped from the lake
  • Roadway sensors alerting crews of sandy or icy conditions
  • A high-efficiency street sweeper to collect debris before entering the storm water system
  • A mid-bridge weather station to track wind storms
  • Concrete cooling tubes embedded in the pontoons to reduce heat and control cracking (oops!), and electrified rebar to reduce corrosion
  • Moisture sensors in each pontoon cell to alert crews of rising water (3″ triggers an alert)
  • Security systems, backup power, computer servers and a ‘red phone‘ that will alert crews with news of trouble
  • “Improved lighting” — including LEDs that will illuminate the sentinel towers at each bridge end with a multi-colored display of Las Vegas style lights.
Image: WSDOT

Image: WSDOT

Construction on the new floating bridge and West Approach Bridge North is expected to wrap up in 2016, providing 6-lanes across Lake Washington including 2 lanes for HOV.

Montlake Greenways: Meet new crossing guard + traffic safety projects

Article and image: Lionel Job

Article and image: Lionel Job

This morning, Lucille Johnson, 74, showed up early at 24th Ave and McGraw to start her morning shift. Lucille is Montlake’s new crossing guard. Until recently, the intersection used by kids on their way to and from school was not very safe. Lucille is here to remedy this situation. She’s taking control in the most assured manner — a couple of drivers were firmly told to give way to pedestrians.

Little by little we are reclaiming the intersection. A few months ago, SDOT added time to the pedestrian crossing light and will soon add a flashing light reminding drivers they are entering a school zone with a speed limit that will be have to be observed. There will also be some changes to parking rules along 24th and the crosswalk at McGraw will be repainted.

This project is one of four projects Montlake Neighborhood Greenways has taken on. The others are:

  • Improvements to the 19th Ave E. and E. Lynn intersections:  a fund application has been filed for marked crossings, stop signs and improvement to the mud path linking with Boyer along the church parking lot
  • Improvements to the crossing of 23rd Ave E. and E. Boyer at the Boyer Clinic: a fund application has been filed.
  • Making pedestrian and bicycle connections and safety a top priority for the SR 520 project.  With help from other Neighborhood Greenways groups and the Cascade Bicycle Club, we struck a fantastic victory for the neighborhood on Monday: the city council passed a resolution that calls for WSDOT to improve pedestrian and bicycle connections and make them safe and comfortable for “people of all ages and physical ability.”

The Montlake Neighborhood Greenways group works cooperatively with all the Montlake organizations to meet our simple goals of getting kids and adults to schools, libraries, bus stops, shopping, parks, light rail, work and entertainment within our natural walk shed from Interlaken to the UW. We will continue to work with neighbors, businesses, the PTA, the Montlake Community Club, the Montlake Community Center Advisory Council, St Demetrios Church, the Boyer Clinic, the Arboretum, Friends of Interlaken Parks, the Seattle Parks Foundation, SDOT, the school district, Parks, WSDOT and any other group sharing our interests, such as Feetfirst, the Cascade Bicycle Club, the Seattle Neighborhood Greenways.

A year ago, we told you of our intention to create “greenways,” which are simply safer routes through the neighborhood that encourage kids and adults to walk and bike. As you can see, we are making real progress, but to really succeed, we will have to sustain the effort.

If you are interested in helping out, please contact Lionel Job at lnljob @ gmail.com.

Live blogging City Council 520 meeting: Portage Bay bike trail + lid options + WABN

20130204-141216.jpg

“Community requested” bike trail now “city requested.” Image: WSDOT

The City Council is expected to pass a resolution during today’s 520 Committee meeting in response to WSDOT’s Seattle Community Design Process (SCDP). The SCDP outlined the State’s final design for the 520 Replacement through Seattle — and the public’s “overwhelming” desire for better walking and biking access throughout the plans. The City Council’s draft resolution reflects the public comments, and formally requests that WSDOT:

  • Build the Portage Bay Bridge Trail while minimizing width and visual impact.
  • Redesign the Montlake Lid with a “wider range of options” to improve pedestrian and bicycle connections.
  • Improve safety in the underbridge areas.
  • Create an interim “Lake to Land” Plan that doesn’t preclude good options for the Montlake Lid and with adequate mitigation for the neighborhood.

Also on the agenda for today’s meeting is a discussion of the West Approach Bridge North (WABN). WSDOT is holding an open house Wednesday at St Demetrios Church (4:30-7:30pm) to publicly unveil the WABN design, which will connect the new floating bridge to Montlake Blvd with a new 3-lane freeway next to the existing West Approach. The WABS — West Approach Bridge South — is expected to replace the existing West Approach during a later phase, years down the road.

Live Blog:

2:30pm: Here we go. Public comments up first…

2:40: Commenter asks that resolution refine language of “blending Roanoke Lid into hillside.”

2:42: Laurelhurst Community Club asks for a supplemental EIS on north-south traffic routes over 520. Asks for further noise mitigation for Madison Park residents.

2:45: Comments done. Committee chair Richard Conlin describing the resolution now. Describing language added to protect the Queen City Yacht Club during construction, strengthened language regarding bicycle and pedestrian connections — including “all ages and abilities.” Conlin nods to CM Bagshaw for this addition.

2:48: CM O’Brien is proposing amendments now. [...should be interesting since he's been quiet during this process lately.]

… better protections for the Queen City Yacht Club. New language against future phases of design not precluding improvement options in the future.

2:52: CM Rasmussen proposes adopting commenter’s suggestion of strengthened Roanoke Lid “blend into hillside” language. Conlin asks for it to be considered in front of next week’s Full Council vote.

2:53: CM Conlin thanks community members for input during the SCDP and City Council resolution in response. Resolution passes. [Portage Bay Bike Trail and "wider range of options" for the Montlake Lid are now law of the (city)land.]

2:55 Switching now to WABN presentation by WSDOT and City officials…. Conlin questions the “WABN” acronym, implying that it is ridiculous. [It is.]

Here’s the WABN plan:

West Approach Bridge North plan. Image: WSDOT

West Approach Bridge North plan. Click for larger view. Image: WSDOT

3:00 WSDOT: WABN “does not preclude” light rail on 520, nor future options for the Montlake Lid.

3:09 WSDOT: WABN superstructure is “simple and clean.”

3:15 WSDOT: Explaining seismic ‘wiggling’ now…

3:17 WSDOT: New Lake Washington Blvd off-ramp will connect to and use the 24th Ave (ex-MOHAI) overpass. Includes a 16′ wide bike/ped path. [Good news!]

3:18 WSDOT: A new traffic signal will be added to Montlake Blvd northbound off-ramp. Says this will be better for pedestrians. [Huh.] Flyer stop to remain during WABN interim phase.

3:22 CM Bagshaw: What’s been done about “dark and dangerous” areas for pedestrians underneath the freeway? How will students walk to Montlake Elementary School?

WSDOT: “We have more work to do on that.”

3:24 CM Bagshaw: “Would you let your 8-year-old child walk in this area?”

[.... crickets.]

3:32 CM O’Brien asks if Hamlin U-turn is still available to cars exiting at Montlake Blvd northbound. WSDOT: Yes.

3:39 Councilmembers grilling presenters on Hamlin U-turn. WSDOT: Always been a “problem child.” This solution will be temporary…. sort of.

3:45 WSDOT presenting mitigation projects funded with WABN’s $300 million federal loan…

… reconstructed wetlands on the WSDOT Peninsula and Union Bay Natural Area. Arboretum multi-use trail.

3:52 CM Conlin: “I’ll be there at St Demetrios to hear comments.”

3:55 CM O’Brien sticking up for neighborhood mitigation projects, lids, noise walls — asking what’s being done?

WSDOT: Long answer saying not much… funding that is. “Quiet pavement” experiment on 520 in Medina a few years ago was not successful. Other noise absorption strategies will be used (no walls though).

4:00 CM Conlin: When does funding for the next phase need to be secured for work to be seamless?

WSDOT: 2014.

####

That’s it folks. For details on the WABN — to be built starting next year — check out WSDOT’s open house at St Demetrios Wednesday from 4:30-7:30. Check out the new bike lane on the ex-MOHAI ramp and new intersection on Montlake Blvd. Fun times!