Bicycles and transit are a good fit, and Sound Transit encourages transit
users to combine the two.
To meet current and future demand for bicycle parking, Sound Transit will be
installing more than 200 new bicycle parking spaces at its facilities in 2010,
including:
Auburn Station, 28 lockers
Columbia City Station, Seven lockers and two racks
DuPont Park & Ride, Six lockers and one rack
Federal Way Transit Center, Eight lockers
Kent Station, 22 lockers
Lynnwood Transit Center, 20 lockers and four racks
Mercer Island Park & Ride, Four lockers
Othello Station, Eight lockers and two racks
Rainier Beach Station, 16 lockers
South Everett Freeway Station, Three racks
South Hill Park & Ride, Eight lockers
In 2011, Sound Transit will be installing 46 more lockers and one more rack
at the Columbia City Station.
Each locker holds one bicycle and each rack holds at least eight
bicycles.
These projects are funded by federal grants.
Smarter Highways on I-5
Smarter highways live on I-5, August 10
WSDOT is activating new electronic message signsthat will be a part of
our traffic management system,smarter highways, on northbound I-5
between Boeing Access Road and I-90. Starting Aug.
10, these new signs will provide real-time information to drivers
resulting in:
A more
efficient highway system with reduced congestion
Less
congestion-related collisions and improved safety
WSDOT and the Washington State
Patrol are asking drivers to be prepared to follow the
signs:
Red “X”: lane closed
Arrow with “merge”:
merge as soon as possible
Green arrow: lane
open
Speed limit: speed
limit for current traffic
conditions
Electronic Tolling is Coming to the SR 520
Bridge – Are You Ready?
In the spring of 2011,
all-electronic tolling will begin on the SR 520 Bridge to help pay for the
construction of a new, safer bridge.Good
To Go!electronic
tollinguses technology to keep
traffic moving with no toll booths, no stopping, and no slowing down.Tolls will be collected in two ways: as vehicles drive under an electronic sensor,
the toll will be automatically deducted from a prepaid account.Or, if the driver does not have a prepaid
account, a photo will be taken of the vehicle’s license plate, and a bill will
be sent to the registered owner in the mail.
The Washington State Department
of Transportation has launched a campaign to educate drivers about electronic
tolling on the SR 520 Bridge.You can
get ready for all-electronic tolling on the SR 520 Bridge by joining the
interest list at www.goodtogo520.org, and be among
the first to sign up for a Good to Go!
Pass in January 2011. Subscribers
will also receive regular updates about rates, account options, special offers
and customer service resources.
Contact Us
Leave us a message at: 1-888-G2G-WSDOT (1-888-424-9736).A customer service representative will return
your call as soon as possible.
Transit Use Improves Health and Promotes Weight Loss
In a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania,
Drexel University and the RAND Corporation found that construction of a
light-rail system (LRT) resulted in increased physical activity (walking) and
subsequent weight loss by people served by the LRT. In the study, residents of
Charlotte, N.C., were surveyed before and after the construction of an LRT line.
To read the full story, click here.
Metro Adds Additional Bus Service On 4 Routes
Early Morning Service: Downtown Seattle to SeaTac Airport
In February, King County Metro, with funding assistance from
WSDOT, introduced additional bus service on routes that will be affected by
upcoming construction during the S. Holgate
Street to S. King Street Viaduct Replacement Project. Riders will
see more than 30 additional daily trips between downtown and southwest Seattle, benefiting
routes 21 Express 54, 56 Express and 121. In total, the additional buses will
provide 1,700 more seats each day on trips to and from downtown.
Metro will also work with commuters and downtown employers to
help them use transit, carpools, vanpools, telework and other other options
that will help keep people moving during construction. More information about
construction traffic management efforts is available at WSDOT's Web site.
Starting Feb. 6: Bikes On Metro Buses At Any Time
In response to increased demand for linking bike and bus trips, King County Metro Transit will allow bicyclists to load and unload bicycles at any regular bus stop in downtown Seattle's Ride Free Area at any time of the day starting Saturday, Feb. 6.
This will be a one-year demonstration project. Over the past several years, Metro has eased its limits on bike loading. The restrictions during peak hours in the busy downtown core are the last in place. Once they are lifted on Feb. 6, Metro will do a one-year safety and operations evaluation to decide whether to make the changes permanent.
Cyclists may also continue to load and unload bicycles at any station of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel during all hours the tunnel is open.
To ensure the success of the new Ride Free Area policy, bicyclists are asked to please remember:
Always alert the bus driver prior to loading or unloading a bike;
Make sure the driver acknowledges you before stepping in front of a bus;
Be aware of traffic around you when loading and unloading your bike; and
Use caution in stepping up and down from high curbs.
More tips about safe bike loading can be found on Metro Online in the bike section.
Metro's bike racks are easy to use, and there is no additional fare for using them. By this spring, Metro's entire bus fleet will be upgraded with three-position bike racks. Approximately 70 percent of Metro buses have those racks now.
Also, Metro has received a federal grant to test an on-demand system for bike lockers. Metro currently has bike lockers at 28 different park-and-rides and other transit facilities for people who just need bikes for one leg of their trip. These lockers provide secure storage and protect bikes from inclement weather.
Under the current system, lockers are available to bike commuters with a one-time key deposit and the leases must be renewed annually. If cyclists do not use their lockers on a daily basis, there is no way for others to use them at times when the locker is empty. An on-demand system will allow anyone with an access card to use any available locker. It should be a more efficient way to manage bicycle parking, and provide greater flexibility for Metro customers.
Planning for on-demand bike parking will occur in 2010, and the new system will be tested at a number of locations in 2011.
More than 1,500 people rode the new Swift bus rapid transit service on Monday, its first day of operation.
Lots of riders reported significant time savings on their trips. Some even said their commute time was cut in half by the swiftness of the new service. An article in the Daily Herald discussed the benefits of Swift ("Early raves roll in from first Swift bus riders").
Swift runs between Everett Transit Center and Aurora Village Transit Center in Shoreline, primarily on Highway 99. Swift buses stop only at 12 stations each way on the 17-mile route, compared with about 60 regular bus stops on the same route.
By Tuesday, the word had gotten out that Swift was running and more people were riding the line.
Community Transit street teams will continue to be at Swift stations throughout the first week of service to help riders adjust to bus rapid transit. The two issues that raised the most questions on the first day were how to pay for a ride (fares are paid at the stations, not on the bus) and whether Swift took transfers from other buses. Swift does not take transfers, nor is a Swift ticket good for a ride on another Community Transit bus.
Riders paying with cash are encouraged to get an ORCA card that can work as a monthly unlimited pass or debit card, deducting fare for each ride. With an ORCA card, riders get a two-hour transfer to any bus or train in the Puget Sound region.
Ticket vending machines at each Swift station allow riders to pay with cash (exact change only) or Visa or Matercard credit or debit cards. Those tickets are good for one ride on Swift.
On Dec. 31, the six transit agencies in the Puget Sound region will cease to accept cash transfers from other agencies' buses. Community Transit, Kitsap Transit and Sound Transit will also cease to issue paper transfers within their own systems. Transfers can be retained with an ORCA card. Go to www.orcacard.com for information on how to get an ORCA card.
Swift riders can purchase or reload an ORCA card at the ticket vending machines located at the bottom of the stairwell near the Swift station at Everett Station.
Seattle has nation’s worst traffic congestion: Study
Article courtesy of Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle)
Seattle has the worst traffic congestion in the country, with 43 percent of the city’s roads having “heavy delays,” according to a report released Wednesday.
Seattle’s road woes are worse than Los Angeles at No. 2, with 38 percent of its roads having heavy delays, followed by Chicago (37 percent), San Francisco (35 percent) and New York City (31 percent), according to global positioning system (GPS) company TomTom of Concord, Mass.
The company ranked cities as most to least congested according to how fast cars could travel on the street network. Traffic was defined as congested if drivers could travel at only 70 percent or less of the posted speed limit, and an average hour-long commute included 20 minutes or more of significant delays, according to TomTom.
Of the 30 major cities included in the study, Minneapolis had the least-congested streets, with only 17 percent. For a full list of cities, click here.
Seattle - One Of The Safest Cities For Pedestrians
Which cities are the safest for pedestrians? Which are dangerous?
Some of the most dangerous places for pedestrians, according to a new report, are cities in the South – in areas that built streets mainly for automobiles. Not surprisingly, the safest cities have many miles of bike lanes or sidewalks.
By Ron Scherer | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
New York - Some of the most dangerous places to walk or ride a bicycle in America are in the South – in fast-growing metropolitan areas that have built their streets mainly for automobiles.
In fact, four of the five worst metro areas for walking or biking are in Florida: Orlando-Kissimmee, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, and Jacksonville. The other metro area in this group of five is Memphis, Tenn.
This list of the most dangerous metro areas – as well as the safest – was part of a report released Monday by Transportation for America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, both advocates for what they term "complete" streets. These include separate areas for walking or biking, or at least roads with clearly marked space for other forms of transportation.
The metro areas that are the most hazardous were designed after World War II and are mostly automobile-oriented, says Anne Canby, executive director of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership. "Walkers and bicycles were not considered, leaving those who wish to walk with unsafe situations," she said in a conference call Monday with reporters.
If cities promote walking and bicycling, it might also help them cope with health issues such as obesity and heart disease, said Linda Degutis, former president of the American Public Health Association.
"When people don't feel safe and comfortable, they do not get out to exercise and bike," Dr. Degutis said in the conference call. "A lot of communities need to think about retrofitting their streets not only to make them safer places, but also to improve public health."
Adding sidewalks and bike paths could especially help the elderly, said Elinor Ginzler, director for livable cities at AARP, another participant in the conference call. "The infrastructure is not geared towards older individuals, which contributes to their higher death rate," she said.
The report cites a California case in which an 82-year-old woman was given a $114 ticket for crossing the street too slowly.
One goal of the groups is to get more money spent on pedestrian and bicycle safety. According to Geoff Anderson, co-chair of Transportation for America, pedestrian deaths represent 11.8 percent of all traffic fatalities, but only 2 percent of highway funds are spent for pedestrian safety. "We think they need to dedicate a proportional amount," said Mr. Anderson, noting that several bills before Congress would fund "complete-street programs" (read: here and here).
Perhaps it's not surprising, but the safest cities for walking and biking have many miles of bike lanes or sidewalks. According to the report, the top five safest metro areas are Minneapolis, Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, and Seattle.
"When you look at those that are safest, they are mostly older cities – except for those who have focused on a full variety of options," Ms. Canby said. "Minneapolis, for example, is one of those places that has spent a lot of money to make it safer to walk and bike."
Some cities that ranked low in past reports show improvement in the new study. One is St. Petersburg, Fla. Since embarking on a "Vision 2000" plan, the city has installed 83 miles of infrastructure for bicycles, added 13 miles of sidewalks, and improved crosswalk safety.
St. Pete has reduced pedestrian crashes by more than 50 percent since 2000, and serious injuries are down even more.
New Amtrak Train from Seattle to Vancouver
In an effort to promote cross border travel and a long standing partnership, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell joined together to celebrate the start of the long awaited second Amtrak Cascades train service to Vancouver, B.C.
Gov. Gregoire and Premier Campbell joined Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond, Amtrak officials, state and local officials at a media event today at King Street Station in Seattle.
With the addition of this second train service, travelers will now have direct round-trip service between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, B.C. The Canadian government approved the second train service on July 3 as a pilot project to run between August 1 through the end of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games. WSDOT worked with Amtrak, BNSF Railway, U.S. Customs, and other stakeholders to get the additional Amtrak Cascades service operational on August 19, 2009.
The recently published 2009 National Scorecard Mid-Year Update by INRIX Corporation finds that congestion and travel times nationally have “bottomed out” in the first half of 2009.
