Category Archives: Getting Around

Getting Around

Another year, another big I-5 repair project

In February, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will begin replacing and repairing pavement on I-5 between the Boeing Access Road and the Snohomish County line. This pavement was mostly installed in the mid-1960s, and was designed to have a 20-year lifespan. You can do the math.

According to WSDOT, we can expect up to 14 weekends of closures and more than 100 nights of closures, lasting into late summer. The closures will affect one direction of the freeway each time and reduce I-5 down to just one or two through lanes.

WSDOT has been given a noise variance from the city of Seattle for night work, and they expect that noise and vibration from the construction will affect those living and working within 500 feet of the freeway.

An outreach meeting has been scheduled for WSDOT to discuss the project with the affected neighbors, and those within 500 feet of the freeway will also be receiving flyers with information about the project. The meeting is scheduled for February 3, at 7:00 pm, Quarters 1, PacMed, at the northwest corner of 14th Avenue South and South Judkins Street.

Getting Around

Another safety test closes MLK this weekend

This Saturday, January 24, 9 a.m. to noon, there will be another safety drill at Martin Luther King Jr. Way and South Cloverdale Street in preparation for the opening of Link light rail service.

During the test, MLK will be closed to through traffic from South Kenyon Street to South Henderson Street except for Metro transit service, which should not be affected by the closure. Detours will be in place, and motorists will be guided through the detours by police officers and signage.

Getting Around

Metro service change proposals updated

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Photo by Bryan Gosline.
Photo by Bryan Gosline.
On January 1 we posted that Metro wants to hear from you about the revised service change proposals for Southeast Seattle. The problem was, at that time the proposals hadn’t yet been published. Well, now they have, and you can find them on Metro’s website.

Here are some of the notable changes:

  • Route 36 will extend all routes to the Othello Link station using new trolley wire that will be installed on South Myrtle Street and South Othello Street; south of Othello, 36 will be replaced by 106.
  • Route 60 will run every 20 minutes during peak periods, and extend weekend trips from Georgetown to White Center starting in 2010.
  • New Route 50 will run from Othello Link Station to West Seattle via the Columbia City Link Station and SODO!
  • Route 38 will run from Mount Baker to the Beacon Hill Link Station, where people will now transfer to light rail to get to SODO.

There are other changes as well, and you can complete an online questionnaire to give Metro your feedback, or visit one of the open houses we listed on January 1.

Two additional open houses have been scheduled as well:

  • Wednesday, February 4, 1:30-3:30 pm, Holly Park Community Church, 4308 South Othello Street (downstairs entrance on east side of building)
  • Wednesday, February 4, 6:30-8:30 pm, Holly Park Community Church, 4308 South Othello Street (downstairs entrance on east side of building)

Thanks to Warren Yee for posting this to the mailing list!

Getting Around, Weather

Tell the mayor what you really think

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A lot of Seattleites have some, um, strong opinions about the way things went in this city during our recent “snow event.” If you’re one of them, Mayor Nickels wants to talk to you! The mayor is inviting city residents to talk about their winter storm experiences with him, and with department heads and city staff, as part of a citywide performance review of emergency snow operations.

Three meetings are planned, but none in Southeast Seattle; one’s in the Central District, though, so it’s not too far away:

At the meetings, we’re told you’ll be able to talk one-on-one with the mayor, and also meet with staff from transportation, utilities and other departments.

Getting Around

Safety drill to close MLK Jr. Way today

This morning, from 9:00 am to noon, don’t be surprised to see a lot of police and emergency response crews at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Way and South Cloverdale Street. It’s a safety drill to help prepare for the opening of the Link light rail service this July. (We hear July 3 is the day. We can’t wait!)

During the test Martin Luther King, Jr. Way will be closed to through traffic from South Kenyon Street to South Henderson Street, though Metro Transit will be allowed through. Other traffic will be detoured to Renton Avenue South and Beacon Avenue South.

Need more information? Contact Bruce Gray, Sound Transit public information officer, at 206-398-5069.


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Getting Around

How much should light rail fares be?

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Sound Transit wants feedback from you on proposed fares for the Link light rail line, which will open in July this year. The current proposal is for a distance-based fare, starting with a base fee and then increasing the fare the further you go.

An unofficial version of the proposed fare charts can be seen in this post at the Seattle Transit Blog. The two pricing plans are as follows: one plan keeps the current Ride Free Area downtown for the trains (so you could ride the train from Westlake to the International District for free) with a $2 base fare and a 5 cent charge per mile, rounded to the nearest quarter. The maximum fare in this plan for a ride from downtown to the airport would be $2.75. The other plan does not have a Ride Free Area for the trains, but starts with a $1.75 base fare, and a 5 cent charge per mile (rounded as in the other plan). The maximum fare in this plan would be $2.50.

For trips from Beacon Hill, we are looking at $2.25 from the Hill to Westlake and $2.50 to the airport under the first (Free Ride Zone) plan, or $2.00 from the Hill to Westlake and $2.25 to the airport under the second (no Free Ride Zone) plan.

Sound Transit will be presenting these plans and listening to your feedback at a series of public meetings:

If these dates and locations sound familiar, it’s because these are also the dates and locations of the SDOT meetings we posted about on December 22, to discuss parking changes in the light rail station areas. Looks like there will be a lot to discuss at those meetings.

Can’t make the meetings? You can also express your opinion on the light rail fares by emailing linkfares@soundtransit.org, phoning Project Manager Sarah Lovell at 206-398-5405, or writing to:

Sarah Lovell
Sound Transit Office of Policy and Planning
410 S Jackson St
Seattle, WA 98104

Getting Around

Sound Transit “lunch bus” tour and Thai food, January 16

Want to get an up-close look at the SODO, Stadium, and Mount Baker light rail stations, peek at the Beacon Hill Station area, tour the changes on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, and view the new trackway in Tukwila and near the airport? Sound Transit is hosting another “Lunch Bus” on January 16. It’s a guided tour of the light rail project areas, with a stop for lunch at Thai Recipe Restaurant. The cost of lunch is $10. Details and RSVP here.

Getting Around

Metro wants your feedback on new service changes

Photo from Seattle Municipal Archives.
Photo from Seattle Municipal Archives.
Metro has adjusted the bus service changes they proposed a few months ago, and they’d like to know what you think about the latest version. There will be several community meetings in the Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley area this month:

Unfortunately, Metro’s website doesn’t yet seem to show what the new proposals are. We hope they will rectify that as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you need more information, you can email Sarah Luthens, Metro Community Relations Planner, at sarah.luthens@kingcounty.gov.

Thanks to the Rainier Valley Post for reporting this.

Getting Around, Help Wanted

A wish for wheels that work: can you help?

The snow is melting, but it’s not gone yet, and things could still get worse before it’s gone. While we’re still in this mess, the folks at the Rainier Valley Post are helping organize a network of Southeast Seattle neighbors with reliable snow-friendly vehicles to help people with critical travel needs. They have volunteers in several areas, but still need people with chains or 4WD in Brighton/Othello, Rainier Beach, and Beacon Hill. We hope they won’t be needed for long, but wet snow is very slick, so lots of people are still stuck at home. If you can help, please do.