Traffic Lab | The Seattle Times

Pedestrians exit the Seattle Streetcar on Westlake Avenue in Seattle Friday, March 30, 2018.
205810 (Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times) — Pedestrians exit the Seattle Streetcar on Westlake Avenue in Seattle Friday, March 30, 2018. (Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times)

SDOT’s $9M request puts downtown Seattle streetcar debate back in the spotlight

The project, once expected to open in 2020, would run along First Avenue and connect existing streetcars in South Lake Union and First Hill. But the project still faces a $65 million or more shortfall.

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Tuesday, July 16, 2019. The intersection of 2nd and Pike where cyclists are unprotected in the intersection. Story is about design that is meant to protect cyclists through intersections. 210875

Seattle could be next to try Dutch-style bike-friendly intersection design

Downtown Seattle’s Fifth Avenue is crowded with vehicle traffic in this image looking south. Seattle’s study considering the tolling of downtown auto traffic was due Feb. 4.
Photographed on March 25, 2019. 209702

Nearly $4 to drive into Seattle: Uber doubles down on support for downtown congestion tolling

This innovative track bridge will be installed at the location of expansion joints (some are at right of man taking photo) on the I-90 bridge to enable light rail vehicles to cross the floating bridge. Cars can accommodate the moving bridge when they drive over the expansion joints — tracks can not because they can not move out of alignment. The track bridge will allow for movement without changing alignment of the tracks.

Eight track bridges will accommodate lake motion, and the specialized track attachments will allow trains to operate on the floating bridge when the Blue Line opens in 2023, according to a Sound Transit press release. Shot Tuesday, July 23, 2019.

Sound Transit crews are installing fixed rails for Light Rail trains on the I-90 floating bridge This is the first time in the world this has been done.

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Train tracks on the I-90 floating bridge? Sound Transit is building them now. VIEW

A pedestrian crosses the street at the intersection of S. Findlay St. and Rainier Avenue South in Seattle Wednesday, July 17, 2019. There is only one lane for northbound and one for southbound traffic in this area, with a middle lane for left turns only.

The city has made some improvements to Rainier Ave. S. and is planning to make more, but there are still issues and advocates have grown frustrated at what they view as sluggish progress.

A pedestrian was seriously injured at South Findlay Street.

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SDOT data shows nearly 100 serious-injury or fatal collisions on Seattle streets in first half of 2019

About Traffic Lab

Traffic Lab is a Seattle Times project that digs into the region’s thorny transportation issues, spotlights promising approaches to easing gridlock, and helps readers find the best ways to get around.

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Transit

Commuters going south crowd around a bus stop on 3rd Ave in downtown Seattle on Monday, August 12. 211160

Transit riders say long, crowded bus commutes have driven some back to driving

Roads

Temporary falsework columns and beams (iron beams at center of frame) that supported the 810-foot light rail bridge across I-405 while it was under construction will be removed beginning this weekend. Crews will close lanes and ramps on I-405 over two consecutive weekends to accommodate this work. The southbound lanes will be closed this weekend, beginning Friday night, northbound next. For more information, go to: bellevuewa.gov/accessbellevue. The bridge will connect the Bellevue Downtown and Wilburton Blue Line stations. Crews completed the cast-in-place bridge in just over a year.
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Road work, light-rail construction on I-405 and I-90 will snarl traffic this weekend

Getting Around

Bicyclist who died after being hit by car in Bellevue identified

A bicyclist who died after being hit by a car in Bellevue on Wednesday has been identified. James Ralph, 33, died Thursday of multiple blunt force injuries, according to the King County Medical Examiner's Office. Ralph was riding a bike on Northeast Eighth Street at 132nd Avenue Northeast when he was struck by a turning...

Technology

FILE- In this July 6, 2018, file photo prospective customers confer with sales associates as a Model 3 sits on display in a Tesla showroom in the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)