From The Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012182436_tunneling23m.html Tunneling companies around the world are showing interest in the SR 99 / Alaskan Way Viaduct bored tunnel project. Ben
From The News Tribune: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/19/1232984/transit-sues-rescue-mission.html Sound Transit wishes to take four feet of land from the Tacoma Rescue Mission for the Sounder expansion to Lakewood. The mission wants to wait until Sound Transit ensures they will put up a noise wall. This is interesting since the rescue mission was placed in the theoretical path of [...]
From KOMO-TV: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/96948084.html Despite track grinding and oiling, the new Link trains are still noisy at points in the line. I recently used the Link into downtown Seattle and it was amazingly quiet, except in a couple minor places. Hopefully a way can be found to fix the noise issues. Ben
From KING-5: http://www.king5.com/news/local/TIMES-Sound-Transit-now-considering-a-tunnel-for-light-rail-near-Northgate-96982504.html Instead of running the North Link extension along the side of Interstate 5 Sound Transit is now considering a bored tunnel to avoid conflicts with freeway overpasses. This potentially may be a good idea. Once the line is in, it would be very difficult and expensive to either move it or do [...]
From WSDOT: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2010/06/22_US2TrafficCameras.htm Three new cameras have gone live in the Sultan area. US 2 has heavy traffic volumes and major accidents often, being an undivided 2 lane highway. Hopefully these cameras will help users avoid some of these issues. Ben
From King County Metro: http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/projects/trolleyevaluation.html King County Metro is evaulating whether to order new trolley buses or replace them with diesel-powered buses as they are reaching the end of their lives. While a diesel bus can run anywhere versus a trolley bus which has to run where the wires are, a trolley bus works much [...]
From WSDOT: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2010/06/17_405BothellLaneOpens.htm This project added capacity on northbound Interstate 405 in the Bothell area. It is expected to increase travel speeds by up to 25 miles per hour. More: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i405/ne195thtosr527nb/ Ben
From The News Tribune: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/16/1229612/wa-gov-gregoire-to-tour-canadian.html Governor Gregoire will tour the recently completed Canada Line to learn more about deep-bore tunnels. This is in preparation for the Alaskan Way Viaduct/SR 99 replacement project, which will utilize a deep bore tunnel. More: http://www.pugetsoundtransportation.com/skytrain Ben
From The Seattle PI: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/421826_rainier16.html Due to the bad economy, development has slowed and not kept the expected pace. However some development has happened. Looking at successful modern systems in both Vancouver, BC and Portland, Oregon, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) can work, and be very successful. More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit-oriented_development Ben
From The Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2012131010_metro17m.html The special shuttles to Mariners games are ending due to legal rules that forbid the use of public transit when there are private options. This is very stupid. The purpose of public transit is to get people out of their single vehicles. And what a better place to do it [...]