Midweek Roundup – Open Thread 55
Countdowns: Lynnwood Link (August 30); RapidRide G (September 14)
View of the new bridge over NE 8th Street at the Wilburton Station. Photo: Martin PagelTransit Updates:Seattle Times ($): A Sound Transit bus crashed at 5th and Terrace on Saturday. 17 injured; 11 hospitalized. KING 5 notes that the driver told emergency responders the brakes failed. Also covered on Seattle Fire Line.
A new bridge connecting Eastrail across NE 8th Street to the 2 Line's Wilburton Station opened on Sunday; coverage in The Urbanist and The Seattle Times ($).
You can now use ORCA cards through your Google Wallet on your Android phone; coverage in The Urbanist, the King County Metro Blog, and Community Transit Blog. The digital card replaces an existing card, preventing folks from double-dipping a pass between a digital and physical card.
The Urbanist: RapidRide K planning kicked into higher gear.
Local News:King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci formally proposes adoption of a Safe Systems" approach across the County.
Seattle Times ($): traffic slowed in 2023, but is still better than 2019.
The Urbanist: Extra funding proposed for Transportation Levy may not actually build 500 block of sidewalks in 5 years.
Other News & Opinion:Should we paint the bus with route information?
How cheaper, quicker-build BRT could benefit cities more than rail.
This is an Open Thread.