Midweek Roundup
by Nathan Dickey from Seattle Transit Blog on (#6TWCD)
Planned disruptions of the Link 1 Line continue: Shuttle buses will replace train service between U District and Capitol Hill stations this weekend (Feb. 1-2). This weekend is focused on repairing the overhead wire near UW Station which was broken in October.
Transit and Streets:- King County Metro's Operators of the Month for November and December 2024 (Metro Matters).
- SDOT is kicking off a second phase of work using data from smart" commercial vehicle load zones to improve curb space management (SDOT Blog).
- Predictably, the NE 130th Street Infill Station was officially named Pinehurst Station (Sound Transit). I, for one, hope puppy dog City" sticks (reddit).
- As widely predicted, Amazon's return-to-office mandate increased traffic; SDOT reports a 5-9% increase in vehicle counts in SLU and the Denny Triangle over January 2024 (The Seattle Times, $)
- WSDOT's has delayed the next portion of its Revive I-5" project (covering Downtown Seattle to Northgate) until 2026 (WSDOT Blog). The project will require temporarily closing down 2 lanes of I-5 at a time from 2026 into the 2030s, which is expected to increase delays for drivers in North Seattle. This delay means the closure will now start just after East Link opens across I-90 and doubles Link service between Downtown Seattle and Lynnwood, which may encourage more drivers to switch once the freeway closures start.
- Anew study comparing videos of street scenes in NYC, Boston and Philadelphia shows urban pedestrians in 2010 walked a bit faster and socialized a lot less than in 1980 (Bloomberg CityLab).
- Governor Bob Ferguson's transition team has published a housing action plan that says transit-oriented development should be a top priority (The Urbanist).
- Tim Trohimovich, Director of Planning & Law at Futurewise says Seattle's Comprehensive Plan Update will face appeals that might delay the plan, but the appeals will ultimately fail. (The Urbanist).
- Mark Solomon appointed to represent Seattle City Council District 2 (PubliCola). Additional coverage by The Urbanist, The Seattle Times ($), and the Seattle City Council Blog. Solomon will chair the City's Land Use Committee as it works toward approving the city's decadal Comprehensive Plan update this year.
- Increased walk-ons buoyed ferry ridership in 2024 (The Seattle Times, $).
- E-bike rebates are coming; lottery opens in April (The Seattle Times, $). Also via WSDOT new release.
- Wisconsinites are confused why former WI congressman Sean Duffy has been selected to head USDOT (Urban Milwaukee).
- In December, Biden's administration released An Action Plan For Rail Energy And Emissions Innovation" which proposes the use of islands" of overhead wire. Benjamin Schneider reviewed the federal plan and California's statewide rail plan (The Urban Condition)
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