Thursday, May 10, 2012

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program News


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From: Alaskan Way Viaduct
Sent: 5/10/2012 10:48:37 PM
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Subject: Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program News
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program News

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This program is led by the Washington State Department of Transportation in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, King County, City of Seattle and the Port of Seattle.

Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program News

May 10, 2012

In this issue:

  • SR 99 tunnel construction brings big changes to Seattle’s downtown waterfront.
  • State, city partner with businesses to offer free parking on Seattle’s waterfront this Mother’s Day.
  • Future parking improvements on the waterfront.
  • Weekend-long viaduct closure later this month.

SR 99 tunnel construction brings big changes to Seattle’s downtown waterfront

It’s not yet time for the downtown waterfront’s big makeover, but it is make-room time for the State Route 99 Tunnel project. Crews clearing space for tunnel construction have rerouted six blocks of waterfront traffic from Alaskan Way to a newly improved road beneath the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

The new route â€" which opened this morning and will last through at least early 2014 â€" changes ferry access as well as parking and traffic patterns along the waterfront south of Spring Street. A detailed map of the changes, along with a drive-through simulation that shows new routes to the ferry terminal, is available on the program website.

Moving traffic off Alaskan Way allows crews to expand the tunnel work zone north to Yesler Way. The space will be used to prepare the ground beneath Alaskan Way, where the project’s tunnel boring machine will begin its journey in 2013.

The Washington State Department of Transportation and the Seattle Department of Transportation are rerouting existing roads along the waterfront and in Pioneer Square, and implementing strategies to keep traffic moving while maintaining access to businesses in those neighborhoods, including:

  • Allowing drivers to use Yesler Way to exit the ferry terminal.
  • Increasing the width of Alaskan Way between Yesler Way and Spring Street to accommodate ferry holding lanes.
  • Adding more than 60 temporary on-street parking spaces on Alaskan Way between Spring and Pike streets (see below).

This is a significant change to users of Alaskan Way and Colman Dock. For the next several days, WSDOT will utilize uniformed police officers to help keep traffic moving. Adjustments to signal timing, signage and striping will likely be needed once we get through the first week and gather feedback. If you have questions or suggestions, please email viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov.

State, city partner with businesses to offer free parking on Seattle’s waterfront this Mother’s Day

Great food, interesting shops, fun attractions and picturesque views. If those aren’t good enough reasons to visit Seattle’s waterfront on Mother’s Day, here’s one more â€" you can park there for free.

The Washington State Department of Transportation and the city of Seattle are teaming up with several waterfront businesses, restaurants and parking operators to offer up to four hours of free parking between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Mother’s Day, May 13. The promotion is one of several steps WSDOT and the Seattle Department of Transportation are taking to offset lost on-street parking due to construction of the State Route 99 tunnel and other work along the waterfront.

Here’s how visitors can take advantage of the more than 1,100 free parking spaces available on Mother’s Day:

  • Park at one of five participating parking facilities near the waterfront.
  • Dine at a participating restaurant or visit a participating business.
  • Request a validated parking ticket from your server or at a designated location by showing your receipt.
  • Show your validated parking ticket to the attendant at one of the participating parking facilities to receive up to four hours of free parking.

For more information about the Mother’s Day parking promotion, including the list of participating businesses and parking facilities, visit www.downtownseattle.com/ThingsToDo/parkingpromo.

Future parking improvements on the waterfront

The Mother’s Day promotion is part of a larger effort to help waterfront businesses through SR 99 tunnel construction. Construction crews are currently building more than 60 temporary on-street parking spaces on Alaskan Way between Spring and Pike streets. The new spaces are scheduled to open on May 12.

Since August 2011, WSDOT and SDOT have been working to identify and implement strategies to mitigate for parking losses in Pioneer Square and on the waterfront. A plan to address the impacts of construction on short-term parking in these neighborhoods will be finalized in June.

Weekend-long viaduct closure later this month

SR 99 tunnel crews will close both directions of the Alaskan Way Viaduct between the West Seattle Bridge and the Battery Street Tunnel from 11 p.m. Friday, May 18 through 5 a.m. Monday, May 21. The closure is needed so crews can continue reinforcing a two-block section of the viaduct above the path of the future tunnel.

This email was sent to guyperea@live.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: WSDOT · 310 Maple Park Ave SE · Olympia, WA 98504 Â· 360-705-7000 Powered by GovDelivery

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