Transit Digest - October 12th, 2007

Here is the fourth edition of Transit Digest, our (almost) weekly Friday series covering brief transportation news items from the previous few days

Does your company offer transit incentives? Now is the time to find out:

There's a way to help the environment and save on taxes every day that you work. The mechanism - known variously as a commuter benefits program or a transit incentive program (TRIP) - was created by Congress in the 1990s to encourage the use of mass transit and van pooling.

It allows companies to cover up to $110 a month of a worker's commuting costs via bus, subway, train or ferry or lets workers take up to $110 a month in pretax money for that purpose. A similar amount can be contributed to each rider in van pools for six or more passengers. A related program allows $215 to be set aside each month for parking, including at park-and-ride lots that feed mass transit or van pool sites.

Now is a good time for consumers to take a fresh look at the transit programs because many companies make them available during their open enrollment benefit season each fall.

If your company doesn't participate in this project, ask them to. More information is available from the Association for Commuter Transportation.

Eight of nine King County Councilmembers endorse Roads and Transit: All the members of the county's legislative branch, save for Kathy Lambert (who unfortunately represents NPI's home district) endorsed the package:

We frequently disagreed as to what the right projects were and how to pay for them. After all, we represent very different areas of King County -- rural to urban to suburban. We knew that addressing our transportation problems was too important a task to delay. We shared our differences, expressed our points of view on behalf of our constituents, compromised where necessary, and arrived at unanimous agreement on a plan after attending dozens of meetings and reviewing thousands of public comments.

The result of that work is the Roads and Transit plan (Proposition 1), which will be on the November ballot. It is the first balanced transportation plan ever created for the Puget Sound region. Roads and Transit will build 50 miles of new light rail, replace vulnerable bridges, fix the worst choke points on our highways and build new bike and pedestrian paths across King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

Republicans and Democrats from across King County recognize that this plan is our best chance to begin solving the problems facing our region.

Highway 2 work planned: The "highway of death" is getting some much needed improvements.

Gregoire said the road will be added to the state's traffic-safety-corridor list, which designates roads with the highest collision and fatality rates and makes them eligible for improvement. To start, the state will add signs alerting drivers to the dangers of the road.

It will also add 24-inch rumble strips — bumpy strips of pavement that cause noise and vibration when drivers drift onto them — along with reflectors and permanent, double striping next spring between Monroe and Gold Bar. A standard, nine-inch rumble strip will be added between Gold Bar and Stevens Pass.

Finally, the Washington State Patrol will put more motorcycle units along the route in an effort to reduce the number of drunken, sleepy and sometimes testy drivers traveling the road.

The highway inarguably needs to be improved. There have been 2,600 accidents on the road since 1999 with 50 fatalities. Good thing we rejected I-912 in 2005 - that money pays for safer roads.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct will close this weekend for full inspection: The state inspects the viaduct every three months to monitor the damage from the 2001 Nisqually earthquake.

Crews will close both viaduct decks on Saturday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Spokane Street through the Battery Street Tunnel. Unlike previous inspections, the tunnel will remain closed Saturday night for corrosion testing.

On Sunday crews again will close both decks at 6 a.m. from Spokane Street through the Battery Street Tunnel. Because of an afternoon Seattle Seahawks game, the lanes will reopen early. The southbound lanes will open at 3 p.m., and the northbound lanes will open at 4 p.m.

The results of the inspection will be released on the 19th of October.

Weekend backups expected on I-405. Prepare for some backups on the Eastside as well this weekend:

Crews working for the State Department of Transportation will close two northbound lanes of Interstate 405 near Coal Creek Parkway this weekend for pile-driving work.

Engineers expect long backups on northbound I-405 between Interstate 90 and Renton, with the worst congestion Saturday and Sunday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, crews will close two northbound I-405 lanes from 112th Avenue Southeast to Coal Creek Parkway at 5 a.m. each morning. Crews will reopen one lane at 10:30 a.m. and the second lane at 12:30 p.m. each day.

Drivers are advised to take alternate routes or delay trips when possible.

Finally, if you missed Danny Westneat's column about light rail, read it now. He took the time to travel to the Rose City and experience its system. And surprise, surprise - he liked it a lot.

I have ridden on Portland's system, and agree completely with Danny's observations. The system is quick, reliable, efficient and a pleasure to ride. During rush hour the trains are packed, yet still operate on time.

As Danny notes, light rail also spurs growth. That's probably its biggest benefit. A light rail line anchors dense developments of workspaces and housing. Danny mentioned the condos going up along the line, but didn't mention what's happening in other areas of Portland. Up in north Portland, light rail is spurring the revitalization of a run down part of the city. Abandoned buildings are turning into restaurants and stores, and housing is being built at a record pace.

If you have spent time in Portland you know what I'm talking about. If not read Danny's column and get an idea. If light rail can work in Portland (and hundreds of other cities across the nation) it can work in Seattle.

Something we missed? Tell us about it in the comments.