WSDOT

AAA's roadside service goes electric

Bellamy Pailthorp — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:50:23 +0000

Driving an all-electric vehicle just got a bit more mainstream.

The AAA Auto Club of Washington has launched a new emergency roadside service for electric cars. It now has a truck with a generator on board that can rescue drivers in the greater Seattle area if they’ve run out of charge.

Bill calls for reports to lawmakers on costly WSDOT errors

Bellamy Pailthorp — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Big mistakes made on the design and construction of pontoons for the new 520 floating bridge could lead to tougher reporting requirements for the Washington state Department of Transportation.

Lawmakers want more transparency and accountability when it comes to costly mistakes. Repairs to cracks in the new 520 pontoons, for example, are expected to cost tens of millions of dollars.

WSDOT admits big mistakes on 520 pontoons

Bellamy Pailthorp — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 02:04:37 +0000

Big mistakes were made by the State Department of Transportation in its construction of the pontoons that will hold up the new 520 bridge across Lake Washington.

The agency says it is making repairs and design modifications to ensure the bridge will last the full 75 year lifespan promised.

San Fran’s popular Sidecar is the latest ridesharing app for Seattle

Bellamy Pailthorp — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Did you get stuck in traffic during the Thanksgiving weekend? Or: worry about your kids getting dicey rides home from holiday parties?

WSDOT says cracks in new SR-520 pontoons are par for the course

Bellamy Pailthorp — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:30:44 +0000

You may have heard about some issues with the large concrete pontoons being built for the new 520 bridge across Lake Washington. Several of them sprung leaks and cracks after the cement set in Aberdeen.

But the state Department of Transportation says drivers don’t need to worry; the situation is under control.

Click the "play" icon below to see video of State Construction Engineer Jeff Carpenter describing how pontoon cracks are being patched to ensure they will last 75 years, as stipulated in the design plan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVA-TAHD6_A

Highway 520 design in federal court on Tuesday

Bellamy Pailthorp — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:01:13 +0000

Even as its construction is well underway, design plans for the new 520 bridge across Lake Washington continue to spark controversy.

A federal judge will hear oral arguments tomorrow in a lawsuit against the replacement project by the State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.

520 Tolls – Drive around or pay? Many are driving around

Bellamy Pailthorp — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:47:07 +0000

Today is the first big day for car commuters since automatic tolling went live on the 520 bridge across Lake Washington.

It’s viewed as the start of the first really meaningful data-set for people who crunch numbers behind the scenes of the State Department of Transportation.

So far, the commute has pushed traffic to the south, with the I-90 bridge seeing more congestion … and more room created on 520, where drivers now have to pay to cross.

520 Tolls starting tomorrow

Bellamy Pailthorp — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:33:23 +0000

Tomorrow (Thursday, 12-29-11), electronic tolls will kick in on the 520 bridge across lake Washington.

A series of technical glitches caused multiple past delays. But now, the reader boards are going live and billing drivers on the most popular route between Seattle and the east side.

There are many creative ways to get around the tolls, but you’re bound to have to pay, sooner or later.

SR 520 Tolls – kicking in one week from today

Bellamy Pailthorp — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Get ready for tolling charges on the 520 bridge.

The state department of transportation will be flipping a virtual switch one week from today.

That means now is a really good time to set up a Good to Go account online – or face more expensive travel.

520 tolling to begin in 3 weeks

Bellamy Pailthorp — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 02:11:52 +0000

Tolling on the 520 Bridge will start at 5 am on December 29^th.

That’s the word from the state Department of Transportation, after multiple glitches that have delayed the system till now.

Washington hopes to benefit from rejected Florida rail funds

Liam Moriarty — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:56:29 +0000

Today is the deadline for Washington and other states to apply for a share of more than $2 billion in federal high-speed rail money that Florida rejected. State officials hope to use some of that money to tackle landslides that have made rail travel this winter unreliable.

Thursday morning's headlines

KPLU News Staff — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:05:53 +0000

Making headlines around the Northwest this morning:

Carpool Tolls Likely on I-405
Not Guilty Plea in Prison Guard Murder Charge
Grand Jury Request by Woodcarver's Family

I-405 Carpool Tolls Coming?

As drivers get ready to pay new tolls this spring to cross the Highway 520 floating bridge – more tolls could be on the way. State lawmakers have proposed charging cars with only one or two people in them to use carpool lanes on I-405 from Lynnwood to Bellevue.

State passenger ferries sold and leaving for Tanzania

Dave Meyer — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 02:51:30 +0000

Two of the state's passenger-only ferries, the Skagit and the Kalama, have been sold to Scope Community Consultants of Coquitlam, B.C., for $400,000. The boats have been tied up at the dock since the state ended passenger-only service in 2009. Their new owner is loading them onto a cargo ship and sending them to Tanzania, where they'll ferry passengers between the mainland and the Zanzibar archipelago.

Wednesday morning's headlines

KPLU News Staff — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:56:05 +0000

Making headlines this morning:

Seattle Tunnel Project Hits Federal Snag
Audit Singes State Over Highway 18 Costs
787 Delivery Plans Face More Questions
State's Newest Congresswoman Takes on Health Care Reform

Seattle street closes tonight as Viaduct replacement work begins

The Associated Press — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:34:51 +0000

The first major street closure in the work to replace Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct happens Monday night.

The state Department of Transportation says it's closing First Avenue South next to Qwest Field from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday to allow crews to set up space for the huge construction job.