Date:  Thursday, November 13, 2008

Contact:
Emily Fishkin, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, 206-267-6821 (Seattle), 206-437-5061 (cell)
Kristy Van Ness, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, 206-382-6361 (Seattle), 206-300-4312 (cell)

SEATTLE – WSDOT, King County, and the City of Seattle released new information today about how the Seattle-area transportation system could operate after the central section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct is taken down. Results show that the transportation system can handle forecasted population growth, there are little changes to travel times on I-5, and trips that continue to use SR 99 to make trips through downtown experience increased travel times.

The analysis released today compares eight scenarios – developed jointly over the past year by the state, county, and city project team – to an expected “2015 Base,” which assumes the removal of the viaduct beginning in 2012 as directed by Gov. Chris Gregoire. The viaduct and adjacent seawall are at risk of failure in the event of an earthquake.

Over the past several months, the project team has studied various aspects of the proposed designs for the scenarios. The scenarios cover a range of options, from a smaller road along the central waterfront and significant investments in transit and surface streets, to bypass roadways with fewer transit and surface street investments. Cost estimates, economic analysis, environmental effects, and construction plans are among the new information to be released in the coming weeks. The results will help the team turn the best aspects of each scenario into two or three new hybrid scenarios, with a joint recommendation on a final alternative to be made at the end of the year by Gov. Gregoire, King County Executive Ron Sims and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.

Thursday’s evaluation results show that traffic in the existing SR 99 corridor can be accommodated by implementing transit and road improvements across a large swath of the transportation system. The eight scenarios under evaluation all accommodate future growth, which is expected to increase the number of person trips in the study area to 2 million compared to 1.7 million today regardless of what is chosen for the central waterfront.

According to the new data, investments in the system cause travel times during heavy commute periods on I-5 to be about the same for all scenarios. For commuters or truck drivers traveling through downtown Seattle from Northgate to SeaTac Airport on I-5 during the afternoon:

• The trip takes approximately 41 minutes today
• It would take 44 minutes in the 2015 base
• It would take 42 to 46 minutes if investments were made in city streets and transit
• It would take 42 to 45 minutes if a road that bypasses downtown were built

“What we have learned is if we focus on the transportation system from I-5 to Elliott Bay, all of the scenarios perform about the same in terms of overall person trips volumes,” said Paula Hammond, WSDOT Secretary. “I-5 is a lifeline corridor for all Washington state and it continues to work under all of the scenarios.”

Travel times from Seattle neighborhoods to downtown Seattle increase when future growth and removal of the current viaduct are assumed, but that increase can be lessened if system investments are made. Some of the increase is due to the relocation of the mid-town ramps to King Street. This will make the trip shorter for people who are going to Pioneer Square and longer if they are going to Westlake Center. For commuters traveling from West Seattle to downtown on SR 99 during the morning:

• The trip takes approximately 13 minutes today
• It would take 30 minutes in the 2015 Base
• It would take 20 to 25 minutes if investments were made in city streets and transit
• It would take 23 to 25 minutes if a bypass road were built

According to travel model results, if transit service throughout the system is increased, people choose to ride it. Transit travel times become more competitive with vehicle trip times and a greater share of the people traveling to downtown do so on transit, mostly from neighborhoods near downtown. For transit riders traveling from West Seattle to downtown during the morning:

• The trip takes approximately 21 minutes today
• It would take 28 minutes in the 2015 Base.
• It would take 25 to 27 minutes if investments were made in city streets and transit
• It would take 25 minutes if a bypass road were built

“When more transit service is provided, people choose to ride it regardless of the scenario. More people ride transit than today, and for some trips transit is as quick as a car,” explained Harold Taniguchi, Director of the King County Department of Transportation.

Travel times for commuters and truck drivers who use SR 99 today to travel through downtown Seattle but stay within the city limits will increase. For those using SR 99 to travel from Ballard to south of the stadiums during the morning:

• The trip takes approximately 14 minutes today
• It would take 24 minutes in the 2015 Base
• It would take 23 to 27 minutes if investments were made in city streets and transit
• It would take 14 to 23 minutes if a bypass road were built

“Trips through Seattle on I-5, to downtown, and to the Port of Seattle can be made in all of these scenarios,” said Grace Crunican, Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation. “The movement of people and goods through the Puget Sound region and to the City of Seattle is a vital part of our economy. We will continue to look for ways to improve travel times between Seattle’s industrial centers.”

A complete summary of the information released is available at http://www.alaskanwayviaduct.org/.

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