More than 50,000 people are expected in and around Gasworks Park to celebrate the fireworks festivities at the Family 4th at Lake Union on Sunday, from 11 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

The park opens at noon Sunday.

From 12 noon to 6 p.m., Seattle Police will set up a perimeter restricting traffic to “local access only” between Sunnyside Avenue N. on the east, Interlake Avenue N. on the west, N. 39th Street on the north and N. Northlake Way/GasWorks Park on the south. From 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., the restricted traffic access perimeter will be go further to I-5 on the east, Stone Way N. on the west, N. 40th Street on the north and N Northlake Way/ Lake Union/Gas Works Park on the south.

Fireworks begin at 10 p.m.

The fireworks traditionally draws a lot of spectators on the water, as well. Boat traffic is expected to increase at least 30 percent on the Lake Union for the event. Boaters coming into the lake need to pass through the Lake Washington Ship Canal and keep the following times in mind: the Fremont Bridge will not open for marine traffic between 9 p.m. on the 4th until 12:30 a.m. on July 5th; the Ballard and University Bridge will not open for marine traffic from 10 p.m. on the 4th until 1:00 a.m. July 5.

Some traffic issues today, if you’re planning on using the Fremont Bridge:

The Seattle Department of Transportation’s Roadway Structures crews will perform maintenance work on several bridges in north Seattle this week. This work is subject to change in the event crews are called to other locations for unplanned emergency work. In addition, there are closures on a WSDOT bridge and a King County bridge adjacent to the Seattle city limits.

For Fremont, that means one curb lane of the Fremont Bridge will be closed at a time for about three hours each to repair the bridge deck. The work is scheduled for today, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If you’re not going to be part of the Fremont 5K & Briefcase Relay today, try to find alternate routes around downtown Fremont this afternoon and tonight, as streets will be closed for the event.

North 34th Street will be closed between Fremont Avenue N. and Stone Way N. for staging beginning at 5:45 p.m. The course begins at N. 34th Street east of Fremont Avenue N; proceeds east on 34th to NE Pacific Street; then east on Pacific to N. 40th Street; at 40th the runners and walkers move on to the Burke-Gilman trail; then head west on the Burke-Gilman Trail to Stone Way N. and N. 34th Street; and finally goes west on 34th to finish at Fremont Avenue N.

In fact, it might be easier to bike or walk around our part of town this weekend.

SDOT also has a Traffic advisory in effect for the whole weekend due to a number of large events Seattle-wide. Including: UW Graduation, Roosevelt Neighborhood Parade, Leschi Shore Run and Seattle University’s Commencement Ceremony.

For the UW Graduation, which might have an impact on Fremont residents, from SDOT:

Expect heavy congestion with both pedestrians and vehicles near the stadium between noon and 6 p.m. Anticipate heavier traffic than usual on I-5 through the University District and on SR-520. At approximately 3:30 p.m., Seattle Police will set up traffic controls closing Montlake Boulevard between NE Pacific Street and NE 45th Street to through traffic to help move cars parked in the stadium lots out of the area after the ceremonies. Traffic approaching the closure will be detoured around the area. This restriction, which is similar to traffic routing for Husky football games, will be in effect until approximately 5:30 p.m. Avoid the Montlake Bridge if possible.

Smile, you’re on camera.

Luckily, these aren’t red-light cameras, but new traffic cameras - 38 in all, all over the city.

This month the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has made “real time” views from 38 new traffic cameras around the city available online as a way of making it easier to pinpoint congestion and collisions, as well as monitoring traffic and road conditions.

Warning: it’s not the easiest map to work, but if you play around with it, it can be useful. It’s very sensitive to the zoom in zoom out of the Mac touchpad!

In Fremont, the new cameras that show up on the online map are on N. 36th Street - one at Evanston Ave. N., and one at Fremont Ave. N. These neighborhoods had at least 6 new cameras: Ballard, SODO/Georgetown, Capitol Hill/Central District and Downtown.

Use it as a way to figure out which routes not to take - or which routes will get you from A to B fastest.

SDOT traffic engineers are using the information to identify locations where they can make changes to improve traffic flow.

There are also eight new electronic “Dynamic Message Signs” (“DMS”) now operating on major arterials, providing handy travel alerts to people already on the road.

It’s not the end of the camera craze. By the end of August, SDOT will add a few more cameras and six DMS signs. In addition, by the end of the year WSDOT will add six traffic cameras and six DMS signs that SDOT will own and operate, on State Route 99.

The views from the SDOT traffic cameras, as well as WSDOT cameras located within the city of Seattle, are available on the Travelers Map on SDOT’s website. The Travelers site also indicates the level of congestion on major arterial streets and Seattle area state highways, and provides information on special events and construction likely to have significant impacts on traffic. (Today, for instance, looks like it’ll be a heavy traffic day downtown with the Sounders FC and Mariners games.)

A total of 19.7 million visits were made to the Travelers website in 2009.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) today released its before and after study of the Stone Way N. rechannelization, which the department said demonstrates that Seattle’s streets can be made safer through lane reconfigurations.

The report documents that the lane changes on Stone Way N. from 34th St. to 50th St. have had the effect of reduced speeds for motorists and fewer motor and bicycle collisions - while still maintaining the road’s capacity.

Highlights from the study include:
• Motor vehicles now travel at speeds nearer the legal limit;
• Total collisions dropped 14 percent with injury collisions down 33 percent;
• Pedestrian collisions declined significantly;
• Bike trips increased 35 percent but collisions per bicycle trip have declined; and
• Volumes show the roadway still easily accommodates motor vehicle traffic.

Data collected by SDOT on the rechannelized street shows motorists drive at speeds closer to the posted 30 m.p.h. limit and a decline of more than 80 percent in those traveling over 40 m.p.h. The study also reveals a decrease in total collisions by 14 percent and pedestrian collisions by 80 percent.

The study compared the before period (April 2005-August 2007) to a period after the rechannelization (August 2007-December 2009.) SDOT converted the street to two general travel lanes with a center turn lane from N. 40th to N. 50th streets in August 2007 and from N. 34th to N. 40th streets in April 2008. Additional bike and pedestrian facilities were also installed at those times. Before the lane reduction, the street consisted of four general purpose travel lanes.

National studies show that lane reductions can result in lower motor vehicle speeds, improved pedestrian safety, increased bicycling trips and fewer collisions, while maintaining a corridor’s capacity. Starting in 1972 with California Ave. SW and N. 45th St, the city of Seattle has implemented 24 rechannelizations as of April 2010.

There was one interesting increase, buried at the end of the study:

The number of rear‐end collisions increased, especially between N. 39th St. and N. 41st St. This type of collision increased 65% during the study period (from 17 to 28) in spite of the overall reduction in the number of collisions. Since most of the increase was attributable to the
section of roadway where there was a transition from 4 lanes to 3 lanes during the interim
period between August 2007 and April 2008, one possible explanation is that drivers had
difficulty making left turns in this transition area.  While these types of collisions tend to be
minor in nature, SDOT will again examine the rate of rear‐end collisions within the next two
years to determine if the rate in fact declined after the roadway was rechannelized south of
40th Street.

For more information: check out SDOT’s website.

Our sister site, My Wallingford, reported this today:

If you live or work near the North Recycling and Disposal Station (NRDS) and have concerns about traffic in the area, show up at a community meeting tomorrow night to let Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) hear your experiences.

Bill Benzer, who’s project manager for the SRDS rebuild slated to start in 2012, told us that he has been hearing from stakeholders in the community about current traffic issues and wanted to get neighbors and SDOT together to share information.

Residents around the North Recycling and Disposal Station have complained of drivers using residential streets instead of arterials and speeding.

Here are details about the meeting, which will take place Thursday, May 13, at 6:30 PM at the Hamilton Middle School Library, located at 4400 Interlake Ave N (former Lincoln High School):

At this meeting, you will have an opportunity to:

• Share your questions or concerns related to NRDS traffic on Interlake, Ashworth, Carr Place, and Woodlawn Avenues North with representatives from Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).
• Learn more about the city’s neighborhood traffic calming program and first steps for identifying problems, common strategies the City uses to deal with different traffic issues on neighborhood streets, what is required to implement these solutions, and what you can do.

For more information about this project or the community meeting:

• You can call or e-mail Bill Benzer, the NRDS project manager, at (206) 684-7845 or Bill.Benzer@seattle.gov
• You can learn more about traffic calming at SDOT’s website
• You can learn more about what is proposed for the North Recycling and Disposal Station at the NRDS project website

Our sister site, Magnolia Voice, reported this earlier today:

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn’s ‘Walk. Bike. Ride’ initiative means some big changes for Nickerson Street.

It was announced today that this summer Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will change West Nickerson Street to include one driving lane in each direction and a center two-way turn lane. The new configuration, between Warren Avenue North and 13th Avenue West, will reduce the number of motor vehicle lanes and add an uphill bicycle lane. The downhill traffic lane will have sharrows, shared lane markings for bicycles. There will be marked crosswalks installed at Jesse Avenue West, Cremona Street, and Dravus Street.

The city expects the changes on Nickerson to reduce vehicle speeds and collisions. The speed limit on Nickerson is 30 mph, but SDOT says that average speeds are significantly higher. The report claims that narrowing the space for motor vehicles has been shown to reduce travel speeds and the kinds of collisions common on Nickerson.

[Read more →]

Just a reminder that starting tonight construction begins on the nine-foot-tall safety fence along the outer railing of the Aurora Bridge.  Two lanes of traffic will be closed Sunday through Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.  The sidewalk on the side of the bridge where work is taking place will also be closed during that time.  The barrier is designed to help deter people from jumping or falling from the bridge.   

Night work is expected to last through May and neighbors have been warned that it will get noisy.  The Department of Transportation is offering free industrial-strength earplugs to residents in the area who request it.  To receive earplugs, call 206-267-6019 or email phippsg@wsdot.wa.gov with your name, address and number of earplugs needed.  You can also keep track of construction updates through the WSDOT’s project page. 

The southbound right hand lane of the Aurora Bridge will be closed on Wednesday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  The closure is to allow Seattle Department of Transportation bridge crews to complete repairs on the underside of the bridge. 

The right hand, southbound lane of the Aurora Bridge will be closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (February 22-24) of this week.  Seattle Department of Transportation says the lane will be closed from 9 a.m. to noon each of those days so crews can repair the exterior surface of a bridge column.

The Seattle Department of Transportation is making repairs to several area bridges this week.  This Wednesday, January 20, crews will be doing maintenance work on the Fremont Bridge from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  The northbound, right curb lane will be closed during that time.  In Ballard, crews will be completing guard rail repairs on the Ballard Bridge on January 20-22 and January 25-26.  The southbound, right lane will be closed from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on each of those days.  

Updated 2:45 p.m.: A large water main broke along Leary Way this afternoon, slowing traffic through Fremont and spouting brown water and impacting pressure for many Ballard residents.

Seattle Public Utilities says the break is under Leary Way and 39th St. (above). Crews have dug into the street to fix the break.

Public Utilities told us there’s no estimated time to fix it, and one Ballard resident says they told her it will take a few hours, then a bit longer to flush out the brown water. If you’re seeing brown water, they recommend you avoid running hot water to minimize filling the hot water tank with turbid water. If you are washing clothes, it is better to stop the cycle while it is full and wait until clean water is available to finish. More information about brown water here.

Traffic along Leary Way is diverted down to one lane in each direction. At last check, traffic was backed up a couple blocks in both directions. (Thanks Karen and Jen for the tips!)

Update at 9 p.m.: Police have made an arrest, and the standoff is over.

Earlier: On the western edge of Fremont, a large police response along with a SWAT team are serving a warrant, closing traffic in the area.

It all began earlier this evening at 8th and Leary, and the standoff is stretching into the night. My Ballard is posting updates on the story here.

A memorial procession for fallen Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton will be held tomorrow, November 6.  Approximately 1,000 to 1,500 cars are expected to leave the University of Washington at 9:00 a.m. and proceed along city streets to a service at Key Arena.  During the procession, traffic will not be allowed on the route nor will they be allowed to cross it.  The procession is expected to last from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  During that time, the SDOT says to expect severe traffic detours and congestion.  Our news partner, The Seattle Times, has additional details and has outlined a map here. 

The Seattle Police Department has also released this photo in connection with the shooting death of Officer Brenton. 

They are looking for a Datsun B210 car similar to this one shown in an online car advertisement. The vehicle may be connected with Saturday’s shooting.

Contact Seattle Police at 206-233-5000 if you have any information regarding this case.  You can also give an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 206-343-2020 or via text message by texting TIP486 with a message, then sending that to 274637 (CRIMES).

Trolloween, the yearly event that celebrates the birth of the Fremont Troll, is expected to bring out hundreds of performers and people on Halloween night (that’s tomorrow!)  This is a photo of what last year’s celebration looked like.  (Thanks to Marcus for the picture.)

This year marks the Troll’s 20th birthday, and in celebration of the day, this year’s theme will be Dante’s Inferno.  Rain or not, everyone is invited to join in the merriment through Fremont that begins at the Troll at 7:00 p.m.  Following the procession, there will be an aerial dance performance of Daedalus by the Cabiri.  If it’s raining, the show will take place under the Fremont Bridge.  If not, they’ll be in the lot across from Theo Chocolate.

Seattle Police Department will be escorting this year’s parade, which starts under the Aurora Bridge at the Troll (N. 36th St. and Troll Ave N.)  From there, the route looks like this:

The “Haunt of Fremont” heads west on 36^th to Evanston Avenue N; south on Evanston to N 35^th Street; west on 35^th to First Avenue NW; south on First Ave NW to N Canal Street (which is closed from First Ave NW to Phinney Avenue N for a performance of Dante’s Inferno); east on Canal to N 34^th Street; east on 34^th to Evanston; south on Evanston to private street; east on private street to the Fremont Bridge.

These streets will be closed on Saturday for Trolloween:

• 3:00-10:00 p.m. - N. Canal St. between 1st Ave NW and Phinney Ave N.
• 4:30-8:00 p.m. - N. 36th St. adjacent to the Troll between Linden Ave N. and Whitman Ave N.

For more information, you can visit the Trolloween Facebook page here.

The Aurora Bridge will be down to one lane in each direction on Sunday night as SDOT crews makes repairs on expansion joints. Then next week, two lanes will be open in each direction from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (the inside lanes will be closed) as maintenance crews work.