Project of the Week - WSDOT Video Introduces HOT Lanes and Wins National Award
"Rachel's Drive" takes viewers on a virtual tour of the SR 167 HOT Lanes pilot project beteen Renton and Auburn. |
The
SR 167 HOT Lanes Pilot Project recently earned top honors for its instructional video entitled “Rachel’s Drive.” The video, which takes viewers on a virtual tour of high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, recently was selected as a winner in the 2008 Transportation Research Board competition, "Communicating with John and Jane Public."
Rachel’s Drive competed against 80 entries submitted by transportation professionals around the world. The projects communicated with public audiences young and old and explained topics, such as the causes of traffic congestion, jobs in the transportation profession, bridge design and -- in the case of Rachel’s Drive -- how to use HOT lanes.
WSDOT is launching the state’s first HOT lanes this spring on SR 167 between Renton and Auburn. It will be a four-year pilot project that allows solo drivers to pay a toll to use the carpool lanes. The toll rate will fluctuate with the level of traffic congestion to make the carpool lanes more efficient and ensure even traffic flow all the time. The HOT lanes project team produced a video to help average commuters understand how the new electronic tolling system will work and to explain the concept of congestion pricing. With a limited budget, the team used computer animation and video footage to produce a three-minute video simulation that puts “you” in the driver’s seat. See the
video .
Rachel’s Drive has been shown at local and regional public meetings. It appeared on print media Web sites and news broadcasts, and it toured the state, reaching key decision makers and editorial boards in six cities. The video is posted on the SR 167 HOT Lanes project site.
The SR 167 HOT Lanes team has been invited to an award ceremony on Monday, January 14, 2008, during the 2008 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington DC.
Incident of the Week - Teamwork Credited with Clearing SR 6 Collision Quickly
Just after 3:30 p.m. on November 5, Washington State Patrol (WSP) received a report of a two-car injury collision on State Route 6 at Spooner Road, approximately seven miles west of Chehalis in Lewis County. One of the cars involved was totaled and the other was disabled. Both were impeding traffic on westbound SR 6.
WSP requested assistance from WSDOT's Incident Responder Ryan Hottell, who arrived on the scene at 4:03 p.m. While fire crews flagged traffic at the intersection, Hottell quickly installed warning signs notifying motorists of the collision ahead. Tow trucks arrived at 4:16 p.m. as ambulance crews aided the drivers involved in the collision. The highway was cleared and reopened at 4:40 p.m., only one hour after the incident was initially reported. Teamwork and coordination among the various agencies was instrumental in clearing this incident quickly.
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Update of Projects Under Way
I-90 Easton - WSDOT and contractor Max J. Kuney battled freezing temperatures on November 27, as they set five bulb-tee girders that will replace a damaged bridge span over I-90 near Easton. The girders are the first step of the repair project, which crews have promised to wrap up by mid-December. Crews are working diligently to restore the bridge for the Easton community by mid-December despite unpredictable weather conditions and thousands of drivers traveling over Snoqualmie Pass everyday. WSDOT is working to accommodate the number of drivers by working at night when traffic is lighter and providing a detour.
SR 167 Extension Project Gets "Go Ahead"
The Federal Highway Administration recently signed a Record of Decision (ROD) for the SR 167 Extension project. The ROD is a critical milestone that completes the environmental documentation process and allows WSDOT to move forward with advanced engineering and design of the project. While it’s not clear when construction funding for the SR 167 Extension will be identified, we are continuing to advance design and right-of-way purchase in the corridor. These activities will allow us to be ready to build when construction funding becomes available. To date, the SR 167 Extension project has purchased 81 of the approximately 250 separate pieces of property needed to complete the highway. WSDOT is currently in negotiations to purchase nearly 20 additional parcels, while continuing to focus on undeveloped property.
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Announcements
WSDOT Announces Funding for 36 Transportation Enhancement Projects
This week Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond announced the selection of 36 projects across the state that will receive a total of almost $15 million in federal transportation enhancement funding. Projects that are eligible for funding may include restoring historic transportation facilities, building bike and pedestrian facilities, landscaping and scenic beautification and treating water pollution from highway runoff.
“These projects improve transportation facilities in communities across the state and will make our state a more attractive place to live, work and raise a family,” said Washington State Secretary of Transportation Hammond. “We thank everyone involved, including members of Congress who support funding for these projects, local groups who develop projects and assemble funding applications and our hard-working selection committee.”
A broad-based committee under a competitive process administered by WSDOT selects winning projects. The committee consists of representatives from WSDOT, cities, counties, tribes, pedestrian, bicycle, trail, and historic preservation.
Port Townsend/Keystone Passenger-Only Schedule Updated to Meet Transit
Washington State Ferries began a new schedule on November 27 for the Port Townsend/Keystone ferry route. The schedule change came about as a direct result of implementing passenger-only service to replace the Steel Electric car ferry service and was adjusted to connect with local transit service. The new schedule includes nine round trips using the aluminum-hulled M/V Snohomish. The vessel can carry up to 350 passengers. Jefferson Transit provides bus service at the Port Townsend Terminal every 20 minutes and Island Transit provides service on the Keystone side every hour on the half hour.
On November 20 Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond announced that Washington State Ferries would pull all Steel Electric class vessels out of service due to concerns about their safety. Ongoing work on the M/V Quinault revealed significant hull pitting along the keel that likely extends to all four Steel Electric vessels.
“Our first priority is to assess the full range of hull pitting in each vessel and determine the extent and the cost of needed repairs. Depending on what is found, the next step will be repair or retirement of the Steel Electrics,” Hammond said.
WSDOT Adds New Traffic Cameras Just in Time for Holiday Travel
WSDOT staff worked quickly on November 21 to put portable traffic cameras on I-90 near Cle Elum where traffic holiday weekend backups typically begin. These camera images made it easy for travelers to see how long back ups are in the Cle Elum area.
On November 26, these cameras were moved to Easton exit 71 so viewers can see the monitor repairs on the overpass bridge where severe damage occurred on October 31. For a look through the cameras on I-90 visit: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/cccam.aspx
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Gray Notebook Highlight - Travel Information, 5-1-1 System
The 5-1-1 Travel Information System allows callers to get a variety of travel information and is updated every few minutes. Between January 1 and June 30, 2007, there were 744,188 calls made to the 5-1-1 system. Of those calls, 628,631 (84 percent) were made in the beginning of the year (by March 31) due to adverse weather conditions in the mountain passes. In January 2007, WSDOT added a new computer server in order to handle large call volumes during severe weather. The 5-1-1 system can now handle 192 simultaneous calls, up 37 percent from the system's previous capacity of 140 calls. More details on this topic and other key issues can be found in the June 2007 Gray Notebook at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability.
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December Open Houses, Meetings and Events
4, Tuesday, 4 - 7 p.m., Open House, US 97 Biggs Bridge Deck Replacement - Rufus, Oregon: WSDOT project team members will hold an open house to share information about the upcoming US 97 Biggs Bridge construction project. The team will discuss the planned work and associated traffic impacts, including nighttime lane closures and a full closure starting in January. Location: Rufus Community Center, 304 W. 2nd Street, Rufus, OR.
4, Tuesday, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m., Open House, SR 302 Corridor Study - Gig Harbor: WSDOT is studying SR 302 from the Key Peninsula Highway to SR 16 to evaluate the environmental impacts of several alternatives for adding vehicle capacity. Participants will be asked to review and comment on work that has been done so far. Location: Peninsula High School Auxiliary Gym, 14105 Purdy Drive NW, Gig Harbor.
5, Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Grand Opening, SR 543 Widening - Blaine: WSDOT will celebrate the grand opening of the newly widened and improved State Route 543 in Blaine. We will open the northbound FAST lane Dec. 5 to celebrate all the work that has transformed the highway from a two-lane road to a wider, safer five-lane highway. The new FAST lane will immediately reduce congestion, shorten wait times and save money for commercial vehicles crossing the border. FAST (Free and Secure Trade) allows pre-approved commercial vehicles to quickly cross the border, saving time and money, much like how Nexus works for passenger vehicles. The $43 million widening project will improve freight mobility and reconnect the city of Blaine. Contact Dustin Terpening (terpenid@wsdot.wa.gov or 360-757-5997) for additional details about the ceremony.
6, Thursday, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m., Open House, SR 302 Corridor Study - Vaughn: WSDOT is studying SR 302 from the Key Peninsula Highway to SR 16 to evaluate the environmental impacts of several alternatives for adding vehicle capacity. Participants will be asked to review and comment on work that has been done so far. Location: Key Peninsula Civic Center, 17010 South Vaughn Road, Vaughn.
6, Thursday, 5 - 7 p.m., Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting, Tacoma Narrows Bridge - Gig Harbor: The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Citizen Advisory Committee will meet to review financial information related to the first four months of toll operations. Meetings are open to the public. Persons wishing to submit comments or questions to the committee may do so at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr16narrowsbridge/feedback/or by mail to TNB-CAC, 3214 50th Street Court NW, Building D-302, Gig Harbor, WA. 98335-8583.
For more details, please visit the WSDOT Calendar of Events.
Weekly Report Archive
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