Strategies to keep people and goods moving in and through Seattle SR 99 Closure and the Seattle Squeeze 2018-2024 City of Seattle Full Council December 10,of2018 Department Transportation How we get around is about to change Over the next five years private and public construction projects will continue to change how we move and deliver goods Department of Transportation Where we are headed Pike Pine Renaissance Central Waterfront WA State Convention Center Key Arena Department of Transportation Growing light rail system Our five pillars for downtown mobility Monitoring and managing our transportation system Reducing the number of drive-alone trips downtown Investing in transit and expanding access Managing the public right-of-way Communicating with the public Department of Transportation Program schedule 2018 Early 2019 Tunnel preparation SR 99 closure Tunnel opens Work begins Fall 2018: Jan. 4: Feb*: Feb*: • Switch Alaskan Way travel lanes west (complete) • Complete tunnel systems testing • Operations, maintenance and emergency responder staff training • Preparatory tunnel on- and off-ramp work • On- and off-ramps near stadiums close • Closure ends and SR 99 tunnel opens • SR 99 NB off-ramp to downtown and Alaskan Way opens Jan. 11: • Full SR 99 closure begins • Finish eight ramps to/from new tunnel • Realign SR 99 into new tunnel • Tunnel grand opening celebration • Viaduct removal • Closing and filling Battery Street Tunnel • Rebuilding three blocks of Aurora Avenue North *Closure is approximately three weeks long but duration will depend on progress. Why close SR 99 for three weeks? Connecting SR 99 to the tunnel: Crews will have to work in the path of SR 99’s current configuration to connect SR 99 to the new tunnel. The graphics below show the path of SR 99 today (yellow) and work zones during the closure (orange). Ramp closures - Up to six week of impact: • On Jan. 4, 2019, WSDOT will close the S Atlantic St. southbound off-ramp and the northbound Royal Brougham Way on-ramp. • After the new SR 99 tunnel opens, the northbound off-ramp to downtown will remain closed for up to two weeks. South SR 99 tunnel portal North SR 99 tunnel portal SR 99 closure and tunnel opening: get ready Scheduled to begin Jan. 11, 2019 • Duration: about three-weeks for SR 99 closure and up to three weeks of ramp closures • Closing a highway adds more drivers to other parts of the system: 90,000 vehicles per day, including several thousand trucks, and buses have to use another route • Expect long backups: On I-5 and routes into downtown Seattle, especially during peak commute times • Major change to transportation system: New SR 99 tunnel will open, other construction continues 7 v Feb. 2 – 3, 2019 Saturday • Fun run • Ribbon cutting ceremony • Public festival • Public tunnel walk/access • Goodbye to the viaduct/ hello waterfront Sunday • Bike ride Event agenda 99StepForward.com Finding a new normal in ongoing changes Opening the new SR 99 tunnel is just the start: • Tunnel will open toll-free for a period of time. • Traffic patterns will change because we are changing access to SR 99. • Construction continues after the tunnel opens to drivers. Seattle will experience ongoing change: • It will take time before traffic patterns settle out. • Tolls range from $1 to $2.25 with a Good To Go pass. • Some trips will be quicker and others will be longer. • The City will rebuild the new Alaskan Way, which will open in 2021. Alaskan Way Viaduct REPLACEM ENT New SR 99 ramps at the north portal? Looking north '1 Northbound l: A 4 . - 99 off-ramp Southbound SR 99 .. 5 to Mercer Street on ramp into tunnel . - and LS Southbound SR 99 off-ramp to Denny Way and downtown Northbound SR 99 on-ramp Alaskan Way Viaduct REPLACEM ENT Opening the tunnel: Ramps at the south portal - - Future Alaskan Way 5 ?r surface street - Soutllgearborn Street 1? ?71, 6 1 -- Southbound SR 99 on-ramp x' . I. Narthboun; SR 99 off-ramp to downtown Southbound SR 99 on-ramp into tunnel 3-2. .. a Southbound SR 99 off-ram to downtown and stadiums ,7 Construction after the SR 99 tunnel opens Viaduct removal: Approx. 6 months Filling and sealing the Battery Street Tunnel: Approx. 24 months Alaskan Way Viaduct removal Battery Street Tunnel (BST) decommissioning North surface street connections: Approx. 15 months North surface street (NSS) connections 12 Southend transit pathways sequence During AWV full Closure – Before tunnel opens • Duration: 4 - 5 weeks • Affected routes: 21x, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, C Line Interim pathway via 1st Ave S • Duration: 9 months – 1 year • Affected routes: 21x, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, C Line Permanent southend pathway • Duration: Permanent • Affect: When the Viaduct Demolition, Waterfront, and Columbia St 2-Way Configuration projects are complete, this pathway will use transit lanes on SR 99, Alaskan Way Surface St, and Columbia St for both ingress and egress of the Seattle CBD. The information included here has been compiled by King County Metro staff from a variety of sources and is subject to change without notice. SR 99 closure North end transit pathways • Aurora buses will be impacted by North Portal area work • Routes includes E, 5, 5X, 26, 28 The information included here has been compiled by King County Metro staff from a variety of sources and is subject to change without notice. Water Taxi • 10 minute ride from Seacrest Park in West Seattle • 22 minute ride from Vashon Island to downtown • Second vessel for West Seattle routes • Additional 250 parking spots at Pier 2 with shuttle to Seacrest Park • Additional parking at Harbor Ave SW and SW Bronson Way • Dedicated Vanshare parking at Don Armeni Park • Added shuttle service (Route 773 and 775) from the Junction and Alki Beach Responding to the SR 99 closure Actively monitor and adjust traffic system; staff operations centers 24/7; deploy police at key transit intersections Extend transit priority hours on 3rd Avenue to 6AM to 7PM; add bus trips on key Metro routes and standby coaches to maintain schedules; and provide additional Water Taxi service Modify and schedule permitted construction work for maximum travel capacity; temporarily restrict parking Work cooperatively with downtown Seattle employers to reduce drive alone trips; provide SR 99 consultations and support through Commute Seattle Collaborate on a regional communications and outreach effort, including more than 100 meetings with community groups, stakeholders, and businesses R 99 closure and tunnel opening: plan and prepa We need the public’s help: make a plan for #Realign99 • Stay informed and sign up for alerts • www.seattle.gov/traffic • www.kingcounty.gov/getready • www.99tunnel.com • Shift your travel time • Bike or walk • Carpool or vanpool • Use transit, particularly light rail and King County Water Taxi • Flex your work schedule to avoid peak travel times, work from home, postpone discretionary trips, take time off • Be prepared for your new travel route when the tunnel opens We’re entering a new normal Now – 2022 January-February 2019 March 23, 2019 Early Summer 2019: As early as summer 2019: • Construction impacts surface streets from WSCC Addition construction and Key Arena redevelopment • Alaskan Way Viaduct closes 1/11. Longest highway closure in Puget Sound until SR 99 Tunnel opens about 3 weeks later • Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel becomes light rail only, bringing 7 significant regional bus routes onto City streets • Construction of the new Alaskan Way begins, lasting until 2021 • Tolling begins on the SR 99 tunnel, initially resulting in traffic diversion onto downtown streets. 2021 • Light rail opens to Northgate 2023 • Light rail opens to the Eastside Department of Transportation 18 King County Metro SDOT Know Before You Go: www.seattle.gov/traffic Twitter: @seattledot @SDOTtraffic #seattlesqueeze Commute Seattle https://commuteseattle.com/sr99/ Port of Seattle https://www.portseattle.org/projects/alask an-way-viaduct-replacement-program Department of Transportation Metro Trip Planning Resources for buses, light rail, ride share and water taxi: https://kingcounty.gov/getready Sound Transit https://www.soundtransit.org/ WSDOT Twitter: @WSDOT_traffic @BerthaDigsSR99 #Realign99 Email: viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov www.99tunnel.com www.AlaskanWayViaduct.org BACK POCKET SR 99 closure transit pathways The information included here has been compiled by King County Metro staff from a variety of sources and is subject to change without notice. 2016 SR 99 closure Travel time: Bellevue to Seattle (I-90 westbound) What we experienced during nine-day SR 99 closure in 2016 • Region-wide impacts: higher travel times on I-5, SR 520, I-90 • Peak commutes started earlier and lasted longer • More vehicles on downtown streets • Sound Transit commuter rail ridership increased by 5 to 10% • West Seattle water taxi ridership increased 135%, Vashon passenger ferry service increased by 27% • Longer travel times for King County Metro buses rerouted off SR 99 • More cyclists on the road to avoid congestion Travel time: Federal Way to Seattle (I-5 northbound) Using the new SR 99 tunnel Bum?E: Ema {inca? 2:3: Ecnmm aria nEmEm 6. .. I a?ssoows? . ?33s, nun . - ., I Ila! Iluv II I hang Edi . Alaskan Way Viaduet REPLACEMENT North portal freight routes after the SR 99 tunnel opens ln-llmf? I I Mortl'hhound interim. route du'ilg construction on alum-m Anne. M- ?74] Southbouruzl peI'Trnnent routeefter More H. oonsh?uction oorrplete Alaskan "attain"r Viaduct REF LAGE MFHT Suuth partal freight routes during #Realign'i'? clasura THU EHTRAH EIIT - - Northbound Active Hailraad ta- I-E and PPM ?ll-15W Alaskan Way Vieduot REPLACEMFEHT South portal freight routes after the SR 99 tunnel opens H: EHTRAH EIIT 'S??l??n?qmnulk?'??w I to I-S and SR 99 closure / tunnel opening multi-agency planning effort Agency executive team • Includes agency executives from WSDOT, WSDOT, King County Metro, Port of Seattle and Sound Transit • Meets monthly to discuss and resolve issues Core team • Includes agency leadership and leads from each work group • Meets twice a month to discuss and resolve issues identified by work groups Construction / traffic and operations group • Weekly meetings Communications group • Biweekly meetings