Earlier start makes normal West Seattle commute a snooze
SEATTLE – The commute into downtown from West Seattle started about an hour-and-a-half earlier than normal, but by the time seven o’clock rolled around, most drivers called it a Sunday morning stroll.“I've not really experienced that much of a difference than a weekend drive,” said West Seattle resident David Griffiths.But we were expecting carmaggedon.“I think we were all expecting it to be carnage this morning,” said Griffiths.Either way, David Griffiths no longer makes his 45-minute commute from West Seattle to Shoreline.“My commute is a short stroll down the stairs holding a cup of coffee,” said Griffiths.While David now works from home, Jen Lennon stayed home to sleep in.“I figured it would be pretty horrible, so I took today off,” said Lennon.Her husband hit the road at 5 a.m. to make it to a downtown Seattle meeting by 8 a.m., just in case.“He just figured it would be really terrible.
SEATTLE – The commute into downtown from West Seattle started about an hour-and-a-half earlier than normal, but by the time seven o’clock rolled around, most drivers called it a Sunday morning stroll.“I've not really experienced that much of a difference than a weekend drive,” said West Seattle resident David Griffiths.But we were expecting carmaggedon.“I think we were all expecting it to be carnage this morning,” said Griffiths.Either way, David Griffiths no longer makes his 45-minute commute from West Seattle to Shoreline.“My commute is a short stroll down the stairs holding a cup of coffee,” said Griffiths.While David now works from home, Jen Lennon stayed home to sleep in.“I figured it would be pretty horrible, so I took today off,” said Lennon.Her husband hit the road at 5 a.m. to make it to a downtown Seattle meeting by 8 a.m., just in case.“He just figured it would be really terrible.
Picture perfect last day of service for the Viaduct
SEATTLE -- It’s like Mother Nature knows the curtain is about to close on the Alaskan Way Viaduct.“It's very rare that it's sunny this time of year,” Troy Yamamoto said.It made the viaduct's last hours in service that much more picture perfect.“I just hopped on the bus for a quick hour away from home to get the last shot,” Kitty McCauley said.McCauley has decades of memories driving across the double decker highway along Seattle’s waterfront.“You can see the ferries and mountains it’s stunning,” McCauley said.And McCauley is right, no matter how many times you see the view while driving on the viaduct, it never gets old.“I am sorry to see the view go as you're driving along,” Rainee Colacurcio said.“We actually came down to take one last drive through, I am going to miss the viaduct honestly,” Yamamoto said.And he isn’t alone.
SEATTLE -- It’s like Mother Nature knows the curtain is about to close on the Alaskan Way Viaduct.“It's very rare that it's sunny this time of year,” Troy Yamamoto said.It made the viaduct's last hours in service that much more picture perfect.“I just hopped on the bus for a quick hour away from home to get the last shot,” Kitty McCauley said.McCauley has decades of memories driving across the double decker highway along Seattle’s waterfront.“You can see the ferries and mountains it’s stunning,” McCauley said.And McCauley is right, no matter how many times you see the view while driving on the viaduct, it never gets old.“I am sorry to see the view go as you're driving along,” Rainee Colacurcio said.“We actually came down to take one last drive through, I am going to miss the viaduct honestly,” Yamamoto said.And he isn’t alone.
Seattle businesses offering perks to attract customers during viaduct shutdown
SEATTLE - Despite the expected traffic nightmare during the viaduct closure, some businesses are hoping to continue to draw customers in.Their main message: despite the construction, they remain open for business.Call it 'Via-doom' or 'Seattle squeeze,' if you want or you can embrace it.
SEATTLE - Despite the expected traffic nightmare during the viaduct closure, some businesses are hoping to continue to draw customers in.Their main message: despite the construction, they remain open for business.Call it 'Via-doom' or 'Seattle squeeze,' if you want or you can embrace it.
Man, 85, who helped build Alaskan Way Viaduct, travels it one last time
SEATTLE -- The Alaskan Way Viaduct closes permanently on Friday, Jan. 11, at 10 p.m., but for one local family, the viaduct is more than a roadway.
SEATTLE -- The Alaskan Way Viaduct closes permanently on Friday, Jan. 11, at 10 p.m., but for one local family, the viaduct is more than a roadway.
Seattle braces for highway closure, historic traffic squeeze
SEATTLE — A major thoroughfare for commuters along downtown Seattle's waterfront is set to shut down for good Friday, ushering in what officials say will be one of the most painful traffic periods in the history of the booming Pacific Northwest city.The double-decker, 2.2-mile Alaskan Way Viaduct, which carries about 90,000 vehicles each day, will be replaced by a new four-lane tunnel.But the tunnel won't open until about three weeks after the viaduct closes as workers realign the highway into it.
SEATTLE — A major thoroughfare for commuters along downtown Seattle's waterfront is set to shut down for good Friday, ushering in what officials say will be one of the most painful traffic periods in the history of the booming Pacific Northwest city.The double-decker, 2.2-mile Alaskan Way Viaduct, which carries about 90,000 vehicles each day, will be replaced by a new four-lane tunnel.But the tunnel won't open until about three weeks after the viaduct closes as workers realign the highway into it.
Sound Transit adds more buses, but no additional Light Rail or Sounder Trains during Viaduct closure
SEATTLE – Catching the light rail or Sounder commuter train might be your next best option to avoid heavy congestion on the roads during the viaduct closure.
SEATTLE – Catching the light rail or Sounder commuter train might be your next best option to avoid heavy congestion on the roads during the viaduct closure.
Rideshare drivers hoping for the best during viaduct closure
SEATTLE – By now you’ve likely heard of the options to help you navigate during the viaduct closure set to start on Friday.
SEATTLE – By now you’ve likely heard of the options to help you navigate during the viaduct closure set to start on Friday.
SR 99 tunnel 'safest place to be' during earthquake
SEATTLE -- The double-deck Alaskan Way Viaduct spells disaster in the event of a massive earthquake in Seattle.It's a warning that played out in real life in Oakland, Calif., 30 years ago.
SEATTLE -- The double-deck Alaskan Way Viaduct spells disaster in the event of a massive earthquake in Seattle.It's a warning that played out in real life in Oakland, Calif., 30 years ago.
Expanding transit options revealed prior to viaduct closure
SEATTLE – The first set of ramp closures on the Alaskan Way Viaduct are scheduled to begin this evening.
SEATTLE – The first set of ramp closures on the Alaskan Way Viaduct are scheduled to begin this evening.
Hundreds of new jobs coming to Paine Field
EVERETT, Wash. -- Construction is quickly finishing up at Paine Field's new passenger terminal, and that means soon hundreds of new workers will be needed."We'll be completed in the next three weeks." Propeller Airports CEO Brett Smith says.
EVERETT, Wash. -- Construction is quickly finishing up at Paine Field's new passenger terminal, and that means soon hundreds of new workers will be needed."We'll be completed in the next three weeks." Propeller Airports CEO Brett Smith says.
United Airlines is raising baggage fees, matching JetBlue
United Airlines is raising checked-bag fees for many passengers, matching a move earlier this week by JetBlue Airways.
United Airlines is raising checked-bag fees for many passengers, matching a move earlier this week by JetBlue Airways.
Everett's real estate market booming despite fears about Paine Field's growth
Hundreds of flights a day fly out of Paine Field in Everett. But soon passenger flights will begin there and that means large jets soaring over the areas around Paine Field. That has sparked some concerns from people who live there.
Hundreds of flights a day fly out of Paine Field in Everett. But soon passenger flights will begin there and that means large jets soaring over the areas around Paine Field. That has sparked some concerns from people who live there.
New passenger terminal at Paine Field 'will be very inviting'
When Paine Field was built in 1936, it was planned as a commercial passenger airport. But World War 2 changed those plans, and passenger flights were put on the backburner.
When Paine Field was built in 1936, it was planned as a commercial passenger airport. But World War 2 changed those plans, and passenger flights were put on the backburner.
Sound Transit expects contracts by fall for rail extension
The Seattle-area public transit agency is expecting to award major construction contracts by the fall to extend the light rail to northern suburban cities.
The Seattle-area public transit agency is expecting to award major construction contracts by the fall to extend the light rail to northern suburban cities.
Lawsuit seeks Sound Transit to pay back car-tab fees
SEATTLE -- A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Seattle-area public transit agency, claiming its collection of car-tab taxes is not allowed because the 2015 law that put a public transit expansion on the ballot is unconstitutional.The lawsuit filed Tuesday by seven Seattle-area residents is seeking for Sound Transit to pay back $240 million in car-tab revenue.The lawsuit centers on how car-tab taxes are collected by the agency, which uses a system that estimates a car's value by inflating the value of newer cars, resulting in higher taxes.The lawsuit claims that the 2015 law references an outdated formula for calculating car-tab fees.Sound Transit spokesman Geoff Patrick says the agency is reviewing the suit and it's confident in the validity of the law.
SEATTLE -- A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Seattle-area public transit agency, claiming its collection of car-tab taxes is not allowed because the 2015 law that put a public transit expansion on the ballot is unconstitutional.The lawsuit filed Tuesday by seven Seattle-area residents is seeking for Sound Transit to pay back $240 million in car-tab revenue.The lawsuit centers on how car-tab taxes are collected by the agency, which uses a system that estimates a car's value by inflating the value of newer cars, resulting in higher taxes.The lawsuit claims that the 2015 law references an outdated formula for calculating car-tab fees.Sound Transit spokesman Geoff Patrick says the agency is reviewing the suit and it's confident in the validity of the law.
Light rail of the future? Nonprofit releases ‘Seattle Subway’ map
Imagine taking a train from Renton to Woodinville. How about from Wallingford to the airport? Those trips are possible on a hypothetical system recently released by the nonprofit Seattle Subway.
Imagine taking a train from Renton to Woodinville. How about from Wallingford to the airport? Those trips are possible on a hypothetical system recently released by the nonprofit Seattle Subway.
Suburban Seattle getting rare, private US airport terminal
It's not uncommon to see brand new commercial jets flying in and out of Paine Field, just north of Seattle, defying rain and low visibility that define the region. That's because the airport with two runways has for decades served as home to Boeing assembly lines, rolling out models such as the 777 for test flights over the Pacific Ocean.
It's not uncommon to see brand new commercial jets flying in and out of Paine Field, just north of Seattle, defying rain and low visibility that define the region. That's because the airport with two runways has for decades served as home to Boeing assembly lines, rolling out models such as the 777 for test flights over the Pacific Ocean.
Firefighters in Graham campaigning door-to-door to prevent layoffs and slower response times
It’s not every day firefighters show up at your front step when you don’t have an emergency. But on Thursday, Graham firefighters went door to door personally asking for help.
It’s not every day firefighters show up at your front step when you don’t have an emergency. But on Thursday, Graham firefighters went door to door personally asking for help.
House passes measure to reduce Sound Transit car tab taxes
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The House has passed a measure that would reduce car-tab taxes for most car owners in the Puget Sound area.The Seattle Times reports that House Bill 2201 passed on a 60-37 vote Wednesday and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The House has passed a measure that would reduce car-tab taxes for most car owners in the Puget Sound area.The Seattle Times reports that House Bill 2201 passed on a 60-37 vote Wednesday and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Discover Pass fix could mean higher car tab fees
OLYMPIA -- Anyone who has spent time Washington's outdoors knows the park permitting system can be confusing.If you drive to forested land and park, which pass do you use?
OLYMPIA -- Anyone who has spent time Washington's outdoors knows the park permitting system can be confusing.If you drive to forested land and park, which pass do you use?