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Light at the end of the Tunnel
 Watch this video clip (Real Media) Length:
4:50
Watch this video clip (Windows Media) Length:
4:50
Narrator Says:
It’s been nearly two years and the wait is almost over.
The Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel closed in September of 2005 so that
Sound Transit could retrofit the transit corridor for Light Rail train
service, and upgrade many of the operating systems in the tunnel.
The tunnel’s closing presented a tremendous challenge to its users.
What to do with the 20 Metro bus routes and one Sound Transit bus route
that traveled the tunnel six days a week. And, how to minimize the
impact on traffic downtown during the morning and afternoon commutes. In
essence, how to keep everyone moving in downtown Seattle during the two
years the tunnel would be closed.
Metro, along with the city of Seattle, Sound Transit, and Community
Transit invested $16 million into surface improvements on 3rd to further
reduce congestion.
One of the key solutions was creating a transit-priority corridor on 3rd
Avenue. During peak weekday commute periods, 3rd is restricted to
Transit buses allowing faster travel. Motorists have unlimited access
for the other 18 hours.
A report monitoring transit performance during the tunnel closure found
recent bus travel times on downtown surface streets have improved by 26
percent compared to before tunnel closure. The transit priority corridor
has been such a success, that it will continue to serve as one after bus
service returns to the tunnel.
Metro Transit Planner Doug Johnson Says:
When the tunnel reopens in September, most of the routes that were in
the tunnel before it closed back in 2005, will return, not every route
will go in however, and the reason for that is that metro wanted to set
aside, some capacity for future growth and also to accommodate Sound
Transit's link light rail when that begins operating in the tunnel
sometime in 2009.
So whereas before the tunnel closed in 2005 we had 21 routes
operating in the tunnel, when it reopens this September there will be 18
routes operating in the tunnel, and several of the peak-only routes will
remain on their surface street, primarily 2nd and 4th avenues.
Now when the tunnel does reopen this September, many routes are
coming off of 3rd and back into the tunnel, and that frees up quite a
bit of capacity for buses on 3rd avenue, so the other major change in
downtown, is going to be a number of surface bus routes shifting over to
3rd avenue, up to 21 routes will be shifting to 3rd avenue this
September.
And the reason for that is to operate them on 3rd avenue, and
continue to take advantage of the continued transit priority measures,
and just the faster speed on 3rd avenue operating through downtown
Seattle, which is better than on any other surface street, so there'll
be 21 routes that will shift over in September, and that will also help
relieve some of the congestion on other streets such as 2nd and 4th
avenues, 5th avenue, even 1st avenue.
Narrator Says:
In addition to preparing for Sound Transit’s light rail service,
scheduled to begin in 2009, the closure presented an opportunity to make
upgrades and improvements to the tunnel. These improvements included the
installation of additional monitoring cameras, new signage and the
addition of emergency telephones.
One improvement that will also require some attention on the part of
riders are these strips that identify areas where people need to stand
back to avoid the buses moving through the tunnel.
In order to accommodate light rail, the roadway was lowered by a foot,
meaning bus mirrors will be a foot lower too.
These yellow strips have been placed along the roadways to show
passengers what distance to keep away from the moving coaches.
Coordinating the countless details of tunnel construction, bus service
planning and surface street changes has been a massive team effort
requiring strong partnerships between all the agencies involved.
King County DOT Director Harold Taniguchi Says:
When we closed the tunnel two years ago, we worked with Sound Transit,
Metro Transit, Pierce Transit, Community Transit, all worked together
along with to make sure that transition was smooth, well now we're a few
weeks ahead of when the tunnel reopens in September, we're looking for
that great cooperation, it's there and I just want to say everybody's
doing great work together.
Narrator Says:
Once the tunnel does reopen, it will signify not only the strong
partnerships and teamwork involved, but also a commitment from Metro and
its partners to create an integrated transportation asset.
King County Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond Says:
By 2009 when link light rail starts operating, we’ll be the only system
in the United States where we’ll have a joint operation of both
ongoing-revenue bus service and ongoing-revenue train service in one
tunnel, operating along the same right of way, this is an innovative and
unique operation which just goes to show King County and Sound Transit
being on the cutting edge of transit technology, we believe that we’ll
be able to carry thousands of passengers a day through this in both rail
and bus, serving the needs of everyone here in King County.
For more information on the tunnel reopening, visit
metro online and click on
‘tunnel reopening’.
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