Due to a mudslide on the Seattle Waterfront, Northbound Sounder service will be canceled for 48 hours.

This always seems to happen on the North line…

Ben

The HOT Lanes on SR 167 are now four years old. Usage has gone up and the tolls have begun to generate a profit.

I have used these lanes once or twice when I needed to be somewhere and the general purpose lanes were backed up. I think it’s a great idea, although it would work better if access was via direct ramps.

Ben

WSDOT and local businesses are partnering up to offer up to 4 hours of free parking on Mothers Day, May 13th in Downtown Seattle.

Sounds like it might be a good time to go visit.

Ben

Tacoma Link will run until midnight to accommodate concertgoers for the Van Halen concert at the Tacoma Dome.

Ben

WSDOT’s page on projects in process to manage and prevent landslides along the BNSF rail corridor. Every time there is a slide, normally North of Seattle it shuts down Sounder and Amtrak traffic for 48 hours.

Hopefully these projects will be able to mitigate this concern.

Ben

Sound Transit has identified a route along I-5 and potential stations at seven locations for the North Link extension to Lynnwood.

It is good to see the project moving ahead. Expanding the system, especially North where there is heavy traffic on Interstate 5, can only help improve traffic and grow ridership. Now if they could only do the same for the South extension.

More: http://projects.soundtransit.org/Projects-Home/North-Corridor-Transit-Project.xml

Ben

While the initial plan was to downgrade the SR 167 extension in favor of upgrades to Interstate 5 through JBLM, now both projects will be in the long-term transportation plan.

Ben

Sound Transit will take over the operation of the shuttle between the Bonney Lake Park and Ride and the Sumner Sounder station. The current route, run by Pierce Transit, was going to be canceled due to budget cuts.

This is great news. With both the growth of the Bonney Lake area and the growth in use of the Sounder this route was heavily used. Furthermore the Sumner station has little parking, meaning that most commuters need to shuttle in anyway.

More: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/04/23/2117510/new-proposal-may-salvage-sumner.html

Ben

A violent squall sent gravel from a road construction project at South 9th onto the tracks, causing a low-speed derailment of Tacoma Link. Fortunately there were no injuries or damage, and the line reopened around 9 pm.

Ben