By guest blogger Summer Derrey

A sharp corner and narrow shoulders leave  little room to navigate the Satus Creek Bridge.

US 97 cuts through the shrub-covered steppe in south central Washington, just south of Toppenish. The highway weaves around the rolling foothills that are checkered by sagebrush. Signs on the winding 65 mph highway warn the traveler to slow down to 55 at Satus Creek. The 132-foot bridge over Satus Creek has shoulders less than two-feet wide on each side, leaving little room for error.

About four collisions per year take place on or around the bridge. About half of the wrecks are due to motorists bumping into the guardrail.

It’s time to tear down the 70-year old wooden artifact and replace it with a bridge that suits today’s drivers.

US 97 is worthy of repair because the popular freight corridor is the shortest route between Yakima and Portland. It’s the only north to south route on the Yakama Indian Reservation. US 97 intersects with Interstate 84 in Biggs, Oregon. From there, motorists can go east to Pendleton, or west to The Dalles, Hood River and beyond.

We are working with contractor William Charles West of Kennewick, this spring, summer and fall to replace the bridge in (basically) three steps:

1. Build a detour around the existing bridge.
2. Remove the old bridge.
3. Build the new bridge.

The new bridge will hold heavier loads, will be 48 feet longer, and will have wider lanes with a little more breathing-room on the shoulders. Crews will also repave sections of US 97 half a mile north and a mile and a half south of the bridge, expand lanes and shoulders, and improve sight distance.

Like all warmer-weather construction projects, there will be delays. In the spring, motorists will wait up to 15 minutes, and in the summer, drivers may be delayed a bit longer, so pack your patience.

A lengthy detour route is available, so consider the extra time and miles compared to the estimated delays on US 97. Southbound motorists can head east on State Route 22 toward Prosser, and then take SR 221 south to the intersection with SR 14 in Paterson. From there, drivers can either travel east to cross the Columbia River on I-82 into Umatilla, Oregon or west to cross the river on US 97 into Biggs, Oregon. Northbound motorists can use the same detour route, in reverse order. Signs will direct drivers through the detour.

In the fall, the waiting will be over. The smell of sage, the screech of the red-tailed hawk and the dust kicked up by the wild horses won’t be the only attractions in the valley. The new bridge will be a welcomed addition.

Would you be surprised to hear that, in the year 2012, national estimates find that roughly 25 percent of backseat passengers still don’t buckle up? Or that about half the states in the country only require drivers and front seat passengers to use a seatbelt, despite mounds of evidence demonstrating the benefits of these lifesaving devices?

It appears too many people still cling to the misperception that riding unbelted in the backseat is somehow safe.

In honor of April Fool’s Day, we are launching an effort to confront myths about traffic safety and set the record straight using data and research. The more informed we are, the better equipped we’ll be to make appropriate decisions to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and those with whom we share the road.

So just how misguided isthe belief that seatbelts aren’t important for backseat passengers? Studies have shown that buckling up in the back can reduce your risk of death in a crash by 60-70 percent when traveling in a car or light truck. Moreover, because you yourself can become a dangerous projectile if not properly restrained, your belted friends and family sitting in the front are 20 percentmore likely to die in a crash if you fail to use your seatbelt in the back.

So please, for your safety and the wellbeing of those you’re traveling with, buckle up wherever you’re sitting, every time you get in a vehicle.

Our full announcement of our April Fool’s project, along with details about this first myth, can be found here. We also want to hear from you! Is there a traffic safety myth or misperception you’d like to see confronted, debunked, or confirmed? Leave a comment on this blog, or contact us at info@traffic-payout.org, or via Facebook or Twitter. We’ll investigate and periodically publish our findings. And stay tuned – later this month we’ll take a closer look at a myth regarding fatal crashes involving older drivers.

The Washington APWA chapter, made up of nearly 1,400 members, named Paula winner of its 2011 Roy Morse Award for outstanding technical or professional accomplishments in public workers. Her name then was submitted for the national award, along with 63 other nominees from AWPA chapters in the United States and Canada. APWA this week announced its Top Ten Leader national winners.

“Congratulations, Paula, on this well-deserved award,” said Jill Marilley, Washington state APWA Chapter president. “Your career excellence and dedication to public works easily made you stand out as a Top Ten Leader and we are fortunate to have you as an example of professionalism, commitment and focused intention to create ongoing success in public works.” Marilley also noted how APWA recognizes that Paula has done a fantastic job of steering WSDOT through major organizational changes and troubling financial times.

Paula will first receive her state award recognition May 22 as APWA Washington celebrates Public Works Week. In August, Paula will be recognized with her fellow national Top Ten Leader winners at the APWA national convention in the Los Angeles area.

APWA is an international educational and professional association of public agencies, private sector companies, and individuals. Originally chartered in 1937, APWA provides a forum in which public works professionals can exchange ideas, improve professional competency, increase the performance of their agencies and companies, and bring public works-related topics to public attention in local, state and federal arenas.

Looking toward eastbound traffic  at the top of the new SR 522 flyover ramp

When it comes to construction projects, sometimes we’re a little biased: We like ‘em all. Once you shepherd a project through the design process and watch it come to life on the highway, you get a little attached. And we’re not ashamed to say that we’re darn proud of our work.

The real icing on the cake for us, though, is hearing positive feedback from drivers after we wrap up a construction project.

Take the new flyover ramp from eastbound SR 522 to eastbound US 2, for example. Regular commuters and residents had waited years for a faster, more direct connection to US 2 and points east, and the two year construction period probably seemed to last forever.

Just before Christmas last year, we opened the new ramp to traffic early on a Saturday morning. We knew the ramp would make a big difference to daily drivers and holiday travelers alike – and we got almost instant positive feedback:

It’s great! It has made it so much easier in the evening commute. If I have to go east, I’m not stuck at the light anymore and when I need to go west toward home, I’m not stuck behind a huge line of cars turning east and I can usually zip right through.

I have driven the new ramp three times since it opened. Much to my surprise it was easy to use and there was no traffic back up as I had feared. The landscaping is lovely.

I love the new ramp at SR522 and US2. I use it regularly and really appreciate not having to wait at the light. I can’t wait until all the rest of the work can be completed to open up the new WB lanes on US2 as well – that should help with the backups in the area. Thanks for everything you do… I recognize WSDOT has very limited resources, and I appreciate the work you do.

I think it’s great! It sure does streamline traffic flow, making eastbound access to Highway 2 seamless.

Great job on the new flyover ramp; it has definitely made our commute home quicker and easier.

We love it! When we wanted to go through Monroe it was heavenly and when we wanted to go to Fred Meyer it made that transition easier by having fewer cars in the mix!

Gotta say, really enjoy this new ramp and extra lane on EB hwy 2 in Monroe. Makes for a much more pleasant commute home from work every day.

I like it because I commute regularly through Monroe not needing to stop and this makes it a little easier.

Getting so much positive feedback really makes our day. If you’re out on the highways this spring and summer – perhaps headed to the pass for some late-season skiing or over the mountains for some time in the sun – try out the new ramp and see what you think.

Travelers looking to purchase commercial bus tickets for interstate travel now have a new tool at their disposal when selecting a carrier, thanks to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) free SaferBus iPhone app.

Marketed under the banner “Look Before You Book,” this new app provides a quick, practical way to factor in a company’s safety record when selecting among carriers. It also serves as an important reminder that price and convenience are not the only two things customers should look for when purchasing a bus ticket. As always, safety should be the top priority.

Officials view King Street Station renovations

Seattle’s King Street Station, with its grand interior and ornate decorative features, opened in May 1906 with the focus on passengers and their travel experience, rather than merely loading and unloading cargo. Fast forward more than a hundred years to a time when pulling into Seattle’s King Street Station will once again generate excitement and anticipation for a new generation of rail travelers.

Federal, state and local officials converged on the station this week to commemorate the start of construction on the largest phase of an ongoing historical restoration of the 100+ year-old building. WSDOT is investing $16.7 million in federal high-speed rail funds to strengthen King Street Station and its clock tower to better withstand earthquakes. The project also restores the station’s main hall as originally built in 1906 with white marble walls, decorative lighting and other features removed during “modernization” of the station more than 50 years ago.

The restoration, managed by the city of Seattle, is an ongoing partnership between WSDOT, FRA, Amtrak, Federal Transit Administration, 4Culture services agency and the city. Since 2008, nearly $30 million in federal, state and local funding has been invested to improve the station and restore its unique historic character.

The King Street Station Seismic Upgrade project is one of five federally-funded capital rail projects under construction in 2012. Since 2009, Washington has received nearly $800 million in federal high-speed rail funds to increase the frequency and reliability of Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service between Portland and Vancouver, B.C. This investment supports 19 projects along the 300-mile corridor creating jobs in communities up and down Washington’s I-5 corridor. When the projects are complete in 2017, travelers will see more frequent service between Seattle and Portland, reduced trip times and fewer delays.

Having this new station….requires putting up with construction equipment, noise and a little dust. Because the popular station will be in full operation during the renovations, WSDOT and Amtrak are working closely with the city to minimize disruptions to travelers.

Graffiti along I-5 between North 85th Street & Northeast 92nd Street in Seattle

 Every week, vandals armed with cans of spray-paint make their mark on walls, columns, and signs along I-5. And every week our maintenance crew goes out to paint over the mess.

Graffiti removal underneath I-5 at Columbia Way exit ramp.

You can see the vandalism pretty consistently along I-5 through Seattle - on the walls along the roadway, on the overpasses, and even on the freeway signs. Usually it slows down when the weather turns wet in the fall, but with the mild winter we’ve had, the frequency of graffiti has increased. Our crews have seen a lot more graffiti this fall/winter, and in locations that are more challenging to clean up.

Vandals are getting creative with their tactics, hitting hard-to-reach areas that require additional resources like high-lift bucket trucks and lane closures for our crews to get in there to get it cleaned up. The Mercer Street tunnel in Seattle is a prime example. The tunnel is lined with tile and is one of the favorite “hot spots” for vandals. Access to the Mercer Street tunnel to clean up graffiti is very challenging, as we have to close lanes overnight to get in there. And because the graffiti is so visible, drivers who use that exit daily get frustrated as to why it takes so long to get it cleaned it up.

Even electronic message signs are being targeted. The speed limit signs on SR 520 near Lake Washington Boulevard have been vandalized twice, requiring replacement of the signs. Our crews had to work overnight, using high-lift bucket trucks and closing lanes to get the work done. This is not only very time-consuming and costly, but is also a frustration to drivers on the roadway that are delayed due to the work required to clean up after vandals. We recently installed a chain link fence along the overpass to keep vandals from getting to the signs.

Graffiti removal for just our Seattle office (which covers the Canadian border to the King/Pierce county line) costs between $120,000 and $145,000 annually. We’d rather spend that money on patching potholes and fixing roads. We could put another full-time maintenance employee and truck on the road for what it costs for graffiti removal.

Graffiti underneath the carpool on- ramp from southbound I-405 to westbound I-90.

Our crews are working hard out there trying to remove graffiti and prevent more of it. We use fencing in target areas to block access, install additional lighting where possible, and even use motion sensitive sprinklers. It is a never ending battle of who will get there first (or last) and with limited resources, the vandals are ahead in winning this war.

Report graffiti in the greater Seattle area.

 

Google does not specifically mention the countries that may apply to this situation but definitely India is one of these countries included. They are planning to apply this approach in other countries, too. Google is doing this so they can have easy access to censor offensive contents hosted on Blogger account based on specific country location. Right now, if you try to access any of the Blogger hosted blogs coming from India, Google readily redirect the viewer to blogspot.in address. 

 

Google imposed this approach with all the best intentions but it would give a bad result based on SEO perspective. Here is what Google says in Blogger Help Center and if I may quote:

 

 

Take note, this is only applicable for free blogs hosted in Blogger. It does not affect at all Blogger blogs that utilize a custom domain. Now, I am contemplating on using a custom domain for my blog.

By guest blogger Noel Brady

If you ride a bus, a carpool or a vanpool across Lake Washington, you probably know how the express lanes can take the edge off a tough commute. But if they’re reversible express lanes, just make sure your commuting the express direction.

Take the I-90 Express Lanes in the center roadway between Seattle and Bellevue for example. If you live on the Eastside of King County and work a regular 9-5 in Seattle, you’re golden. If you go the other way, well, not so much.

We’re phasing out go-with-the-flow reversible express lanes on I-90 and replacing them with full-time HOV lanes in both directions for around-the-clock express trips for carpools and buses in either direction, save for the unexpected crash or clog. Later this month, a new eastbound HOV lane will open from 80th Avenue Southeast to Bellevue Way, and the second phase of the I-90 Two-Way Transit and HOV Operations project will be complete.

In 1990, a year after WSDOT completed westbound I-90’s Homer Hadley Bridge and the new express lanes, traffic levels eastbound and westbound differed greatly depending on the time of day. Typically traffic was nearly 50 percent heavier headed to Seattle in the morning and back to the Eastside in the evening. Today there’s more traffic, rush hours last about an hour longer and the difference between the number of vehicles heading east and west is relatively minimal. On average about 135,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day in either direction of the mainline and about 15,000 in the express lanes.

When the second phase of the project finishes later this month, lawmakers and transportation officials, including state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond, will cut a ribbon to reopen 80th Avenue Southeast freeway ramp on Mercer Island. After a four-day ramp closure for realignment, the ramp’s big reveal will be direct-access to a new HOV lane on eastbound I-90 mainline. Carpools and buses will have access into the center express lanes before the East Channel Bridge for continued, smooth HOV-only traffic to Bellevue Way and I-405.

Afterward, commuters will enjoy an I-90 generally clear of barriers and hardhats as our engineers work in the office on final design for the project’s third and final stage, which will start construction next year on new HOV lanes in both directions between 80th Avenue Southeast and Seattle.

As soon as the final stage is finished and the I-90 project is complete, Sound Transit will take the reins of the center express lanes and close them to traffic forever to begin building East Link light rail. By 2023 light rail will be an added travel option between Seattle and the Eastside and I-90 will begin to carry more people more efficiently and with less greenhouse gas emissions than ever before.

According to its final environmental impact statement, East Link will be equipped to carry as many as 800 people in each four-car train. It would give the center roadway a peak-hour capacity of up to 24,000 people per hour, about the same as a busy freeway with seven to 10 lanes of traffic. And it more than doubles I-90’s existing capacity while preserving existing lane space for freight trucks, passenger vehicles, carpools and buses.

• The domain name is different. 
• The ad which is running on top of my blog is not shown on the other site. 
• Alexa rank is way different from my blog.
• I got a PR 1 but the the copycat blog got zero.

 

I searched the internet on how to rectify this problem but to no avail. Did this ever happen to you? Maybe someone out there can help me with this. I may have made a mistake along the way. Any advice?