Traffic Payout

Memorial Day Weekend signals that the warm weather of summer is just around the corner. Students are counting down the days until summer break and parents are making the family vacation plans. Most people plan to spend this weekend outside attending barbeques with friends and family. However, all of this means increased traveling and congestion on our roads and the AAA Foundation wants to remind you that even in the midst of Memorial Day excitement, safety needs to be a priority.

Driving in beautiful weather with the windows down and sunroof open can make the shortest drive across town seem like joyful experience. However, drivers need to be careful because there is the potential of an increasing number of distractions as people start to spend more of their time outside. It’s simple; one minute you’re waving to a friend that is walking on the sidewalk and the next you’ve rear-ended the car in front of you. This example would be a minor incident but make no mistake, distracted driving in any form can have serious consequences.

Distraction isn’t the only thing drivers should be conscious of during the holiday weekend. Afternoon barbeques also means there will be the temptation to drink and drive. Drunk driving is not a game and a DUI, or even worse a serious accident, will ruin anyone’s holiday weekend. Drowsy Driving is also something people should watch out for this weekend, specifically anyone making a longer drive out of town or planning to drive late at night.

Memorial Day is a time to remember all of the people who have lost their lives serving our country. Let’s honor them by making responsible decisions and protecting the lives of each other while we’re on the road this weekend.

 
By guest blogger Hilary Bingman

Driving south along the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct, you may have noticed a lot of really big things in our construction zone: gigantic cranes, towering columns, huge machinery, and colossal trucks. These are the tools needed to build sections of the new bridge that will replace the viaduct’s south end. On May 19, something even bigger arrived and was added to this gargantuan list – “super” girders.

For a quick lesson in Bridge Building 101, girders are simply support beams used to support the roadway of a bridge. They serve as the heavy duty backbone connecting the bridge columns and form the base underneath the new roadway you’ll soon be driving on.

Girders vary in length, depending on the amount of space between the columns. The smallest girders we use are about the length of an articulated bus – the double-length ones that bend in the middle.  However, several of the girders we’re using to replace the south end of the Alaskan Way Viaduct are the largest ever produced in Washington state. Weighing in at 127 tons a piece, these “super” girders stretch to a length of 205 feet.  That’s as long as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Each “super” girder is custom manufactured in Tacoma and transported on a truck specially-designed to hold the weight.  Due to their size, the girders must be transported to the construction area and set into place during the middle of the night to avoid shutting down major downtown routes. Once the girders arrive on site, crews use two cranes to set them on top of the new bridge column.

The girders will span the intersection of S. Atlantic Street and Alaskan Way S. and the railroad tail track, near the entrance of the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 46. This intersection sees a lot of activity – including freight trucks, trains, commuters, bikes and pedestrians.  Using “super” girders to span the intersection avoids placing new columns where they may affect traffic flow through the intersection.

We’re proud of our “super” girders. On the viaduct, they make all the difference.

For more information on the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement program, visit www.alaskanwayviaduct.org.