The Regional Transportation Improvement District (RTID) package approved today by the panel’s Executive Board includes several key projects to improve mobility for Seattle and Seattle area residents, said Metropolitan King County Councilmember Dow Constantine.

The project schedule also accelerates completion of these Seattle mobility projects in time to ease the disruption caused by the upcoming demolition of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

“We needed projects that would provide real benefits to commuters who use the SR 99 corridor, especially during the impending viaduct demolition. I also wanted to ensure that the Seattle projects on the list would serve transit as well as automobiles,” said Constantine, the only member of the RTID Executive Board who represents part of the city of Seattle. “I believe that the Seattle investments in the RTID package accomplish both these goals.”

Among the major Seattle area improvements included in the RTID package are:

—A rebuilt South Park Bridge: This improvement is critical for freight mobility, and for keeping the SR 509/First Avenue South corridor moving.

—A new Spokane Street Viaduct off-ramp at Fourth Avenue: This ramp will improve bus access to the downtown transitway, while allowing traffic to bypass a busy railroad crossing.

—An elevated Lander Street crossing from First to Fourth avenues: This critical freight mobility project gets trucks over the railroad tracks. It also allows buses from West Seattle to more easily access the transitway corridor to downtown and provides an additional east-west corridor for general traffic. These projects, in conjunction with the planned state investment in a major new SR 519 interchange near the stadiums, will help transit and cars keep moving as the viaduct comes down.

—Mercer Corridor improvements on State Route 99: These investments will improve east-west mobility and will help knit together Queen Anne and the growing South Lake Union community.

—A new Interstate 5 off-ramp at Industrial Way: This project will save time for transit commuters from South King County and Pierce County and ease I-5 congestion by allowing buses to exit directly from the HOV lanes on the left rather than crossing several traffic lanes to exit at Spokane Street.

—Seattle also contributed the majority of the funding to increase the RTID contribution to the 520 corridor to fully fund bridge replacement.

“This final package is a significant improvement over the previous draft. It is better for the environment and better for Seattle area commuters,” said Constantine. I want to credit both the environmental community and RTID staff for working together on a package that addresses key environmental concerns and improves mobility.”