News Release

Release date: May 24, 2000

King County unveils 2000 transportation construction program

The King County Department of Transportation today unveiled a transportation construction program that will help relieve congested roads and intersections, deliver a variety of transit and pedestrian safety improvements, and upgrade several park-and-ride lots, shelters and bus zones throughout the county. The combined cost of major road and transit improvements scheduled for construction in 2000 is approximately $67 million.

"This year’s construction program reflects our intent to use every transportation dollar available to us to maintain our roads, relieve congestion and improve facilities that directly support transit service," King County Executive Ron Sims said. "Our road improvements also represent the first wave of projects to incorporate new standards for protecting salmon and enhancing their habitat. That means every project in an environmentally sensitive area will be constructed using best management practices that maintain and improve water quality or provide other environmental benefits.

Many projects scheduled for construction this year will provide much needed traffic relief for rapidly growing areas in King County. The county is also continuing its program to replace or seismically retrofit aging bridges and overcrossings. Highlights of those projects include:

• replacing Novelty Bridge spanning the Snoqualmie River on Northeast 124th Street. This project has been under construction since March and is expected to be complete this fall. The new bridge will provide added safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

• widening 228th Avenue Southeast to four lanes between Issaquah-Pine Lake Road and Southeast 24th Street. A three-block section of Issaquah-Pine Lake Road near the intersection of 228th Avenue Southeast will also be widened to improve traffic flow. These projects, which are already under construction, should provide significant traffic relief for residents living on the Sammamish Plateau.

• widening 140th Way Southeast between State Route 169 and Tunnel Road in the Fairwood area. A more efficient water quality treatment pond will also be constructed. This project, scheduled for construction early this fall, will significantly improve traffic flow and provide added safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

• replacing Whitney Hill Bridge spanning Newaukum Creek on Southeast 368th Way. The bridge replacement, set to begin in early June, will also include extensive stream enhancements to minimize negative impacts on fish habitat.

Improving Transit Facilities

The 2000 capital program for the Metro Transit division includes bus zone and park-and-ride lot improvements throughout King County, extension of a Seattle trolley bus route, and a project to improve the speed and reliability of bus service along Aurora Avenue North.

Metro has budgeted a total of about $1.95 million for improvements – ranging from paving to lighting and safety – at the Duvall, South Kirkland, South Bellevue, Newport Hills, Kent-Des Moines and Auburn park-and-ride lots. Metro also plans a $4.4 million project to expand the Renton transit center. That project will include new paving, shelters and landscaping, along with other passenger and pedestrian improvements in the area.

An $840,000 project along Aurora Avenue North will provide new traffic signal technology at 21 intersections in north Seattle and Shoreline. The system will enable traffic signals to detect buses in advance of the signal and provide some additional green-light time for buses.

Metro plans to extend trolley Route 36 along Beacon Avenue South from South Dawson to South Othello Street. The $3.3 million project includes poles, overhead wire and two new electrical substations.

At more than 150 bus zones throughout King County, Metro will spend about $2.2 million this year to improve shelters, benches, lighting, landing pads and curb ramps.

As in the past, residents can get the latest information about projects scheduled for construction in their area by logging on to the county’s transportation web site at www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/dotcon.htm. Residents can also subscribe to King County Alert! at www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/alert/ and be notified free of charge when roads are closed due to construction or unexpected problems. Residents who spot problems on roads maintained by the county are also invited to report them by calling (206) 296-8100 or 1-800-KC ROADS.

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