(SDOT camera screengrab from 7:39 am Sept. 30, looking at EB West Seattle Bridge)
As we first reported last week, SDOT plans to try to alleviate the traffic tangles resulting from the new NB 99 bus lane by modifying the lane. There was no timeline then, but there is now. SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe talked about it and more in a letter today responding to City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who had sent him this letter last week. Zimbabwe told Herbold, in part:
We recognize that the re-installation of the bus-only lane has had traffic impacts on all commuters to and from West Seattle, including people riding buses. To address these issues while still gaining the bus reliability benefits, we will be adjusting the lane this weekend to give people driving more time to merge before the bus-only lane begins. This work will occur during WSDOT’s planned closure of northbound SR 99 to complete repair work inside the tunnel. SDOT crews will begin working on Saturday, October 12 and plan to complete the bus lane modification work by the time the NB SR 99 tunnel reopens at 4 AM on Monday, October 14. We are coordinating this work with the planned tunnel work this weekend to minimize impacts to the traveling public.
Here’s his full letter – which touches on a few other transportation matters:
(If you can’t read it above, here’s a PDF version.)
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