Tag: maintenance

Seattle’s Worst Bridges are Part of $1.8-Billion Maintenance Backlog
News, Transportation

Seattle’s Worst Bridges are Part of $1.8-Billion Maintenance Backlog

The single most salient factor in a low rating, in Seattle, is age. 62 bridges are more than 60 years old, with a replacement cost that SDOT estimates at $1.5 billion. Another 20 middle-aged bridges are running short on time as well. But since 2007, the bridge maintenance budget — inadequate to begin with — has plunged by more than $400 million. Continue reading Seattle’s Worst Bridges are Part of $1.8-Billion Maintenance Backlog

Washington’s Electric Car Drivers to Get Hit With No-Gas Tax
News, Politics, Transportation

Washington’s Electric Car Drivers to Get Hit With No-Gas Tax

These days Washington’s Department of Transportation is looking for every dollar that isn’t nailed down, and was aided slightly by a law (SB 5251), passed by the Legislature in spring of 2012, that asks electric-car owners to kick in. As of 2013, there will be an extra $100 annual fee due for road and highway improvements. Continue reading Washington’s Electric Car Drivers to Get Hit With No-Gas Tax

Sic Transit? Seattle and King County Councils Weigh Car Tab Fees
News, Politics, Transportation

Sic Transit? Seattle and King County Councils Weigh Car Tab Fees

The Seattle City Council, acting in their capacity as the Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD) Governing Board, voted unanimously to approve a $60 vehicle licensing fee for the November 8, 2011, ballot. If voters approve, says the Council’s press release, they’ll receive:

Transit: Speed and reliability improvements to eight major corridors; projects that provide better access from neighborhoods to light rail and frequent bus service corridors; and improved safety for transit riders. Continue reading Sic Transit? Seattle and King County Councils Weigh Car Tab Fees

Seattle Doesn’t Have a Pothole Problem–It Has a Repaving Problem
News, Politics, Transportation

Seattle Doesn’t Have a Pothole Problem–It Has a Repaving Problem

Claims against the city for pothole damages totaled more than $88,000 in 2010-11, with 443 claims filed. That’s a “a 270% increase in the number of pothole claims submitted to the city and a 241% increase in the amount of money paid on those claims,” says the Weekly, compared to a four-year average of the preceding years.

But before your blood pressure spikes, keep in mind that last winter was a doozy. Continue reading Seattle Doesn’t Have a Pothole Problem–It Has a Repaving Problem