User:SounderBruce/Sandbox/Freeways

=Roads and freeways in Seattle=
 * Original articles: Metropolitan Seattle Freeways and Street layout of Seattle


 * Create Category:Freeways in Washington (state) and Category:Freeways in the Seattle metropolitan area?

Existing freeways

 * U.S. Route 2 from Everett to Snohomish; named Hewitt Avenue Trestle from I-5 to SR 204
 * Washington State Route 3 from Grost to Bangor
 * Interstate 5 from Nisqually River to Skagit County; named Seattle Freeway
 * Washington State Route 16 from Tacoma to Grost
 * Washington State Route 18 from Federal Way to Cougar Mountain; named Echo Lake Cut-off
 * Interstate 90 from Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass
 * Washington State Route 99
 * Alaskan Freeway/Alaskan Way Viaduct/Battery Street Tunnel from West Seattle Freeway to Mercer Street in Seattle
 * West Marginal Way from SR 599 to SR 509
 * Washington State Route 167 from Puyallup to Renton; named Valley Freeway
 * Washington State Route 303 in Silverdale; named Wagga Way
 * Interstate 405 from Tukwila to Lynnwood
 * Washington State Route 410 in Sumner
 * Washington State Route 509 from SeaTac to Seattle; named Highline Expressway
 * Washington State Route 512 from Lakewood to Puyallup
 * Washington State Route 518 from Burien to Tukwila
 * Washington State Route 520 from Seattle to Redmond
 * Washington State Route 522 from Bothell to Monroe
 * Washington State Route 525 from Lynnwood to Mukilteo
 * Washington State Route 526 from Mukilteo to Everett; named Boeing Freeway and Casino Freeway
 * Washington State Route 599 in Tukwila
 * Interstate 705 in Tacoma; named Tacoma Spur
 * Airport Expressway from Sea-Tac Airport to Tukwila
 * West Seattle Freeway in Seattle; named Spokane Street Viaduct from SR 99 to I-5

Canceled freeways
Mentioned in "Phantom Freeways" (June 18, 1989 - PI and Times):


 * Bay Freeway (cancelled in 1972): Broad and Mercer streets between Elliott Bay and I-5
 * Bothell Freeway (SR 522)
 * Burien Freeway (SR 509) southern extension to Tacoma, not realized until Puget Sound Gateway project of 2020s
 * Cross-Sound Bridge and Rich Passage Bridge (via Vashon Island to Bremerton and Bainbridge)
 * Connecticut Street Viaduct: Extension of I-90 to the Alaskan Way Viaduct
 * East Side Freeway (Interstate 605): From Auburn to Bothell via eastern Bellevue or modern-day Sammamish
 * North Lake Bridge: Sand Point to Kirkland
 * Northwest Expressway: From Alaskan Way Viaduct to Ballard
 * Petrovitsky Freeway: From Kent to I-605
 * R.H. Thomson Expressway (formerly Empire Expressway, cancelled in 1972): Empire Way and 23rd Avenue from Tukwila through Rainier Valley and Central District to U-District
 * 50th Street Expressway?

By 1973, the following were dropped from regional PSGOC plans:


 * Cross-Sound Bridge
 * I-605
 * Hannah Pierce Freeway "south of Tacoma"
 * Tacoma industrial area freeway (SR 509?)
 * West Seattle Freeway's 8-lane configuration

Source: Seattle Times (September 16, 1973)

Future and proposed freeways

 * Interstate 605: eastern bypass of metro area, proposed along SR 18

Features

 * HOV lanes (310 miles as of 2014)
 * Initial segments opened in 1985 (I-5) and 1986 (I-90)
 * Direct access ramps to transit centers and park-and-rides built in 2000s
 * Extended north through Everett in 2006
 * Extended south to Tacoma in 2010s
 * Reversible express lanes
 * Tolled freeways
 * Ramp metering

Street grid

 * Steep streets

Route description
The Airport Expressway begins on the southeast side of the main terminal of Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, fed by traffic from the segregated arrivals and departures roadways. The northbound lanes travel between the elevated tracks carrying Link light rail to the west and SR 99 to the east as they pass the airport's central parking garage. After passing under a pedestrian overpass connecting SeaTac/Airport station to SR 99, the expressway is joined by its southbound lanes. The expressway travels northwest with its wide median occupied by the light rail guideway, a cell phone lot, and abandoned ramps. After traveling through an interchange with South 170th Street and Air Cargo Road, the expressway passes a return-to-airport ramp on the north side of a cemetery. The expressway ends at an interchange with SR 518 adjacent to the airport's consolidated rental car facility and Tukwila International Boulevard station.


 * Designated as an Intermodal Connector, part of the National Highway System

History

 * 1967: Plans also included southern interchange at Bow Lake; total cost of $7 million
 * Approved by Port Commission in March
 * April 1970: Port approves agreement with State Highway Commission to construct expressway from S 160th to S 170th
 * 1970: Completed?
 * "Late" 1971: Interchange with SR 518
 * June 1971: New airport entrance at 170th Street opened ahead of garage and expressway
 * 2008: Southbound lanes shifted to new roadway, related to light rail construction
 * 2009-12-19: SeaTac/Airport Link station opens
 * 2021: New cell phone lot opens with improved access


 * Future
 * Two-lane expansion SB from 170th to Arrivals/Departures split proposed to handle more queuing traffic
 * "South Airport Expressway" planned for 2040, extending freeway from airport to SR 509 extension near Angle Lake station/S 200th

Route description
The Fauntleroy Expressway begins as a continuation of Fauntleroy Way Southwest, a major arterial street that connects to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal serving Vashon Island, at an intersection with 35th Avenue Southwest located on the border between the West Seattle neighborhoods of Fairmount Park and Genesee. The four-lane, shoulder-less expressway travels northeast, passing under a pedestrian overpass at Southwest Andover Street. It turns cardinal east over Southwest Avalon Way and Southwest Admiral Way, intersecting both arterial streets with westbound offramps and eastbound onramps from its at-grade collector lanes on Southwest Spokane Street. The freeway then intersects Delridge Way Southwest north of Pigeon Point, gaining an additional westbound lane and three eastbound lanes (including a bus lane) as it crosses over the Duwamish Waterway and Harbor Island on the West Seattle Bridge.


 * Other notes
 * Designated as a STRAHNET corridor, part of the National Highway System


 * AADT, 2013
 * Highest: West Seattle Bridge, 93,000
 * Lowest: Between 4th Avenue and I-5, 38,400

History

 * 1940s: Spokane Street Viaduct built
 * 1941: Construction on Spokane Street Viaduct begins, after demolition of wooden trolley viaduct
 * 1944-01-25: First segment of Spokane Street Viaduct, between 6th Avenue South and East Marginal Way, dedicated by Mayor William F. Devin and opens to traffic
 * Cost $1.2 million and used some federal funds
 * 1963: Fauntleroy Expressway built
 * 1997-03-03: Seattle City Council adopts resolution requesting WSDOT to remove the word "freeway" from signage on entrances to Spokane Street Viaduct/West Seattle Bridge


 * West Seattle Bridge
 * 1978-06-11 – West Seattle Bridge collision: North span of the western bridge damaged by a freighter, closing its four westbound lanes to traffic; south span reduced to two lanes in each direction, motorists advised to use bridges upstream at 1st and 14th avenues
 * 1980-11: Construction on high-level bridge begins
 * 1983-11-13: Ribbon-cutting ceremony held on unfinished bridge
 * 1983-11-15: Eastbound lanes open to temporary one-way traffic
 * 1984-07-07: High-level West Seattle Bridge opened to traffic
 * 1984-07-14: West Seattle Bridge dedicated

Spokane Street Viaduct Widening

 * Features
 * Doubled viaduct width, adding 41 feet via new structure
 * Refurbishment of older viaduct
 * New eastbound offramp to 4th Avenue S
 * Reconstruction of S Spokane Street, including new sidewalk and multi-use trail (Alki Trail)
 * Artwork?


 * Timeline
 * 2009-02: Work begins on EB 4th Avenue offramp
 * 2010-01: Closure of WB 4th Avenue offramp; Closure of westbound S Spokane Street
 * 2010-05-17: Closure of WB 1st Avenue ramps
 * 2010-08-16: EB 4th Avenue offramp opens
 * 2010: S Spokane Street reopens
 * 2011-02: New WB 1st Avenue ramps torn down because of 5 in error
 * 2012-08-31: New WB 1st Avenue ramps open
 * 2012-11-16: Project completed

Route description
The R. H. Thomson Expressway would have began as an extension of State Route 900 northwest of Renton, at an interchange with Interstate 5 near Boeing Field.

Various proposals also extended the expressway to intersect the Bothell Freeway (SR 522) near Lake City, or continue to Lynnwood to complete its connection with I-5.

History

 * Earlier proposals
 * 1912-03-05: Seattle voters reject the "Plan for Seattle" proposed by Virgil Bogue, which included Highway No. 62 from Renton to Bothell via the Rainier Valley and Central District
 * 1926: Seattle Planning Commission recommends extending Empire Way northward across Montlake Bridge to Bothell Way
 * 1953: Empire Way extended north from Rainier Avenue to Dearborn Street for $300,000, "designed to eventually furnish a new by-pass of downtown Seattle for north-south traffic"
 * 1954-11-02: Seattle and King County approve $10 million bond issue for arterial roadway improvements, including $1.4 million to extend Empire Way from Dearborn to the Montlake Cut


 * Empire Expressway
 * 1953: "27th Avenue Expressway" proposed to distribute traffic from Evergreen Point Bridge
 * 1957: City of Seattle adopts Comprehensive Plan, including Empire Expressway from Renton to Laurelhurst via Empire Way and 23rd Avenue
 * 1957-04-15: Seattle City Council passes resolution that adopts City Planning Commission plan for the Empire Expressway, from the city limits to Lake Washington Ship Canal via Empire Way
 * 1957: Seattle City Council deems greenbelt on Empire Way Expressway to be too expensive
 * 1957-10: Bond measure to fund engineering and early construction passed by voters
 * 1958-06-30: City Council approves study into extension from Rainier Avenue to Bothell Way
 * 1959: Empire Expressway added to state highway system under funding agreement
 * 1959-12-14: Seattle City Council approves special municipal election to finance comprehensive highway improvements, to take place March 8th
 * 1959: Empire Way Expressway plans detailed; 6-lane limited-access roadway through Arboretum for $5 million
 * 1960-03-08: King County Proposition 1 passes (70,762 in favor, 38,522 against), approving $26.628 million to finance 12 projects from the City of Seattle Comprehensive Plan of 1957 with additional $31 million from state and federal sources; including $13.336 million for Empire Way Expressway
 * 1961: First public hearings per Interstate Act requirements; objections from local homeowners


 * R.H. Thomson Expressway/Thomson Freeway
 * Directory of Historic Resources (including newspaper clippings and timeline)
 * 1961-06-16: R.H. Thomson Expressway name adopted
 * 1962: Route B adopted by city council
 * 1963-03: Monson Ring Road concept announced
 * 1963-09: 400 people attend public hearing for project
 * 1963-09: Northern extension (Montlake to Lake City) routing options along 15th Avenue, 25th Avenue, 35th Avenue, or 40th Avenue
 * State supreme court orders more hearings per Montlake lawsuit into new routing options with clearer explanations
 * 1965: Bothell alignment considered by transportation study director
 * 1966-05-25: Supreme Court finds hearings null and void due to a change in stat law
 * 1966: Preliminary study released


 * 1967 legislature (ex. sess. 145): R.H. Thomson Expressway added to state highway system as primary route, from Tukwila to Lake City (90th Street)
 * 1967-04-10: Seattle City Council renames R.H. Thomson Expressway to Thomson Freeway, effective November 1st
 * 1968-03-08: R.H. Thomson 'Parkway' proposals unveiled, with 6-lane depressed freeway with several lids for parks and mixed-use development
 * 1969-05-04: 2,000 protesters march through Arboretum in opposition to R.H. Thomson Expressway and fourth Lake Washington floating bridge
 * 1970-03-08: Voters approve R.H. Thomson Expressway and Bay Freeway, authorizing $2 million bond issue for latter
 * 1970-06-01: Seattle City Council approves removal of R.H. Thomson Expressway from comprehensive plan
 * $4 million spent in planning
 * 1971-01-11: Seattle City Council passes resolution removing R.H. Thomson Parkway from The Comprehensive Plan of Seattle
 * 1972-02-08: Special election held on Bay Freeway approval (Referendum 1, defeated 45-55) and revoking previous approval on the R.H. Thomson Expressway (Referendum 2, approved 71-29)


 * Post-cancellation
 * 1972: Properties acquired for right of way sold
 * 1981: Arboretum Foundation proposes bypass road around gardens to relieve traffic from 520 ramps
 * 1982-07-19: Seattle City Council renames Empire Way to Martin Luther King Jr. Way
 * 1991: SR 900 truncated to I-5, removing corridor from state highway system
 * 2009-07-18: Light rail service on MLK Way begins

Ghost ramps
(Copy from SR 520 article)


 * 2014-10-15: Demolition of ghost ramps at SR 520 begins
 * To be finished by 2016
 * 2021 package includes $60,000 to preserve ruins

History

 * 1937: Bill introduced to sign 15th Avenue and Elliott Avenue as a primary state highway branch
 * Integration with Puget Sound crossing to Bainbridge?
 * 15th Avenue corridor is now an expressway, later had speed limits lowered