Center City Access Strategy A Transportation Vision for Growth and Access

For the region to grow and compete, the heart must be healthy Downtown Seattle is the heart of the region

For the region to grow and compete, the heart must be healthy Downtown Seattle is the heart of the region

For the region to grow and compete, the heart must be healthy Downtown Seattle is the heart of the region For the heart to be strong and vibrant access to and within it must be inviting and available

The good news is that the heart is growing more people are working Center City Employment

The good news is that the heart is growing more people are working

The good news is that the heart is growing more people are working more people are shopping more people are visiting and playing more people are living

Outer Ring limits points of regional access Ship Canal/ Lake Union, Lake Washington, Duwamish River, Puget Sound However access to and through downtown is limited and constricted

Outer Ring limits points of regional access Ship Canal/ Lake Union, Lake Washington, Duwamish River, Puget Sound However access to and through downtown is limited and constricted Inner Ring limits access to Center City points of access to/from I-5, Spokane Street and Alaskan Way Viaduct are few and congested. Denny Way limits access to/from north

How People Will Get to Work in 2020 If Mode Split Remains the Same?

Can We Accommodate 27,000 New Drive Alone Commuters ? 27,000+ new SOV drivers = 27,000 new parking spaces = $750 million in parking development costs = 20 city blocks of 10 story garages Traffic would fill 12 lanes at peak hour capacity in each direction

Downtown- Inside the “Rings” Perimeter Bottlenecks Meter Traffic Into Downtown Opportunities exist to reallocate right- of-way with fewer negative impacts on automobile traffic than other cities. In the future, we must emphasize efficient modes of transportation. Maximize moving people not vehicles- a question of geometry not ideology Efficiency of Buses Downtown

Future Center City Transportation Network

Future Center City Bicycle & Pedestrian Framework

Center City Access Strategy Transportation Demand Management Highway access for regional & local through tripsNew connections better using existing street grid & breaking through choke points –transit and freight prioritized Integrated network of rail, ferry & bus that is easy to use Signal upgrades & incentives to get people out of cars, etc. 23 4

ACHIEVING THE VISION: CENTER CITY ACCESS Sound Transit Link Light Rail from SeaTac to Northgate Monorail Green Line 1 2 Electric Trolley Bus Network Third Avenue Transit Spine Olive Way Bus Lane New high-volume passenger only ferry service Expand Streetcar network Replace viaduct Downtown access provided by Alaskan Way Extension of S. Dearborn and S. King Streets if future T-46 development New connections between Third & Fifth avenues and E-3 Busway New connection between Airport Way and King Street Improve management of I-5 with new collector distributor (within existing ROW) to reduce I-5 weaving at downtown exits

Monorail Green Line Olive Way Bus lane Expand Streetcar network Two-way Mercer Street Drop one lane of inbound traffic from southbound Aurora to Dexter. Move double left-turn from Aurora to Dexter at Denny Two-way operation on Westlake and Ninth Avenues Introduce Bus Rapid Transit along Aurora with southbound bus lane and priority at Denny off-ramp intersection (consider using 6 th Avenue N for transit priority) Temporary Broad Street Grade Separation during construction of AWSVP ACHIEVING THE VISION: CENTER CITY ACCESS (NORTH)

Sound Transit Link Light Rail from SeaTac to Northgate Monorail Green Line Improve management on I-5: reconstructed Spokane Street/I-5 Interchange, reconfigured access to I-90 and North I-5 Reconstructed Spokane Street New Lander Street RR Overpass Reconstructed Alaskan Way East Marginal Way RR Overpass ACHIEVING THE VISION: CENTER CITY ACCESS (SOUTH) th Avenue S

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? How can we make this better? Anything missing? Agree on Projects Further Analysis/Design Seek Funding Implementation Timing must be coordinated with key decision making points on Alaskan Way Viaduct, Interstate 5 and other major regional projects