Real-time bus arrival signs installed along 45th Street corridor

Bus commuters can expect a smoother ride to work or school with new arrival time signs at popular bus stops along the 45th Street corridor between Ballard and the University District. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) in partnership with King County Metro has been installing 11 new Real Time Information System (RTIS) signs along …

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Metro service cuts certain after voters reject Proposition 1

The King Country Transportation District Proposition 1 was rejected by voters this week. After the second count of ballots on Wednesday, Proposition 1 is behind with 54.5 percent of voters voting no. According to King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County must prepare for reduction of Metro transit services starting this fall. “We gave the …

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Mayor to City Council: Be bold, fund rail expansion

Last week we talked briefly about SDOT’s Transit Master Plan, which included plans for a light rail that would connect Ballard and Fremont to downtown, amongst other neighborhoods. Yesterday, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn took to his blog and challenged the Seattle City Council to “be bold” and consider funding such a project. For the distances …

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Meeting on school transportation plan tonight

Just a friendly reminder that Seattle Public Schools is hosting a public meeting on the district’s new school Transportation Plan, which if approved will go into effect for the 2011-2012 school year, tomorrow, Thursday, February 3 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Hamilton International School, located at 1610 N 41 St. The proposed Transportation Plan …

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Ballardite photographs tile street markers

One Ballardite is on a mission to document all the tile street names embedded along some of Ballard’s roads. “Since I moved into Ballard in September 08,” Luke emailed, “I’ve been photographing the old street signs embedded into the sidewalks. Most are on 20th and 24th Avenues, but I’ve found a few outliers here and …

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Ballard changing faster than planned, residents say

Ten years after the city’s neighborhood plans were published, residents have been asked to help create a “status check” on how well the 20-year plans are progressing — and whether they need an update. Thursday evening a group of Ballard and Crown Hill residents gathered around a table at the Phinney Center to provide the …

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Weekend construction to snarl Market St.

Seattle Department of Transportation paving crews will be out on Saturday fixing two areas along Market St. The first trouble spot will be just west of the intersection at 15th and Market. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. crews will funnel cars down to one lane in each direction. Further down Market near 30th, the …

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Meet Ballard’s highest-tech commuter

We’ve all seen Segways here and there, even at the Ballard Farmer’s Market. But we watched this gentleman, clad in a suit and tie, effortlessly cruise along the side of Phinney Ave. and drop down into Ballard like he does this every day. And he does. The man told us, through our open window, that …

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As expected, RapidRide to run on 15th Ave.

We posted back in March that it looked like RapidRide, the new express bus service coming to Ballard in 2012, will run along 15th Ave. instead of the other option, 24th Ave. Today we received the final recommendation from the RapidRide advisory committee. “Nearly all panel members support or could live with RapidRide located on …

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Mayor promises to improve access to tunnel

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has committed in writing to improving vehicle and freight access from Ballard, Magnolia and Queen Anne to the new deep-bored tunnel, according to a press release issued today by Reps. Mary Lou Dickerson and Reuven Carlyle. Nickels wrote that the city will work with WSDOT to improve traffic flow on N 46th St., N 39th St., Nickerson St., Dexter Ave. N, Mercer St. and West Mercer St. The city also said it would work to improve congestion at the north and south ends of the Aurora Bridge.

“The major arterials within our community will need attention and we’re focused on ensuring the city is focused on the needs of residential and commercial traffic,” said Carlyle. Both representatives had asked the mayor for a formal letter expressing the city’s commitment on improving traffic flow to Seattle’s Northwest neighborhoods. As you know, tunnel access has been a hot topic in Ballard’s industrial and freight community, most recently at a town hall held at Ballard High School last month. Read the press release below…