Tire Chains and Snow Tires 101

After December’s record snowfall that left Seattle drivers stranded for days and even weeks, there is still a continued surge at auto and tire stores for snow traction devices. With so many choices, from chains to studded tires to snow tires, SeattleAuto.net will help guide you through the pros and cons of each device. Read more

Bye Bye Snow, Hello Flooding!

Apparently, Seattle residents aren’t safe yet from the weather patterns that have left three separate snow storms in the past month and now a torrent of rain. In fact, email alerts from the Department of Transportation have been flooding our inbox today with various road closures. Read more

Hold onto your Hats! High Winds coming to Seattle and 520 Bridge

Just received this email from the WSDOT mailing list:

SEATTLE – High winds have forced the cancelation of tonight’s planned closure of the SR 520 Evergreen Point Floating Bridge. A large tugboat and barge were scheduled to go through at 9 p.m., but the high winds raise potential safety concerns. The drawspan opening will be rescheduled at a later date. Read more

Seattle Passes on the Salt for Snowy Streets

The city of Seattle is taking a stand and NOT using salt on the snow and ice. Many large metropolitan cities like New York and Chicago still apply it after a heavy snowfall, because it works.

However, Seattle’s department of transportation will go green on the white stuff. The belief is the salt isn’t good for the environment and is corrosive for streets and cars.

Instead sand and rubber plowing has been the major method of clearing road ways. It isn’t the most effective way, just the cleanest way to deal with snow/ice. Even the Seattle police have to live with this decision, and will respond to many calls on foot, rather than drive up a snowy hill.

There’s a debate brewing about the uses of salt on Seattle roads, and if the method is truly madness.

Reporter Kathy Mulady and Robert McClure of the Seattle PI covered the unsalty streets on Seattle.

 In the mid-1990s, the city decided not to use the more corrosive salt, and instead it uses GeoMelt C, a liquid blend of calcium chloride in a soy base. The de-icer is thought to be gentler on the environment and considered better for the Puget Sound waterway, where eventually much of it will end up.

 

In that same Seattle PI article, a 2005 study found that some streams were one-quarter as salty as sea water, and were killing animals and fish. A second study, that year found that the use of rock salt to melt street ice had increased a hundredfold nationally since 1940.

Will salt less on Seattle streets hurt or help more when everything melts?

Driving in Seattle’s High Winds

(Seattle,WA) December 20

The 2008 holiday season will be remembered for snow and high winds. With gusts reaching hurricane-like speeds in some areas, many state and emergency officials emphasize staying indoors. The combination of snow, ice and high winds can be disastrous for drivers.

According to weather.com  when driving in high winds:

 

• Be aware of vehicles around you. High winds are more problematic for drivers of trucks, buses, recreational vehicles, campers, and drivers who are towing trailers.
• Reduce your speed and correct your steering, especially when moving from a protected area to an unprotected area, or when meeting large vehicles. 
• Wind is often accompanied by heavy rain or winter precipitation. Stay alert for slippery areas.

Also be aware of the floating bridges and closures. Check out some helpful driving tips from the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Winter driving is not just driving in snow. Seattle drivers should take the same precautions when driving in high winds, heavy rain, and flooding. Take your time and be smart about it.

Snow in Seattle Strikes Fear in Drivers!

Folks in the Northwest are known to be tougher than most. Be it rain, earthquake, bad economy, or housing crisis, we can shake off most anything. However the one thing that will have most Seattlites hopeless and shivering in the fetal position is snow.  

Read more

Seattle’s Electric Car, Built in Washington State!

You can’t help but stare at the white on white low profile car at the Seattle Auto Show. It just looks a little different than the other vehicles on the showroom floor. And it is different, vastly different. It’s called the Electric Composite Hatchback(ECH for short). The creator is Bob Fraik of Bainbridge Island.  Frustrated with the rollercoaster economy and his concerns about the environment, led to this plug-in creation. Read more

520 Tolling Implementation and Open House

If you have any vested interest in what a toll on 520 might mean to yourself or your business, you should head on over to the public open house that is being held by the 520 Tolling Implementation Committee. Read more

SeattleAuto.net on Prop 1 and I-985

SeattleAuto.net is not a partisan blog, but we do have opinions on matters that relate to local commute and transportation. With the current economy, climate and political state, we think an efficient transportation infrustructure is more important than ever. Here are the issues we support on November 4th Read more

Enjoying the Ride in Washington State

It’s hard to imagine, especially in traffic, but a nice way to relax and unleash a little speed is getting into the car for a drive. As the population in Western Washington grows and more cars hit the road, fun driving is becoming harder to find. The days of putting down the roof, cranking the tunes, and pushing the RPM’s, is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Read more

Reckless Driving Causes I-5 Truck Accident

Traffic on I-5 was jammed both ways this afternoon due to an accident near the ship canal bridge, south of NE 45th.

The Seattle PI reported that a witness saw a white passenger car cut in front of a large container truck, causing the driver to swerve into the concrete median Read more

Tim Eyman new Measure to Share Car Pool Lanes

Seattle’s most famous political activist, Tim Eyman, is at it again.

Coming this voting season, Eyman is taking on the issue of highway traffic. He is doing so by introducing Measure I-985, a new initiative that will enable single drivers to use HOV and carpool lanes during non-rush hours. Read more

Tips for Driving in the Rain

It’s that time of year again.

Stores are stocking up on candy, your co-workers are talking about costumes and your kids are screaming “Boo!” every chance they get. 

No, we’re not talking Halloween – we’re talking back to Seattle’s wet driving season. Read more