Seattle Car Drivers are Spending Less Time in Traffic?

Gas prices go up, more people out of work equals fewer folks on the road? It would seem to make sense. And according to a national study done by the Texas Transportation Institute, those factors have caused for less congestion around the country. Read more

Ten Easy Tips for Defensive Driving

You’ve heard the term defensive driving tossed around a lot, but what does it really mean? Many people conjure up images of a slow, hesitant driver that only drives in the right lane and signals a block before turning. In reality, defensive driving is a set of good habits on top of your existing driver skills.
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Subaru, Seattle’s Unofficial Car Maker!

Seattle Test Drive Review for the 2009 Toyota Venza

After reading and hearing so much about the 2009 Toyota Venza, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When driving most cross-over type vehicles it’s either one or the other. Either it feels like a truck but looks like a sedan, or handles like a sedan and looks like a SUV. It’s rare to get a true combination of both. But after driving the 2009 Venza, I know why Toyota waited a while to get into the crossover market, they wanted to get it right. Read more

Zip Code Determines Auto Insurance Rates

When it comes to auto insurance, your zip code is your identity. Just because you live in an expensive downtown loft with with a secure garage doesn’t guarantee lower auto insurance rates.  Read more

Still Flooded, but Seattle Area Roads are Opening Up

The rain may have stopped on Friday, but there’s plenty of water still on the roads. However, WSDOT has been working feverishly to open the I-90 passes and parts of I-5 .
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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.

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

“Death” Warning from DoT Regarding Daylight Savings

In what can only be called the most sensational headline ever for a mundane driver alert, the Seattle Times reports “WashDOT warns of death after daylight savings”. Read more

Don’t be at Fault: How to Prevent Insurance Hikes

Next to a visit to the dentist, getting into a car accident ranks as one of the most aggravating experiences to be in. Police reports, repairs, injuries and even court appearances make life miserable enough, but the coup de grace is learning that your insurance rates have been jacked up. Read more

A Quick and Easy Way to Eliminate Blind Spots

The scene: You’re driving on the highway. Approaching your off ramp, you signal from the middle lane and glance over at your passenger side mirror. It’s completely clear. 

You steer smoothly into the right hand lane when suddenly- a car materializes Read more

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