Here’s the press release from the Washington State Department of Transportation

WSDOT: Gas prices and the recession can’t take all the credit for reduced congestion
OLYMPIA – Washington drivers are spending less time stuck in traffic despite growing vehicle volumes during peak commute periods in urban areas, according to a national study released to news media today. WSDOT’s own data crunchers attribute the trend to the declining economy, but contend that smart transportation investments and operational strategies are what will keep travel times reasonable well after the economy recovers.  
The 2009 Urban Mobility Report, a national study released today by the Texas Transportation Institute, announces that congestion is declining or leveling off across the country, and attributes the cause to rising gas prices and the declining economy. WSDOT agrees that commutes are improving, but draws other conclusions as to the cause.
Puget Sound region travel trends are somewhat different than those found nationally. The TTI report draws from 2007 data. For this period, Washington’s economy was still very robust and added jobs. Our own congestion data shows continued increases in travel times for key Puget Sound corridors in 2007, although the increase is at a lesser rate than in previous years.
The data supports that congestion is improving in part because of Moving Washington, WSDOT’s program for addressing congestion. Moving Washington is a three-part strategy comprised of adding highway capacity strategically, operating the system efficiently and managing demand.
 
“We’re fighting congestion with safety improvements, construction projects, advanced freeway operations and providing transportation options,” said State Traffic Engineer Ted Trepanier. “While it is clear that many factors influence congestion, there is no question that our strategies are making a positive impact.” he said.
WSDOT analyzed on seven major Seattle-area commuting corridors in the first six months of 2008, as gas prices surged above $4 per gallon. While it’s true that Washington drivers used 63 million fewer gallons of fuel in the first six months of 2008, peak period volumes still continued to grow on these key commuter routes. The most notable changes in traffic volumes were observed on weekends and evenings as drivers reduced discretionary trips, changed destinations or cut trips to save money.
Although congestion remains heavy on several corridors, travel times on six of seven key Puget Sound corridors either improved or remained level for the first half of 2008, compared to 2007.
Four of seven major corridors saw increased traffic volumes during peak periods, yet six corridors experienced better travel times as traffic flow improved and disruptions declined. Improved travel times through some of the region’s busiest corridors suggest that WSDOT’s congestion relief strategies and their associated projects, combined with higher gas prices and rising transit ridership, had a positive effect on the performance of these corridors in the first six months of 2008.
WSDOT is currently delivering the largest capital construction program in our state’s history, including hundreds of safety and congestion relief projects funded by the 2003 and 2005 gas tax, worth $6.5 billion. As of June 30, WSDOT has completed 192 of 391 projects with an additional 83 projects currently under construction. Combined, these projects represent 70% of the total number of projects for both the Nickel and TPA programs.
WSDOT publishes an annual congestion report that provides detailed travel time and traffic delay analysis and highlights “Before and After” case studies of its safety and congestion relief projects. It measures the results from the driver’s perspective for each completed project.
In King County, WSDOT widened the freeway and improved interchanges on I-405 between Kirkland and Bothell.  This $82 million project, the first of the multi-stage Kirkland Nickel project, was completed in October 2007. Based on travel speeds before and after the project was completed, drivers’ speeds have increased by 16%, from 37 mph to 43 mph. The Tukwila to Bellevue morning commute improved by 12 minutes in part due to new WSDOT auxiliary lane on I-405, opened in early 2009.
WSDOT recently completed one of the largest construction projects ever delivered in Snohomish County, the $263.4 million I-5 Everett HOV and Freeway Expansion project. This project combined added capacity, safety and operational improvements by adding HOV lanes to demonstrate that our Moving Washington strategy can reap big benefits. Before the project began in 2005, afternoon commuters headed northbound on I-5 between 128th Street and Marine View Drive spent up to 18 minutes moving through this eight mile stretch of highway.  After crews opened the new lanes in May 2008, commuters shaved their commute to 10 minutes. Without congestion, travelers can drive through this section of I-5 in eight minutes.
In Clark County, WSDOT widened two miles of I-5 between Salmon Creek and the I-205 interchange. This $44 million project was one of several aimed at improving traffic flow in the I-5 corridor between the Main Street interchange in Vancouver and the I-205 junction.
Result: Drivers’ travel speeds have improved 19% from 42 mph to 50 mph.
For more information about Moving Washington, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/movingwashington. For our detailed annual congestion report and the most recent six-month, incremental traffic trend analysis folio go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/.

While we recommend a defensive driving class to truly learn defensive driving, here are ten easy tips on how to improve your own defensive skills every day:

1. Minimize Distractions: Ironically, the person that is the greatest threat to your own safety on the road is yourself. Cell phones, music, passengers or munching on a burger are examples of distractions in the car. The NHTSA and various scientific studies have all shown that distractions are the number one reason behind car accidents and fatalities on the road. Teen drivers in particular suffer the most from distractions and incidentally, are the most accident prone.

Reality check: We at Seattle Auto are human and understand that you’re going to talk illegally on your cell phone (yes, we’re talking to you Seattle residents), rock out to your iPod or have the occasional taco in the car. It just happens. What you can do, is limit yourself to one distraction and tone it down. So don’t talk on the phone and stuff french fries at the same time, but wait until your call is over to eat. While you’re talking, focus on the road first rather than your phone call – and better yet, make the conversation short and call back later if necessary.

2. High Eyes Driving: Race drivers use a technique called “high eyes” that call for the driver (you) to focus not on the car in front of you, but on the road horizon. Many drivers become fixated on the car in front of them and go into auto-pilot mode, braking when the car in front brakes, accelerating when the car in front accelerates and so on. The problem is that in a panic stop situation, if the driver in front wasn’t paying attention to begin with – guess what – you’re probably going to eat the end of his bumper. Both 520 and I-90 have little to no blind corners, so it’s no excuse to suddenly find yourself slamming on the brakes because you “didn’t see” the traffic jam up ahead.

By keeping your eyes high up, you’ll be looking at the entire traffic pattern up ahead instead. This gives you ample time to react to a sudden emergency up front – even giving you time to decide if you need to perform a quick lane toss or start slowly braking to give the guy behind you a warning.

3. Minimize Lane Changes: It’s rare for a car to be rear ended while traveling the speed limit in it’s own lane. It is common for accidents to happen while a car is changing lanes; perhaps by suddenly cutting off a car, swiping another vehicle in it’s blind spot or two cars merging into the same lane. By choosing a lane and sticking with it for the majority of your trip, you will remove a great deal of the factors that are known to cause accidents on the highway.

4. Spot Fast Lane Changers: The flip side to not being a lane changer, is that you must be highly aware of the drivers who are. These are often the drivers who dangerously dart in and out of traffic, cutting off and swerving around drivers in the process.

Regularly monitor your rear and side view mirrors to be on the lookout for drivers that are approaching rapidly from behind or the lane next to you. These are bad drivers that will often cut in front or around you at the last second, narrowly missing your car. Deal with these drivers by maintaining your speed or even slowing down if you feel they are going to cut in front of you. Don’t become a vigilante and speed up to box them into the adjacent lane; you don’t want an erratic driver who likely has road rage tailing you on the freeway. Simply let them pass and be happy they are away from your car.

5. Spot Blind Lane Changers: Not only are there the jerks driving recklessly, but you have to worry about the absent minded driver that never checks their blind spot before changing into your lane. These guys are actually harder to spot than the jerk drivers, because it’s harder to predict when these types drivers are about to change lanes.

The best way to avoid these drivers is to not drive in their blind spot to begin with. If you ever find yourself in the another car’s blind spot, you should either A) accelerate so that your car is parallel to the other vehicle so they can easily see you or B) slow down so that you are tailing the vehicle and no longer next to it. Option B is the more preferable method depending on your car’s positioning and you should only use option A if you are already close to the front hood of the other car.

It’s hard to keep by this rule in heavy traffic, because you’ll always be next to a car, but you can usually identify a driver that is about to change lanes if the driver looks in their side view mirror, the car has just merged from an on-ramp, the driver is suddenly accelerating or decelerating or if the car is slowly starting to drift toward one lane. With practice, you can become very good at figuring out when another car is about to lane change and avoid being in their blind spot when it happens.

6. Don’t Make Eye Contact: Studies show that many road rage incidents occur when drivers make eye contact with each other and a situation ensues. As a defensive driver, you need to realize that road rage drivers are often looking to instigate trouble, rather than simply reacting to perceived sleights against them. Making eye contact with these types of drivers is playing into their twisted game, so you want to avoid getting into a petty fight with someone driving a 2,000 pound vehicle; regardless of who is right or wrong.

So next time you see that tail gating jerk come next to your car and pace you, just ignore them and don’t give them the pleasure they’re looking for. Simply drive on as usual and they will eventually leave you alone.

7. Look Both Ways at Intersections: Intersections are inherently dangerous places and the scene of many t-bone accidents. Most drivers, upon seeing a green light, amble straight on through without a second thought; and that’s usually when the driver running the red light smashes into their side.

If you are ever the first car at the intersection when the light is turning green, you should be extremely aware of your left, then right side traffic as you make your way through. I’ve almost been hit twice this way and both times slammed on my brakes before the other car barely clipped my front-end. Any police officer will tell you that the amount of drivers who run red lights is astounding – enough to make you think twice and look twice before going through an intersection.

8. Know When and How to Swerve: This is probably the absolutely hardest point to get across, because it honestly takes hours of experience behind the steering wheel to learn. The concept of swerving is applied to emergency situations where you don’t have enough time to avoid an accident (which is why we have rule #1 above).

If for example, a child suddenly runs into the busy street 20 feet in front of your car, it will be physically impossible for your car to stop in that amount of distance while traveling at 40mph. In that specific situation, your only option is to try and swerve and steer clear of the object in front of the car as fast as you can. This same principle applies to a sudden wreck on the highway, fallen tree, deer or any other danger that takes you by surprise.

To properly swerve (also called a “lane toss”), you need to be certain that A) the lane you’re swerving into is empty B) your car can handle the maneuver and C) you correct your swerve immediately afterward so you don’t end up on the side of the road. Item A can be achieved by constantly being aware of your surroundings, but for B and C, you can only understand those by taking your car out to an empty parking lot and practicing for a few hours with cones. That- or you can take a defensive driving class.

9. Get Away From Bad Drivers: You should always do your best to keep a healthy distance between yourself and other bad drivers on the road. Problematic drivers include: drunks, speeders, tail gaters, road ragers, lane changers, extremely slow drivers and any other erratic behavior. Most of the time, this involves switching lanes and slowing down so that a speeder or drunk can pass you safely. You never want erratic drivers behind you because there is always the potential of getting rear ended.

In other scenarios, if you see a erratic driver and need to pass, make sure you do it quickly and safely as possible – trying to keep a lane between you and them if possible. If you cannot keep a distance in front of the car, due to traffic or other reasons, try to stay a distance behind the other car and never drive directly next to it. You should also report erratic driving to the Washington State Highway Patrol or the Seattle Police department (you can call 911 directly) as the police will be on the lookout for erratic or drunk drivers if enough reports come in.

10. Don’t Follow Too Closely: Saving one of the best tips for last, don’t follow too closely behind the car in front of you. Always give at least 2-3 second of buffer room. Experts will tell you 4 seconds, although this author’s personal opinion is that it actually invites other drivers to cut into the lane in front of you. If you drive an SUV however, you must make this at least a 3 second rule because your vehicle is heavy and takes much longer to come to a complete stop than passenger cars.

While this may sound like a tip that applies to simply being a better driver, this tip actually has defensive driving principles for emergency situations as well. The reason is that in the event of a panic stop in the lane up ahead, you will ideally have buffer room to brake and stop. This helps the driver behind you as well because it aids in their reaction time and stopping distance – a big plus if they haven’t been paying attention, are slow to react or drive a vehicle with long braking distance (like a SUV).

We hope you enjoyed these quick tips on defensive driving. If you are interested in getting professional training behind the wheel, we recommend you visit any one of the defensive driving courses throughout the Seattle area.

You’ve seen them in parking lots of your local PCC, packed with two car seats on the east side, or in traffic around Safeco field after a Mariners game…the Subaru nation of Seattle.

The versatile AWD vehicle captures the essence of the northwest driver. Versatility, handling, and capacity are just some of the words that appeal to local drivers about Subaru.

“We have the perfect go anywhere vehicle,“ claims Jim Pernas, Subaru’s regional VP. “People can drive from downtown to the passes for skiing and not have to worry about it. We fit into their active lifestyles. People who buy Subaru engage in life.”

According to Pernas, Seattle is the number five Subaru market in the entire country, with three of the top 20 Subaru dealers in the nation as well (Carters, Chaplins, and Eastside).

“It’s been a top Subaru market since the mid 1990’s” he says.

But the real question is why? There are certainly more Civics and Camry’s on the road, other vehicles get better gas mileage, and the other larger automakers have a bigger selection, so why is a smaller car maker like Subaru taking such a large bite out of the Seattle pie? It could come down to individuality.

“The people in Seattle and the Northwest as a whole don’t follow the masses,” explains Pernas, who’s based in Portland. “We’re more rugged individuals, and our cars make a statement about our lives. It fits our lifestyle.”

But with a half dozen of these multi faceted vehicles to choose from, which one fits the Seattle driver best?

“The Outback is a mainstay in Seattle,” claims Jim Pernas, Subaru’s regional VP of sales and marketing. “Since the mid 1990’s the Outback just took off. From the first generation Outback till now it’s always been a mainstay in Seattle. Although the Forester is starting to outpace it.”
 
In fact, the sales of Forester’s in the US helped Subaru become the only major automaker to make a slight profit in 2008. While the big boys like Ford, Chevy, GM, and even Toyota have been losing billions per quarter, Subaru saw a 115% increase in Forester sales in the first month of 2009 alone. With sales numbers to prove it, maybe Seattle drivers have figured out what the rest of the country is still wondering about.

“Loyal Subaru owners feel they have the best kept secret in the car industry,” claims Pernas.

Maybe the only left to decide, is which one to buy.  Outback or Forester?

Forester 2.5X Specs

• 4-cylinder, horizontally opposed (Boxer); aluminum cylinder block and heads with forged steel cylinder liners
• 170 hp@ 6,000 rpm
• Automatic- Active All-Wheel Drive with electronically managed continuously variable
  hydraulic transfer clutch
• Brakes-Power-assisted 5-wheel disc with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and 4-channel / 4-sensor ABS and Brake Assist
• Cargo Capacity- Rear seatbacks down: 68.3 cu. ft.
• Fuel Economy-Automatic-2.5X models: 20/26HWY

Outback 2.5i Specs

• 170hp @ 6,000 rpm (PZEV: same)
• Drive Train- Automatic- Electronically managed continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch
• Brakes- Power-assisted 4-wheel discs with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and
  4-channel / 4-sensor ABS
• Cargo Capacity- Rear seats down: 65.4 cu. ft.
• Fuel Economy-AWD-Automatic  2.5i 20/26 HWY

See the full specs and other models at Subaru.com

Outback vs Forester video feature coming soon.

“People are passionate about this car,” claims Phil Soholt, sales manager at Toyota of Seattle. “I’ve seen people sell their 2008 car just to get into a new Venza. They’re willing to even take a loss, just so they can have the newest thing on the market. I’ve sold all of our AWD units.”

I put this new addition to the Toyota family through a true Seattle test. I went up Queen Anne hill, parallel parked downtown, got stuck in traffic more than once, cruised onto the Alaskan Way viaduct and picked up speed on my way to Greenlake.

The results; the Venza was more than up to the challenge.

Here’s what I found.

Handling

The version I drove was a LS FWD V6. The Camry based chassis on the Venza managed downtown driving like a charm. It certainly felt more like a sedan than an SUV, in fact it didn’t have that big looking down on people feel to it that many SUV’s have. Parking on a hill wasn’t bad either, the version I drove had the panoramic sunroof that seemed to make visibility and lighting excellent. The 189 inch body is identical to that of the Camry and handles tight spots just like it. The Venza also does a nice job of handling bumps on the road. Instead of rattling after the shock of a pothole, the vehicle absorbs it, like many luxury vehicles.

Acceleration

The Venza’s V6 pumps out 268 hp and going up Queen Anne hill was no problem. It tackled the incline with ease and it never felt forced. Managing the freeways and highways was no problem either for the Toyota cross over.  It went from 0-60 in five seconds without pushing it too hard. In terms of acceleration the 2009 Venza has plenty of get up and power for the streets as well as the freeways.

Interior

The only time the Venza actually feels like an SUV is when you’re sitting in the back seat and loading the trunk. While it drives like a Camry, the cargo capacity feels more like a Highlander. The Venza owns a 70.1 cubic feet of cargo space while the Highlander is slightly higher at 95.4 cubic feet. But for the versatile northwest driver it has plenty of room for soccer balls, grocery bags, ice chests or snowboards. The dash is sleek and vibrant with a blue and red color scheme on the displays. However the clock and climate control is feels far on the vast dashboard. A nice added feature was the panoramic sunroof that offered plenty of light to the leather interior. It made the vehicle feel bigger.

Exterior

In terms of looks the best example would be the head turning by those walking around downtown Seattle. Many didn’t know what kind of new Toyota we were driving, and I even saw a lady point while waiting at a cross walk and say, “what kinda car is that?” The 2009 Venza doesn’t look like anything else in the Toyota family. And if people are literally pointing and asking about it on the streets, it tells you the general public is interested.

Check out the 2009 Venza specs.

 Insurance companies use a variety of things to determine how much the risk is on a particular policy. Where you live, what kind of car, amount of traffic in the neighborhood, and number of claims within that neighborhood are just some of the things that will determine what certain rates are in a particular zip code.

According to the Northwest Insurance Council:

Insurance companies examine local trends in accident frequency, car thefts, lawsuits, vehicle repairs and the cost of medical care when determining your level of risk.

“We(insurance companies) look at what type of losses are associated in a particular neighborhood,” explains Wilson Hui, an Allstate agent.  ”Typically in our area, the east side rates will be cheaper than Seattle. Redmond, Sammamish, Bellevue, Issaquah and cities like that, have more families and home owners. And that effects rates.”

Areas which tend to have higher rates are downtown Seattle, Burien, industrial areas like Tukwila and neighborhoods along busy city streets like Rainier avenue and Martin Luther King Blvd.

But by no means are insurance rates locked in and set in stone. Rates based on zip codes can and will change. However, it’s not just the zip code that determines the overall rate. It’s a just a small part of the whole.

These are the most common factors that determine your auto insurance rates

• Driving Record
• Number of Miles Driven
• Where You Live(zip code)
• Age of the Driver
• Type of Car Owned
• Amount of Coverage
• Credit

WSDOT prepares to reopen I-5 through Lewis County
OLYMPIA – WSDOT crews are preparing to reopen Interstate 5 to commercial vehicles over 10,000 GVW between Napavine and Grand Mound (mile post 68 to 88) at noon today. The road will open to passenger vehicles later in the day.

Quickly receding flood waters on I-5 in Chehalis resulted in fewer problems than anticipated. Crews were able to access the freeway and perform necessary safety inspections of the interstate and levee system and begin clean up work. Some exit and on ramps remain closed within the 20 mile section. Drivers should be aware that maintenance crews will be working in the area, repairing potholes and road markers.

I-90 Snoqualmie Pass reopened eastbound at 9 a.m. between North Bend and Ellensburg. The westbound lanes will open around noon. There are still restrictions on three I-90 exit ramps. Exit 45 will remain closed due to water over the roadway. Exits 53 and 54 will have ramp lane restrictions to keep traffic out of the high water. Due to erosion and some undermining of the shoulders, there will be no stopping or parking allowed on the shoulders of I-90 between North Bend and Easton.

WSDOT crews and emergency contractor, Scarsella Brothers, worked throughout the night and early morning to repair the eastbound lanes of the interstate. The contractor poured 40 yards of concrete to restore damaged sections of the roadway. WSDOT and crews are still working to repair sections of roadway in the westbound lanes before they open for travel.

US 2 has reopened to traffic after a two day closure caused by flooding and avalanche danger. The pass reopened at approximately 4:00 p.m. Thursday. US 12 White Pass is not a viable east-west route at this time due to flooding at Randle (mile post 116) and a large washout near Glenoma (mile post 108)

WSDOT estimates the economic impact of the I-5 closure through Lewis count is $12 million per day and I-090 is $6 million per day. A summary of this information is at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Freight/publications.htm

Here are a list of road closures and updates we have received from WSDOT Traffic Alerts:

4:00pm – Stevens Pass, WA – US 2 has reopened to traffic after a two day closure caused by flooding and avalanche danger. The pass reopened at XX p.m. today, making it the only viable east-west route across the state.

The Washington State Department of Transportation expects this route will be heavily used by drivers trying to get across the mountain passes.

WSDOT has taken several steps to make sure traffic moves as smoothly as possible:

Three Incident Response Teams will be stationed from Monroe, across the summit and to Leavenworth to quickly respond to stalls, collisions and motorists in need of assistance.
We have coordinated signal timing through Monroe to improve the flow of traffic
Traction tires are required for passenger vehicles
Chains are required for trucks over 10,000 lbs
I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass and US 12 at White Pass remain closed until further notice.

3:50pm – All lanes of SR 530 are now open at the Lincoln Bridge near Arlington.
3:30pm – Flooding response in high gear, WSDOT closes in on opening US 2 east to Wenatchee
3:20pm – All lanes in both directions of US 2 west of Skykomish at milepost 44.3 are now open. Stevens Pass remains closed.
2:35pm – The right lane of northbound SR 169 from 140th Ave SE to the Cedar River is closed due to flooding.
9:35am – Both directions of SR 9 are closed between Schloman Rd and 252nd.north of Arlington.
9:00am – The ramp from SR 530 to northbound I-5 is closed due to water over the roadway.
7:15am – The southbound I-405 ramp to SR 181/Interurban Ave is closed due to a mudslide on Interurban Ave.
6:30am – SR 203 closed in Carnation between the Tolt River and NE Carnation Farm Road. SR 203 is also closed between Duvall and Monroe. Both closures are due to water over the roadway.
5:00am – The ramp from SR 530 to northbound I-5 is closed due to water over the roadway
4:35am – All lanes of SR 542 at Truck Rd near Deming are blocked by a mudslide and downed power lines.
4:05am – Both directions of US 2 are closed west of Skykomish at milepost 44.3 because of water over the roadway.
4:00am – SR 530 is closed in both directions at Lincoln Bridge because of water over the roadway.
2:00am – SR 169 near Maple Valley, all lanes closed

For up-to-date road information, call 511 or for out of state callers, dial 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).

WSDOT has released this regarding the closers:

State highway closures top 60

OLYMPIA – Transportation officials are dealing with a large weather system that resulted in more than 60 road closures in Washington in the last 12 hours. While WSDOT is keeping close watch on the potential for Pierce County flooding over I-5, experts expect portions of I-5 will go under water in Lewis County some time this evening.

If the current pattern of rising water continues, WSDOT is expecting to close I-5 in Lewis County around midnight tonight. The closure points would span 20 miles from exit 88 near the Lewis/Thurston county border south to exit 68, the US 12 interchange connecting with Morton and White Pass. WSDOT crews are monitoring the entire corridor and will immediately take the necessary measures to close the road if it becomes unsafe for vehicles.

Flooding in the Fife area could require the closure of I-5 in the area north of the Puyallup River Bridge. Precise timing is difficult to predict, but there is potential for the freeway to be closed prior to the conclusion of this afternoon’s rush hour.

Alternate routes are limited, with State Routes 167 and 512 being the most likely options for drivers. WSP and WSDOT are still determining the appropriate closure points.

All three major east-west mountain pass highways through the Cascade Mountains remain closed due to extreme avalanche danger and mudslides. These passes are not expected to open until crews have safe access to these highways and can assess avalanche danger and inspect roadways. WSDOT has pulled our crews back from working on Interstate 90 from MP 47 (Denny Creek) to MP 53 near the summit. This unexpected slide points out the serious risk to both highway workers and the traveling public along mountainous I-90, as well as other routes around the state. Until the rain lets up and soil conditions stabilize, I-90 will remain closed from North Bend to Ellensburg.

Please drive safe out there Seattle residents. If you see washed out road in front, do not attempt to cross and try to find alternate routes. Even one foot of moving water is enough to stall your vehicle or push your car aside.

*Article photo used with permission from the WSDOT

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.

Drivers are urged to use extra caution as they cross Lake Washington this afternoon and evening.

To understand why the Department of Transportation closes 520 during high winds, read more on their page: Why We Close 520.

In summary, high winds are forcing 520 to stay open. Bet you don’t hear that everyday!

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?

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.