Monday, December 18, 2023

The Ship Canal Bridge in Seattle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_Canal_Bridge The SCB should have HOV & bus-lanes in all of its three 4 lane sections, or at least on the lower deck. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ajGMRXlYmg

It's not amazing to have a 12-lane section of highway in Ontario and even in Queensland. 10 lanes in Alberta, but it would take until 2015 for all 10 lanes to open up on the new Port_Mann_Bridge in BC. The 8 lane Fremont_Bridge_in_Portland,_Oregon opened in 1973 with 2 levels. Far beyond the 4 lane joke that was the old Port_Mann_Bridge of the 1960s.

https://historylink.org/File/3312 For Seattle to have a 12 lane structure so close to BC in the early 1960s, was amazing, but so was the Space_Needle

https://mynorthwest.com/3931367/when-i-5-ship-canal-bridge-became-13-million-parking-lot/

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/prioritize-fixing-i-5s-ailing-ship-canal-bridge/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bridges_in_Seattle

https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/bridges-stairs-and-other-structures/bridges

Of course the decades of simply building more & more traffic lanes have become quite evident for the induced demand argument. However, today it should be about making streets, roads & highways much more efficient. More bus & HOV lanes & alternate powered vehicles can really help. While the EV option can be a good thing, there should also be more hybrid vehicles.