Puget Sound Transportation Blog

http://www.soundtransit.org/x7425.xml
Tunnel Boring Machine breaks through Beacon Hill. This finishes the drilling portion of the Link tunnel.
Ben

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/295433.html
“A preliminary report from David Evans and Associates concludes that the bridge can be rehabilitated for approximately $80 million. That’s far less than the $135 million estimate for replacing the bridge, and not far from a 2004 estimate of $80 million for rehabilitation.”
“The new consultant’s report is good news, because city officials had feared that […]

http://future.soundtransit.org/default.aspx
Now until 3/9.
Ben

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/275624.html
From the article:
“A hearing is scheduled today in the state House Committee on Transportation on a bill that would allow Tacoma to tap into sales tax revenue to raise money for fixing the bridge. The bill introduced last month by state Rep. Dennis Flannigan, D-Tacoma, would allow the City of Tacoma to create a transportation […]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/273552.html
It looks like the state is going to pass a bill suspending collection of the state sales tax on mega projects, or projects that collect tolls. This would affect the following:

Narrows Bridge
520 bridge replacement
Columbia River bridge replacement
North Spokane Corridor

The idea seems very good. While we have to pay sales tax on most things here it […]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/270966.html
Basically, a more limited plan for Sound Transit 2 would extend light rail to Overlake on the Eastside, up to Northgate and down to Kent/Des Moines. However, Pierce County would gain more Sounder and bus service.
In exchange, Tacoma Link would be extended from downtown to  Tacoma General and TCC, and out to Fife.
Thoughts: This plan […]

From the WSDOT Website:
23, Wednesday, 4 - 7 p.m., PSRC public outreach, Destination 2040 - Tacoma: The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is updating Destination 2030, its 30-year transportation plan for the Puget Sound region, and they want to get public input on issues (climate change, congestion, etc.), transportation alternatives, criteria and environmental impacts to […]