Slog - Comments on What Do You Do If Your Predictions of "Nightmare" Traffic Prove Wrong? http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni Just pretend there was a "traffic nightmare" on I-5 anyway.... Copyright 2008 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 10:56:58 -0800 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:59:05 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Orv The "traffic nightmare" was actually on 599 and the Viaduct. My bus was 30 minutes late earlier this week due to traffic backups there. They should have just stuck with running buses on I-5.

]]> Orv http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790284 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790284 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:00:06 -0800 Comment by Enough is enough God, enough already. I bet the backup would have been a lot longer if the buses had just let people get on and off wherever they pleased rather than at the designated stops.

]]> Enough is enough http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790290 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790290 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:08:11 -0800 Comment by chris I went from Redmond to West Seattle via I-90 and I-5 at 5:30 last night. It was mildly annoying. Does that count?

]]> chris http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790292 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790292 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:10:39 -0800 Comment by brad This whole deal of, "was the traffic nightmare overblown," seems like a non-story to me. Who cares? We all fared better than expected. Isn't that a good thing? Why penalize folks and instead make a big deal out of the fact that things turned out better perhaps because for once people listened and altered their habits for a couple weeks.

]]> brad http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790304 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790304 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:21:04 -0800 Comment by Orv @4: It's not a non-story to ECB, because the other half of the argument is going to be, "Well, the I-5 partial closure went fine, so that means nothing bad will happen if we take out the Viaduct."

]]> Orv http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790305 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790305 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 11:22:04 -0800 Comment by BB The nightmare was on 520 from the Eastside to Seattle, because everyone skipped I-90 and the I-5 mess.

It was a PARKING LOT at 7:30 p.m. last night. I'm sure all those drivers would be delighted to hear it wasn't a nightmare.

]]> BB http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790354 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790354 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:01:33 -0800 Comment by ECB @4: Who am I "penalizing"?
@ 5: That's absolutely true. In fact, I've already made that argument numerous times on slog.

]]> ECB http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790363 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790363 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:06:17 -0800 Comment by Greg Barnes @6: How does the I-5 closure direct traffic to 520? The only closures are northbound up the I-90 interchange, so traffic on either bridge should be unaffected (except, I guess, there might be *less* eastbound I-90 traffic because there's less traffic from I-5 turning onto I-90).

I guess some people might have confusedly thought there was a problem with I-90 ramps onto I-5, but it's been, what 2 weeks? Surely they should have figured it out by now.

]]> Greg Barnes http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790381 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790381 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:25:52 -0800 Comment by How many fines have you had? You've been Snotty McSnotterson about the I-5 traffic sitch since it started. Why not give people an iota of credit for having read/listened to the warnings, making adjustments to their routines and adverting the major hassle everyone thought this would turn out to be? What did you want, more "Metro sucks" letters to cheer on yet another one of your insipid tirades?

Don't you have a Frito pie to make? Scoot along now...

]]> How many fines have you had? http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790386 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790386 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:36:49 -0800 Comment by Highway Star A temporary bottleneck on I-5 in the summer is not the same thing as a permanent one on 99.

But even if it were, why would anyone wish that I-5 situation onto 99 into perpetuity? Why would anyone advocate for increased commute times and less efficient circulation of traffic?

The density that the Stranger advocates for is only going to increase demand on the highway. Seattle's one and only transit system uses the highway to move people around.

]]> Highway Star http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790420 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790420 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:21:11 -0800 Comment by daytrpr (8) Predicting changes in travel conditions is one of the most difficult things to do in transportation planning, and effects often pop up in unexpected places.

(5 and 7) I think "went fine" depends on who you're talking to or how you define "went fine." If you define "went fine" as "traffic congestion on I-5 was better than expected," then yes, it went fine.

On the otherhand...(10) You can make a pretty good argument that highways can make "circulation" worse, not better.

And for ECB:
-It's kind of ironic that you're so critical of the predictions of massive traffic tie-ups, when that messaging was probably the main factor in getting enough people to change their travel behavior.
-A two-week, well publicized closure during vacation season is *a little* different than a permanent change. Yes, it's nice supporting data for the S/T option, but saying they're the same thing is a gross oversimplification.

]]> daytrpr http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790427 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790427 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:31:16 -0800 Comment by Orv @10: Not to mention, what happens if we get rid of the Viaduct and then have to do another I-5 closure? This construction project highlights how important it is to have redundant routes.

]]> Orv http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790436 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790436 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:38:54 -0800 Comment by Greg Barnes @11: Yes, fine, there could be effects in unexpected places. But the author of #5 said unequivocally that a backup westbound on 520 was due to northbound lane closures on I-5 south of I-90. Given that there is no logical reason why this would be so, and given that backups on 520 westbound happen all the time, you'll forgive me if I'm skeptical as to the conclusion drawn.

]]> Greg Barnes http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790507 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790507 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 14:50:02 -0800 Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale The non-clusterfuck of the I-5 closure is encouraging. I never thought that many decent Seattleites, whose lifestyles require them to use 4-wheels, could cooperate so unstubbornly and unselfishly. I'm truly amazed. Good job, metro area!

Now, if we can build off of that sense of the overall transportation good to increase Metro ridership, carpooling, vacationing (har-har), making the Water Taxi permanent, and even actually building more rapid transit, I think we're onto something.

It still comes back to the same thing, though. This particular situation with I-5 forced people to use what, I'll argue, is seen by many as meager, inconviently-scheduled, or temporarily available options to avoid driving. The real deal is that Seattle and the metro area needs various, redundant ways of getting from where people live to where people want to go.

Oh, and thank you Viaduct. You were a very pleasant old man about the whole shitty I-5 thing.

]]> Lloyd Clydesdale http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790554 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790554 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:29:58 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Last night at the PCC Wine Tasting we had a bunch of people from the Eastside. They said it's more that their co-workers took vacation - that's why it's not so bad.

Oh, and they agree that the Eastside - where they live and work - needs light rail or monorail or something, not new highway lanes.

Someone at DOT is messing up BIG TIME.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790556 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790556 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:32:01 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle oh, and they all love the Viaduct, ECB.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790558 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790558 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:33:14 -0800 Comment by jason just because it wasn't an unmitigated disaster doesn't automatically make it an unqualified success.

erica, advocacy journalism has a long, proud history. congrats on doing your best to tarnish it. advocacy shouldn't be equivalent to 'lack of professional ethics'. your willingness to pimp your beliefs regardless of facts or common sense is truly a sight to behold.

]]> jason http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790576 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790576 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:56:10 -0800 Comment by whatever Viaduct shut down = massive congestion

I-5 repaved = little disruption

therefore the Viaduct should be shut down.

Pacifists want the war to end.

Marines want the war to end.

therefore Marines are pacifists

this is fun

]]> whatever http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790579 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/08/what_do_you_do_if_your_predictions_of_ni#c790579 City Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:59:05 -0800