SR 520 - Eastside Design Simulation

[vsmcax1007]

This reminds me of a video my 5th grade teacher showed us back in the 90's. Probably because of the music...the only thing that lacks now is a dramatization the geometric figures riding on unicycles...wait a minute..UNICYCLES! That's our answer to all of this transit madness:)

[sivadeilra]

I drive this route every day. This looks like a huge improvement, especially the long merge lanes. The biggest problem that I see with 520 westbound is that the merge lanes are absolute chaos. Having the HOV lanes on the right-hand side of the road also makes this much worse, so kudos for fixing that, too.

[orbsitron]

Rather than "lids", which are somewhat pretty but entirely useless, we should spend our tax dollars on:

1) Double the HOV capacity to encourage carpooling

2) Adding light rail across the water for the tens of thousands of people who make this commute daily for work and would simply not drive if there were rail.

3) Have dedicated bike lanes accross the water

Expanding capacity a little bit is a short term band-aid. It is *not* a solution. Long-term solutions *must* include real alternatives.

[FuriousCoder]

Two questions:

1) I see the HOV lanes are now on the inside of the highway. Will this convert along 520 all the way to RTC and beyond?

2) What's the expected speedup by moving the HOV lanes inside? I'm assuming this reduces slowdown by eliminating the merge points at exit/entrance ramps. Is this a more significant change than having the HOV lanes run the entire length of the floating bridge?

Thanks, WSDOT.

[acropara]

Is there a contact for the company that created the video? Could use their services.

[jade36gmail]

Can you tell me where in this video are the toll points? Seems they missed those. 

[jeffwseattle]

@jade36gmail no toll points - 520 tolling is all video/RFID

[virtualawrence]

Would there be gridlock at the Bellevue Way exit since it's just one exit to go North and South?

[csmarker]

AWESOME... build away!!!

[naswi]

Love the soundtrack. Can you please share the music credits and source to download? Thank you.

[coolanddark]

@naswi click share then copy and paste to a youtube downloader you can get for free. I do it all the time. I stopped buying CD`s

[esac17]

too little too late as usual.

[allyourcode]

best simulation soundtrack ever

[jeffwseattle]

I don't see Washington Drivers in these videos, there needs to be much more left-lane camping to make them realistic.

[lebmaster1]

Nice driving by the one Sound Transit driver tailgating... I'd get fired if I drove a bus like that!

[seattlelife85]

Instead of discussing it for decades at a time will we just build it?  Please?

[FuriousCoder]

I like the cycling lanes and the addition of a dedicated HOV lane on the bridge itself. Is the plan really to maintain only two lanes of normal traffic? Also, this video, while beautiful, does not accurately represent rush hour traffic.

[HAWC1506]

I noticed that the Active Traffic Management variable speed limit signs have the European/International style red circle around the numbers. But then I also read from the ATM proposal a few months ago that no red circles will be used. Has there been a change in this?

I'm all for the red circle. It's clear and much more visible in adverse weather conditions.

[wsdot]

The modeling was generated by video designers with a program called Autodesk 3DSMax. The designers then used the software 3DSMax and Vray to render the animations. Adobe Premiere software was used for the final output to video.

[mugshotesp]

I would guess they might have used a combination of programs, the primary one might be 3ds max by autodesk.

[rgkress1]

What will be the sound wall height on the Bellevue Way exit (going east).

Also, how many feet (southbound) will the road footprint expand in the area of the Bellevue Way exit?

[wsdot]

Noise wall heights are still being analyzed and will depend on site-specific factors. In the Bellevue Way vicinity, noise walls are anticipated to be in the range of 12 to 20 feet tall. The roadway will be widened approximately 80 feet to the south in the vicinity of the Bellevue Way off-ramp.

[krisdahl258]

What is the point of the 'lids'? Seems like an expensive way to build a greenway.

[wsdot]

Lids provide benefit by reconnecting communities, creating connections between parks, greenspaces and public facilities. They also create connections between the proposed regional path and local trail systems. At two lids, Evergreen Point Road and 92nd Avenue NE, they provide access to regional transit facilities.

[ChiTwn71]

Living on the path of the 520, I fully support the lids and looks at this as the single largest investment we can make to enhance the environment around us. Looking at Mercer Island, the lids were the biggest win. How can we look to expand these even more to include more park space like Mercer Island? Who is making these recommendations and how can we involve the residents of Clyde Hill, Yarrow Point, Medina and Hunts Point into these decisions?

[wsdot]

It was consultant produced.

[Coachglenn1]

Who produced this simulation? Was this internal staf at WSDOT or a consultant?