Metro – a mainstay in the Mariners lineup - This Week in Transportation

Metro – a mainstay in the Mariners lineup

Seattle Mariners baseball games draw huge crowds, and many of the fans are using Metro Transit to get to and from the game (Photo courtesy of Seattle Mariners).

Next Tuesday, April 6, is opening day for the Seattle Mariners baseball team, and once again King County Metro Transit will be transporting fans to and from the ballpark with a combination of regular routes and special shuttles.

For only $2.50 each way, you can eliminate driving and parking hassles on your trips to Safeco Field.

Service to ball games varies by the time and day of the week the games are played. On opening day, the starting pitch will be thrown at 2:05 p.m. For those kinds of weekday afternoon games, fans are encouraged to use the variety of regular Metro and Sound Transit routes serving Safeco Field both before and after the game. For regular service, use Metro's convenient online Trip Planner.

For games that begin after 5 p.m. on weeknights, use regular service to get to the game. After the last out is made, you can leave via regular service or on one of the special shuttles that serve downtown Seattle and 12 outlying park-and-ride lots in the late evening and on weekends.

On weekends, special service to the park-and-ride lots is provided both before and after the game. And, Sound Transit offers Sounder train service both from Everett and Tacoma for all Sunday home games that begin at 1:05 p.m.

There are some changes this year in post-game bus boarding locations at Safeco, so be sure and do a little pre-game planning before you head out to the ballpark.

When shuttle service is available, the special buses serve the following park and ride lots: Northgate; the transit center at Northgate; South Kirkland; South Bellevue; Eastgate and the Eastgate interim lot; Mercer Island (post-game only on weekends); Federal Way; Star Lake; Kent-Des Moines; Kent; South Renton; and Tukwila. Parking is free at the lots.

The one-way, cash-only fare for the Mariners premium shuttle service is $2.50. Passes and transfers are not accepted. Up to two children ages 5 and younger may ride free with a fare-paying adult at any time. The post-game downtown Seattle Shuttle is free.

If bus service doesn't fit your needs, use Metro's “Event Match” to find a carpool partner who has tickets to the same game you do. Registration is simple, just visit the RideshareOnline web page.

Detailed information for all Mariners transit service is available on the web at Metro Online. Or, call (206) 553-3000 (voice) or (206) 684-1739 (TTY).

For information about Sound Transit's special Sounder service for Sunday Mariners games, visit the Sounder website, or call (888) 889-6368 (toll-free voice), or (888) 713-6030 (TTY).

For information about the Mariners, log on to the Mariners website, or call (206) 346-4000.

See video on Mariner service (real media) 2:52

See video on Mariner service (windows media) 2:52

Text transcript of video

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Wynaco Bridge will close April 5

Work will begin next week on retrofitting the Wynaco Bridge east of Auburn. The bridge carries 168th Way SE over Covington Creek near the intersection of 168th Way SE and SE Auburn-Black Diamond Road.

The King County Road Services Division is planning structural improvements to help the bridge withstand earthquakes and to correct problems such as a cracked and degraded deck, narrow lanes, and deteriorated railings that do not meet current safety standards. About 1,300 vehicles a day currently use the bridge.

The bridge will be closed from Monday, April 5 through late September. During this time, traffic will be rerouted along Auburn-Black Diamond Road and Kent-Black Diamond Road. Motorists may notice some site preparation work and equipment being moved in the area before the April 5 closure.

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Eastgate garage is on target to open in June

Construction crews hope to finish pouring the concrete bus loop in front of Metro Transit's new Eastgate Park-and-Ride garage in Bellevue this week, keeping the project on track to open in early June.

The bus loop and passenger loading and drop-off area is situated directly in front of the garage, just off Southeast Eastgate Way. It includes a waiting area with approximately 400 feet of covered space for shelter on rainy days.

Since the completion of the outside of the five-story concrete structure in December, crews have been concentrating on the inside components of the garage, including the sprinkler, electrical and mechanical systems. They have also excavated the storm water detention and treatment ponds that will handle surface water runoff from the garage and surrounding area. Final paving will take place just prior to the grand opening of the garage in June.

When completed, the new Eastgate Park-and-Ride garage will accommodate 1,646 vehicles, more than double the previous capacity of the lot.

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KCDOT honors outstanding women

Photo: Group shot of honorees for KCDOT Women's History Month celebration
The King County Department of Transportation recently honored 22 current and former female employees during observation of National Women's History Month.

Employees from the King County Department of Transportation recently participated in National Women's History Month by honoring 22 of their own outstanding female employees.

Those honored included both current and former employees: Dorothy Brooks; Joyce St. Germaine-Mitchell; Colleen Duke; Gretchen Roosevelt; Linda Dougherty; Lydia Reynolds-Jones; Cathryn Rice; Nancy Poultney; Denise Toth Banyan; Jennifer Lindwall; Henri (Burke) Hartman; Gloria Overgaard; Nancy Wilson; Kathy Brown; Julie Corman; Maria Raisys; Patricia Tonsgard; Mary Peterson; Rita Brogan; Penny Peabody; Carolyn Purnell, and Peggy Willis.

Each was honored for her contributions to the department, and her ability to inspire “hope and possibility” in others.

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Now you can check out "DOT Flix"!

Having trouble visualizing a service or project that involves the King County Department of Transportation? Or maybe you've seen a story on KCTV's “Inside Transportation” and would like to watch it again? Well, you've heard the old expression, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Now you can, from the comfort of your own computer, learn more about services the King County Department of Transportation offers by surfing DOT Flix.

DOT Flix is a gallery of video stories produced by KCDOT regarding services, projects and events brought to you by Metro Transit, Road Services, King County International Airport, and Fleet Administration.

DOT Flix offers stories in formats to accommodate both Windows and Real Media players. Watch the “flix” as many times as you like and check back frequently for updates, as new stories will be added as they become available.

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Roadwork ahead

Here is a list of King County Department of Transportation projects that may disrupt traffic and travel this week:

South 277th Street, between Auburn and Kent - There will be no lane closures, but there will be traffic disruptions on South 277th Street between the West Valley Highway and 72nd Avenue South through October 2005.
Northeast 124th Street, north of Redmond - Work continues through October 2004 on Northeast 124th Street between Willows Road and State Route 202.
124th Avenue NE, in Kingsgate - Private utility relocation is underway, and will be followed by street improvements along 124th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 132nd Street and Northeast 146th Place.
Edgewick Bridge, east of North Bend - Prep work is underway to replace the Edgewick Bridge. During the month of March, a contractor will be driving piles and installing the superstructure of the temporary bridge and rails.

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STOP — there's more...

Wynaco Bridge will close April 5
Eastgate garage is on target to open in June
KCDOT honors outstanding women
Now you can check out "DOT Flix"
Roadwork ahead

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