Transportation
Alaska Airlines to End Flight Change Fees
Alaska follows major airlines United, American and Delta in permanently ending its ticket change fees
Alaska Airlines will permanently end flight change fees for domestic and international flights. The new change applies to all tickets except for Saver fares, or economy-price tickets with certain restrictions. Alaska, whose company headquarters are in the city of Sea-Tac, previously charged $125 to change a non-Saver flight, with the exception of those traveling on…
Seattle-Area Road Traffic Nosedives as the Coronavirus Outbreak Spreads
Analysis of traffic data shows vehicle activity in greater Seattle dipped significantly following recent King County social-distancing recommendations
Recent traffic data in greater Seattle shows a steep decline in vehicle activity on city roads in the wake of King Countys March 4 public announcement urging employees to work from home as part of a larger effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus in the state. The traffic data, provided by auto insurer…
Washington, Oregon Governors Launch Bid For New I-5 Bridge
The governors have earmarked $44M to study a new span
Six years ago, a proposal to replace the dilapidated and aging Interstate-5 Bridge died when lawmakers in Washington state refused to fund the project. Now, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown have launched a new effort to replace the bridge, which connects Oregon and Washington over the Columbia River. The governors signed…
Washington Company Acquires Big Slice of Food Services of Americas Seattle Operations
Family-owned Harbor Wholesale Foods says the deal adds some 1,700 restaurant operators to its customer base
A portion of Food Services of Americas Seattle operations, including its 250,000-square-foot-distribution facility in Kent, have been acquired by Lacey, Washington-based Harbor Wholesale Foods, a deal affecting some 200 workers at the Kent warehouse. As part of the acquisition, Harbor will assume a portion of the customer base served by the Kent facility, including some…
Group Says E-Scooters Will Boost Seattles Economy
Micromobility Coalition says e-scooters will shorten commutes, reduce reliance on cars
The Seattle Department of Transportation last month launched a public engagement process in anticipation of launching a scooter share pilot program next year. Now, a group advocating for the use of motorized scooters has released a report saying the motorized transportation devices would increase access to economic opportunities. The Micromobility Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based group…
Transit services Transdev and First Transit Slashing Seattle-Area Jobs
Layoffs involving hundreds announced in federal WARN Act filings
Two global transit companies, Transdev Services Inc. and First Transit, are cutting a total of 426 jobs in the Seattle area effective the end of October as part of what federal filings indicate are permanent layoffs. Transdev will be laying off 340 people at its Kent location starting on Oct. 31, while First Transit is…
Ride-Sharing Service For Kids Launches in King County
HopSkipDrive is like an Uber or Lyft for children
Youve got a big presentation at work, and you dont have time to take your daughter to school. Or pick your son up after soccer practice. Now, a unique ride-sharing service will pick up your kids when you cant. HopSkipDrive, a Los Angeles-based company started in 2014 by three working mothers, has launched in King…
Washington State Highway System in Rough Shape
A new report ranks Washington in the bottom 10 in several areas
Washingtons highway system ranks a lowly No. 37 in the nation for cost-effectiveness and road conditions. Thats still six spots higher than last year, according to the Reason Foundations 24th Annual Highway Report. The state received especially low marks for urban-traffic congestion, ranking No. 42, and for spending, ranking No. 35 in total spending per…
Third Avenue in Downtown Seattle Is Ready for a Facelift
Downtown Seattle's busiest street is primed for a makeover
This article appears in the September 2019 issue. Click here for a free subscription. Anyone whos recently walked or driven on Third Avenue in downtown Seattle knows how unattractive and unsafe the street is. Narrow sidewalks, rampant traffic congestion and a constant flow of transients combine to create an unfavorable environment. About 290 buses each…
Travelers Rank Sea-Tac Among Top Airports in Country
The airport also ranks highly for on-time fights
Sea-Tac International Airport ranks as the sixth-best airport in the United States, according to a new report. The Points Guy, a travel news website with 10 million unique visitors each month, evaluated the 50 busiest airports across the country (Seattle is No. 8). This is the fourth year the company has compiled the report. Sea-Tac…
Seattle Boasts High Percentage of Bicycle Commuters
Despite more than 150 rainy days annually, Seattle remains a strong city for cyclists
Seattle ranks No. 6 in the United States for its percentage of bicycle commuters per capita. Move.org says 2.8 percent of Seattle workers commute on bike. Seattle has 9.5 miles of protected bike lanes, and 98 miles of other bike lanes. The study notes that Seattles number is particularly impressive given that it rains more…
The Condition of Washingtons Highways Is Among the Worst in the Nation, a Recent Study Shows
Despite the low ranking, the states share of federal highway funding falls well below the national average
Washington ranks among the 10 states with the worst road conditions, with some 15% of its federal highways, or 1,012 miles of freeway, deemed to be in poor condition as of last year, according to a study released by Autoinsurance.org, an online auto-insurance resource. The study, which is based on an assessment of Federal Highway…