Judkins Park Station Study: How Recent Crossing Improvements Have Lowered Speeds

The Judkins Park community in Seattle continues to grow. With the new Judkins Park Station now open, more people are walking, biking and taking transit. As the neighborhood grows, transportation improvements are leveling-up safety. We’re making it easier to travel on Rainier Avenue South at the Interstate 90 interchange.

The I‑90 ramps to Rainier Avenue South create busy intersections. That makes it challenging to walk, bike, roll or access transit. Cars move through these intersections quickly. Community members have shared concerns about vehicle speeds when crossing the ramps.

Data from the Judkins Park ramps shows that small changes can help reduce speeds. These changes improve safety for everyone traveling through the area. Here, you can see a raised crosswalk and crossing beacon installed by the Seattle Department of Transportation this year.

Our study focused on the safety, bicycle and pedestrian facilities at the ramp and Ranier Avenue South intersection, and access to transit. Our study identifies the recommends teeing-up the ramp intersections and eliminating one ramp. The ramp recommended to be removed is westbound I-90 to northbound Rainier Avenue South. These improvements are in the early stages of concept design. The next step in the process is a separate study to evaluate impacts to I-90. This study is subject to FHWA approval. Recently, we partnered with the Seattle DOT on an improvement project at this location. The project constructed the following quick-implementation improvements to three of the ramps:

• a raised crosswalk at the northbound Rainier to eastbound I-90 on-ramp. There was already a rectangular rapid flashing beacon here.
• a raised crosswalk and flashing beacon at the southbound Rainier to eastbound I-90 on-ramp
• a raised crosswalk and flashing beacon at the westbound I-90 to southbound Rainier off-ramp.

These improvements help slow the speed of vehicles traveling through the ramp intersections. We completed these improvements in March 2026. We also completed a before-and-after speed study to understand the effect of the improvements. We collected speed data for one-week periods before and after the changes. We used cameras installed at the crosswalks for this.

What the data shows

The study shows a small reduction in average speeds after the raised crosswalks and flashing beacons were installed. Even better, the results show a dramatic drop in the highest speeds recorded at each ramp.

Highlights include:

• Average speeds for vehicles at all three crosswalks are below 26mph. For reference, the speed limit on Rainier Avenue South is 25 mph.
• 85% of all vehicles traveled slower than 28 mph.
• The top speed at the crosswalk for the westbound I-90 off-ramp to southbound Rainier Avenue South dropped 45%, from 71 mph to 39 mph.
• The top speed at the crosswalk for the northbound Rainier Avenue South on-ramp to eastbound I-90 dropped 32%, from 68 mph to 46 mph.

The top speeds are the most challenging for people who bike, walk, roll or drive in the neighborhood. These changes in top speeds increase safety for all modes of travel.

Raised crosswalks have lowered vehicle speeds near the on- and off-ramps. Average speeds for vehicles at all three crosswalks are below 26 mph.

Why speed matters

Speed plays a key role in whether a crash results in serious injury or death. According to national safety research, you are more likely to survive a collision if vehicles are moving slower.

Small reductions in speed can have a big impact. By lowering both average speeds and the highest measured speeds, projects like this can enhance safety for everyone. Improvements like raised crosswalks make it safer for people walking, biking or rolling through the area.

Why these results matter

The joint SDOT/WSDOT project marks the first time that we have installed raised crosswalks on one of our roadways.

The results of the before-and-after study are consistent with what other agencies are seeing. Examples include a recent Hawaii DOT project and the Seattle DOT Speed humps. These combined results suggest that raised crosswalks can help calm and slow traffic. We’re helping communities take safety to the next level, even in areas like freeway ramps. These results will help us decide where to add raised crosswalks in the future.

Looking ahead

We are continuing to work on improving how people move through the area. With the Judkins Park light rail station now open, we are creating a multimodal transportation system. This means systems that work for everyone, whether they are walking, biking, taking transit or driving.

While there is more work ahead, these early improvements are a step forward. They show how targeted upgrades can make a big difference. Together, community input, data and smart design choices are helping unlock a safer, more connected Judkins Park area. These insights will continue to guide our decisions. We are working toward long-term improvements to safety, access and connectivity in the area.

We will continue to work with our partners to refine our recommended alternative. Read our fifth blog post about this project to learn more about the process. We’ll continue community engagement in the fall.

Study webpage: I-90 Judkins Park Station – Reconnecting Communities

Email updates: Sign up for Seattle area news and study updates.

Mobile App to replace I-90 text alerts to allow more efficient, user-friendly updates and information

Change may be as difficult as it is inevitable, but change can also be a good thing. In the fast-paced world of transportation, we know it’s important to keep you up to date in the most efficient, user-friendly way possible. Whether it’s weather changes, construction, or other travel information, we want to keep you informed.

That’s why a big shift is coming. On Aug. 31, 2026, the way we communicate I-90 travel alerts will transition to the WSDOT Mobile App.

But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. We’re excited to announce the new communication method available at your fingertips. You can still get important I-90 travel notifications by downloading the WSDOT Mobile App. After installing, turn on push notifications for Snoqualmie Pass I-90.

Here’s how to make the switch from text messages to notifications in the app:

• Download the WSDOT Mobile App from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Open the app and select Notifications.
• Select Snoqualmie Pass I-90.
• Turn on push notifications.

The Snoqualmie Pass I-90 notification still covers I-90 from North Bend to Vantage. That’s milepost 33 to 138, just like the text message service.

If incidents or activities will add 30 minutes or more to travel times or result in a closure, we’ll send you a notification. You’ll also receive advance notice of planned closures. That includes construction closures and winter avalanche-control work.

If you don’t want to turn on push notifications, you can still find Snoqualmie Pass I-90 alerts in the Mountain Pass section of the WSDOT Mobile App. This section shows current winter pass conditions and information about events that may cause delays along I-90.

You can do even more with the WSDOT Mobile App. It's a one-stop shop for travel information. It includes real-time travel alerts, mountain pass conditions, traffic cameras and roadway conditions.

We encourage you to set up Snoqualmie Pass I-90 push notifications by Aug. 31. That’s when the current I-90 text messages alert service ends.

Whether you’re commuting over Snoqualmie Pass, visiting family or traveling across the state, the WSDOT Mobile App makes it easy to get the travel information you need when you need it.

Park (or ride) the bus: Visitors enjoy transit options during summer soccer extravaganza

“Parking the bus” is a strategy often used by soccer teams as they try to close out a victory in the later stages of a match. Meanwhile, riding the bus (or ferry, train or light rail) is a proven strategy for safe and affordable access to transportation and mobility.

The Seattle Stadium has now hosted its final match of the world’s most famous sporting event. There’s little doubt that Seattle lived up to its reputation as one of the greatest soccer cities in the nation. But the Emerald City also proved itself one of the nation’s best cities for public transportation.

We saw many thousands of visitors converged in western Washington for much of the past month. Many of those people chose from a wide array of public transportation options for getting around. Whether to the stadium or to local attractions, visitors had their choice of ferries, trains or buses.

Most public transportation agencies in the area added to their existing services to help with the large numbers of visitors. Now that the games are over, we’re working with our public transportation partners to check rider numbers, trends and patterns.

Here’s a look at some of the numbers:

• WSDOT’s Amtrak Cascades trains: between June 13 and July 7, Amtrak Cascades carried more than 85,000 passengers. That’s a 19% increase over the same period in 2025. The greatest increase was on routes between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. – two of the host cities. Those routes saw a 38% increase in riders from the previous year. Most of the daily roundtrip trains were sold out, particularly on game days.
• Sound Transit: Link light rail had a whopping 5.4 million boardings in June and shattered daily records on game days. Link even broke the Seahawks’ Super Bowl parade record of 220,000 riders – but they did so on every single match day. And with 309,000 board ings Monday, July 6, Link eclipsed all its daily records for highest ridership in Sound Transit’s history!
• Across six match days, the region tallied an estimated 3.4 million boardings on transit services in King County. The final match saw some of the biggest numbers of the tournament, with 620,000 boardings. Overall, Metro estimated 1.9 million boardings on its buses, boats, shuttles and streetcars. Sound Transit accounted for the balance with an estimated 1.5 million boardings on Link light rail and its 1 and 2 bus lines.
• Travel Washington Intercity Bus: Our Travel Washington Dungeness Line saw a 10% increase in ridership from June to May. This line runs between Port Angeles and Seattle via Washington State Ferries. There were also dramatic increases in web traffic on all Travel Washington websites.
• Washington State Ferries: WSF saw a boost in ridership. In particular, the first Team USA match Friday, June 19. This day had nearly 83,500 boardings – compared with just under 71,000 boardings on the same day in 2025.

Seattle has a sterling reputation as a home of soccer supporters, as well as a welcoming destination for traveling fans. For nearly a month this summer, that shared love was on full display for all the world to see.

And not to be outdone, our local transit agencies’ history as an elite-level network of transportation services was clear as well. Each public transportation provider in the region did extensive planning and predicting demand. We all stepped up to get everyone where they needed to go throughout the tournament and beyond.

Final result: soccer fans and the transit services they chose combine for a 2-0 victory.

Washington State Ferries Celebrates a Year of Hybrid-Electric Milestones

Saturday, July 18, 2026, is the one-year anniversary of the Wenatchee returning to service. The Wenatchee is North America’s largest hybrid-electric ferry. It was a historic moment for Washington State Ferries. It’s also a vital proof of concept for building a cleaner, more reliable fleet. Looking back over the past year, that single step has turned into incredible momentum. We want to share the progress of our Electrification Program.

As with any first-of-its-kind project, the Wenatchee faced typical commissioning hurdles early on. However, thanks to the hard work of crews and partners, those challenges are in the past.

In its first year the Wenatchee racked up some impressive numbers. On its Seattle to Bainbridge Island route, we had:

• 5,500 sailings
• 1.8 million total passengers
• 552,000 vehicles

The hybrid-electric ferry even took center stage on the global map. During the recent World Cup matches in Seattle from June 15 to July 6, the Wenatchee carried:

• 206,000 passengers
• 104,000 walk-on visitors
• 49,900 vehicles

Travelers from across the globe experienced our clean, quiet, cutting-edge maritime transit.

Placed on the smokestack and above the passenger loading area, new Hybrid Electric markers welcome passengers aboard the Wenatchee.  

The real-world data from this first year is encouraging. We don’t have rapid charging at the terminal yet. But even without that, the Wenatchee is operating in hybrid electric mode. That means fuel savings and reduced carbon emissions. Once we have full shoreside charging, carbon emissions could be reduced by 90 percent or more.

The Wenatchee is just the beginning. The past year brought massive structural progress across the entire electrification portfolio. We’ve cemented key industrial partnerships to build out the future ecosystem:

• Shoreside Charging Infrastructure: Siemens Energy is designing and constructing charging stations on shore. The Seattle to Bainbridge Island rapid charging project is on track to be completed in 2029.
• Automatic Charging: Stemmann-Technik will provide specialized charging systems. These systems will physically connect the terminals to the vessels.
• Charge Management: Washington State University Engineering is designing the “brain” to manage charging.
• New Hybrid Builds: ABB will make propulsion and power storage systems.

The momentum is not just on paper. Hybrid ferries that carry 160 autos are being constructed in Florida. The engineering design work on those is now nearly wrapped up. We expect to cross a huge construction threshold by cutting steel later this summer.

We started with a single converted vessel navigating its first hybrid runs. Now we have an entire supply chain humming into motion. The last year proved that maritime electrification is no longer a distant vision. It is happening right now on the Puget Sound.