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Moving Washington Forward.
by Angus Brackett
I-90 is currently the most
important east west freight artery in the state of Washington. Freight
movement to and from the west side is constantly increasing, supplying
the busy ports and other companies in the Puget Sound region. Washington
State has a geographical advantage for trade expansion with eastern
Asia.
Taking advantage of our proximity
are dozens of shipping companies that have enabled the Port of Seattle
to become the eighth largest in the United States (Port of Seattle).
Today, roughly 7% of all this ports volumes are origin/destination from
Eastern Washington via I-90. That equals 233 trucks per day, or 85,227
truck trips annually. These trucks are only a small percentage of
commercial traffic over the pass, and do not include the commercial
traffic to the Port of Tacoma (Brown).
An additional 5,700 trucks per day
go over Snoqualmie Pass carrying various commodities, 28% of which are
agricultural products (SFTA, 70). Joining these trucks in the daily flow
are over 19,000 additional vehicles either commuting or traveling. This
already busy I-90 will be expected to have its flow increase 3.5% a year
with an estimated 20,000 vehicle/day increase during the next 20 years (ASDR,
3).
During the last 20 years I-90 has
been a vital highway to our states economy. Due to the its relative
location to the urban areas of Seattle and Tacoma, I-90 will be even
more important to our regional economy in the future by enabling freight
to be efficiently shipped through our state.
Currently, this interstate faces a
variety of problems that are recognized by the Washington Department of
Transportation (WSDOT). Substandard curves, avalanche closures,
animal-vehicle collisions, and traffic congestion are some of the issues
facing freight companies moving along I-90. WSDOT is proposing to help
solve this problem by mitigating avalanche dangers, adding lanes to
increase capacity, replace pavement, improve sight distance, and
construct wildlife crossings to deter animals from the roadway. With
this new transportation project, we have a chance to improve the
long-term viability of a major statewide corridor while we increase the
safety for the drivers and wildlife.
Works Cited:
Brown, LaTonja. Port of Seattle
e-mail contact 11/24/04
Peterson, Steven K., Jessup, Eric
L., Casavant, Kenneth L Washington State University. Strategic Freight
Transportation Analysis, 2004
http://www.portseattle.org/downloads/seaport/port_glance_eng.pdf
11/24/04
Washington State Department of
Transportation. Intestate 90-Snoqualmie Pass East, Aquatic Species
Discipline Perort, 2002
Contact
Us:
3414
1/2 Fremont Ave N
Seattle WA 98103
206.675.9747 ext 208
info@i90wildlifebridges.org
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