The Seattle Times Bumper-to-Bumper column explains today how the bridge lanes are recovering from the snowpocalypse and why the lane widths are what they are:
“The recent snowstorms [in December] resulted in the accelerated deterioration of the lane markings due to the combination of plowing, sanding, tire chains and inclement weather,” answered Eric Widstrand, the Seattle Transportation Department’s traffic-operations manager.
“We were aware of the lane-marking conditions on the Aurora Avenue Bridge. In fact, we repainted the lane markings beginning on Jan. 14 while we had the warm, dry weather required for this work,” Widstrand said.
[…]The Aurora Bridge…has three lanes in each direction. Widstrand said obliteration of the lane markings was so complete that a crew was first dispatched to re-establish and mark the original lane widths.
While the lanes may seem narrow, he said, the widths of the lanes adhere to national safety standards for the volume and speed of traffic on the bridge.
In the same article, the Times notes that
Most Metro Transit bus fares for adults will increase by 25 cents, starting Sunday. A two-zone trip during peak-commute periods will cost $2.50; a one-zone trip $2, and the off-peak fare will be $1.75. New monthly passes also reflect the increase. Youth and senior/disabled fares will not change.
The transit agency says a weak economy, record fuel prices in mid-2008 and falling sales-tax revenues have resulted in a sizable budget shortfall and are causing the agency to raise fares and cut costs.