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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Mayor Nickels Kicks Off 2006 Road Construction Season
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
4/19/2006 12:00:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
Richard Sheridan (206) 684-8540
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Mayor Nickels Kicks Off 2006 Road Construction Season
SEATTLE - Mayor Greg Nickels kicked off the 2006 Seattle road construction
season with an interactive online map that highlights planned or on-going work
around the city.
“We are keeping Seattle moving,” said Mayor Nickels. “This
summer we will step up our roadway repaving and construction, but even that
will not address the growing backlog of repairs needed to maintain our streets,
bridges, sidewalks and bike lanes.”
The city currently plans to pave 79.5 lane miles; build 10 new sidewalks
and improve 17 more; install or upgrade traffic signals at 12 intersections;
paint three bridges; improve about 30 stairways and 60 street crossings;
and to install about 200 curb ramps.
To view the map, click http://seattle.gov/transportation/2006majorconstructionmap.htm
The city’s share of dedicated transportation funding has fallen 66 percent
since 1995, creating a growing backlog of maintenance and repairs. Nickels
will propose a funding package next month for the fall ballot to pay for repairs
and upgrades of streets, sidewalks, bridges and bike paths.
Major projects scheduled for construction this summer include replacement
of the Fremont Bridge approaches.
While the city is committing more resources to improving its transportation
infrastructure this year, Seattle has only a fraction of what its needs to
maintain streets and bridges.
“We still face a $500 million backlog in transportation projects,” said
Mayor Nickels. “The backlog will also double over the next 10 to 15 years.”
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Office of the Mayor
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