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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Disabled Vehicles Get a Lift in Seattle: Rapid Response a Reality on Seattle’s Streets
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
2/4/2002 6:30:00 AM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of the Mayor (206) 684-4000
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Disabled Vehicles Get a Lift in Seattle
Rapid Response a Reality on Seattle’s Streets
At 6:30 a.m. today, Mayor Greg Nickels’ Rapid Incident Response plan to help alleviate congestion on City streets became a reality as tow trucks began patrolling two heavily traveled corridors: the West Seattle Bridge and the Montlake Bridge. An element of the Mayor's 100-day "Get It Done" list, the plan is one feature of a strategy for solving traffic congestion problems in Seattle.
"Thousands of vehicles use the West Seattle High-rise Bridge during the morning commute," Nickels said. "When one driver gets a flat tire or runs out of gas, everybody behind them gets delayed. This new program is a quick, common-sense way to unplug those blockages as quickly as possible, and keep our roads clear and safe."
The trucks will patrol between 35th Avenue SW and I-5 in the West Seattle Bridge corridor and between NE 45th Street and State Route 520 in the Montlake corridor, Monday through Friday during the peak commute hours of 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Disabled vehicles that have not been involved in accidents will be quickly towed, at no cost to the driver, out of the corridor to the nearest available legal on-street parking area. Each corridor has been evaluated by City staff to ensure that these drop-off spots are safe, well-lit, and provide easy access to nearby services. The Rapid Response trucks will also provide additional basic services to get people quickly on their way, such as tire changing and battery jumping.
The Rapid Response towing service is not a substitute for accident response, which is directed by the Seattle Police and Fire Departments. If an automobile is involved in an accident, Rapid Response tow trucks will be available to help by helping set up traffic markings with flares or cones to alert oncoming vehicles. Vehicles involved in accidents will not be cleared until police or fire investigations are complete.
The first two-month phase of the Rapid Response program will cost approximately $15,000 per month. During this period, Seattle Transportation will evaluate the effectiveness of the program, and work with the Mayor’s Office to determine how best to fund a longer-term effort .
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Mayor's Office
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