It's about time! At the Highland Park Way SW and SW Holden St intersection, trucks will no longer hop sidewalks thanks to new safety upgrades in the works. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) rolled up its sleeves yesterday, from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m,, to redraw traffic lines and help those big rigs make their turns without the sidewalk scare — barring any moody Seattle weather swings that could send the crews packing for another day, as per the official announcement.
Locals were given a heads-up to expect some ruckus, with equipment noise comparable to "a giant vacuum" but thankfully, no shakes or rattles and hammering headaches to go with it — rest assured, the ear-splitting part of the gig was promised to be over by 10 p.m. while the dance of alternating lane closures took a turn to keep the traffic tango going.
But wait, there's more. The intersection isn't just getting a fresh coat of paint; it's been wired up with a new traffic signal that's more than just a pretty light. This baby's got brains with traffic cameras to watch your every move and loops in the pavement — think giant detectors that give the green light when you roll up. And for those traveling by shoe leather, you haven't been forgotten; crosswalk buttons are now live and ready to take your order for a side of safe passage, all according to the SDOT website.
