Traffic

As leaves fall, some street parking rates rise in Seattle

October in Seattle means cooler temperatures as the leaves turn gorgeous colors, the air is dewy with a subtle scent of wood fires crackling in an old stove ... and once again, the city jacks up some parking rates in town.

Business

Off the Charts: More people are returning to the office. Is Seattle traffic about to get worse?

Seattle's population has increased by over 15,000 residents since the start of the pandemic, while average commute times have gone down slightly from 28.4 minutes to 25.5 minutes—due in no small part to work-from-home policies.

Off the Charts: Downtown Seattle is working from home. What about your neighborhood?

In some Seattle neighborhoods, driving to work has been replaced by working from home or walking to work, but that trend doesn't hold across the city.

Despite safety measures, promises, and plans, more people are dying on Washington roadways

The city of Seattle released its three-year plan to lower traffic fatalities Thursday in the wake of a statewide report that says the number of people killed on Washington roads hit a 33-year high.

Cleared of felony, Seattle cop who killed Indian student Kandula could end up in municipal court

The Seattle City Attorney has announced it is reviewing the case of the police officer whose vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian last year. Officer Kevin Dave could face a penalty for negligent driving in the crash that killed 23-year-old graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula in January 2023.

Technology

Can AI solve Seattle's traffic woes? Google thinks so

The city of Seattle is the first in the U-S to work with Google on a new traffic light system. The effort incorporates

Environment

Rush-hour traffic in Seattle increases blood pressure, but not for the reason you think

It will come as no surprise to anyone who braves I-5 on a weekday at either 8 a.m. or 5 p.m. (or practically any time in between) that your blood pressure tends to increase during sudden slowdowns and bumper-to-bumper backups. But a new study from University of Washington researchers suggests that it’s not just the Tesla changing lanes without using a directional that is causing your heart to pound. Ultrafine particles circulating on and near congested freeways — a toxic mixture of exhaust from tailpipes, brake and tire wear, and road dust — could increase blood pressure and lead to other health problems.