Crews begin trenching for the project on 1st Avenue in SODO.
Seattle City Light crews are working to install upgraded underground infrastructure that will improve electrical service to the SODO area. The construction site is along 1st Avenue South between Atlantic Street and Railroad Way South.
Crews started work at the northwest corner of the Atlantic Street crosswalk and continued work on 1st Avenue South. Stages 1 and 2 have been completed. Stage 3 is expected to last through May.
As crews work on Stage 3 there will be impacts to consider. Both northbound and southbound traffic will be down to one lane. Crews and uniformed police officers will keep the turn-only lane open so northbound traffic can turn onto Royal Brougham Way South. Northbound traffic will also be able to turn west toward Alaskan Way South. Uniformed police officers will help traffic flow by overriding the signal at 1st Avenue South and Royal Brougham Way South.
Other impacts include traffic lane restrictions, intermittent street closures during trenching, parking spaces used by construction crews and some noise during the day. All businesses will remain open during construction.
The project work will improve electric service reliability to customers, which is a key component of Seattle City Light’s Strategic Plan.
For more information about this and other City Light construction projects, please visit http://www.seattle.gov/light/const_mgmt/.
About Seattle City Light
Seattle City Light is the 10th largest public electric utility in the United States. It has some of the lowest cost customer rates of any urban utility, providing reliable, renewable and environmentally responsible power to nearly 1 million Seattle area residents. City Light has been greenhouse gas neutral since 2005, the first electric utility in the nation to achieve that distinction.