Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Traffic Engineering Subject Files, 1926-2000
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Seattle (Wash.). Engineering Dept.
- Title
- Traffic Engineering Subject Files
- Dates
- 1926-2000 (inclusive)19262000
- Quantity
- 5.2 cubic feet, (13 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 2609-01
- Summary
- Material relating to traffic control and transportation planning in Seattle.
- Repository
-
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov - Access Restrictions
-
Records are open to the public.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Seattle traffic issues fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Streets and Sewers during the first three decades of the 20th Century. With the recognition of growing traffic engineering needs, the Office of Traffic Engineer was established within the Department in 1930. The Department of Streets and Sewers was abolished by City Charter Amendment in 1936 and most of its functions absorbed by the Engineering Department. The Office of the Traffic Engineer became a division within the Department. When the functions of the Engineering Department were reorganized in 1997, the traffic engineering and transportation functions were consolidated in the newly formed Seattle Transportation Department.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Memoranda, correspondence, meeting minutes, maps, blueprints, newspaper clippings and presentational material concerning various traffic control topics and traffic and transportation planning. General topics include traffic planning, street closures, civil defense, traffic safety, and traffic control; specific subjects include Central Business District Exclusive Bus Lanes, METRO, the Seattle Transit System, New Deal traffic projects, and World War II traffic routing. The bulk of the material dates from the New Deal and World War II periods.
A large portion of the series encompasses the records of J.W.A. "Arch" Bollong who served as Traffic Engineer from 1930 to 1952. The records reflect major street and bridge construction projects during that period including Alaskan Way, Aurora Avenue, the Aurora Bridge, and traffic issues related to the Lake Washington Floating Bridge, Boeing Company expansion, and the Seattle Transit System. Traffic safety became a major concern as more and more automobiles were introduced to Seattle. Records include discussions of school crossing issues, activities of the Seattle Traffic and Safety Council, and local and national safety contests.
The largest body of records relate to Civil Defense, particularly to the location of air raid sirens and whistles, lighting regulations during blackouts, traffic and danger signals used during blackouts, and the creation of traffic routes during wartime. The latter included identifying routes through the city that would be used by the military in an emergency as well as the routing of normal traffic.
Most of the records that post-date Bollong's tenure as traffic engineer are related to the controversy around the proposed creation of exclusive bus lanes in the Central Business District in the mid-1970s.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
[Item and date], Traffic Engineering Subject Files, Record Series 2609-01. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Administrative Survey Volume VI Engineering Department | 1957 |
1 | 2 | Alaskan Way - Correspondence | 1931-1933 |
1 | 3 | Alaskan Way - Correspondence | 1934-1935 |
1 | 4 | Alaskan Way - Correspondence | 1936 |
1 | 5 | Alaskan Way - Correspondence | 1937-1938 |
1 | 6 | Alaskan Way - Correspondence. | 1939-1940 |
1 | 7 | Alaskan Way - Maps and Drawings | 1929-1937 |
1 | 8 | Annual Inventory of Traffic Safety Activities - National Safety Council Contest | 1951 |
1 | 9 | Armory Way - Highway 99 By-Pass | 1931-1939 |
1 | 10 | Armory Way Map - Downtown By-Pass for Highway 99 | 1938 |
1 | 11 | Arterial Highways | 1928-1932 |
1 | 12 | Arterial Highways in Seattle - Map | 1930 |
1 | 13 | Arterial Priority System | 1965 |
1 | 14 | Aurora Avenue Bridge | 1930 |
1 | 15 | Aurora Avenue | 1931 |
1 | 16 | Aurora Avenue and Bridge | 1932 |
1 | 17 | Aurora Avenue and Bridge | 1933 |
1 | 18 | Aurora Avenue and Bridge | 1934 |
1 | 19 | Aurora Avenue and Bridge | 1936-1937 |
1 | 20 | Aurora Avenue and Bridge | 1938-1939 |
1 | 21 | Aurora Avenue and Bridge | 1940-1944 |
1 | 22 | Aurora Avenue - Maps | 1930-1937 |
2 | 1 | Aurora Avenue - Traffic Flow Maps | 1929-1931 |
2 | 2 | Aurora Avenue - Safety Zone Photographs | 1930-1931 |
2 | 3 | Aurora Avenue - Traffic Across Fremont Bridge | 1926-1929 |
2 | 4 | Bay Street Traffic Closure - Great Northern Railway Co. | 1969 |
2 | 5 | Blackout Program - Maps | 1941 |
2 | 6 | Blackout Program - Procedures and Instructions | 1941 |
2 | 7 | Blackout Program - Reference Material and National Publications | 1942 |
2 | 8 | Blackout Program - Test Blackout Night (March 7) | 1941 |
2 | 9 | Blackout Program - Traffic and Danger Signals | 1941 |
2 | 10 | Blackout Program - Traffic Signals (January-April) | 1942 |
2 | 11 | Blackout Program - Traffic Signals (May-December) | 1942 |
2 | 12 | Blackout Program - Traffic Signals and General Information | 1943 |
2 | 13 | Blackout Program - Traffic Signals | 1944 |
2 | 14 | Board of Public Works | 1969-1970 |
2 | 15 | Boeing Company - Correspondence | 1939-1941 |
2 | 16 | Boeing Company - Correspondence (December) | 1941 |
2 | 17 | Boeing Company - Correspondence | 1942-1944 |
2 | 18 | Boeing Plant - Maps | 1940-1944 |
2 | 19 | Bon Marché - Solutions for Traffic Control, Contest | 1946 |
2 | 20 | Bon Marche - Solution for Traffic Control, Contest Drawings | 1946 |
2 | 21 | Bus Line Warning Signs - Drawings. | 1939 |
3 | 1 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (December) | 1941 |
3 | 2 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (January) | 1942 |
3 | 3 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (February) | 1942 |
3 | 4 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (March) | 1942 |
3 | 5 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (April) | 1942 |
3 | 6 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (May-June) | 1942 |
3 | 7 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (July) | 1942 |
3 | 8 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (August) | 1942 |
3 | 9 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (September) | 1942 |
3 | 10 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens (October-December) | 1942 |
3 | 11 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens | 1943 |
3 | 12 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens | 1944 |
3 | 13 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens | 1950-1959 |
3 | 14 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens. Air Raid Siren Control Network (maps) | 1942 |
3 | 15 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens. Auxiliary Air Raid Alarm Signals. (map) | 1942 |
3 | 16 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens. Equipment and Installation Sketches | 1941-1951 |
3 | 17 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens Equipment | 1942-1945 |
3 | 18 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens Equipment | 1946-1951 |
3 | 19 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens, Location of Air Raid Sirens and Air Raid Warning Zones | 1941-1942 |
3 | 20 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens, Location of Air Raid Sirens. (Maps) | 1941-1943 |
3 | 21 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens, Location (Maps) | 1951 |
3 | 22 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens, Location of Air Raid Sirens, Whistles, and High Pressure Steam Plants (Maps) | 1943 |
3 | 23 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens, Location of fire Department Street Sirens (Maps) | 1942 |
4 | 1 | Civil Defense - Air Raid Sirens, 145 H.P. Siren Test (Map) | 1942 |
4 | 2 | Civil Defense - Lighting Control Measures Prior to Blackouts, Report. | 1942 |
4 | 3 | Civil Defense - Blackouts and Lighting Regulation (January-February) | 1942 |
4 | 4 | Civil Defense - Blackouts and Lighting Regulation (March-May) | 1942 |
4 | 5 | Civil Defense - Evacuation and Military Route Maps | 1942 |
4 | 6 | Civil Defense - Evacuation Planning | 1942 |
4 | 7 | Civil Defense - General Correspondence | 1967-1972 |
4 | 8 | Civil Defense - Organization | 1941-1943 |
4 | 9 | Civil Defense - Organization Charts | 1942 |
4 | 10 | Civil Defense - Publicity, Civilians for Defense Radio Script. | 1942 |
4 | 11 | Civil Defense - War Chest Street Stencil. | 1942 |
4 | 12 | Civil Works Administration | 1933 |
4 | 13 | Civil Works Administration Projects (January) | 1934 |
4 | 14 | Civil Works Administration Projects (February) | 1934 |
4 | 15 | Civil Works Administration Projects (March-May) | 1934 |
4 | 16 | Civil Works Administration (June-December) Federal Emergency Relief Administration | 1934 |
4 | 17 | Classification and Compensation | 1945-1957 |
4 | 18 | Correspondence - Miscellaneous | 1944-1945 |
4 | 19 | Downtown Parks Committee - Committee Meetings | 1958-1959 |
4 | 20 | Downtown Parks Committee - Minutes | 1958-1960 |
4 | 21 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Community Correspondence | 1974 |
4 | 22 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Community Correspondence | 1975 |
4 | 23 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Community Correspondence | 1976-1977 |
5 | 1 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Government Correspondence | 1974 |
5 | 2 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Government Correspondence | 1975 |
5 | 3 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Government Correspondence | 1975 |
5 | 4 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Government Correspondence | 1976 |
5 | 5 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Government Correspondence | 1977 |
5 | 6 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Misc. Correspondence | 1974 |
5 | 7 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Misc. Correspondence | 1975 |
5 | 8 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Central Business District, Misc. Correspondence | 1976-1977 |
5 | 9 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Economic Impact of Exclusive Bus Lanes in the Seattle Central Business District | 1976 |
5 | 10 | Exclusive Bus Lanes - Public Hearing, City Council Transportation Committee (transcript) | 1976 |
5 | 11 | First Avenue South Bridge Interchange | 1945-1952 |
5 | 12 | Fourth Avenue South Railroad Signals | 1934 |
5 | 13 | Fourth Avenue South Traffic Safety and Railroad Crossing (Maps) | 1934-1936 |
5 | 14 | Harbor Island - Parking and Traffic Patterns (Maps) | 1941-1943 |
5 | 15 | Harbor Island - Parking and Traffic Patterns (Maps) | 1941-1943 |
6 | 1 | Highway Research Board (National Research Council) | 1941-1943 |
6 | 2 | Institute of Government, University of Washington | 1937-1939 |
6 | 3 | Institute of Government, University of Washington | 1940-1944 |
6 | 4 | Institute of Traffic Engineers - Preliminary Report of Sub Committee on Traffic Operations Improvements | 1945 |
6 | 5 | Institute of Traffic Engineers - Post War Planning, Organization and Administration of City Traffic Engineering Departments (Draft) | 1944 |
6 | 6 | Institute of Traffic Engineers - Post War Planning Committee | 1944-1945 |
6 | 7 | Institute of Traffic Engineers - War Transportation Committee, Case Report on Traffic and Transport Sea-Tac Shipbuilding Co Terminal Parking, Boeing Plant 2 | 1944 |
6 | 8 | Lake Washington Floating Bridge | 1938-1939 |
6 | 9 | Lake Washington Floating Bridge - Dedication | 1940 |
6 | 10 | Lake Washington Floating Bridge - Traffic Distribution Maps. | 1937-1938 |
6 | 11 | Lake Washington Second Floating Bridge Location | 1951-1953 |
6 | 12 | Legislation - National | 1931-1941 |
6 | 13 | Lock Your Car Anti-Theft Program | 1965-1968 |
6 | 14 | Mayor's General Committee on Traffic Conditions in the South End | 1941 |
6 | 15 | Mayor William Devin - Correspondence | 1947-1950 |
6 | 16 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs | 1941 |
6 | 17 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs | 1942 |
7 | 1 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs | 1943 |
7 | 2 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs | 1944 |
7 | 3 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs | 1945 |
7 | 4 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs | 1946 |
7 | 5 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs | 1947-1949 |
7 | 6 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs - Army and Navy, Seattle Traffic Route Maps | 1941-1943 |
7 | 7 | Military Traffic Route and Parking Needs - Army and Navy, Traffic Route and Parking Needs, Vehicle Routing at Sick's Stadium | 1942 |
7 | 8 | National Safety Council Contest Correspondence | 1941-1944 |
7 | 9 | National Safety Council Contest - Report to Judges | 1932-1941 |
7 | 10 | National Safety Contest - Seattle Entry I | 1945 |
7 | 11 | National Safety Contest - Seattle Entry II | 1945 |
7 | 12 | National Safety Contest - Seattle Entry III | 1945 |
7 | 13 | Parking - Seattle Central Business District, Resume of Parking Study | 1948 |
7 | 14 | Port of Seattle - Rules and Regulations | 1942 |
7 | 15 | Post-War Traffic Planning | 1944-1948 |
7 | 16 | Potlatch of Progress Parade | 1934-1935 |
7 | 17 | Potlatch of Progress Parade (includes map) | 1938 |
7 | 18 | Potlatch of Progress Parade | 1939 |
7 | 19 | Purchasing - Wartime Priority Ratings | 1941-1943 |
8 | 1 | Reflecting Signs | 1929-1934 |
8 | 2 | Reflecting Signs - Canadian Traffic Signal Corporation | 1929 |
8 | 3 | Report on Street Traffic Survey (WPA) - Request for Copies | 1937-1943 |
8 | 4 | Review of the Organization and Activities of the Traffic Engineering Division. Engineering Department, City of Seattle | 1944 |
8 | 5 | Roosevelt Way - Widening | 1938 |
8 | 6 | Safety Islands - Location Maps | undated |
8 | 7 | School Crossings | 1927-1930 |
8 | 8 | School Crossings | 1931-1932 |
8 | 9 | School Crossings | 1933-1934 |
8 | 10 | School Crossings | 1935-1937 |
8 | 11 | School Crossings | 1940-1944 |
8 | 12 | Seattle Center Stadium - Traffic and Access Analysis (Washington Highway Department) | 1968 |
8 | 13 | Seattle Municipal Street Railway - Proposed Route Maps, The Beeler Organization | 1939 |
8 | 14 | Seattle Police Department - Junior Safety Division, Annual Reports | 1940-1942 |
8 | 15 | Seattle Police Department - Junior Safety Division, Reports on Halloween Depredations and Vandalism | 1937-1944 |
8 | 16 | Seattle Police Department - Junior Safety Division, Reports on Halloween Depredations and Vandalism | 1937-1944 |
8 | 17 | Seattle Safety Council | 1943-1944 |
8 | 18 | Seattle Safety Council - A Report on the Seattle Pedestrian Accident Problem | 1943 |
8 | 19 | Seattle Safety Council Meetings | 1943-1944 |
8 | 20 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1930 |
9 | 1 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1931 |
9 | 2 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1932 |
9 | 3 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1933 |
9 | 4 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1934 |
9 | 5 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1935 |
9 | 6 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1936 |
9 | 7 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1937 |
9 | 8 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1938 |
9 | 9 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1939-1940 |
9 | 10 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council | 1941-1943 |
9 | 11 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council - Minutes | 1938-1939 |
9 | 12 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council - Minutes | 1940-1941 |
9 | 13 | Seattle Traffic and Safety Council - Newsletters | 1937-1942 |
9 | 14 | Seattle Traffic Research Commission - Plans and Statistics. Rapid Transit Planning | 1928 |
10 | 1 | Seattle Transit System | 1939 |
10 | 2 | Seattle Transit System (January - February) | 1940 |
10 | 3 | Seattle Transit System (March-May) | 1940 |
10 | 4 | Seattle Transit System (June-August) | 1940 |
10 | 5 | Seattle Transit System (September -October) | 1940 |
10 | 6 | Seattle Transit System (November) | 1940 |
10 | 7 | Seattle Transit System (December) | 1940 |
10 | 8 | Seattle Transit System | 1941-1942 |
10 | 9 | Seattle Transit System | 1944 |
10 | 10 | Seattle Transit System (January-May) | 1945 |
10 | 11 | Seattle Transit System (June-December) | 1945 |
10 | 12 | Seattle Transit System | 1946 |
10 | 13 | Seattle Transit System | 1947 |
10 | 14 | Seattle Transit System (January-July) | 1948 |
10 | 15 | Seattle Transit System (August-December) | 1948 |
10 | 16 | Seattle Transit System - Routing Maps, Downtown Business District | 1940-1942 |
10 | 17 | Seneca Street Extension - Harvard Avenue to Broadway | 1934-1935 |
10 | 18 | Seneca Street Extension - Maps and Drawings | 1934-1935 |
10 | 19 | Sick's Seattle Stadium - Economic Analysis of Proposed City Purchase | 1965 |
11 | 1 | Sick's Seattle Stadium - Right of Way Study | 1965 |
11 | 2 | Spokane Street Viaduct | 1941-1943 |
11 | 3 | Spokane Street Viaduct - Maps and Drawings | 1941-1943 |
11 | 4 | Stadium Preliminary Site Selection | 1967-1968 |
11 | 5 | Street Classifications | 1949 |
11 | 6 | Street Closures - Board of Public Works | 1969-1970 |
11 | 7 | Street Closures - Board of Public Works | 1971 |
11 | 8 | Street Closures - International District | 1970-1971 |
11 | 9 | Street Lighting Traffic Safety - Plans and Reports | 1951-1971 |
11 | 10 | Street Lighting Traffic Safety - Plans and Reports. Maps | 1945-1971 |
11 | 11 | Traffic Accident Statistics - Monthly reports (January-June) | 1939 |
11 | 12 | Traffic Accident Statistics - Monthly reports (July-December) | 1939 |
11 | 13 | Traffic Accident Statistics - Monthly reports (January-June) | 1944 |
11 | 14 | Traffic Accident Statistics - Monthly reports (July-December) | 1944 |
12 | 1 | Traffic Engineering from the Viewpoint of an Urban Traffic Engineer (speech) | 1944 |
12 | 2 | Traffic Law Enforcement | 1937-1938 |
12 | 3 | Truck Traffic Committee | 1941 |
12 | 4 | University of Washington Approach - Traffic and Grade Separation Master Plan (Drawings) | 1944 |
12 | 5 | War Production Transportation Commission | 1942 |
12 | 6 | War Production Transportation Commission - Share the Ride | 1942 |
12 | 7 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project No 310 Traffic Survey | 1935 |
12 | 8 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project No 310 Traffic Survey | 1936 |
12 | 9 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project No 310 Traffic Survey - Instructions | 1934 |
12 | 10 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project No 310 - Summarized Reports | 1936 |
12 | 11 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Report Exhibits | 1936 |
12 | 12 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project No 310 Traffic Survey - Summary and Status Reports | 1936 |
12 | 13 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Traffic Survey. Brief of Engineering Manual for Traffic Surveys | 1934 |
12 | 14 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project No 4163 Traffic Survey | 1936-1937 |
12 | 15 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Project No 4163 Traffic Survey - Traffic Flow Map | 1937 |
12 | 16 | Works Progress Administration (WPA) Police Department Proposal for Minor Traffic Violation Aides | 1935 |
13 | 1 | Central Business District Signal System Project | 1984-1985 |
13 | 2 | Half Signal Usage Proposal | 1985 |
13 | 3 | Midvale Pl. Safety | 1986 |
13 | 4 | Neighborhood Speed Watch Program | 1986-1987 |
13 | 5 | Neighborhood Traffic Control Program | 1988 |
13 | 6 | No Smoking Policy Committee | 1985 |
13 | 7 | Pedestrian Model Safety Program | 1986 |
13 | 8 | South Transfer Station | 1985 |
13 | 9 | Street / Traffic Classification Issues | 1983 |
13 | 10 | Traffic Counts - ML King Way | 1982-1988. |
13 | 11 | Downtown Parking and Circulation Task Force | 1993 |
13 | 12 | Street Parks | 1991-1992 |
13 | 13 | Street Parks | 1991-1992 |
13 | 14 | Parking Reports | 1983-1998 |
13 | 15 | Parking Issues and Policies | 1981-2000 |
13 | 14 | Traffic Engineering - Subject Files Photographs | 1930-1963 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Alaskan Way Viaduct (Seattle, Wash.)
- Aurora Avenue (Seattle and Shoreline, Wash.)
- Bus lanes--Washington (State)--Seattle
- City planning
- Civil defense--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Public works
- Traffic engineering--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Traffic safety--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Transportation
- Transportation--Planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
Personal Names
- Bollong, J.W.A. "Arch"
Corporate Names
- Seattle (Wash.). Engineering Dept.
- Seattle Transit System
- United States. Work Projects Administration. State of Washington
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)