Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWapartments | NWsource | Classifieds | seattletimes.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 - Page updated at 01:21 PM

E-mail article     Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

Streetcar hits SUV that ran red light

Seattle Times staff

Enlarge this photo

MIKE SIEGEL

The orange South Lake Union streetcar was involved in an accident at Terry Avenue and Mercer Street this morning. The streetcar ran into an SUV that ran a red light. The street car was put back into service despite bumper damage seen here as it heads toward downtown Seattle.

A sport-utility vehicle ran a red light this morning and was hit by one of the new South Lake Union streetcars, Seattle police said. No one was injured.

The crash happened at Mercer Street and Terry Avenue North at 7:28 a.m., when the SUV was going east toward Interstate 5. Its rear right panel was dented, and there was minor damage to the orange streetcar, which soon restarted.

No passengers were aboard.

The SUV driver told police he was maneuvering around a large puddle in the left lane of Mercer, then couldn't stop in time for a red light, according to police spokesman Mark Jamieson. The streetcar was heading north on Terry with a "go" signal. Police issued a citation to the SUV driver for running the red light, said Jamieson.

The intersection was cleared within a half-hour of the accident. Shortly after 1 p.m., the orange streetcar was brought back to the maintenance base.

The streetcars began service last Wednesday, from the Westin Hotel to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The 1.3-mile route has 11 stops.

This was the first streetcar collision reported to police, said Jamieson. There have been three other streetcar stoppages: one because of ball bearings in the tracks, another because of a power outage, and on Sunday, a car parked on the tracks had to be towed.

Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

More Local News headlines...

E-mail article Print view

advertising

Advertising

Buy a link here

Advertising

Marketplace

Enjoy 3 courses for $30, May 1-29
Dine at 23 new Seattle-area restaurants.
New Urban Eats, a dining event from NWsource.

View participating restaurants
Enter to win dinner for two