Q&A | What constitutes a "flammable" load? | Parked cars clog Madrona artery

Q: The state transportation department routinely prohibits flammable loads inside the Mount Baker Tunnel and under the Mercer Island Lid along Interstate 90, and on Interstate 5 under the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in downtown Seattle when fire-suppression systems are being worked on or tested.

To alert drivers about the bans, "No Flammable Material Allowed" messages are usually displayed on electronic message boards along the freeway approaching the ban area.

Dave Wong, of Seattle, has noticed those signs, and is curious about just what is considered flammable cargo.

He asks: Is a pickup hauling lumber two-by-fours not allowed? How about a load of tree debris?

Isn't just about everything in a car flammable?

A: There is a code of federal regulations that defines flammable materials. But basically the ban is intended for truckers hauling flammable liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, and paints and paint thinners; or flammable materials such as fireworks, which are both flammable and highly explosive, says Tom Woods of the Washington State Patrol's commercial vehicle division.

Even if a gas truck is empty, there could be a risk of explosion, state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Broch Bender points out.

If there were a major fire in the tunnel or under the convention center when fire-suppression systems were shut down, it could be very bad news.

Those bans do not affect the typical motorist.

Q: William Nichols knows Seattle's Madrona neighborhood pretty well, and he wants the city's traffic department to know about a problem at 34th Avenue and East Pike Street, in the heart of the neighborhood.

He'd like to see Pike Street, east of 34th, restricted to parking only on one side of the street because Pike is a fairly busy artery. As it is, there's a 3-minute loading zone on the south side of Pike.

"However, often cars stay there for long periods of time during the day and evening with no loading apparent," he said, and that creates congestion for drivers turning from 34th and forced to yield for an approaching vehicle because only one car can get through at a time when cars are parked on both sides of the street.

Visibility is not the best for the traffic on Pike, or the cars from 34th, Nichols said. "I have not seen an accident, but it seems likely."

A: Wayne Wentz, the Seattle transportation department's traffic engineer, says broad parking restrictions on some residential streets just tends to force drivers to look for parking on other nearby residential streets.

But the department is concerned about parking restrictions approaching street intersections and wants to see that there is enough space for two cars to safely pass and that there is sufficient sight distance for vehicles and pedestrians.

Besides the loading-zone restriction on the south side of Pike, there's a 30-foot-long parking restriction on the north side of the street. "We have observed cars illegally parked in these areas and have called for additional parking enforcement," Wentz said.

For people with general parking complaints, calling the police department's nonemergency line, 206-625-5011, is better than calling 911, Wentz says.

Q: Why would a state ferry be moored for weeks at Fairhaven Shipyards in Bellingham? Elliott Smith figures the boat has been undergoing repair or renovation. Even so, says the Bellingham resident and Western Washington University staffer, "the length of time that the vessel has been sitting there idle causes me to wonder what the nature of the work is, and why the vessel is not in service at this busy time of year."

A: Washington State Ferries' 460-foot Jumbo Mark II Class auto/passenger vessel, the M/V Wenatchee, has been at Fairhaven for scheduled maintenance, a new coat of paint in spots, and steering and security system upgrades since late March.

The ferry's now ready to resume service on the system's Seattle-Bainbridge Island route, says WSF spokeswoman Susan Harris-Huether.