As Pike Place Market's crackdown on cars enters its third month, how well the pilot program is working depends on whom you ask.

Why it matters: The vehicle restrictions have transformed the pedestrian experience in the market and could become permanent — but some vendors say the changes have been bad for business.

Catch up quick: In April, the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority started banning most cars from entering the market at First Avenue and Pike Street during the daytime.

• Officials also limited street parking in the area.

The latest: The experiment was partly to reduce conflicts between pedestrians and cars during ongoing roadwork at Stewart Street, which has narrowed the walkable area through part of the market.

• But officials now plan to continue the experiment beyond when that construction is scheduled to wrap up later this summer, KING 5 reports.

What they're saying: "We've been hearing a lot of positive feedback about the pilot overall, and we're continuing to make improvements," Madison Douglas of the Pike Place Market development authority told Axios.

• For instance, market officials initially limited daily vehicle traffic starting at 8am. But they shifted to a 10am start time after business owners said their customers found it difficult to "quickly drive in and pick up their usual groceries," Douglas said.

The other side: Mike Osborn, the co-owner of Sosio's Produce in the market, told KING 5 that regular customers still are avoiding the market because of the traffic restrictions, which could drive longtime businesses out.

• Customers "aren't coming because they don't want to hassle with it," Sosio said.

My thought bubble: During recent visits to the market on foot, I've noticed that the many visitors stopping to take selfies seem far less at risk of being hit by cars.

• I've also found afternoon visits more enjoyable than before.
• Now that people can spread onto the roadway, they aren't as tightly packed on the narrow sidewalks or in the market hall.

What's next: Douglas said market officials are "continuing to monitor street activity on busy weekends and may adjust closure times as needed."

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Summer is here, and that means ticks are, too.

Why it matters: Ticks, which are most active in warmer seasons, transmit Lyme disease through bacteria in their bite. The disease causes rash, flu-like symptoms and joint pain — and can be fatal if untreated.

State of play: Washington is home to multiple tick species that can spread disease, according to the state Department of Health.

• In addition to Lyme disease, ticks found here can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis and hard-tick relapsing fever, per the health department.

What to expect: If you find a tick attached to your body, the best way to remove it is to position tweezers between your skin and the tick's mouth and tug gently to remove the whole thing.

• Don't squish it — the state health department recommends that you save it for identification, if possible, by putting it into a crush-proof container.
• You can submit it following the instructions on this online form.
• If you aren't able to submit the tick or leave it behind in an outdoor location, the health department recommends flushing it down the toilet.

What they're saying: "Because different tick species transmit different diseases, knowing the tick species may help a health care provider diagnose an illness that could be associated with a tick bite," per the health department website.

The big picture: Most Lyme cases caught early can be treated with antibiotics, though they're not always effective.

• People with late-stage Lyme disease often experience symptoms ranging from paralysis and neurological problems to inflammation of the brain and heart.

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🚗 Tolls for the State Route 99 tunnel through Seattle increased yesterday, rising by 10 cents during evening peak hours and by 5 cents during nonpeak times and mornings. (KIRO 7)

🍩 Voodoo Doughnut, the Portland-based chain, plans to open a new shop in downtown Bellevue. (KING 5)

🚸 City officials are adding a crosswalk and pedestrian lights at the intersection of Harvard Avenue East and East Olive Way, where they removed a guerilla crosswalk someone painted three years ago. (Capitol Hill Seattle Blog)

The average driver in Seattle goes 9 years between collisions, according to claims data from Allstate.

• That's a more frequent rate of crashes than the national average, which was 10.6 years.

Yes, but: We're less crash-prone than drivers in Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Boston, where drivers go an average of roughly three to four years between collisions.

Madrona Beach is one of several city beaches that remain closed this week because of high bacteria levels.

Yes, but: The shoreside spot still offers peaceful views of Lake Washington and Mount Rainier, even if the water is off limits.

• I snapped these photos yesterday while dropping my son off at dance camp next door.