West Seattle/White Center traffic alert: 16th/Roxbury incident

11:11 AM: Crossposted from our daily traffic thread as well as our partner site White Center Now: Avoid 16th/Roxbury – only one lane, westbound, is open on Roxbury, and only northbound is open on 16th – a man is reported to have been hit by the bike rack of a Metro bus. (A Route 128 is stopped at the scene.) His injuries do not appear to be serious, according to the medic crews radioing in to the hospital; he’s being taken to a hospital.

11:41 AM UPDATE: Metro Route 120 is being routed off eastbound Roxbury, according to a Metro alert, because of the investigation.

1:24 PM UPDATE: As of about 1:15, investigators still had eastbound Roxbury blocked off from 15th to 17th. Westbound is open and 16th is fully open. The King County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, since it’s on their side of the line; spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West tells us the bus was southbound on Delridge turning left to go eastbound on Roxbury; the man who was hit, in his early 30s, was crossing Roxbury ~~northbound~~ southbound* in the crosswalk when the bus hit him.

*New information Wednesday from KCSO.

Jaf October 16, 2012 (11:49 am)

Is that why there’s a kiro 7 chopper?

WSB October 16, 2012 (11:52 am)

Yes, it’s noon news time so you might see a chopper or two. – TR

Allen October 16, 2012 (11:58 am)

This is the most dangerous intersection in white center, traffic coming from 16th have no time to make a left on to Roxbury.

C October 16, 2012 (12:53 pm)

My mom was hit a year ago by the same bus route, at the same intersection in the same direction. In her case it was the Metro driver’s negligence.
I don’t have details of today’s incident, but it is an important example to remind all drivers to be extra vigilent in such a busy community.
My prayers go out to the man hit today.

Nanda October 16, 2012 (1:00 pm)

I drive there at least 4x a day and yesterday I was just talking with my husband about that area, I see so many drunk people crossing that intersection when they are no supposed to. I say drunk because they can barely walk. Also, every time that I go have dinner and ice cream in the area I notice stone, drunk folks getting in a car.
Maybe this is not the case here and I hope this pedestrian is ok.

sam-c October 16, 2012 (1:54 pm)

is this the intersection where there is not left turn light to assist in being able to turn left onto roxbury as you are heading south on 16th? I’ve never been able to understand why the *&%* buses are routed to turn left there without any help. I think I’ve sat behind a bus (at this intersection of the accident or another) trying to turn left and waited through 3 light cycles before the bus had an opportunity to turn. if this was not that intersection, the crazy intersection I describe is right near there and I will never understand why they don’t have a left turn lane and/ or a left turn light. crazy

Gawdger October 16, 2012 (1:59 pm)

Some buses are notorious for making that left after the light has changed. The bendy-bus is the major culprit.

mona October 16, 2012 (2:12 pm)

That area of 16th is just awful. As a pedestrian who walks with the light, I have to check and double check before stepping into the street that the cars turning my direction actually stop for me. Often, they just zoom without waiting for people to cross.

And a little further up on 16th, right past Walgreen’s, cars have no regard for the crosswalk there. I’m not sure where to direct these concerns, though.

Allen October 16, 2012 (3:22 pm)

Yes, it was the 128 going southbound 16th Ave try to turn left on to eastbound Roubury . I always avoid this intersection and take 15th instead.

Nick October 16, 2012 (4:43 pm)

I agree this intersection is gotta be high on the list for most accidents

robert October 16, 2012 (7:20 pm)

having driven this area every day I see very few people actually using the cross-walk. and even less using the lights, they are like a bunch of chickens crossing everywhere but the crosswalk. the intersection is laid out all wrong,with no left turn for roxbury from delridge. It needs attention from someone that understands traffic flow. bob

rmp October 16, 2012 (8:16 pm)

This is a bad intersection … it’s insane that they haven’t done anything about the way the lights are set up!

rocky raccoon October 16, 2012 (11:30 pm)

If it were in Redmond, it would have had attention long ago, but alas, it’s in White Center, where life is cheap, and few can afford expensive attorneys.

Teresa October 17, 2012 (10:04 am)

Does anyone know who was hit?

My co-workers and I told a local homeless guy just one hour before to get the “blank” out of the street bacause he was going to get hit. If this is the same guy that got hit, then I don’t think the driver was at total fault, this guy has a death wish and it is sad that in his thought processes, someone else could be blamed.

Just speakin my mind.