West Seattle traffic alert: Crash updates

(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB – substituted for previous cameraphone photos)
5:38 PM: Snag in the evening commute: A crash at 35th and Fauntleroy – right at the west end of the bridge. More as we get it – but if you’re stuck in the backup, that’s the problem.

6 PM: Some good news – tow crew’s on scene and it should be clearing.

The backup, we’re told, stretches all the way across the bridge, so that’ll take a while longer to clear.

7:07 PM: There’s also a crash by the Fauntleroy ferry dock causing backups (Fauntleroy/Cloverdale):

Val Vashon December 14, 2012 (5:48 pm)

Which direction is this in- Westbound to West Seattle or Eastbound away from West Seattle. I can’t tell from looking at the cameras.

ile December 14, 2012 (5:55 pm)

I just got through the scene. It took me 20 minutes to get up the hill. Very bad accident.

eric1 December 14, 2012 (5:59 pm)

Passed it on the bus. Did not look that serious except that if you were going to mess up traffic, that is where I would place the wrecked cars: Right in the intersection.

superduck December 14, 2012 (5:59 pm)

Apparently the light is out also.

CJS December 14, 2012 (6:04 pm)

@Val: it’s affecting both eastbound and westbound traffic. It took me 20 minutes to get from the Avalon off-ramp to 35th Ave.

oh December 14, 2012 (6:07 pm)

On bus going up the hill on west end of bridge. Still very slow. Lots of people exiting to Admiral or Avalon. Can see that traffic moving on avalon

fringe December 14, 2012 (10:00 pm)

When I went through this, they were just clearing the cars and the police cars took off, leaving the entire intersection with the lights blinking red, screwing it up even more. It’s hard to take turns at that intersection because of the two left turn lanes coming off the bridge hill. Why would the police leave it like that? Don’t they give a crap that they’re making it worse, instead of having an officer there to direct traffic?

It’s nuts how many times the lights are malfunctioning in major intersections at rush hour here lately. I have been caught in these things repeatedly. There were no utility crews tonight, and the cops just left. WTF? As I drove out of W Seattle, I saw traffic backed up coming into the area all the way past 99.

themightyrabbit December 15, 2012 (6:34 am)

Was coming back over the bridge around that time, noticed a longer than usual backup curving down the final hill. Thankfully took a right, headed up Admiral and back thru the neighborhoods. Lucky for me. This must have built up all the way back to 99 / I5 in a matter of minutes. Phew! Then read this. Wow. That explains it.

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