Traffic update: Northbound Highway 99/Viaduct reopened after crash

10:26 PM: Just getting word of a deadly motorcycle crash that Seattle Police say has closed northbound 99/Viaduct. Via Twitter, SPD says the motorcyclist “went off the Viaduct and landed on Railroad Avenue.” A section of 1st Avenue South is also closed. Looks like this is by CenturyLink Field. The Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is arriving at the scene, which suggests this will be closed for some hours as they work to find out how it happened.

2:30 AM: WSDOT has sent an e-mail alert saying northbound 99 is now open again. No update from investigators yet, but one is likely in the hours ahead.

8:55 AM: Here’s the short update on SPD Blotter, saying the rider was ejected off his Triumph motorcycle after hitting the east guardrail, adding: “Speed may have been a factor in this collision.”

THURSDAY, 10:09 PM: The Medical Examiner identifies the rider as 30-year-old Nathaniel Hammer.

5 Replies to "Traffic update: Northbound Highway 99/Viaduct reopened after crash"

  • Beto September 25, 2013 (10:35 pm)

    Im sorry for the motorcycle rider and his family. Without generalizing, I don’t see many motorcycle riders going at the speed limit. 99% of those I see on the road think they are immortal and go 10 miles or more above the speed limit.

  • cjp September 26, 2013 (12:40 am)

    Oh man. I was headed by there right after it happened, and couldn’t figure out where the rider was, after I saw his bike laid down. It didn’t even occur to me he might have gone over.

    Be safe out there people. :(

  • dq September 26, 2013 (8:54 am)

    Thank you WSB as we went by it last night on 1st ave and looked online at the other local news sites to see what had happened and found nothing. When we got on the West Seattle Bridge and saw the police blocking 99 North, we looked at WSB, and of course you had the information! You are very appreciated. Thoughts to the rider, witnesses and responders.

    • WSB September 26, 2013 (9:11 am)

      Thanks, DQ. Before going off duty for a few hours, I checked the trusted citywide-media sites for stories to possibly link since I expected somebody had sent a crew to the scene, which was out of our reach at that hour, but even as of 2:30, when the highway reopened, they didn’t, which was surprising, since I believe it was mentioned on late-night newscasts … No info yet on ID, possibly this afternoon. – TR

  • Wendell September 26, 2013 (9:53 am)

    By sheer coincidence, I rode by (on my motorcycle) shortly after the incident. There were a lot of police cars and personnel just across the road from Elysian Fields, next to the triangle-shaped building. There were also flashing lights directly above, on the viaduct. As a motorcyclist, I have more than a passing interest in the circumstances. Thoughts and prayers to the rider and his or her family.

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