TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates; 99 closure; road work; downtown emergency

(Latest bridge and Viaduct views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Two advisories to start the morning:

OLSON PLACE PAVEMENT REPAIR: Today’s the day SDOT plans to start three days of work fixing the pavement in the Olson/2nd vicinity, around the east end of SW Roxbury. Here’s the original announcement.

ANOTHER HIGHWAY 99 CLOSURE: WSDOT also has another announced closure of Highway 99 between East Marginal and Atlantic for the Spokane St. Overcrossing project’s finishing touches just south of the West Seattle Bridge, 9 pm tonight-5 am Wednesday. (We’ll be verifying this with WSDOT before day’s end, as they have noted it’s weather-dependent and also that there’s a chance the work could be done sooner than expected. We’re also checking with WSDOT today to verify details of the announced closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct for a followup inspection this coming Saturday, March 22nd.)

7:47 AM – DOWNTOWN EMERGENCY: A helicopter is reported to have crashed near the Space Needle/Seattle Center and that’s what the black smoke is downtown. We’re going to break this out separately. Avoid that area.

8:21 AM: Here’s our separate story – all regional news outlets are covering this too; it is reported to have been the KOMO TV helicopter – Channel 4 is right across Broad Street from the crash scene. KIRO and KING also have their headquarters a couple blocks away.

12:59 PM – HIGHWAY 99 UPDATES: *No* closure tonight, WSDOT now says. Tentatively scheduled for tomorrow night. Meantime, the time frame of Saturday’s Alaskan Way Viaduct closure is confirmed for 4:30 am-7 pm.

3:02 PM – SEATTLE CENTER UPDATES: 5th Avenue has reopened. Part of Broad, including the crash scene, has not. This SDOT tweet has the latest.

5 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates; 99 closure; road work; downtown emergency"

  • NW March 18, 2014 (7:45 am)

    King 5 reporting smoke and possible emergency situation in downtown at broad street just reported it as helicopter crash

    • WSB March 18, 2014 (7:46 am)

      Yes, I just tweeted it and will be adding to this story for starters. Reported helicopter crash into the Space Needle, and then into cars on the ground. I was hoping it was a drill when I heard those words on the scanner … but it’s not.

  • newnative March 18, 2014 (7:57 am)

    On the 56 express on my way to jury duty. Thought an hour was long enough to get there. Saw the black smoke. How horrible

  • SJ2 March 18, 2014 (8:03 am)

    I have to get to Fremont this morning. Any idea how 99 is? I imagine bad, but how bad?

  • trickycoolj March 18, 2014 (8:31 am)

    Disabled metro bus highland park and 2nd

    It was stuck at the stop going towards the 1st ave bridge next to the former Nickelsville site. A second bus was just behind me to pick up the passengers but it made a mini choke point down to one lane so be aware of folks trying to move over.

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