West Seattle traffic alert: 2 crashes, including second of the day at 35th/Juneau

6:52 PM: Two crashes on major roads right now – 35th/Juneau, the second crash in that area today (the first one was in early afternoon), this time reported to be a vehicle having hit a pole, with northbound lanes blocked by the SFD response; Fauntleroy/Cloverdale, near the ferry dock. Add that to what we hear was a very slow evening commute (even after Vice President Biden’s low-key visit ended) southbound from downtown and beyond, and it’s apparently still tough going almost everywhere out there.

7:19 PM: At least two people were taken to the hospital, by private ambulances, from the 35th/Juneau crash. Adding a photo; the red car, at left, hit a utility pole – the silver car, at center, had even more front-end damage, primarily on the passenger side. The southbound lanes remained open, as this was indeed in the northbound lanes, but avoid the area until it’s cleared – we’ll be checking back. (No additional information on Fauntleroy/Cloverdale – the SFD call has closed.)

LyndaB May 29, 2014 (7:13 pm)

Hope everybody is OK. Was making dinner and heard the crash. Bad crash and minor damage to a third vehicle.

Bree May 29, 2014 (8:25 pm)

For some reason, have been noticing quite a bit of non-attentive drivers. We have been being extremely careful to watch everyone to be sure they don’t t-bone us. Just today, down below Tru-Value, we hesitated just to be sure a car would stop at the stop sign….and she did not even brake….straight through. We honked at her & she just looked at us like she did nothing wrong. We are being careful to watch those intersections as people are speeding through them without a care in the world. Seeing people on their phones not paying attention. People speeding like crazy & then getting upset because we are going the speed limit. Going up Admiral, noted some (according to sign) going 55 or 60. We had our turn signal on & stopped waiting for a lady pushing a baby across the intersection and almost got crashed into by a speeding black pickup. We had enough room to get out of the way quickly without hitting the pedestrian & told her what happened….we think she saw it too. We cannot figure out what is going on with drivers recently???? Just be careful out there and watch those other drivers. Stay safe!
do not know what happened on this accident & sorry they got hurt – hope all is well for them.

Pat May 29, 2014 (9:29 pm)

Interesting to see these comments today. Just this afternoon I was in the Thriftway parking lot, driving slowly along the line of cars with my 89-year-old father in the car with me, when one of the parked cars began to back straight into me. Fortunately, I was able to lay quickly on the horn, and after continuing to back for a moment, the driver stopped maybe 3″ from my door. We wouldn’t have been hurt, I don’t think, but it would have cost someone a bundle to fix my mangled door. Wonder what’s going on with all these distracted drivers recently?

j May 29, 2014 (9:45 pm)

Better put a camera that gives out automatic tickets there too. Soon every light will have them… in the name of safety of course.

AIDM May 29, 2014 (9:59 pm)

I called 911 for the first crash at 35/Juneau and timed the response as I previously had a non existent response to a call several months ago. The first officer took 12 minutes, which seemed pretty slow to me. They then brought in two more cars to help direct traffic since 35th is so busy. Is this a slow response or is this par for the course in a city of this size? Coming home from dinner, I was amazed to see another crash at the same location, which appeared to be a bit worse.

I haven’t heard any followup regarding the 35th traffic study and am well aware the WSB would cover it if there was a response, so am wondering if that was just fodder to quiet people down after the last fatality. Perhaps we should start making more noise again…

WSB May 29, 2014 (10:19 pm)

Study not scheduled until fall, per first announcement:
.
https://westseattleblog.com/2014/02/city-leaders-announce-multi-year-35th-sw-traffic-safety-project/

Eaglelover May 29, 2014 (10:05 pm)

Noticed this too, due to congestion people are in a hurry to get stuff done. Noticed more tailgating lately, welcome to the new California.

patt May 29, 2014 (10:48 pm)

I recently reported the light near Tru-Value at the foot of Edmonds and California Ave.

The light heading down Edmonds seems badly timed for the walk sign on Erskine.

They may both turn walk/red at the same time or turn red after just the walk.
Either way not a good thing.

there is their site.
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/trafficsignals.htm

Ken May 30, 2014 (7:54 am)

The intersection of Juneau and 35th is the end of the main cut through from Delridge to 35th and even in light traffic conditions is far faster (even at residential speed limits) than either Morgan/Orchard or Genesee. Locally known as “Snake Hill” this has been a feature of WS traffic for generations and all the SDOT “traffic calming” additions have only slowed it down and moved the terminus from Raymond to Juneau. Which means it too will soon gather enough fatal accidents to get a light when the numbers come up in the spreadsheet that actually makes these decisions.

Lindsey May 30, 2014 (9:27 am)

Just another anecdote to add to those here. I don’t really think drivers are more distracted. I lived at 35th/Juneau for six years, and there are crashes there quite frequently. Because 35th is so busy, two-car crashes can quickly pile up into four or five car crashes.

Lee D. Bui May 30, 2014 (9:44 am)

This intersection 35 and Juneau have had many accidents.
Two accidents on the same spot at the same day.!!!
It need the light to stop future accidents.

zark May 30, 2014 (10:11 am)

We need people to get off their phones!
It’s crazy how many people I see every day driving along tapping away on a phone.
People who text and drive definitely read this blog, so tell us why you do it.

Magpie May 30, 2014 (2:47 pm)

My brother lives between Findlay and Juneau on 35th. We always go the one block out of our way to the light on Findlay and voila, no accident. Though there is an occasional car that runs the red light. We always go the block out of the way because it is much easier to make a left turn at the light. I see almost accidents at this intersection all the time and I wonder why they wouldn’t go to the light? Much simpler.

We have yard sales at his house and another thing that amazes me is the number of people who run across the middle of the busy street and dodge cars just to go to a yard sale…go figure.

LyndaB May 30, 2014 (5:27 pm)

In addition to fast driving and distracted driving, I don’t believe people are cognizant of their the own driving behavior and that of others. For instance, cars jut out on into 35th from Juneau in an effort to make the left or right. Those trying to make the left from 35th into Juneau make split second decisions and then realize, oh, s**t, there’s a car there in my way.

Road Diet 35th NOW May 31, 2014 (11:12 pm)

Isn’t anyone else sickened at the news of more dangerous, life-threatening crashes on I-35? Why wait until one more death happens? Road diet 35th and Roxbury NOW!

Sorry, comment time is over.