TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday watch; transportation news notes

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Thursday’s commute is on. We start with notes:

WATCH OUT FOR TRUCKS: As reported here last night, the county says excavation will start today at the sewer-overflow-control project across from Lowman Beach, and for several months, that means up to 55 truck trips a day on two stretches of road.

ROAD WORK: If everything is according to SDOT schedule, East Marginal Way paving north of the bridge continues today, and Highway 99 lane closures continue overnight tonight.

TRANSPORTATION NEWS NOTES: If you missed our coverage of Metro’s newest budget outlook – projecting fewer cuts in the long run – see it here … Washington State Ferries sends the reminder that its fall schedule takes effect Sunday.

9:04 AM UPDATE: Thanks to Don Brubeck from West Seattle Bike Connections for this photo of the work on East Marginal:

Don says, “Here is a shot of the paving work in progress on East Marginal Way South, north of South Hanford St. Crews are removing the curving RR tracks and ties. This is another good step by SDOT for safety for bike riders – the curving cracks caused by the buried tracks are a hazard. It should help the paving last longer, too. Maybe until a real roadbed reconstruction is done to actually hold up to heavy truck traffic on the poor fill soils.”

workdowntown September 18, 2014 (8:05 am)

Summer is over – traffic is getting slower every morning. Wonder if anyone has given thought to a real Park and Ride at the vacant port spot?

Amy September 18, 2014 (8:31 am)

1/2 hour to cross WS Bridge.

Lee September 18, 2014 (8:47 am)

What a great idea!

Robert September 18, 2014 (8:48 am)

For a Thursday, was surprised traffic was fairly decent today.

West Seattle since 1979 September 18, 2014 (10:35 am)

Re a Park and Ride at the vacant port: How would that work for the C, 21, and 55, which come from the other side of Spokane Street? Would they have to detour to the Park and Ride spot, causing them to be even slower? They’d have to build some kind of a ramp to and from the spot to prevent that. If the Port is going to use that spot again, would it be worth it to build that infrastructure?

I’m not an engineer and don’t know very much about traffic, however, so I’m no doubt overlooking something. Does anyone else have an idea of how they could use that spot but not slow down the buses that come from south of Spokane Street?

workdowntown September 18, 2014 (10:58 am)

Re Park and Ride – those buses all hit Spokane street now. Let’s think outside the box. What if they were able to route them along the steel mill? Or a fancy overpass? They seem to be building fancy overpasses in the area now to give access to the big rigs. I’ve lived in WS since 52 and worked downtown since 72. For years I would park under Spokane street viaduct and have a variety of buses to chose from. Then the area became pretty sketchy and now most of the bus routes do not even stop there.

West Seattle since 1979 September 18, 2014 (2:18 pm)

workdowntown, I was talking more about the Rapid Ride C, the 21X and the 55–(I should have specified which 21 I meant). I’m thinking if they had to go over to the park and ride if it was built where the vacant port area is now, it might slow them up some more when they’re supposed to be express or “rapid”.

Of course if they could build another ramp that fed directly onto the bridge from there, that would help a lot.

Anne September 18, 2014 (2:36 pm)

The Port really needs to pay for an entire replacement of marginal way along that stretch, it’s out of control how bad that road is, and it’s all because of the huge trucks that roll up and down it all day long.

Sorry, comment time is over.