TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates; NB 99 crash south of WS Bridge; 35th SW paving

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:05 AM: Good morning! Highway 99 is the trouble spot in our area right now, just north of the 1st Avenue S. Bridge, if you come in from south of the West Seattle Bridge. Lanes are blocked in both directions.

Today’s notes:

35TH SW PAVING: The city is scheduled to continue the work on 35th SW between Morgan and Juneau that started Tuesday, almost a week ahead of what was previously announced.

HIGHWAY 99 CLOSURE THIS WEEKEND 6 am-6 pm inspection closures for the Alaskan Way Viaduct and 99 north of the West Seattle Bridge both days this weekend, plus stretches to the north of that, in phases.

7:20 AM: The problem north of the 1st Avenue S. Bridge continues blocking most lanes (which is also backing up Highway 509), and if you’re contemplating East Marginal Way S., a crash is reported at 4th.

7:38 AM: From SDOT, an illustration of how this is affecting traffic south of downtown:

And it’s raining.

7:51 AM: The Traffic Collision Investigation Squad will be investigating this, per radio communications. They expect that to take a few hours.

7:59 AM: In West Seattle, a three-car collision – no one hurt – is reported at Delridge/Genesee, blocking the bus lane. And right after we added this – police have spotted a 3-car crash at 40th/Morgan.

8:34 AM: According to SPD, the problem north of the 1st Avenue S. Bridge originated as a car/motorcycle crash. Its surface location is East Marginal/Fidalgo, and again, investigators will be at work there for hours, so if you are heading in from the south, find an alternate route.

8:46 AM: Jennifer Knutson shares a photo from 8th/Roxbury, where traffic is backed up because of the northbound 99 crash/investigation we’ve been tracking – this is a look at eastbound Roxbury:

Again, the 99 (East Marginal/Fidalgo) situation will be a problem for at least a few hours. We’ll update here whenever it reopens; even after we move on to other news atop the main WSB page, you can find the daily traffic watch linked atop the “BIG STORIES” list on the right sidebar, every weekday.

10:40 AM: East Marginal, aka surface 99, is now clear at the crash scene, all lanes open again.

11 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates; NB 99 crash south of WS Bridge; 35th SW paving"

  • Sue October 15, 2014 (7:12 am)

    Just got an email about a bus delay about 5 minutes ago: “Transit Alert – Expect possible service delays and/or reroutes on buses travelling northbound on SR-99 to downtown Seattle — Expect possible transit service delays and or reroutes on Metro routes 21, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, the RapidRide C Line and possibly the RapidRide D Line due to a blockage on northbound SR-99. No service is expected to be missed if your bus is rerouted.”

    • WSB October 15, 2014 (7:14 am)

      Thanks. By all accounts – SDOT, WSDOT, TV traffic people – the problem is reported to be south of the West Seattle Bridge, north of the 1st Avenue s. Bridge, though, so I don’t see how that will affect some of those routes. … maybe something new.

  • workdowntown October 15, 2014 (7:26 am)

    Wondered why 99 was so open this morning, from the WS bridge entrance. Went the speed limit most of the way!

  • Sue October 15, 2014 (7:36 am)

    i’m just getting on the 55 now, so will see shortly what – if anything – is going on.

  • Sue October 15, 2014 (8:12 am)

    Easiest commute I’ve had in months. No delay whatsoever in merging onto the 99 ramp. Obviously whoever sent the email didn’t pay attention to where the problem was.

  • pigzearz October 15, 2014 (9:40 am)

    Just got another message from Metro about the traffic ‘clearing up’ on 99 – which was absolutely NOT a problem this morning. Is there an alternative Metro universe that i’m not aware of???

    • WSB October 15, 2014 (9:53 am)

      Pigz, the problems were all south of the West Seattle Bridge, but as an earlier comment mentioned, Metro has sent at least one advisory (we are on the text list too) making it sound as if the problems were *north* …

  • Donn October 15, 2014 (9:51 am)

    Utility work at the downside of Olsen to Meyers Way which is causing back ups as well. Silly thing is that people still can’t be bothered to get off their phones, use turn signals, don’t block the intersection even on a rainy day

  • Wb October 15, 2014 (11:20 am)

    Horrible commute trying to take back roads instead of the West Seattle bridge. Roxbury, Meyers Way were a parking lot.

  • K Cryst October 15, 2014 (2:03 pm)

    Is there any follow up on the collision from this morning? I rode by the area and saw what appeared to be an early model lime green Ninja on the ground. Hopefully it wasn’t fatal. I hate seeing other bikers go down.
    People need to use their mirrors, signal for lane changes and put their phones down. Even though it is raining there are still motorcycles out there. And please don’t tailgate us in any weather. We have enough to deal with with potholes, railroad tracks, oil slicks, etc…

    • WSB October 15, 2014 (2:11 pm)

      All I know is: Non-life-threatening injuries. Which doesn’t explain why they called out TCI, but …

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