(SDOT MAP with camera/incident links; OFFICIAL #99CLOSURE INFOSITE; ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

4 PM: We’re launching afternoon/evening commute coverage, headed for West Seattle and vicinity, since it’s only the second weekday of the tunneling-related precautionary closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and patterns are far from settled. We’re watching and listening for incidents and anything else of note. Special request: If you’re taking the Water Taxi home, let us know how things are looking, as we aren’t able to get to the downtown dock today – editor@westseattleblog.com, text or voice 206-293-6302, or Twitter @westseattleblog – thanks!

4:27 PM: First report from the Water Taxi dock downtown – big line – “get there early,” advises the texter. Photo (thanks!):

Also, KCDOT is making new A-boards to help point people to the added parking areas on the West Seattle waterfront in the morning (see our pictorial how-to if you’re confused or haven’t done it before). And we have an update from WSDOT – they’ll be adding another daily progress report: “We will update the Bertha tracker around 4:00 a.m. (this is newly added), 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.”

Incident: Crash at 4th and Royal Brougham (stadium zone).

4:45 PM: SFD has closed out of that incident. Now there’s an SFD response on 1st at Walker (added, “light smoke from a transformer”). Note that we have 1st/4th cameras up at the top.

5:12 PM: Scanner: “4th Avenue SB is now clear.”

5:30 PM: Two updates – multiple reports that 5:15 pm Water Taxi from downtown was a full house, some have to wait for next run. But meantime, if you’re thinking of Water Taxi’ing tomorrow, the Pier 2 parking lot is still underutilized – 32 vehicles today, room for 200. Across from 7-11. Look for new signage.

Second update – crash at 1st/Columbia in the heart of downtown, blocking southbound. So if you’re coming from there or north of there, find an alternate route until you’re further south.

5:40 PM: Not on the 911 log, so apparently no injuries, but SDOT’s Traffic Ops Center reports a crash at 4th/Lucile in SODO.

5:52 PM: Comments and tweets suggest a challenging bus commute again this afternoon. (Added) Also via Twitter – capacity sailing for 5:45 pm Water Taxi.

6:14 PM: If you’re headed south on 99 before the closure zone – warning, there’s a “car fire” call described as Aurora to Denny, sounds like a bus.

8:48 PM: Commute reports are continuing in comments. Meantime, WSDOT’s evening progress report is up – 91 feet so far for the tunneling machine. We have updated the report originally published here around noon.

(SDOT MAP with camera/incident links; OFFICIAL #99CLOSURE INFOSITE; ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

5:03 AM: Good morning! We’re back on early traffic/transit watch for the second weekday of the Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. That includes the Water Taxi (which has its first run from Seacrest at 6:15 am) and low-bridge closures, if any (Friday morning’s commute had just one). No incidents so far. If you missed the weekend progress reports, after the expected slow start, the tunneling machine had gone a tenth of the under-Viaduct distance as of Sunday afternoon.

5:40 AM: The bridge is getting busier, as you can see in the camera views above. Still no problems. Forecast high today is 20+ degrees above normal – going into the 80s.

6 AM: SDOT notes that NB I-5 through downtown is getting busy. E-mail from Kristina reminds us of an update on some West Seattle road work – SW Yancy has reopened at Avalon as of Friday, but 30th SW was still closed on the south/east side of the intersection. We’re checking with SDOT today on how much longer work is expected to last.

6:15 AM: High-bridge backed up already, as John points out:

Taking the bus? Despite the Friday afternoon delays on Lander, Metro is not making changes so far. Today we will also again have an afternoon/evening traffic/transit watch with updates on how it goes. No sports in SODO tonight, though – the Mariners are on the road @ Oakland.

(Sunrise over early Water Taxi arrivals – photo by J. Leddy – thank you!)

6:28 AM: Our crew at Seacrest reports the Water Taxi’s first run was a little busier than last Friday – 87 passengers this morning, compared to 78. But there’s still room for MANY more (capacity 270+). We meantime asked what happens if the free shuttle runs late. During peak commute periods, WT reps tell us, the boat does not wait for the shuttle, though during off-peak periods it can wait a few minutes if it gets word of a delay.

6:51 AM: Bridge is backed up all the way to the 35th/Fauntleroy entrance, so allow tons of time if you have to use it any time soon. Meantime, 6:45 am Water Taxi passenger count was 142, up from Friday’s run at 124, but still lots of room, and remember the extra parking at Pier 2 (across from the 7/11) if you’re driving.

7:03 AM: Just getting going? Summary so far: No incidents. People leaving early – bridge already jammed. Water Taxi usage up a bit but lots of room remains, and it’s a beautiful day for a boat ride (see our crew’s 6:45 am photo here). Atop this report, we’ve added 1st Ave. S. and 4th Ave. S. cameras by request since those streets are carrying so much more traffic during the Viaduct closure.

7:31 AM: Definitely a busier commute than Friday, as many expected it would be. Water Taxi update from co-publisher Patrick Sand monitoring the situation at Seacrest – 221 for the 7:15 run, up from 180 on that run Friday. (Added: Carolyn Newman‘s overview photo of those who lined up for it:)

And we have an update on the shuttle problems that some riders have reported. The county acknowledges “driver error” which included a “missed stop.”

7:45 AM: Texter reminds us that the 15th/Holden light for the Delridge-Highland Park Greenway is now activated, just a bit east of signalized 16th/Holden, and says backups have resulted.

8:02 AM: Thanks to everyone who’s reporting how their commute went. At the Water Taxi dock, we’ve learned that the 7:45 run had 212 passengers (was 180 on Friday). Via Twitter, we got a question about whether they’re maxing out on bicycles yet. No, the WT reps tell us, but if they did hit the full 26-bike capacity of the rack, they can still fit another half-dozen or so here or there around the boat. On the roads – still sloooooooooooow going.

8:20 AM: Try the bus! Josh tweeted this:

8:25 AM: First crash reported this morning in this general area – 1st Ave. S. and East Marginal Way. Haven’t heard yet on injuries or traffic effects.

8:33 AM: Almost capacity for 8:15 am Water Taxi sailing – 255 passengers. Spirit of Kingston (the old WT) has just come over for an unannounced extra run.

Meantime, if you’re at the dock and noticed the SFD emergency response going by – automatic fire alarm at Salty’s (WSB sponsor) nearby, BUT the arriving crews found NO problem so they’re being dismissed.

8:50 AM: More commute reports in the comments, and on Twitter, suggesting that the later going today was much faster than Friday.

This is a lot like what happened during 2011’s “Viadoom” – the real trick here in the days ahead will be, don’t go back to your old ways – keep up with the alternatives/changes, so everything gets spread around.

8:55 AM: 120 on that run with the Spirit of Kingston, which basically became the 8:45 Water Taxi, our crew says, since the near-capacity crowd on the 8:15 run pushed its departure back. (Added: KCDOT clarified in e-mail: “The Doc Maynard had 255 riders on the 815am sailing, which left late at 828am. To help serve customers, we did this: Our Spirit of Kingston boat was done with the extra 99Closure trips to Vashon, so it was brought over to make sure the scheduled 845am departure from West Seattle left on time, and left carrying 131 riders (capacity is 147). It operated kind of like a standby bus does for Metro, maintaining the published schedule. It was not providing an added trip, just a reliable one. It is a back-up plan we can use when we need to help service stay on schedule, but only works when the boat is available. It had the capacity for the riders who needed it.”)

9:17 AM: Earlier, we mentioned the 30th/Yancy/Avalon project, and that we were checking its status with SDOT. The reply:

SW Yancy St is now permanently open. The crews will return to stripe the crosswalk across SW Avalon Way, which will require very short-term lane closures. We will send out an email update to our listserv later today with these details, once the schedule is confirmed.