VIADUCT CLOSURE, DAY 7: Afternoon & evening traffic, transit, tunneling updates

(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)

4:09 PM: Our afternoon/evening commute watch is under way. First – if you haven’t seen it yet, we followed up on this morning’s big issues during today’s media conference call. We’ve also just updated the resulting story with new information from the Port.

30th/Avalon/Yancy project update – we just went by and while the flashing-beacon signs are in, the crosswalk was chalked, not striped. So we’re checking with SDOT on that.

We also just talked by phone with a local resident who asked us to share a plea for people cutting through residential side streets to get around clogged arterials: PLEASE, PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY. She’s in Highland Park but the plea could be from anywhere. The frustrated drivers using cut-throughs have almost hit at least two people on her street. Let’s at least get through all this without sending people (or pets) to the hospital … or the grave.

4:48 PM: Police are diverting from their previously planned traffic-management posts downtown to an unannounced protest march southbound on 5th, approaching Cherry at last report. SDOT is updating on Twitter.

5:12 PM: The downtown protest – which is about the shooting death of Che Taylor and other deaths – has closed Cherry east of 4th, according to SDOT (that’s between City Hall and SPD HQ).

5:23 PM: Just got word from KCDOT’s Jeff Switzer – who also sent the photo – that the need for more bike parking for Water Taxi users led SDOT to install a temp corral at Seacrest:

5:56 PM: “It’s gridlock right now downtown,” and not just because of the aforementioned protest, we just heard SPD say via scanner.

6:31 PM: Buses are still running late – someone just texted us a screenshot of a list of how far behind many are. Also, see comments. (And thank you yet again for the commute reports.)

8:21 PM: It’s official – the tunneling machine is now more than halfway along its path of digging beneath the Viaduct – 195 of the 385 feet, as of less than an hour ago.

M May 5, 2016 (4:40 pm)

Why would the city allow a march down 5th Ave during rush hour while the viaduct is closed???

WSB May 5, 2016 (4:44 pm)

I don’t think this march has a permit. It certainly wasn’t announced in advance.

John May 5, 2016 (4:48 pm)

I passed the protest and knew it was probably gonna cause some havoc. All busses at 3rd/Virginia are about 15 mins behind… Not sure what’s holding them up before hitting the downtown core. Finally got the 4:30 116x at about 4:45.

WSB May 5, 2016 (4:54 pm)

I’ve added the protest to the narrative because it’s getting toward the south end of downtown and it’s not clear where the march is headed. But so far as I can tell via scanner, they’ve stayed on 5th Avenue.

K. Davis May 5, 2016 (4:56 pm)

Just watched the protest go by my building – not many – maybe 30-40 people, (pushing a coffin) with police following. I think the police are playing it smart – the traffic snarl will clear quickly by just letting them march through.

WSB May 5, 2016 (4:58 pm)

The other unexpected “incident” this afternoon, not really in our coverage area but might be having some effects – there have been small fires along the railroad tracks in the Interbay area, and some trains have been delayed. If you DON’T see train traffic in SODO this afternoon, that might be at least partly why. I’ve heard a mention that a Sounder train is delayed but can’t tell how many freight trains are affected. – TR

M May 5, 2016 (4:57 pm)

Reports say it’s a Black Lives Matter Protest. I’m all about supporting the cause, but this is just unsafe and stupid.

newnative May 5, 2016 (4:58 pm)

Stuck on Denny at First for 15 minutes. 4:55 on #13

John May 5, 2016 (4:59 pm)

We made it through town and to Lander just fine… Strange.

WSLiz May 5, 2016 (5:11 pm)

Waiting at Westlake and Harrison over 30 minutes with no C lines during peak rush hour. Apps are reporting they came and went but they aren’t actually showing up. More than 4 no shows based on the sign/onebusaway. It’s going to take a while to clear the backup of people waiting.

Rachel May 5, 2016 (5:28 pm)

WSLiz: what time was that? Thanks!

WSB May 5, 2016 (5:38 pm)

In case she isn’t back soon … I apologize for the lack of timestamps on the pure-mobile view … her comment was at 5:11 pm.

sam-c May 5, 2016 (5:47 pm)

Saw 3 police cars flying north on delridge, but then they went west on genesse. That wasn’t for protest was it? This was around 5:10

WSB May 5, 2016 (5:54 pm)

Nope, there was no urgent response to protest, just diverting the SPD already on traffic-enforcement watch downtown. Don’t know what that was for; we haven’t had anything major around here this afternoon…

Sam May 5, 2016 (5:57 pm)

Wow. 3rd going and 4th going north are parking lots, meaning the WS buses departing Belltown are way behind in getting to start their routes. I’m on a 57 that was 26 min late arriving at 3rd-Bell, according to the driver, and departed at 5:43. It’s 5:55 and we’re just now at Spring.

stb May 5, 2016 (6:05 pm)

Yup. Downtown is painful all the way from SLU.

Franci May 5, 2016 (6:15 pm)

Wow, glad I got out of SLU when I did! I left at 4:20 and entered 5th from Madison, but that explains why the traffic heading south on 5th was unusually light.

Elton May 5, 2016 (6:16 pm)

Despite the gridlock, lots of people in line for 6:15 taxi, probably almost 200 in line right now but we haven’t started boarding so will likely leave 5 minutes late

water taxi rider May 5, 2016 (6:19 pm)

I gave up waiting for the bus and took the water taxi. I was near the back of the line but was able to get on board.

Downtown traffic is a mess because of the protesters.

Sam May 5, 2016 (6:23 pm)

That 57 I was on got to Adm-Cali at 6:23. Not bad once we got out of downtown.

Irene May 5, 2016 (6:59 pm)

I left work downtown, walked to the water taxi doc, stood in line for about three minutes, and then boarded the 6:15 boat to West Seattle, which looked less than half full. So glad to be able to avoid the snarl downtown!

LisaB May 5, 2016 (7:15 pm)

Compassion and calming thoughts go out to all those dealing with all the traffic issue. Hang in there!

I live in Highland Park and simply wanted to thank WSB for reminding people to SLOW DOWN. “Let’s at least get through all this without sending people (or pets) to the hospital … or the grave.”

As I said, I empathize, I have been there too, but, please, don’t take your frustration out on the gas pedal or with erratic, angry driving.

Not just now, with all these frustrations, but every day, SLOW DOWN!! Your loved ones are waiting for you to arrive, give them that gift, even twenty minutes late.

newnative May 5, 2016 (7:54 pm)

It took 45 minutes to get from lower Queen Anne to 3rd & virginia by bus. took light rail to Sodo and caught the #50. that took just thirty minutes to reach Admiral.

YourAdHere May 5, 2016 (8:44 pm)

Regarding the police response, I saw several police cars with lights on parked along California near Spokane at about 5:20pm this afternoon.

angelescrest May 5, 2016 (9:10 pm)

For the past four out of five days I’ve ridden to work in the CD on my bike: to downtown and up Jackson. Today, due to logistics, I had to get back into the car. Took me an hour. Not only did I feel guilty passing the Alki Bike Trail, I missed the glide of the bike on the road. And the glaring woman who would not let me merge on the bridge (what a meanie at 8:15 am), made me miss the bike ride even more. For all of those who’ve encouraged other to try biking: thank you.

K'lo May 6, 2016 (10:14 am)

re:Seacrest bicycle rack – I thought it odd that the new bike rack had been installed, replacing a double bike rack that was unobtrusive, next to the rail. The new one is smaller and kind of in the way as opposed to what seemed a better set up that had existed quite nicely for years!

Sorry, comment time is over.