TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Pre-holiday Friday; truck hits lift under bridge

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

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

6:57 AM: Good morning and happy Friday. No incidents in or from West Seattle, so far. Here’s what you need to know as the holiday weekend arrives:

NEXT BRIDGE CLOSURE, TUESDAY NIGHT: The Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-safety work is done for the week, and because of Monday’s holiday, the next overnight closure of the west end of the West Seattle Bridge isn’t scheduled until Tuesday night-Wednesday morning.

HOLIDAY TRANSIT CHANGES: They’re in our one-page West Seattle 4th of July guide.

MONDAY PARADE: Later this morning, we’re publishing an update on Monday’s 4th of July Kids’ Parade in North Admiral. If you’re not participating or watching, main thing to remember in terms of traffic is that the parade crosses California SW at Atlantic while en route to the endpoint at Hamilton Viewpoint Park, and police stop traffic at that point. Metro Route 128 will be rerouted, too.

CITYWIDE ALERTS: Here’s the SDOT roundup for the holiday weekend, including the M’s schedule at Safeco.

8:01 AM: We’re hearing a dispatch for an emergency response on or near the West Seattle Bridge – the medical response is being sent to the Nucor vicinity, possibly a construction worker falling from a lift; we haven’t yet heard what they’ve found, but if you’re seeing a response in the area, that’s what’s going on.

8:09 AM: According to the scanner, a construction worker fell at least 30 feet from a lift and is being rushed to the hospital – there is reported to be a second victim on the ramp to Admiral from lower Spokane St. We’re still not clear on how this happened nor how it is affecting traffic but are headed to the scene to try to find out.

8:13 AM: Per scanner, a truck hit the lift, causing the fall. The victim is reported to be 40 years old and has multiple injuries. We will likely break this out to a separate report shortly but for now it appears westbound lower Spokane to Admiral is where the traffic effects are. Police are investigating.

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8:49 AM: SFD has clarified that the two people who were hurt and taken to the hospital are both workers. One has life-threatening injuries. The other is seriously hurt, per SFD. The major incident-investigation squad TCIS has responded so the ramp to Admiral – again, this is the ramp from surface Spokane, not from the bridge itself – will likely be closed for hours.

9:35 AM: We’re continuing our coverage of the lift/truck incident in this just-published story.

10 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Pre-holiday Friday; truck hits lift under bridge"

  • AMD July 1, 2016 (8:44 am)

    What a terrible fall!  I hope the worker is okay.

    • WSB July 1, 2016 (8:48 am)

      SFD has now updated that the two people hurt were both workers – one with life-threatening injuries.

  • Mike July 1, 2016 (8:55 am)

    Horrible, hope they pull through and wishing them the best.

  • sam-c July 1, 2016 (8:58 am)

    That sounds horrifying.  My thoughts are with the workers and their friends and families.

  • AMD July 1, 2016 (9:00 am)

    :(

    Keeping the workers and their families in my thoughts today.

  • Ellen July 1, 2016 (9:12 am)

    Last night I drove up that ramp from Spokane to Admiral and the lift was in one lane with just a rubber cone separating it from the other lane with the basket fully extended and thought…that is so dangerous.   That entire construction zone under the bridge is incredibly dangerous even with the police presence.  I know that with all of the regular traffic delays in Seattle construction feels like one more aggravation but please slow down and be extra cautious in construction zones.  These guys are just trying to earn a living and get home to their families.   So please go slow and give them a wide berth.  It’s not worth crippling or killing someone to get to a bbq 1 minute earlier.  

  • Brenda July 1, 2016 (10:40 am)

    Well said Ellen. Too many people now in West Seattle for these roads over here. 

  • Neighbor July 1, 2016 (1:46 pm)

    I don’t think we have too many people but with the increased traffic that more people generate we have to rethink how we drive.  Too many drivers here that are only concerned with how quickly they get to their destination regardless of safety. I commute through here by bike daily and see many drivers not look when turning and speeding up Admiral. I shouldn’t have to be fearful of my life when riding a bike.  

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