(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:34 AM: Early trouble: Northbound I-5 is backed up to and through downtown because of a jack-knifed semi-truck near Mercer, currently blocking the two left lanes. And if for any reason you are headed this way from north of downtown, the southbound Battery Street Tunnel is closed with a stalled vehicle.
6:43 AM: WSDOT reports tow trucks have pulled the semi out of the way, so now it’s just “residual backup” on northbound I-5. We’ll take the chance to publish this morning’s transportation-news notes:
35TH SW SAFETY PROJECT KICKOFF MEETING TONIGHT: 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW), a meeting you could say has been years in the making. This isn’t the unveiling of a plan, according to SDOT, but an “issue identification/feedback session,” as explained a ways down the project’s home page.
7:07 AM: The southbound Battery Street Tunnel has reopened.
‘WHAT TIME DO YOU HIT THE BRIDGE?’: WSB Forums member “Beaglenut” is asking the question here as an informal poll. Come back for the link later and jump into the conversation!
7:47 AM: New truck trouble on NB I-5 into downtown – a stalled semi in the right lane before the Convention Center lid.
8:26 AM: Delridge has been worse than usual, per commenters. Nothing officially on the logs or otherwise mentioned, so we’re not sure if there’s a specific cause besides “terrible commuting morning overall.”
In cheerier news – If you ride ferries or maybe the Vashon Water Taxi, watch again for whales. We reported late-in-the-day sightings yesterday – and now an Orca Network commenter on Facebook has first word of one today, a few whales seen last hour from the Bainbridge ferry.
8:35 AM: Thanks to Dartanyon for the tip via Twitter, if you’re headed toward Beacon Hill: “Disabled Vehicle left lane, Spokane Street between 14th and 15th.”
9:15 AM: SPD tweets that there’s been a spinout in the NORTHBOUND Battery Street Tunnel, with one lane blocked.
9:45 AM: Now **all** northbound lanes of 99 at the tunnel are reported by SDOT to be blocked while tow crews clear everything out.
9:53 AM: All lanes open, per SPD.
3 PM: Various traffic challenges around West Seattle but biggest one is likely to last into the afternoon commute, at last report: 9th SW at Henderson, Barton, Trenton is closed because of a power-pole fire; the pole is going to be replaced, we were told.
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