One more Seafair Torchlight alert that might affect you long before the parade
(Photo from 2015 pre-parade float procession out of West Seattle)
We’ve been mentioning all week that the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for a while Saturday evening for the return of the Seafair Torchlight Run, before the downtown parade (which is NOT on The Viaduct). There’s one other way you might be affected – though we don’t have official comment from Seafair, “no parking” signs along both sides of Harbor Avenue SW indicate that the parade floats will again be traveling to/from, and stored at, Terminal 5 before Saturday night’s parade, as has been done in in past years. South of the Harbor Ave. gate to the port facility, the signs on the south/eastbound side prohibit parking 2 am-10 am Saturday morning, while north/westbound signs prohibit parking 7 pm Saturday night-2 am Sunday morning. The past few years, the floats have headed out around 8 am Saturday, but pending an official response from Seafair, we don’t yet know this year’s schedule.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates
(HERE’S THE REVAMPED SDOT MAP with travel times/video links)
7:02 AM: Good morning. There’s a crash response in the 1300 block of Alki SW right now, though SFD closed out of it within minutes – no other outbound incidents from West Seattle so far.
7:15 AM: Trouble on NB I-5 – stalled vehicle blocking right lane before Seneca.
7:40 AM: I-5 now clear but slow.
TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash on Fauntleroy Way by Lincoln Park
10:21 AM: If you’re headed to or from the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, or Lincoln Park, note that a multiple-car crash is reported in the 7500 block of Fauntleroy Way. No serious injuries reported so far but police say “two of the vehicles can’t move” and SFD has been dispatched.
10:35 AM: The collision is on the north side, as shown in our photo; traffic is being directed around via south-side lanes, including what would be the ferry waiting lane if this were a busier outbound time of day. SFD has already left after determining that no one needed to be treated.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday updates
(HERE’S THE REVAMPED SDOT MAP with travel times/video links)
6:58 AM: SDOT just finished cleaning up after a crash on the west end of the westbound bridge last hour, re-setting the jersey barriers near Charlestown, and that was affecting eastbound traffic. We’ve heard police (via scanner) just report that the scene is clear.
7 AM: SDOT has also just verified this as well. Meantime, road alert from King County, starting today and lasting about two weeks: SW 104th is closed from 15th Ave SW to 16th Ave SW; crews are “replacing a deep, deteriorated underground drainage system.”
7:11 AM: Bus cancellation:
8:33 AM: If you use 1st Avenue S. to get into downtown, an alert from SDOT:
TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE: Highway 99 reopens both ways after fire under Viaduct
(SDOT screengrab from 3:45 pm)
6:37 PM: If you’re heading back this way from points north of downtown, note that SB Highway 99 is closed from Denny, just before the Battery Street Tunnel, to Columbia. This is in the aftermath of a fire under the Alaskan Way Viaduct that closed NB 99 for a short time as well (but that’s since reopened). Seattle Police report an arrest related to the fire:
Both the Seattle Police and Seattle Fire Department responded to a report of a brush fire in the 1900 block of Alaskan Way just before 4 p.m. Sunday. The firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze that engulfed a nearby homeless encampment. Officers arrested a man who witnesses claimed set the fire. Officers will book the man into King County Jail for investigation of arson.
The Seattle Department of Transportation will be inspecting the underside of the viaduct in the area to see if there was any structural damage caused by the heat.
7:48 PM: SDOT says Highway 99 has reopened southbound, too.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch and weekend reminders; jackknifed truck on Olson/1st hill
(HERE’S THE REVAMPED SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:09 AM: Good morning! Again today, it’s been an incident-free morning in/from West Seattle.
REMINDERS FOR SATURDAY: As early as 7 am tomorrow, road closures and parking restrictions start for preparations for the West Seattle Grand Parade and the Float Dodger 5K preceding it. The main closure and parking restrictions are on California between Admiral and Edmunds, but also some side streets to the west and east for staging. Bus reroutes are listed on the Metro alerts page. … In White Center, the Jubilee Days festival will close 16th SW as well as 17th SW between SW 100th and Roxbury, from early Saturday until late Sunday – map and details here.
7:54 AM: A medical response is headed to NB I-5 at 90.
9:50 AM: Jackknifed truck is blocking the road to the SB 509 onramp (and beyond) from Olson/1st hill, per reader text.
11:12 AM: Went through the area a little while ago:
TRAFFIC ALERT: 2-car crash in Fauntleroy
12:12 PM: If you’re headed to/from the Fauntleroy ferry dock from the south, or to/from the Endolyne business district in Fauntleroy, heads-up – SFD and SPD are responding to a two-car crash at 45th and Wildwood [map]. We’re on the way to check it out.
12:21 PM: Our crew reports there are no serious injuries and the vehicles already have been moved off to the side, so once police and fire clear out, things will be back to normal.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch
(HERE’S THE REVAMPED SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:53 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported so far in or from West Seattle.
LOOKING AHEAD TO SATURDAY: The “no parking” signs you might have noticed along California aren’t left over from Summer Fest – they’re for the West Seattle Grand Parade this Saturday, July 22nd (and the Float Dodger 5K that precedes it). California will be closed to traffic between Admiral and Edmunds. We’ll have a detailed preview later today.
9:40 AM: Reader reports shards of glass “every 200 feet or so” in Fauntleroy Way bicycle lane between Morgan and Fairmount Park. We’ve asked her to be sure SDOT is notified for cleanup, for starters (206-684-ROAD, and if you ever see a debris hazard and can’t get them that way, call 911).
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday watch; Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry run down to 2 boats
(HERE’S THE REVAMPED SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning! The high-bridge cameras are down again, so we have just the low-bridge and Highway 99 views above. A few notes: Yes, the West Seattle Summer Fest breakdown did finish very early today and the streets in The Junction are open again. … No incidents reported in or from West Seattle so far … Reminder that it’s the second week of the sidewalk project on eastbound Roxbury between 28th and 30th SW.
LOOKING AHEAD: The West Seattle Grand Parade is next Saturday (July 22nd), 11 am-1 pm or so, on California between SW Lander in Admiral and SW Edmunds in The Junction, preceded by the Float Dodger 5K along most of the same route. Streets will close relatively early in the morning, including some side streets near the start, for staging. We’ll have updates throughout the week.
8:05 AM: A texter reports a two-car crash on the eastbound bridge “cleared to the gore point on 99.” There’s no 911 or SDOT mention, so, just FYI.
8:35 AM: The M/V Sealth needs steering repairs so Washington State Ferries says the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is down to two boats – “Cancels Fauntleroy: 8:25, 9:30, 11:15, & 12:20; Vashon: 9:00, 10:35, & 11:50. Southworth: 10:15” per Twitter.
8:50 AM: If you use the West Seattle Water Taxi and usually pair it with another transportation service to get between downtown and the dock, you might be interested in a new private shuttle that’s launching today, according to a news release we received – its downtown loop includes Colman Dock. “Seattle Connex” is starting a three-month test; details here.
1:39 PM: The Sealth is returning to service with the 1:40 pm departure from Fauntleroy, WSF announced.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Rolling Viaduct slowdowns for commercial filming
Tonight (Wednesday), after the peak of evening commute, you might want to avoid The Viaduct. WSDOT explains why:
Drivers who use State Route 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct to get through downtown Seattle should expect up to thirty-minute delays on Wednesday evening, July 12.
Officers from the Seattle Police Department will perform intermittent rolling slowdowns on both directions of SR 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. The rolling slowdowns will allow crews to safely film a commercial.
Northbound SR 99 traffic will gradually slow to 10 mph starting near South Royal Brougham Way. Southbound SR 99 traffic will slow down near Western Avenue. Pilot cars will lead the slowed traffic across the viaduct until the roadway is clear, then allow traffic to accelerate back to highway speeds.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch
(HERE’S THE SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning! The high-bridge cameras are still down. No incidents reported in/from West Seattle. One road-work alert continues:
ROXBURY SIDEWALK WORK: We checked on Monday and as announced, the project to build sidewalks and replace road panels along the south (eastbound) side of SW Roxbury between 28th and 30th has indeed begun.
WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST: We’ll be reminding you all week – Junction road closures and bus reroutes for West Seattle Summer Fest start at 6 pm Thursday and continue through late Sunday night, California between Edmunds and Genesee (with Oregon remaining open to east-west traffic) and Alaska between 42nd and 44th. The reroute alerts are now online here.
UTILITY/TRAFFIC ALERT: Power-line work on West Seattle Bridge Friday night, possibly Saturday night
If you’ll be out late Friday night/early Saturday morning, and possibly Saturday into Sunday, you’ll want to avoid the east half of the West Seattle Bridge (aka the Spokane Street Viaduct). Here’s the alert:
Seattle City Light crews plan to improve electrical system reliability by pulling new wire over the top of the Spokane Street Viaduct near 2nd Avenue South.
To work safely, traffic will be reduced to one lane and the speed limit dropped to 25 mph in both the east and west bound directions of the Spokane Street Viaduct between 1st Avenue South and 6th Avenue South. See the work zone map below. Work will occur on Friday, July 14, and, if necessary, Saturday, July 15.
Drivers should expect slowdowns during this time.
Lane reduction details:
The nights of Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15 (if needed)
· Traffic will be reduced to one lane and speed limits dropped to 25 mph in both directions from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
· Washington State Patrol and extra City Light equipment will be positioned in the work zone to promote safety.
· Access to 1st Avenue South and 4th Avenue South ramps will be maintained.
Once energized, the newly installed electrical wire will improve system reliability and add capacity to the South of Downtown (SODO) area.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday updates; this week’s alerts
(HERE’S THE SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:07 AM: Good morning! First, please note that SDOT’s cameras for the “high bridge” are not working this morning, so that’s why you don’t see them above. Second: No incidents right now in/from West Seattle. Third, alerts:
FERRY ALERT: The Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is still down to two boats, since the Issaquah was taken out of service Sunday afternoon because of mechanical trouble.
ROXBURY SIDEWALK WORK: The two-month project to build sidewalks and replace road panels along the south (eastbound) side of SW Roxbury between 28th and 30th is scheduled to start today, according to the most-recent announcement from King County Roads. We’ll be checking the area for signs of staging.
WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST: From Thursday night through Sunday night, California SW in The Junction, between Edmunds and Genesee, will be off-limits to motorized vehicle traffic, as will SW Alaska between 42nd and 44th, all for West Seattle Summer Fest – road closures start at 6 pm Thursday for setup and continue until late Sunday night for breakdown. Lots of fun stuff during those nights and days, too, and we’ll be publishing more previews later today and right up until it all begins. This of course means bus reroutes too – Metro hasn’t published them yet but they’ll be part of our coverage too (and if you find yourself in The Junction during the festival, looking for where to catch a bus, come see us in the Info Booth at California/Alaska because we’ll have the list).
9:29 AM: As pointed out in comments, Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth is back to all three boats.
UPDATE: 1 killed in SB I-5 crash before West Seattle Bridge exit
5:30 PM: If you have yet to head this way out of downtown or points north,, don’t take southbound I-5. A crash has closed the two right lanes just before the West Seattle Bridge (including the offramp to the bridge), and according to the State Patrol, it’s a deadly crash involving a motorcycle, so the closures will likely continue for quite some time. No other details yet.
5:51 PM: WSDOT tweets that the ramp has reopened. Still a big backup, though.
6:51 PM: Commenter says the ramp is NOT open. Meantime, the State Patrol says the investigation is continuing:
7:18 PM: WSDOT says all lanes are open. If there is any further information about the crash later from the WSP, we’ll add it here.
10:45 PM: WSP says the motorcycle rider, a 45-year-old Bellevue man, was “traveling at a high rate and in and out of traffic” and hit a car driven by a 47-year-old Seattle woman. He died at the scene. She was not hurt.
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