UPDATE: About the police response on West Seattle Bridge
6:01 PM: Thanks to SDOT for the image: A Seattle Police/State Patrol response has two lanes blocked on the westbound West Seattle Bridge. According to what we heard via scanner, a state trooper had someone at gunpoint, and called for backup. SPD responded (you might have seen multiple cars headed full code through West Seattle). We don’t know the circumstances of the arrest or what preceded it, but everything is reported to be under control now.
6:35 PM: The scene has cleared to the shoulder, so no lanes blocked any more, per SDOT. Meantime, WSP Trooper Rick Johnson just called us after we asked what this was all about. He said a trooper “on his way to work at the ferry terminal” tried to pull over the driver, a woman, for reasons as yet unknown, and she refused to stop – so he saw what Johnson called a “perfect opportunity” for a PIT maneuver – Pursuit Intervention Technique, which causes the pursued vehicle to lose control and spin to a stop. He subsequently took the driver into custody; an ambulance was called to check her out because at the very least, Johnson explains, that gives the driver a jolt. She’ll eventually be booked into jail.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:01 AM: Good morning! No incidents or traffic alerts of note for West Seattle and vicinity so far.
LOOKING AHEAD: Now that we’re at midweek, two things of note – Friday is Bike Everywhere Day, and as usual there will be a “celebration station” where riders can stop under the bridge; Sunday is the West Seattle 5K, with Alki/Harbor closed during the race, roughly 8-11 am.
8:55 AM: Via scanner, we’ve just heard a dispatch for a collision at California/Edmunds. No SFD crew sent so far, so apparently no injuries.
ROAD-WORK ALERTS: Two closures ahead – 18th/Myrtle, 35th/104th
Two SDOT updates on local projects bring news of closures ahead:
18TH/MYRTLE: On Puget Ridge, the project near Sanislo Elementary continues, with an unanticipated closure in a week:
This week, our crews continued work at SW Orchard St, 18th Ave SW, and SW Myrtle St. We worked with Seattle Public Utilities to relocate a fire hydrant and worked with Seattle City Light to relocate light poles along SW Orchard St. We were also able to pour concrete to complete more sidewalks and curb corners. Our crews worked on adjusting driveway thresholds along SW Orchard St.
During our earlier excavation work, we discovered the roadbed under the intersection of SW Myrtle St and 18th Ave SW was in worse shape than we had expected. Because of this unforeseen circumstance, our crews will have to completely demolish and reconstruct the intersection. We are scheduled to do this work on Saturday, May 19 – this work will require full closure of the intersection of SW Myrtle St and 18th Ave SW. Our crews will begin work as early as 7:00 am as we hope to complete this work by Sunday morning to minimize impact to school related traffic. Detours will be in place during this work. The newly paved intersection will have a smaller traffic circle footprint to widen the street around it and allow for larger vehicles more space for turning movements.
Then later this month, the start date is set for the long-planned closure for drainage work related to the Arbor Heights sidewalk project:
35TH/104TH: SDOT also sent an update about the Arbor Heights sidewalk project:
We will be starting construction work on 35th Ave SW between SW 100th St and SW 106th St on the week of May 21. Our crews may begin moving construction equipment into the area and begin preparation work as early as late next week. We will begin full closure of 35th Ave SW between SW 104th St and SW 106th St on Tuesday, May 29. This closure will last through mid to late June for our crews to replace the stormwater drainage and detention system underground. Detours and reroutes for access to Arbor Heights Elementary and Westside School have identified. A map will be available and included in next week’s update.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch; California Way tree trouble
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:02 AM: We start this morning’s traffic watch with a photo and report from Al:
That’s a tree blocking California Way downhill from Hamilton Viewpoint Park. Otherwise, no incidents in the area so far.
6:12 AN: Metro has sent an alert that the blockage is likely to cause delays on Water Taxi shuttle Route 775.
7:47 AM: SFD is checking out some kind of fuel spill on the NB Viaduct at Western.
10:45 AM: Went by California Way – still closed.
4:45 PM: Finally got to check back a short time ago, and it has since reopened.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday watch
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:58 AM: Good morning! No transit alerts so far this morning, but we have one traffic alert, for the westbound bridge, from SDOT: “The offramp from the West Seattle Bridge WB to SW Spokane St is closed due to a collision.” If you were headed for that offramp, you’ll have to use Delridge instead.
7:23 AM: That has cleared.
ROAD WORK ALERT: Eastbound bridge deck repair today
Just got word of this from SDOT, which says it’s happening now, and since it’ll affect traffic well beyond the morning commute, we’re publishing it outside the traffic report:
Emergency deck spall repair work, on the (bridge).
The location is eastbound in the left general-purpose lane approximately 10 feet after the exit for 4th Ave S.
Crews should complete all work by 3:30.
Message board signs will be in place to alert drivers, approaching the work area.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:09 AM: Good morning! Only one incident reported in the area – if you head this way from points north, note that there’s a crash blocking one lane of southbound 99 at King St.
7:16 AM: That has cleared.
7:23 AM: If you use East Marginal Way to head to/from downtown, note there’s a crash response right where it becomes Alaskan Way near Massachusetts.
7:29 AM: SDOT says that crash is blocking SB lanes but not NB.
7:33 AM: From the scanner, trouble at 4th/Spokane, blocking a westbound lane there.
7:38 AM: SDOT reports the East Marginal/Alaskan Way S. scene is all clear.
7:40 AM: Transit alert – the Metro Route 113 bus that would usually leave 26th SW/SW 116th, downtown-bound, right now, won’t operate today, Metro just texted.
TRAFFIC ALERT: 2 crashes on 35th SW
4:01 PM: If you’re going to be using 35th SW south of Morgan any time soon, heads up – there are two crashes, one at Morgan involving a vehicle that lost at least one wheel, and just now, a 5-vehicle crash blocking the northbound lane in the 7700 block of 35th (at or near Holden). We’re on our way to check.
4:14 PM: Above, the cars on NB 35th just south of Holden have moved to the side. No injuries, we’re told. Checking 35th/Morgan next.
4:24 PM: Above is the pickup that lost a wheel at 35th and Morgan. Police are there and a tow truck too, blocking the inside northbound lane of 35th. No injuries reported in either incident.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:28 AM: Thanks for the text – there’s a West Seattle incident working right now in the Myers Way/Olson vicinity, right lane by Arrowhead Gardens. Otherwise, nothing reported in this general area.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday watch
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:27 AM: Good morning! No traffic incidents or transit alerts of note in/from West Seattle so far on this final day of April.
8:10 AM: Trouble in the HOV lane on the NB First Ave S Bridge.
9:27 AM: For later commuters: Crash at 35th SW and SW Snoqualmie. SFD en route to check on at least one person who might be hurt. (added) Texter says it’s blocking the northbound side.
TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE: Jacobsen Road reopens after 12-hour tree closure
7:14 AM: Thanks for the texts! That tree is blocking Jacobsen Road (map) right now, so if you’re trying to get to/from Beach Drive, you’ll have to take a different route. We hope it has been reported already – if not, 911 is appropriate for something blocking a road, and/or the 24-hour SDOT dispatch center, 206-386-1218.
12:30 PM: Still closed at last report – please let us know if you find otherwise. Apparently wires are involved and so City Light was involved as well as a SDOT tree crew.
5:58 PM: As noted in commenters, crews arrived around 3:30 pm. Apparently there is a major incident up north that kept them busy. We took this photo around 5 pm:
Our photographer is going back shortly to check again.
7:03 PM: It wasn’t open when we looked again around 6:30 but commenters say it is now. Thanks for the updates!
TRAFFIC ALERT: 18th/Orchard closure continuing
An alert from SDOT late today that the 18th/Orchard closure on Puget Ridge as part of the Sanislo Elementary Safe Routes to School project will continue through and beyond the weekend:
This week, our crews have started demolition and grading work on the roadway along SW Orchard St in preparation for curb construction. We also completed storm drain installation in this stretch of the project site. Because our crews are moving quicker than anticipated, we took advantage of the nice weather this week and began paving the area. This work required a full closure at the intersection of SW Orchard St and 18th Ave SW. The closure was effective as of this past Wednesday, 4/25 and will remain in place 24/7 until next Friday, 5/4. We had envisioned that we may be able to keep one lane northbound open for drivers to access SW Myrtle St, however, we learned that it would not be wide enough for cars to get through safely and thus require full closure of the intersection.
Our crews have placed street closure and detour signs to provide drivers advance notice of the intersection closure and detour. Our detour for travelers going eastbound on SW Orchard St is down Dumar Way SW and then north onto 16th Ave SW. We have a “Street Closed, Local Access Only” sign at SW Orchard St as it splits into Dumar Way SW to inform drivers that it is for residents access only. We also added reflective barrels and blinking lights at SW Orchard St and 18th Ave SW to help light up the street closure and detour signs. We hope this will help drivers better and more safely navigate around the intersection.
Backstory on the project is here.
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