West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning and welcome to the first full week of June. No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far this morning.
7:20 AM: Crash reported on NB I-5 at the bridge.
7:55 AM: That’s finally cleared.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: No incidents of note reported in our area so far this morning. Reminders:
WEEKEND I-5 CLOSURES: Remember that NB I-5 has two sets of major closures starting tonight, south and just north of here – here again are the details and maps.
STADIUM ZONE: Mariners’ home stand this weekend vs. Tampa Bay, with a 7:10 pm game tonight.
7:11 AM: First incident of the morning. Crash reported at Fauntleroy/Brandon.
7:18 AM: Also an Alaskan Way Viaduct problem – SDOT reports a stalled semi blocking the offramp from Western.
7:51 AM: Ramp problem cleared.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported so far this morningin/from West Seattle.
DOWNTOWN/SODO ALERTS: Thanks to Tony for sharing the alert about a big labor rally at Westlake, 3-5 pm … also, the Mariners’ home stand continues vs. the Rangers, 7:10 pm.
I-5 CLOSURES THIS WEEKEND: More than “north of the West Seattle Bridge” – here’s the plan.
ONGOING WEST SEATTLE CLOSURE REMINDER: In Arbor Heights, the almost-two-block closure of 35th SW continues from just south of SW 104th to SW 106th as the Arbor Heights sidewalk project begins with drainage work.
Thanks to Dennis for the photo and report: “This is the second at least that I know of, in a year. This time there is an injury. How do I go about getting the city to sign this uncontrolled intersection???” We’ve been asked that question before, regarding other intersections. This page offers some advice. Anyone reading this who’s been through the process is also invited to offer theirs!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported so far in/from West Seattle.
CLOSURE REMINDER: 35th SW is closed from just south of SW 104th to SW 106th as drainage work starts the Arbor Heights sidewalk project.
STADIUM ZONE: Mariners vs. Rangers, 7:10 pm.
I-5 CLOSURES THIS WEEKEND: Not just the one north of the West Seattle Bridge! Here’s the plan.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Yes, that’s I-5 closures, plural, next weekend (Friday night, June 1st, through Monday morning, June 4th). Besides the northbound I-5 closure at the West Seattle Bridge that you’ve probably heard about, I-5 is also closing multiple NB lanes starting near Southcenter, and some SB lanes north of downtown. This afternoon, WSDOT provided this explanation of how it’s all going to unfold:
… Northbound I-5 lane closures will begin at the I-405 interchange near Southcenter before tapering down to a single lane that will exit at the West Seattle Bridge/Columbian Street/Spokane Street.
*All on-ramps to northbound I-5 between southbound I-405 and South Michigan Street except from eastbound SR 518 will close at 8 p.m. Friday.
*The SR 518 on-ramp to northbound I-5 will remain open all weekend.
*The northbound I-5 off-ramps all will remain open between southbound 405 and the closure at the West Seattle Bridge/Spokane Street/Columbian Way exit.
*The northbound express lanes will open afternoons with access only from the downtown on-ramps.
*A single lane of traffic will be able to enter northbound I-5 from the West Seattle Bridge/Columbian Street/Spokane Street on-ramp before heading into downtown.
*At the Duwamish River Bridge, three right lanes will be closed.
*At the southbound I-5 Lake Washington Ship Canal Bridge, the two left lanes will be closed from 3 a.m. to noon Saturday. The two right lanes and the 45th Avenue Northeast on-ramp will be closed from 3 to 11 a.m. Sunday.
A second weekend of major I-5 closures is tentatively planned for July 13-16. (We regularly include road-work reminders in our weekday-morning traffic coverage, but break out big things like this as merited.)
SATURDAY UPDATE: Two notes resulting from discussion in comments and elsewhere:
-You can check area traffic cameras any time on this WSB page
-You CAN get to eastbound I-90 via the exit to NB I-5 from the West Seattle Bridge – that’s been confirmed via a Twitter discussion with drivers who’ve done it as well as WSDOT.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:03 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far this back-to-work-and-school morning.
CLOSURE REMINDERS: 35th SW between 104th and 106th in Arbor Heights is scheduled to close for at least two weeks starting today … In SODO, Lander St.’s year-and-a-half-plus closure continues … And this weekend, Friday night until Monday morning, WSDOT plans a full closure of NB I-5 north of the West Seattle Bridge.
STADIUM ZONE: Mariners’ homestand continues tonight.
7:44 AM: This morning we’re on the bridge with everybody else, headed downtown. So far things look pretty good. If you are wondering about the emergency response headed east across the bridge, there’s a fire callout on Beacon Hill.
7:54 AM: The bridge moved fairly fast and now we’re on 4th, where things are bogging down (as usual, in our limited experience) around the stadium zone.
8:15 AM: Made it to lower Queen Anne. Still relatively quiet otherwise.
The heavy equipment is in place along 35th SW in Arbor Heights, where the first phase of the Safe Routes to School sidewalk project is set to start tomorrow, according to SDOT, as previewed here 2+ weeks ago – replacing the underground stormwater drainage and detention system on 35th between 104th and 106th. That will require a full closure of 35th in the area for at least two weeks, SDOT says.
Since that is near both Arbor Heights Elementary and Westside School (WSB sponsor), here are the detours for school traffic:
The project will install sidewalks on the west side of 35th between SW 100th and SW 106th.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning! Almost the holiday weekend. No nearby incidents or traffic alerts so far. Lots you need to know:
STADIUM ZONE: The Mariners start a homestand tonight vs. the Twins (7:10 pm tonight and Saturday, 1:10 pm Sunday – then a 4-game series hosting the Rangers starts at 1:10 pm Monday, with a pregame C-17 flyover tentatively planned).
SCHOOL’S OUT MONDAY: Three-day weekend.
TRANSIT MONDAY: On Memorial Day, Metro will be on a Sunday schedule; the Water Taxi won’t be running will run West Seattle on a Sunday schedule while Vashon takes the day off; nor will Sound Transit Route 560.
NO I-5 WORK THIS WEEKEND, BUT BIG CLOSURE NEXT WEEKEND: Late June 1 through early June 4, the “Revive I-5” project will completely close NB I-5 at the West Seattle Bridge – here’s why.
The holiday weekend gets ever closer! But first, what’s ahead for the rest of your Thursday:
GARDEN CENTER OPEN: The South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Garden Center is open 11 am-3 pm today for plant sales and more. North end of campus. (6000 16th SW)
ACTIVITY CARDS DEMO: For preschoolers, 12:30-1:30 pm at White Center Library. Details in our calendar listing. (1409 SW 107th)
WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: During the Sound Transit Board‘s 1:30 pm meeting downtown, they’re scheduled to get a briefing on West Seattle (and Ballard) light-rail planning. Agenda and other info here. The meeting includes a public-comment period. Also, you can watch live here. (401 S. Jackson)
TASTE OF WEST SEATTLE: 6 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy is the location and dozens of local food/beverage purveyors are who you’ll find at the annual West Seattle Helpline fundraiser. We’re checking to see if any tickets will be available at the door and will update this when we hear back. 11:09 AM UPDATE: Yes, Helpline says, there are a “limited number of tickets” that will be available at the door. (9131 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN: 6 pm at West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) Rotary Room. Tonight’s program is organized by Physicians for Social Responsibility – details in our calendar listing. (36th/Snoqualmie)
HSA SELECT TRYOUTS: As previewed Wednesday, 6:15 pm at Walt Hundley Playfield, it’s the final night of tryouts for HSA Select soccer. (34th/Myrtle)
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: Change in plan for tonight’s meeting – SDOT acting director Goran Sparrman can’t make it, so his chief of staff Genesee Adkins will be a guest instead, as will Summer Jawson, project manager for the West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway. All welcome, 6:30 pm, Neighborhood House High Point. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
PUNK ROCK AEROBICS: Have you tried the weekly class at Highland Park Improvement Club yet? 7 pm. (1116 SW Holden)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … by browsing our complete calendar!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle reported right now.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning. No incidents in/from West Seattle so far this morning.
TRANSIT ALERTS: Nothing current but for the record, Metro sent an alert at 6:15 am that the 6:25 am Route 56 wouldn’t run.
7:18 AM: Now another Metro alert – the 7:43 Route 55 won’t run.
7:27 AM Per scanner SPD is responding to a ‘disabled vehicle” blocking EB lanes of Roxbury at 22nd.
9:24 AM: Trouble on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge at Delridge. First SDOT reported a “disabled vehicle” in the center lane; now SFD is headed there on an aid call, apparently a different vehicle with an unconscious driver, per scanner.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:58 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported so far in/from West Seattle. No transit alerts either.
If you use 1st Avenue to get into downtown – note that a longterm two-block closure of NB 1st is about to begin. Today’s notice from SDOT:
The Seattle Department of Transportation advises travelers that due to utility construction in support of the replacement of the existing water main, northbound 1st Ave between Yesler Way and Columbia St will be closed for approximately 5 months. Additionally, the curb lane of southbound 1st Ave between Columbia St and Yesler Way will be closed for the same duration.
These closures are in addition to the following lane closures in this area:
*Westbound S Jackson St between 2nd Ave S and 1st Ave S. These blocks are scheduled to open by May 25.
*Northbound 1st Ave S between S Jackson St and Yesler Way. These blocks are scheduled to open later in the summer.
*Southbound 1st Ave S between Yesler Way and S Jackson St is occasionally closed, 9:30 AM – 3 PM. These closures are expected to conclude by the end of May.
*S Main St between 1st Ave S and 2nd Ave S is closed in both directions, 7 AM – 5 PM weekdays until May 23.
Please visit the project webpage for more information.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:01 AM: Good morning and welcome to the week before Memorial Day weekend! No incidents reported so far in/from West Seattle.
8:09 AM: Crash on NB I-5 blocking one lane north of West Seattle Bridge.
8:23 AM: Cleared.
8:39 PM: The image is courtesy of SDOT, which says all but one lane of the eastbound West Seattle Bridge is blocked by a crash and the emergency response for it, right before the onramp from Delridge. So if you’re headed toward the eastbound bridge, either wait a while or use Delridge to get onto it. No major injuries – the aid unit originally assigned has already been dismissed.
8:55 PM: The incident log shows SFD has closed out its involvement in call, but SDOT says lanes are still blocked. SDOT also warns that the low bridge is not an option right now because it’s about to start a “long closure.” Plus, if you’re headed toward the Viaduct, there’s a crash in the NB Battery Street Tunnel, and that’s backing up things on 99, per the scanner.
10:15 PM: Still blocking all but one lane, per the live video camera (Harbor/Spokane is currently turned up that way) connected to the SDOT traffic map.
10:40 PM: Police have just radioed in that all lanes are now open.
The no-parking signs are out, and we’ve been mentioning it all week (and then some), so here’s hoping that even if you’re not running/walking in the West Seattle 5K (co-sponsored by WSB), you know it’ll close Alki/Harbor SW for a few hours on Sunday morning. The race starts from 61st/Alki just after 9 am; the closure starts sooner, and usually lasts past 11 am. (If you want to participate and aren’t signed up yet, you can do it tomorrow morning at 8 am on site – or go to West Seattle Runner [2743 California SW; WSB sponsor] today until 6 pm.)
Meantime, we’ve learned of one other event that could cause some congestion on the West Seattle waterfront tomorrow – another protest at the Kinder Morgan facility on Harbor Island, because of the Trans-Mountain Pipeline Expansion. Organizers say a flotilla of “kayaktivists” and Indigenous canoe families will be launching from Don Armeni Boat Ramp for a 12:30 pm seagoing protest tomorrow.
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.
Just in from SDOT:
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) advises travelers that lane closures on SW Barton St between 29th Ave SW and 30th Ave SW begin Saturday, May 19 through Wednesday, May 23. The closures are for concrete panel repairs on SW Barton St. This project is weather dependent. SDOT would like to thank the public for its patience while this work is being completed.
What travelers can expect:
*SW Barton will have one lane of alternating traffic open during construction hours (8:30 am to 6:00 pm)
*Police Officers will be staged at 29th Ave SW and 30th Ave SW to direct traffic
*Sidewalk access will remain open
*One lane in each direction of SW Barton will be open for vehicle traffic after construction hours
*Possible travel delays through construction area during work hours
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning! Just checked around, and no incidents or transit alerts in/from our area so far.
BIKE EVERYWHERE DAY: If you’re riding, the celebration station under the bridge continues until 9 am.
WEEKEND REMINDERS: On Puget Ridge, 18th/Myrtle will be closed for reconstruction work starting tomorrow morning … Sunday is the West Seattle 5K, with Alki/Harbor closed during the race, ~8-11 am ,,, And remember that another round of “Revive I-5” work will affect northbound I-5 this weekend – here’s the map.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:58 AM: Good morning! No incidents or transit alerts of note for West Seattle and vicinity so far.
LOOKING AHEAD: Tomorrow (Friday) is Bike Everywhere Day, and as usual there will be a “celebration station” under the bridge, 6-9 am; Sunday is the West Seattle 5K, with Alki/Harbor closed during the race, ~8-11 am; another round of “Revive I-5” work is planned on northbound I-5 this weekend – here’s the map.
Also:
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES’ LONG-RANGE PLAN: WSF’s Fauntleroy meeting for your feedback about the system is tonight, 6-8 pm (drop in when you can), at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW).
(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.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning! No current incidents in/from West Seattle; no transit alerts, so far, either.
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