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1. ghar72
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   Wondering what people are thinking commute times are going to be like next week. My partner works in Issaquah and typically leaves by 6:30. Commute is over the WSB to I5 to I90. Do you think leaving a half-hour earlier at 6 will cut it? We live near the White Center border, so considering heading S on 509 to 405 instead. It would definitely add time, but probably more predictable in how long it will take.

   I read comments about how people were stuck in traffic for hours after the earthquake. I'm hoping it won't be that dire since people have been planning for this but...

   I know we have no way of knowing how it's going to look, but appreciate the valued opinions of my fellow West Seattlites!

   Posted 7 months ago #         

2. wundrgrrrl
   Member Profile

   

   I vanpool to So. Lake Union, and although I'm taking the week off, the van is giving it an extra hour. Leaving at 6:30, hoping to be there by 8:00!

   Posted 7 months ago #         

3. DBP
   Member Profile

   Thanks ghar72, for framing this post in such a way that I don't have to read five comments about how much people love donuts just to read one comment about traffic.

   First off, beware of analogies to Nisqually Quake traffic. I remember the Great Quake Commute of 2001, and indeed it was awful. But much of that was due to stoplights being knocked out on arterials. Also, people might have been driving slower than normal because of fear that another quake would strike.

   In any case, neither of those conditions will be present when the Viagraduct goes limp.

   Second, how much your commute will be affected will depend on several factors, including where you work — right downtown or somewhere north of downtown, accessible from I-5? — and what OTHER COMMUTERS end up doing. The first couple days might be worse since commuters will still be figuring out the best alternative routes to take.

   I suppose employers could have planned a little better for this, staggering their business hours or shift times to avoid causing a crunch. But failing that, you can still ask the boss to stagger your own hours, or go to four 10s for a week.

   I don't think it'll be as bad as most folks here are imagining. But then, things rarely turn out to be either as bad (or as good) as we expect them to, n'est-ce pas?

   Posted 7 months ago #         

4. Bostonman
   Member Profile

   I only work downtown and if I didn't alter my schedule I would be expecting about an hour instead of 30 minutes. I heard you should expect to double your commute time.

   If you work south of the city you could avoid the bridge entirely but if you work North of the city you are screwed. If I had to take your commute I would leave at 6 but since I sleep until 7:30 thats not going to happen lol.

   Posted 7 months ago #         

5. ghar72
   Member Profile

   Unfortunately as a public school teacher, you can't really alter the schedule. Bummer. DP, I was actually thinking Monday might be an easier commute b/c people will be so freaked out and work from home, etc, then on Tuesday it'll really hit. Oh to be a mind-reader!

   She works in Issaquah and will have to drive that small portion of I-5 northbound. Hanging out in the far right lane will be better than the other lanes, but getting on will definitely be a long wait. In a stick, no less.

   Thought she could head over Beacon Hill and hit Rainier to pop onto 90, since typically the right lane of WSB is moving. But pretty certain right lane will be a wait too b/c of folks taking 1st and 4th get downtown.

   Bostonman, thanks for letting me know about doubling commute time. That definitely helps. Usually takes her about 35 minutes in the morning, so leaving 1/2 hour earlier should in theory be enough time.

   While I won't have to drive in any of this since I'm home full time with our young kids, I do love the challenge. Suppose it'd be different if I had the added stress of getting to work on time.

   Posted 7 months ago #         

6. squareeyes
   Member Profile

   

   I work in SLU so about 9 miles. When they narrowed the viaduct my commute time of 25 minutes nearly doubled. I fully expect that the next week will increase my commute time to a minimum of 90 minutes if I leave at my usual time.

   Thankfully I have a boss that works from home in the morning so, since we don't see each other anyway, I've asked to come in a couple of hours later than my usual 8:30am start time, and he's cool with it (until he wants something and I'm not there - ha!). I still think the traffic will be awful at 10am but not as bad as 8am.

   Posted 7 months ago #         

7. 2 Much Whine
   Member Profile

   

   I really hope it is not as bad as people are predicting. DP hit the nail on the head as far as comparing to snowstorms or earthquakes. When those things happen they affect areas all over the city - everywhere. Although the viaduct closure will certainly spread tendrils to other arterials it would be pretty hard to imagine how it could equal the catastrophic affects of an earthquake. By the way, I love donuts.

   Posted 7 months ago #         

8. Sue
   Member Profile

   

   ghar72, I'm thinking that people just won't deal with it on Monday and stay home, and then find out it wasn't so bad, so everyone will go back to "normal" on Tuesday. I don't intend to leave any earlier on Monday. I get in when I get in. If I'm significantly late, I'll adjust. But my firm has been pretty understanding about commuting unpredictability in general. Only 2 of us here live in WS, so it's not like it'll affect the whole office.

   Posted 7 months ago #         

9. Gina
   Member Profile

   

   The Viaduct was closed for a couple weeks after the earthquake, not just for one day. It took the 55 an average of one hour to get from downtown to the bridge at that time. The ride in wasn't quite as bad.

   Posted 7 months ago #         

10. cdawg
    Member Profile

    ghar72 - if she wants another option I would try taking 4th ave exit and take 4th all the way to the stadium and get on 90 there. That's going to allow her to bypass the waiting to get on I-5 only to drive down one exit (I commute to Mercer Island and have started to drive that way)

    Posted 7 months ago #         

11. Magpie
    Member Profile

    

    Our busdriver was really funny this morning. Stated to be sure NOT to drink too much coffee before you leave Monday morning (though we had plenty of time to stop at Luna Park when the viaduct was closed after the earthquake). I have instructed my staff to not count tardies next week and even though they can't work from home, we are adjusting a few schedules. I don't think we really will know how it is going to be until it happens. I am really glad that I don't have to rely on a car and can take the bus to work.

    Posted 7 months ago #         

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