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West Seattle Bridge

Started 3 months ago by DannyQ
Latest reply from DannyQ

DannyQ
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I have lived in West Seattle for nearly 6 months and absolutely love it! I work an 11PM-7AM shift and bi-pass all traffic on the bridge to and from work. It is wonderful, however I always see bumper to bumper traffic heading towards Downtown Seattle on the WSB around 7:15-7:30AM when I'm driving home.

In a few weeks I will be starting a 7AM-3PM shift (promotion at work) which has me a bit worried in regards to the bumper to bumper traffic I always see. I hate traffic....

If I start at 7AM, which means I would preferably like to leave around the 6:15-6:30AM range, should I have any problems what so ever driving to Downtown from West Seattle?

If you could let me know, that would be great! I have a busy enough schedule as it is and if traffic was going to be an issue, I'm more likely to relocate to work. Believe me, I know I sound like a pansy as there are thousands who fight traffic every day in longer ranges! :-)

Posted 3 months ago #
sweetflutterby41
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Traffic usually doesn't start to build until about 6:45 or so. I work downtown starting at 6 or 6:30 and have no problems at all getting down to the waterfront in 15-20 minutes at the most. Getting off work at 3, you will have no problem getting home either. The traffic heading that way usually starts to get busier around 3:30-4.

Congrats on the promotion!

Posted 3 months ago #
DannyQ
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I appreciate the info! At night from my house SW Cloverdale & 35th to Belltown, it normally takes me 15 minutes or so. Hoping to keep it in that same time frame. :-)

Posted 3 months ago #
Jiggers
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Traffic was already bad at 3pm yesterday coming back from downtown to W.S. It is going to get a lot worse in a few months. Busses are also standing room only/or no seats left from peak times up until at least 10 pmish. Stress levels are going up..

Too add..When you bus riders are trying to get on the bus, please give us room to get off the bus first. The bus isn't going anywhere. I can't even step off sometimes unless I run into you. If you don't give room... I will bowl you over like in footbll.

Posted 3 months ago #
WSratsinacage
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Agreed Jiggers. I do not ride the bus but the same courtesy you are describing goes for elevators and the like.. let people off before barging on or I'll sick Jiggers on ya! Ya heard?!

Posted 3 months ago #
JanS
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you know, Kman, you are definitely a downer at times..

Posted 3 months ago #
Bostonman
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I suspect the tunnel won't make things much worse than they are now. Its already about 50 minutes if I leave at 7:30. To answer the question though if you are at the bridge by 6:30 you will be downtown in about 20 minutes.

Hopefully by the time the tunnel goes up I will have a nice CPA practice in West Seattle for local companies with my wife and I won't have to commute downtown again.

Posted 3 months ago #
JanS
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Bostonman...living AND working in West Seattle is the way to go. I work at home. My commute? about 20 feet. I don't even look at traffic reports :)

Posted 3 months ago #
WSB
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Actually K-man is wrong. We have been covering the South Portal meetings for years. Access to downtown will be south of where it is now, and you can certainly voice your concerns about how it's being arranged, BUT you will be exiting into downtown, if you choose, in the Pioneer Square/SODO area. Also, once again, if downtown is your destination, I can't recommend the 4th Avenue loop ramp enough (from the West Seattle Bridge/Spokane Street Viaduct). I use it every time I have to go downtown on a weekday (court hearing, event/interview at Muni Tower/City Hall/County hq, etc.). Absolute breeze.

Here's how the "south portal" area of 99 will wind up:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR99/Tunnel/Portals.htm

(Edit: For those who absolutely refuse to click links, here's the image from that page:

TR

Posted 3 months ago #
metrognome
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Danny -- congrats on your promotion. I listened to your recordings on your website and really enjoyed the songs. The only advice I would add about your commute is that traffic is completely unpredictable; I would add 15 minutes to your travel time and if you arrive early, enjoy some coffee or whatever.

kootchman -- you're spewing bilge again, and it's a violation of federal regulations to do that when you're in port. First, the viaduct tunnel won't be open for several years yet. Second, there will be a new on/off ramp in Sodo. Third, they will be rebuilding Alaskan Way street level, which will provide access to downtown and Belltown. Fourth, have you ever actually been downtown on a consistent basis during am/pm rush hours, cuz what you're describing doesn't exist. Nice way to welcome Danny to WS!

Posted 3 months ago #
WSB
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P.S. I have actually since been flagged to two responses here, including the one to which I responded, and am deleting them both. Let me say this again, if you have missed the last couple times I've had to say this:

THE FORUM'S ORIGINAL AND FOREVER INTENT IS FOR HELPING PEOPLE. Everything else is a sideline.

Not for snarking, not for ridiculing, not for sidetracking simple "can anybody give me some advice or share your experiences" discussions. We don't always get flagged to incidences of the preceding so there's probably a lot more of it lingering out there than there should be.

If you want to debate the tunnel etc., which is not at ALL what the OP here asked about, go start another discussion about it. Though in the four years since the Forum started - because people were flooding us with "can someone recommend a (dry cleaner, Thai food restaurant, whatever)" inquiries we couldn't accommodate in the main news section any more - other sites have sprung up (NOT locally based) like Yelp, etc., where you can find some recommendations, there STILL TO THIS DATE exists no other West Seattle-based, West Seattle-owned-and-operated-and-managed site where you can open this kind of request for advice and hope to get it. We are so glad people continue to participate. Yelp, Facebook, etc., are not local and have no stake in our community, unlike sites like this one. And the unique appeal here is that it is appended to the area's most-read news service, so thousands come through on a daily basis and there's a chance somebody will be there to answer your query.

I'm not saying, don't have a vigorous discussion. The quirky mix here is part of its attraction too. There's lots to talk about BESIDES "can you give me some advice." But when somebody asks for help or a recommendation, please simply either answer their request or ignore it. Thank you.

And thank you to those who continue to flag posts of concern. Again, a flag is not an automatic deletion; I probably let more flagged posts stand than not, for a variety of reasons. But kind of like what police say about 911 - call if you're not sure - I'd rather be flagged than not - TR

Posted 3 months ago #
miws
Member Profile

Thanks, TR.

One other relatively recent Forum thread that was started by a long time WSB'er, regarding something that is not only important in general, but hits home big time for the thread's author.

It was side-tracked by another long-timer, not directly taking jabs at the thread's author, but at the topic itself. Several other WSB'ers actually stepped up in support of the topic, which was wonderful, and I'm glad they did.

But, the point is, it not only got side-tracked, I thought it was pretty tacky to post something so negative about the topic on that thread.

The thread has been an ongoing one, with occasional additions, and likely will continue on for sometime.

I'm sitting here figuratively kicking myself, after reading this, because it never occurred to me to flag the comment on the other thread.

Mike

Posted 3 months ago #
Jiggers
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Why was my post deleted?

Posted 3 months ago #
JanS
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jiggers...I would suggest you ask the editor personally..

Posted 3 months ago #
kootchman
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Actually Kman is wrong? If you say south of the commercial core of downtown is "downtown"... far away from the government offices, the central library, the major office buildings...then I guess so. Let's see.. how can we word it? If you are headed to mid-town, or north.. you will be on surface streets. Enjoy. However I did note the posters destination was north of the Seneca exit.. and that will be a surface traffic nightmare. Looking at Google maps..aerial view, I'd say "downtown" is centered right about where Seneca St. exits is.

Posted 3 months ago #
JanS
Member Profile

hey...Kootchman..sometimes you're wrong. Give it a rest. Now you're going to stat arguing with the editor of this website? Seriously? She explained it pretty well, much better than you saying, sorry, you're f*%ked!

Posted 3 months ago #
DannyQ
Member Profile

Thank you everyone for your advice and extended debatable knowledge of the new tunnel (he-he).

To be exact, I take WSB to 99 and get off at Denny Way which puts me exactly 3 blocks from my destination. It works out pretty well and I've never had traffic problems, but all good things won't always stay that way. Who knows?

As for the bus rides, I agree. As much as I love my city and participating in the Green way of living (No...not that one kootchman), I gave the bus commuting up after a day. The day they create a Zip line from 35th to Downtown Seattle is the day I will stop driving my car into the city.

@metrognome, thank you so much for the compliment! Would love to see you and yours at a show someday. (Sorry WSB for the advertising..:-( )

Posted 3 months ago #
JoB
Member Profile

DannyQ..

congratulations on your promotion!

from where you live, dropping down highland park to connect with 99 the other side of marginal is one of your options (turn right at the drugstore on 35th)... and at that time of the morning it shouldn't be jammed up with truck traffic yet.

you also have the option of the low bridge which is made easier by dropping down to delridge and taking a left at the high bridge entrance

i go downtown wednesday mornings and check google maps for traffic problems before choosing which route to take.

Often one is considerably faster than the other...

Posted 3 months ago #
redblack
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i felt it my duty to lighten everyone's spirit regarding the commute with some evidence that our commutes will only get better:

when the spokane street mess is cleaned up by the end of summer, there will be better access to all north/south routes into, from, and through downtown - not to mention an improved, reconnected, and wide-open lower spokane street, which will take cars off of the bridge decks and once again will allow access to/from west seattle via sixth avenue and airport way.

all of which takes pressure off of I-5 and 99.

with a minor change to 3 lanes into SODO when they're finished with the south-end viaduct replacement, 99 is exactly what it will be for the next 5 years. unless WSDOT opens that king street exit before the tunnel is finished, which will take pressure off of what's left of the viaduct.

danny: if you're familiar with the street grid, sometimes going straight through downtown is a viable commute option when the freeways are backed up. first avenue is a little stop-and-go, but the stop lights on fourth avenue through downtown are timed at about 28 mph. take fourth ave to blanchard to sixth, seventh, or eighth avenues, and you're in south lake union in no time.

Posted 3 months ago #
DannyQ
Member Profile

@RedBlack, that is extremely funny that you say that. When I'm coming home, I basically have three major options.

*I found then when I go up Denny and cut in to Southbound I-5, the problem is that I always have to get to the far left which is three lanes to avoid "Must exits" all while cars are trying to get to the far right to the "must exits". I'm pretty defensive in my driving, but sometimes the other drivers are pretty defensive too. :-)

*The other route is to go west on Denny and take a right onto 6th and then a right on to 99. The only problem that I have there Monday through Friday is the amount of cars that are speeding at 60MPH which often makes it a VERY long wait to sneak into the heavy flow.

*But finally, the route that I absolutely love taking because of the consistency is taking a left onto 5th Ave and going all the way to Columbia and getting on the Viaduct. Normally there is NEVER a problem hitting almost every green light. Whoever thought of the timing on that is a genius!

I've never tried going through the whole city on one of the Avenue's, however on Jan 28th the West Seattle Bridge was complete gridlock between west seattle and the 99 exit, so I went down delridge and took the small bridge that runs under and comes up.

Posted 3 months ago #