We reported the Alki traffic restrictions here first, back on June 14, and they are linked from our West Seattle 4th of July page (along with everything from parades to practical info like bus/Water Taxi/ferry schedules) – but Seattle Police asked us to be sure to remind you a few more times, so here’s what Lt. Norm James originally laid out in our first report:

Over the past several years, the volume of spectators using the Alki community to watch the fireworks over Elliott Bay has grown past the ability to safely handle. The increased vehicle traffic along Alki and Harbor Ave has become a hazard for responding emergency resources. While most spectators are well-behaved, the increase in large crowd disturbances has also been noted.

To alleviate most of these issues, vehicle traffic to the Alki community will be limited on the day of the event. This will commence at 6 pm and remain in effect until the fireworks commence. Vehicle access to the Alki community will be limited to residents living within the restricted area and their guests. The basic area affected will be north of Harbor Ave at Spokane Street, north of Hamilton Viewpoint on California Ave, north of Admiral from Lander to 63rd and all of the little side streets which have access to Alki Ave. Spectators are still welcome to park their vehicles outside of the restricted area and walk to the viewing sites.

Those specific points are noted on a map you’ll see on the 4th of July page, but keep in mind that the police will be wherever they need to be to implement this, so precise turnaround points may vary – we will be checking back in the next few days to see if the plan has changed at all. As for the forecast — the short version updated by the National Weather Service this afternoon is “partly cloudy”; the detailed “forecast discussion” says it’s too soon to tell whether there’s any chance of showers on the 4th but as the meteorologists write, “hard to have a 4th without stratus most of the day and a threat of showers in the forecast … it’s almost tradition.”