How Spokane Street Viaduct ramp closures will affect Metro

(Click to see full-size project-overview graphic on SDOT website)
Since our report two days ago about the impending ramp closures related to the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project (that’s the section of The Bridge between 99 and I-5), we’ve been following up on WSB’ers questions regarding how this will affect Metro Transit routing. King County Department of Transportation has an update in this news release:

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is beginning the next phase of widening the South Spokane Street Viaduct on Jan. 22, and this phase should have minimal disruptions for King County Metro Transit customers.

As SDOT begins renovations on the 60-year-old elevated roadway that connects Interstate 5 to the West Seattle Bridge, there could be increased traffic congestion which could delay bus travel – but no transit reroutes will be necessary at this time.

What else? Read on:

The news release continues:

Westbound traffic on Spokane Street will be the most affected with the work that begins Jan. 22, as SDOT permanently closes the Fourth Avenue South off-ramp from the westbound South Spokane Street Viaduct (upper roadway). There are no buses that travel in this direction.

Similarly, nighttime work on the southbound I-5 off ramp to the West Seattle Bridge during the week of Jan. 22 will not affect any Metro or Sound Transit bus routes. SDOT is expecting some periodic lane closures on and around the Spokane Street Viaduct between January and May. Impacts to buses are expected to be minimal. If transit reroutes are needed, they will be posted in Metro Online as soon as they are known.

In May, when SDOT permanently closes the westbound South Spokane Street Viaduct on-ramp to the West Seattle Bridge from First Avenue South, there may be a reroute near that on-ramp for buses traveling between the SODO area and West Seattle. Information about that will be available this spring on Metro Online: www.kingcounty.gov/metro.

Metro will be making adjustments to the schedules and routings of many bus routes countywide as part of its spring service change, which goes into effect on Feb. 6. Details on the service change will be available in the coming weeks.

WSB coverage of the Spokane Street Viaduct project, dating back to first word almost two years ago, is archived here (newest to oldest).

CMP January 8, 2010 (10:55 am)

I love this: there may be a reroute near that on-ramp for buses traveling between the SODO area and West Seattle (referring to the closure of the 1st Ave onramp to West Seattle). May? Where else are those buses going to go? Levitate onto the bridge, perhaps?

Given that I work in Sodo on 1st Ave, this is really going to impact my drive home and the reroute options are pretty lame. After realizing that the low bridge is not a good option (train crossings, bridge openings and Port truck traffic), I think driving a little out of the way to I-5 and back to the bridge sounds like a much better option, or else drive to the 1st Ave Bridge. I hope this goes smoothly but right now it doesn’t look promising.

Laconique January 8, 2010 (12:03 pm)

I agree, CMP. They haven’t announced the re-routes because they haven’t figured out how to get those buses onto the bridge. Totally lame.

Love the first part- “There are no buses that travel in this direction.” Just imagine a bus trying to make that turn onto the westbound viaduct 4th ave off-ramp.

DW January 8, 2010 (12:11 pm)

In all the complaining about the now, it does look like this will be a big improvement when it is finished.

sw January 8, 2010 (2:30 pm)

LOL when I saw the “may.” Um, yeah Metro – you might want to put some thought into that one.

When complete, this will indeed be a major improvement, although Eastbound will still be subject to bottlenecks because you don’t have anywhere to go when I-5 is backed up.

I’ll just be glad to have the surface streets back so the trucks from the Port have a place to go. They are tearing up the streets something fierce.

grr January 9, 2010 (8:57 am)

I still can’t figure out why there’s no Southbound 99 ramp off the WS Bridge.

WSB January 9, 2010 (9:02 am)

I hope a longtimer knows that answer. Seems like one of those things that would make your head explode if you think about it too hard, like “what’s at the end of the universe and what do you see when you get there” …

flynlo January 9, 2010 (9:22 am)

I still can’t figure out why there’s no access to the WS Bridge from north bound 1st ave – will you be able to make a U-turn to access the new 1st ave on ramp? Likewise where is the convenient access to the WS Bridge from north bound 4th ave? Yes, you’ll be able to go north on 4th then west to access the new 1st on ramp, but will there be grade separation over the rail road tracks? Doesn’t look like it!! Will left turns be allowed from north bound 1st or 4th to west spokane st to allow convenient access to the low level bridge?

mrsB January 11, 2010 (12:09 pm)

CMP – just got the pamphlet about the changes coming soon and wondered also about the !st Ave onramp closure, they suggest using the 99 or I-5 but no suggestions as to hw to get on either of these roadways, and I’m imagining a huge bus elevator!

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