Traffic (etc.) alert: Presidential visit starts tonight

Just in from SDOT, a general traffic alert about President Obama‘s impending Seattle visit – he’s campaigning for local Democrats tomorrow, but arriving tonight:

Seattleites should be prepared today and tomorrow for occasional street closures or traffic slowdowns as President Obama arrives at a local airport, travels to various events, and departs on Thursday. Little information on the routes and times of his movements are announced for security reasons.

The President arrives tonight, so travelers can expect a possibility of rolling closures on the freeway or major arterials leading from a local airport. There will be street closures to provide security near the Westin Hotel tonight and tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning there will likely be closures on local streets as the president attends an event at a private residence, and then attends an event at 11 a.m. at the Edmundson Pavilion on Montlake Boulevard NE next to Husky Stadium.

Rolling closures are again likely on the freeway or major arterials as the President travels to an airport when leaving the city after the event at the Edmundson Pavilion.

The aforementioned “local airport” is usually Boeing Field, just east of West Seattle. President Obama, you will probably recall, last visited just two months ago (a day that’ll be long remembered, particularly for The Sonic Booms).

8 Replies to "Traffic (etc.) alert: Presidential visit starts tonight"

  • MargL October 20, 2010 (11:27 am)

    Saw this alert about the FAA closing the airspace over Seattle:
    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013208983_apwaobamaairspace.html

    What does this mean? Will SeaTac flights be delayed or rerouted over West Seattle?

  • Huindekmi October 20, 2010 (11:59 am)

    The announcement is as vague as can be. When does he arrive? Is there a period when we should avoid the roads (like 7-9PM) rather than just “tonight”? I’m flying back in at 6pm- will I be affected?
    I know they are worried about security, but security through obscurity never works. They don’t have to give specifics, but a general range would be nice.

    • WSB October 20, 2010 (12:10 pm)

      As far as I’ve heard unofficially, it’s later than that, so you shouldn’t be affected. He has an evening event in Portland first. As soon as I find a source I can quote or point to officially, I’ll add the info. “Security through obscurity” BTW is an excellent phrase … TR (word fan)

  • hello October 20, 2010 (12:09 pm)

    The Westin Hotel area has signs along the street mentioning No Parking between 6-10 p.m. tonight.

  • jay October 20, 2010 (3:23 pm)

    I love that they are vague about the “local airport” but perfectly specific about which hotel he’s at. Wonderful.

    • WSB October 20, 2010 (3:32 pm)

      According to an update in the Times story, the president should be here 9 pm or so.

  • Baba October 20, 2010 (4:37 pm)

    Who is in trouble in Portland? Sorry, I don’t follow the race in Oregon…

  • JayDee October 20, 2010 (5:28 pm)

    I think the Dem candidate for Governor.

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