West Seattle Bridge traffic alert: Stuck truck causes backup

Though a West Seattle Bridge crash is already “closed” on the 911 log – meaning fire/medic units have cleared – we’ve gotten several messages indicating it’s still causing a backup. According to two people on Twitter (thanks, @cdawg2610 and @nicholasseattle), it’s a westbound truck that got stuck atop the cement barricade, which then was pushed partway into the eastbound lanes, blocking one of them. This is reported to be near the 35th/Fauntleroy end of The Bridge – and the view from the Fauntleroy cam right now does look fairly jammed. 7:55 AM UPDATE: From the middle of the jam, @alexpietsch tweets that eastbound Fauntleroy is “backed up well past Oregon right now.” Adding the Fauntleroy cam “live” image here. 8:27 AM UPDATE: Alex sent a photo just before going by the stuck truck, which as you can see is definitely close to the Fauntleroy end (so if you get on The Bridge from Admiral or Delridge, it’s not an issue):

(He clarifies, that’s the tow truck you see in his photo, not the stuck truck itself.) 8:38 AM: Just got the e-mail rider alert from Metro that the 21, 22, 54 and 55 are “experiencing delays” because of this. 8:56 AM UPDATE: As the top image shows, it’s cleared up now – Jodi also confirmed that via Facebook. She also had this early view of the actual (then-)stuck truck:

ADDED 3:53 PM: Devin shared a better view of what caused the backup:

RJB October 4, 2010 (7:40 am)

Thanks WSB…I knew you would know!!!

Andy October 4, 2010 (8:01 am)

On the 21X stuck on 35th ave SW. We’re creeping along at Hudson by Mt. Vincent. Never seen it this bad.

Michele October 4, 2010 (8:07 am)

35th isn’t moving, backed up past Edmonds. Yuck. Please get on the back of the line and don’t try to edge in by the on ramp, it just makes the traffic worse for us all.

RJB October 4, 2010 (8:12 am)

I am at Fauntleroy between Husdon & Edmunds and it is barely crawling…wow, glad I don’t have to get in it until later!.

sam October 4, 2010 (8:18 am)

any idea what the police flying down Harbor Ave (no sirens just lights) was all about? just a little bit ago.

and.. seeing a few cars going east bound on the bridge now

WSB October 4, 2010 (8:33 am)

Sam, nothing on scanner/911 that’s obvious at the moment …

Dave October 4, 2010 (8:19 am)

On the 21 local and wondering if I should walk into downtown. :( Never seen it this bad.

Michele October 4, 2010 (8:21 am)

Again, all of you jumping in at the front, stop it! We can see you as we sit here not moving on the hill and it’s crappy behavior that makes this worse for everyone!

Sue October 4, 2010 (8:23 am)

At 7:30 Fauntleroy was backed up well past Dawson. So rather than wait for my usual 54X on Fauntleroy, I decided to walk to Alaska to get a regular 54/55 since I figured that wouldn’t clear up anytime soon. Smooth sailing until we hit 35th, crawled to Avalon, and then it was very quick to the bridge. I figured something must’ve happened somewhere north on Fauntleroy or on the bridge before the Avalon on-ramp, because there was only a trickle of traffic coming from the Fauntleroy end of the bridge.

WOW October 4, 2010 (9:13 am)

There is a big truck with all his left wheels stuck on top of the barrier. After I got through that part, the traffic was nil. I suggest taking Avalon or Admiral if you can.

EmmyJane October 4, 2010 (10:35 am)

That made for a big time sucky commute this morning. Someone has a case of the Mondays…

Sue October 4, 2010 (10:38 am)

I love how the metro alert email (letting me know the buses were delayed) didn’t come in until 8:35, over an hour after I got stuck in the mess.

Carole October 4, 2010 (11:36 am)

KIRO traffic first mentioned it about 7:38am. I could see the flashing lights at 7am as I sat at the light at Oregon/Alaska. Fortunately I go south via 509, so cut over to 35 SB and skipped the bridge. If radio traffic reports had been on the ball, some people might have diverted off 35th to Delridge, or other routes into town.

Harpie October 4, 2010 (12:36 pm)

Passed by the incident at about 6:50 a.m., which I assume was very shortly after it happened, since 35th hadn’t backed up yet. The truck took out a section of the jersey barrier heading into the first corner before getting lodged on top of it a little way farther down. The driver was climbing out of the cab as we passed.

todd_ October 4, 2010 (12:46 pm)

Lots of bridge drama these past few days.

Burton October 4, 2010 (1:40 pm)

3 words.

Learn to Merge.

Fellow Citizen October 4, 2010 (4:21 pm)

My question … how the heck did the truck end up like that?!!!! Fall asleep!? Wow!

Baba October 4, 2010 (4:41 pm)

OUCH!!! That’s gotta hurt! (last picture) – regardless of gender…

WTF October 4, 2010 (5:06 pm)

Lucy. You’ve got some splaining to do. Who “drives” like that?

me on 28th Ave SW October 4, 2010 (7:10 pm)

WSB, thanks for sharing those photos. You have helped make me feel better for every time I scrape the underside of the front bumper of my car on those concrete parking stops; at least it’s nothing close to that!!!

Sorry, comment time is over.