(Scroll down for updates – and send us yours!)
(Refresh for latest pic from WS Bridge & “low bridge” entrance cams, more on the WSB Traffic page)
6:17 AM: We’re tracking the first commute since the Highway 99 “lane reductions” were put into place over the weekend north of the West Seattle Bridge – more here, including our video from driving through that zone both ways after the highway reopened. So far – no problems, but it’s early.
6:38 AM: 1st report, from Hillary via Twitter: “17 minutes to downtown on the 56 … Viaduct didn’t hurt us a bit.”
7:01 AM: Thanks to whomever just texted us (206-293-6302, same number as our 24/7 breaking-news line): “13 minutes to Seneca.”
7:31 AM: Live TV aerials from KING5 show northbound 99 in the squeezed zone now starting to clog and slow, as the busiest commute time arrives.
7:46 AM: KIRO says it’ll stream live over the Viaduct shortly – here’s the link.
8:18 AM: Check comments for more updates. We’re heading out for a firsthand look at how things are going this hour. (And if anyone took the Water Taxi this morning, we’re interested in how busy that seemed – we’ll check with the county too.)
8:55 AM: We just traveled The Viaduct both ways through the work/reduction zone. Late end of the commute, we know, but aside from the usual bottleneck slowdown getting from the high bridge to 99, it was pretty smooth – less than 4 minutes from bridge exit to end of work zone. Will add video later. Video added above.
2:36 PM: We will track the pm commute in a separate story, starting around 4 pm. One tidbit – we’re told that West Seattle Water Taxi ridership was up 30 percent or so today (official numbers are not out yet). The WSWT is one of the options on our “commute alternatives” map below.
(back to original story) Meantime, here’s our map of potential commute alternatives beyond the standard “drive a regular route to the bridge” – click one to see details:
View Commute alternatives, heading to downtown in a larger map
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