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Second 99/Viaduct morning commute, post-lane-reduction

May 17, 2011 7:14 am
|      46 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Scroll down for updates – and send us yours!)

(Refresh for latest pic from WS Bridge & 1st Av. S. cams, more on the WSB Traffic page)
As promised, just in case Day 1 was an aberration, we’re also watching Day 2 of the morning commute with a lane-reduced, speed-reduced stretch of Highway 99 north of the West Seattle Bridge. Fog has been a factor in the early going. We’ll update here if any major problems (or interesting observations) ensue.

8:02 AM: In addition to comments here, we have this report from Natalie via the WSB FB page: “Much slower than yesterday at this same time. I caught a 7:35 bus yesterday and still got to work at 8. Still trying to get on the bridge on same bus today.”

Meantime, recycled from yesterday, 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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46 Replies to "Second 99/Viaduct morning commute, post-lane-reduction"

  • Debbie May 17, 2011 (7:31 am)

    I’ve been leaving the Admiral area at 6:45 the past two mornings and its been easy going. Its a little early for me but better than sitting in traffic.

  • Elliott May 17, 2011 (7:39 am)

    7:36: zero slowdown at the squeeze.

  • Amber May 17, 2011 (7:42 am)

    Took 10 minutes on Delridge for the bus to make it from Alaska to Andover. Can’t wait to see the bridge!

  • Jen May 17, 2011 (7:56 am)

    125 bus got me downtown a couple of minutes faster than yesterday.

  • CandrewB May 17, 2011 (8:08 am)

    Not at all worried about the morning commute as I am usually on the bus by 6:30. However, in the Summer, traffic can back up onto 3rd Ave without lane closures, especially if the M’s or Sounders have day games. It is going to get real bad if they keep the configuration as it is. Question, can one park a car or motorcycle on Harbor Ave for the whole day?

  • Amanda May 17, 2011 (8:13 am)

    Moving along in the bus lane on the bridge. Tough going with Fauntleroy mergers competing with Delridge mergers. Tough getting onto 99 around the curve. Running about 5 minutes behind schedule on the 125. Sticky in the squeeze…bus lanes rock. Running smooth in the reduction. Not bad, good cooperation.

  • O May 17, 2011 (8:36 am)

    8:35 stop and go, 5pmh tops

  • Julie May 17, 2011 (8:36 am)

    The lower bridge was opened for boat traffic this morning and was back in service for bikes and cars at about 745 when I arrived on my bike. This may have been adding to the back-ups this morning.

  • K May 17, 2011 (8:37 am)

    CandrewB – it depends where on Harbor, but yes, there are areas to park all day.

  • KJ May 17, 2011 (8:44 am)

    My commute today was actually faster than yesterday. I caught the 56X on Admiral Way at 7:20 AM and arrived at 2nd & Seneca by 7:45 AM, but yesterday the same bus got me to work at 7:55 AM, so it was about 10 minutes faster today.

    CandrewB, I’m worried about the potential traffic jams on game days, too. There were times last summer when the M’s played and it took me over an hour to get from 1st Ave to Admiral on the bus. (Why would they schedule those day games to end in the middle of rush hour anyway?) It’s just going to get worse from now on…

  • buddsmom May 17, 2011 (8:57 am)

    Got on 21X in Arbor Heights at 7:23 made it to 3rd Ave at 8:15. There was a 2 car ax in the bus only lane by the steel plant. SPD on scene diverting traffic so transit was able to pass without problems. Traffic was heavier than yesterday, but no worse than a rainy commute.

  • Aaron May 17, 2011 (8:58 am)

    Observed from my bike: traffic was backed up a lot more on Avalon & the lower bridge than yesterday at the same time (~7:50). My bike commute time hasn’t changed in the last three weeks though.

  • Sylvie May 17, 2011 (8:59 am)

    Why did the DOT take down the cameras along 99? I always check them every morning before leaving for work, but now they are out of service. Seems like we need them more than ever now!

    • WSB May 17, 2011 (9:26 am)

      Sylvie – which ones? There’s never been a Viaduct camera, sadly. We have a couple 99 cams on our Traffic page and they seem to be up….

  • Soosan May 17, 2011 (9:13 am)

    37/25 from Alki to UW is about to drop me off almost 25 minutes late. Bummer bus ride!

  • squareeyes May 17, 2011 (9:14 am)

    Worse than yesterday. Today it took 25 minutes to get from 35th & Alaska to the 99 exit. Now I know that the commute time screen on Alaska at Fauntleroy is pretty darn accurate.

  • pumpkin May 17, 2011 (9:17 am)

    I left Admiral/California at 7:50 this morning and arrived at work in Downtown at 8:45 nearly an hour to get in. I had to drive in today but will avoid this peek time in the future.

  • watertowerjoey May 17, 2011 (9:23 am)

    Barring some unforseen changes the only way this will be solved (long term) is by people changing their work hours.

    Things should clear up in a month when schools get out, but post Labor Day this mess will continue.

    I am adjusting my schedule to a 7:00 start. About 20% of the 9:00 starters will need to do the same!

    Good luck to all!

  • SarahScoot May 17, 2011 (9:23 am)

    I woke up a bit earlier than usual so I opted for the 55 (leaves 35th & Avalon around 7:20) instead of the 54 I usually take 10 minutes later. Those extra 10 minutes resulted in me getting to work at the same time I would normally. :-) No loss, no gain… it was definitely more congested out there.
    Also, I’m not sure if it’s normal for that bus, but wow, was it crowded (we were stacked in the aisle front to back). And hot. I’ll stick to my normal 54.

  • WS commuter May 17, 2011 (9:45 am)

    Left West Seattle at 8:15 on Fauntleroy – took 25 minutes to get over the bridge and through the merge to 99 northbound – then wide open through the squeeze zone.

    Today was worse that yesterday, and also, much worse for people cheating in the bus only lane. Need SPD out there.

  • Hoyne May 17, 2011 (9:57 am)

    Horrible commute today! Yuck! I normally bus in but today needed to drive (I need my car for a work trip today) and it took me over an hour! I took Delridge to the bridge and traffic was at a complete stop for at least 20 minutes while cheaters ran to the front of the line via the bus lane. Once I finally got to the exit, there were still multiple cars exiting next to me in the bus lane!

    I know we all need to allow others in to merge, and I always try to let people in when I can (working on that good driving karma) but really? Please don’t buzz all the way to the front and cut in at the last minute. It leaves poor schmucks like me stuck at the back of the line for a good 20-30 minutes.

  • Sylvia May 17, 2011 (10:05 am)

    http://web5.seattle.gov/travelers/
    There is a camera at 99 and Blanchard, pointing south just after the Battery St Tunnel; that is the one I use the most. You’ll notice on the map that the entire stretch of 99 is now white – indicating no data.

  • The Velvet Bulldog May 17, 2011 (11:31 am)

    Left Morgan Junction at 8am and it took half an hour to get to the Viaduct via the low bridge. Note to a$$holes driving in the W Marginal Lane and cutting into the low bridge lane at the last minute (looking at you little black Smart(a$$) car) I will NOT let you in, and I’m not sure why anyone else is letting these line-jumpers in.

    Looked at taking a bus to the north-end appointment I had this morning: a route with one transfer would have taken two hours while a route with two transfers would have taken one and one half hours. I’m getting really frustrated at being told to use alternative transportation when the alternatives are worse than sitting in my car for an hour.

  • WS Steve May 17, 2011 (11:32 am)

    I went east via Morgan from California down Sylvan to Highland park down the hill, across the first avenue bridge, then onto Michigan to I-5. Took about fifteen minutes. I-5 northbound was pretty stacked up, though. Might try first or fourth up to I-5 or I-90 tomorrow.

  • 2wheels a-go-go May 17, 2011 (11:39 am)

    Like Aaron, my bike commute was no different today than on any other day.

  • CandrewB May 17, 2011 (11:49 am)

    2wheels, good thing you are biker, you will never have to worry about arthritis, cartilage disintegration, joint & tendon issues or any other possible health malady until long after you retire at 67. In fact, we should shut down all roads, for us runners and bikers (which should be everybody BTW) will always be in perfect health and will never need anything more than comfortable shoes or a bike to get to anywhere within a fifty mile radius.

  • Franci May 17, 2011 (12:33 pm)

    For those of you that think everyone should run or ride a bike to work – get real!

    Not everyone is physically able to do this.

    Some people have children to deliver to daycare on their way to work. How many children are you dropping off miles from home on your way to work?
    Some people have tools/equipment they carry each day. How many pounds of gear are you able to carry on your bikes or backs?
    Some people go to classes after working a full day. I do. I can tell you no matter the weather, I don’t want to be biking home to WS after 10:00 pm at night from North Seattle, so I can get up at 5:30 am to start my day all over again.

    Please get real and respect the fact that running/biking doesn’t work for EVERYONE.

  • CandrewB May 17, 2011 (12:39 pm)

    Nerve damage, cancer, slipped disc, food poisoning, you name it, bikers are immune. No matter what, you will always be able to ride a Chilly Hilly back and forth to work every day. No need to worry about a thing.

  • JN May 17, 2011 (12:46 pm)

    While cycling may not work for everyone, it DOES work for the vast majority of people. There are even bicycles you can carry a full load of groceries in, as well as 2-3 kids. Just like there are sports cars and trucks and vans, there are many different kinds of bicycles to suit your terrain, riding style, or load carrying requirements. And while you anti-cyclist people stew and suck the fumes from your cars for the next 3-5 years, or however long this project may last, I will be merrily cycling past you. I might even take pity on you and give you some water so you don’t die of dehydration.

  • AJL May 17, 2011 (12:51 pm)

    It seems as if you have to drive leaving early would be helpful. I cycle to work (and like the others who posted we are just giving our input like any other commuter…why is it that the drivers can complain to no end but once a few cyclists describe their commute it’s automatically rejected?) and don’t see any motor vehicle backups between 6:30 – 7:15 am so far. Riding home yesterday, earlier than normal, I didn’t see any backups around 4:00 pm unless you were on E. Marginal and that was due to a train and lots of Port truck traffic.

  • dreck May 17, 2011 (12:56 pm)

    One hour to get downtown this morning, sorry but i did not leave at 6h30 am…
    West Seattle has become a gettho, no extra bus, nothing planned to help working people.
    This town need an ingeneer in transportation, and we are supposed to live on the more educated city of the USA.
    Public transportation and city management is way better in Mexico. SHAME ON SEATTLE

  • KJ May 17, 2011 (1:18 pm)

    Amen, Franci! Couldn’t have said it better myself.

  • austin May 17, 2011 (1:24 pm)

    “This town need an ingeneer in transportation, and we are supposed to live on the more educated city of the USA.”
    – Just wanted to point this out, I’m not sure if it was intentionally funny or not. If so, good show.
    .
    See you all on the water taxi..

  • 2wheels a-go-go May 17, 2011 (1:35 pm)

    @Franci: Who ever said that “everyone” should ride a bike? There is no one magic mode of transportation that everyone should be forced to use. That sort of argument is ludicrous. It’s the sort of straw man put out there by “Mayor McSchwinn” haters who believe there is some nefarious plot to close all roads and take everyone’s cars away.
    .
    My comment was, as @AJL pointed out, simply my own commuting report, and was intended to open people’s eyes to the fact that bike commuting is immune from traffic congestion (caused by construction or otherwise), and to the fact that other options do exist besides driving and taking the bus. If cycling doesn’t work for you, then fine, don’t do it.

  • brittany May 17, 2011 (1:48 pm)

    i think delridge is taking a real hit here. the backup to get onto the bridge is awful when there is the slightest backup to 99N. i’m sure people are finding their alternate routes already…. yuck.

  • Alex May 17, 2011 (2:44 pm)

    +1 to the amen for Franci.
    .
    2wheels, the reason you are irritating people is that what you say comes across as bragging. Personally, I would LOVE to ride my bike to work, but I can’t. Yes, we realize bikes are immune to traffic. However, many of us simply are not able to ride bikes (distance, health, etc… an infinite number of private, yet perfectly valid reasons). Even if you ARE better than us, ‘doing your part,’ etc., please don’t rub it in.

  • April May 17, 2011 (2:53 pm)

    I took the water taxi again today, there were a few more people riding with me today than yesterday, including several cyclists. However, it was by no means crowded and there is still plenty of room for more. My only complaint is that the engine is extremely loud. Might bring my ear plugs tomorrow. I’m guessing if you’re on top outside it wouldn’t be as loud. Can’t wait till it warms up enough to do that!

  • Aaron May 17, 2011 (3:20 pm)

    I posted my comments on my observations while biking to work this morning to contribute to the discussion. I think 2wheels was just backing my observations. Those of you berating us for this are reading WAY more into the comments than what was posted.
    If you are just angry and shouting into the thunder makes you feel better, go for it.
    Biking doesn’t work for everyone, but for many of us it does.

  • 2wheels a-go-go May 17, 2011 (3:40 pm)

    Thank you Aaron. Again, I have never said anything like “I am a cyclist therefore I am better than you”, nor has any other cyclist on here.
    .
    If car drivers are allowed to use this forum to whine about how terrible traffic is, why can a cyclist not get on here and point out “hey, there’s a way you can avoid all of that”?
    .
    And @CandrewB, your implication that bike commuters are or must be superhuman athletes is nonsense. Spend a day on along the bike paths between West Seattle and downtown and you will see that bike commuters come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities, and ride everything from $5,000 carbon racing bikes to 1970’s era Schwinn Varsities.

  • Herman May 17, 2011 (4:14 pm)

    I’m the late morning shift, I get to the bridge at 9 AM. It still sucks at that time. I come down Fauntleroy. Even at that hour the 99 line extended all the way to the Delridge on-ramp.
    .
    Is the Delridge on-ramp even usable? By the time the line gets that far back, it looks like its at a permanent dead stop. Maybe the city can help us figure out a way to queue up fairly.

  • CandrewB May 17, 2011 (4:45 pm)

    Wow, if that was how you took it… My point was not to be so smug, and you were being smug. Any number of things can happen to the human body (and will) regardless of age or health that prevents a ten mile, five-day-a-week bicycle commute up hills.

  • lucky chick May 17, 2011 (5:40 pm)

    During the 2008 storm, I decided to drive to work (bus alone is not doable for me) and I pulled over and asked the 30 people waiting for the bus if anyone was going to Bellevue or Kirkland. Well, 7 of us ended up cramming into my Honda. It makes me think that a similar ride-share might work (hold a sign at the bus stop with your destination). I guess I didn’t think it through, since it would be taking bus-riders off the road and not SOVs. Maybe some variation thereof, though.
    .
    Sadly, it’s acceptable to be as nasty as you want to cyclists, it seems (see Franci and her accolades), and your misinterpretations will go unchallenged (no cyclist said everyone should ride). So I won’t bother mentioning what I saw on Alaskan Way from my bike.

  • Sara May 17, 2011 (6:07 pm)

    The commute today was so bad. From Admiral it took 30 minutes just to get to I-5 south (I don’t even need to go downtown!). Without traffic, it takes me 20 minutes to get to work: why would I tack on an additional half hour? It’s ridiculous. I am moving this summer. I will miss you West Seattle, and hope to return someday. :(

    @2 wheels: Why do bicyclists even comment on this thread? It has nothing to do with you. That’s my issue. If I even CHOSE to bike (which I wouldn’t), it would take over an hour. I work 8 hours a day: I prefer my workout to be running and yoga. Do you think I want to spend 10 hours a week on a bike? No way.
    Also, an old roommate used to bike to work every day, and believe me, 60% of the time he complained about everything you can imagine: weather, incidents with drivers, etc. Enjoy and leave us drivers alone.

  • JN May 17, 2011 (7:34 pm)

    @Sara, anything that affects West Seattle traffic, also affects cyclists, or at least opens up the discussion to everyone who needs to get out of West Seattle. Your comment also seems to be more elitist or smug than any cyclist’s comment I have read. After all, you drive a CAR and anything related to transportation woes can apparently only be discussed if you drive a CAR. And apparently some people (CandrewB) can sense smugness even if it is non-existent.

  • 2wheels-a-go-go May 18, 2011 (12:52 am)

    Also @Sara, yesterday the good folks at WSB asked *anyone*, including cyclists, to comment on their commuting experience:
    .
    https://westseattleblog.com/2011/05/1st-commute-home-with-99viaduct-lane-reductions
    .
    …where they said “do let us know how it goes for you (whether you’re driving, busing, biking, motorcycling, Water Taxi-ing, etc.).”
    .
    The map they’ve provided even includes comments about bikes using the low bridge (not to mention that bikes can also be used in combination with Metro buses and the water taxi).
    .
    And as I’ve stated previously, if you choose not to commute by bike, that’s up to you. You don’t need to get defensive about why you don’t bike, since no one is demanding that you do so.

  • drb May 20, 2011 (9:12 am)

    Hi Everyone, so last post here seems to be May 18th..today is the 20th..I leave really early in the morning and I’m already seeing more cars on the road..but still fine..but it is EARLY…so what has it been like on Thurs 19th and today Fri. 20th. In a holding pattern..getting better or worse. I wouldn’t mind sleeping in a bit if it isn’t too bad out there.

Sorry, comment time is over.