West Seattle traffic alert: Viaduct congestion reroutes buses

6:15 PM: Just got word from Metro that “Southbound Routes 21 Express, 54, 55, 56, 113, 120, 121, 122, 125 traveling on Alaskan Way Viaduct are being rerouted due to traffic congestion. Westbound on Columbia St & 2 Ave stop will be missed. Use stops along 3 Ave between Pike St & Cherry St.”

6:49 PM UPDATE: Metro says the buses are back to their regular routes. Still not certain whether there was a specific cause of the “congestion” – nothing on the 911 log.

Robert August 25, 2011 (6:31 pm)

It would be “almost criminal” if someone from Metro doesn’t go to the 2nd and Columbia bus stop and make an annoucement with a megaphone.

Jiggers August 25, 2011 (7:19 pm)

It’s going to get worse people. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I warned you, the WSB has warned you, how much more warnings do you need? It is going to get much, much worse next month starting for two years even though this is not a normal rerouting just because of congestion.

East Coast Cynic August 25, 2011 (7:29 pm)

I remember the backup on 3rd Ave about a month and a half ago waiting for a southbound 21X and not knowing why it was happening. It does suck that Metro or the DOT doesn’t put the word out to commuters in some way.

AHNeighbor August 25, 2011 (7:46 pm)

At least on the 21, the “regular” schedule is now a long and torturous route of many backtracks in the sodo area, due to road construction, so take the 54 if you can.

Moose2 August 25, 2011 (8:51 pm)

This did seem far worse than normal congestion. The 56X I was on was stuck for maybe 10 minutes without moving just before the Columbia turn. Normally they edge forward a bit in that time. The driver then got the re-route authorization and carried on down 3rd. I got off to head down to the water taxi (on the basis that I-5 would be pretty crowded as well, and a ferry ride would be far more pleasant).

There was a metro employee at the Columbia & 2nd stop telling passengers that the stop was closed.

Looking on online traffic map while on the 56X, it looked like 99 was backed-up from the 1st Ave S bridge all the way through Seattle. I assumed some sort of incident on or near the bridge to cause this level of backup. But nothing specific was noted.

-Moose