Need to pass through downtown and/or SODO to get home tonight? Beware! This just in from SDOT:

The afternoon commute could become a little dicey later today. Occupy Seattle will hold a protest rally and march in downtown Seattle starting at 6 p.m. A crowd of more than 500 people is expected to gather at the north end of Westlake Park at Fourth Avenue and Pine Street for the rally. Between 6:30 and 7 p.m. the protesters will move to the Sheraton Hotel on Sixth Avenue between Union and Pike streets. Seattle Police will escort the marchers south on Fifth Avenue to Union street, east on Union to Sixth Avenue, and north on Sixth to Pike Street. Given the size of the expected throng of protesters, the march will likely be in the street so motorists should plan to avoid the area to avoid delays.

At the other end of downtown at 7 p.m., the Seattle Sounders will be drawing over 40,000 scarf-waving fans at CenturyLink Field. They’ll take on the Real Salt Lake soccer club for the second leg of the Western Conference semifinals. Expect traffic around the stadium to be very congested before and after the match.

The Water Taxi is on its winter schedule now and is NOT extending for sporting events, according to the county.