Downtown traffic alert for tomorrow: May Day marches

Just got a note from James, who thought it might not be a bad idea for us to mention the May Day gatherings planned tomorrow, in case of traffic effects. At almost the same moment, an alert came in from Metro, and it’s the most matter-of-fact one we’ve seen, so here you go:

Transit service – and all traffic – in downtown Seattle will likely be delayed during the Tuesday afternoon commute and into the evening due to a May Day march and other activities. Bus riders should be prepared for transit service delays – and possible reroutes. This could affect bus service both on surface streets and possibly the transit tunnel.

One march is planned to leave the Central District at 5 p.m. and travel along South Jackson Street to Fourth Avenue to the Wells Fargo Building on Third Avenue between Madison and Marion streets. There could be additional May Day activities in other locations that could also delay or disrupt traffic and transit.

If possible, people may want to leave work early Tuesday. They should also give themselves extra time to travel through the downtown area. Metro may have to temporarily reroute buses if streets are closed or become blocked.

Metro will be using its Eye on the Metro Commute blog and Twitter account to do its best to keep customers informed about the transit disruptions on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

(SDOT also has an alert, mentioning that 2nd might have to be closed.) We of course will keep you updated here (and via the WSB Facebook page) too. Nothing major is planned in West Seattle tomorrow so far as we have heard.

12 Replies to "Downtown traffic alert for tomorrow: May Day marches"

  • MissBeth April 30, 2012 (5:23 pm)

    Keep in mind even if you are NOT in Downtown Seattle you will also be affected!!! If you are in West Seattle, and you plan to take a bus in and around WS that comes from Downtown, there will be delays!!!! TRUST ME!!!! I live in and around Renton and one year I stupidly thought if my bus runs in the tunnel there should be NO PROBLEM!!! Well, I was in for a HUGE surprise!!! NEVER made that mistake again!!!

    Just thought I’d put that out there!!!

    Sounds like there are 2 separate events that could impact people long after rush hour is over.

  • G April 30, 2012 (8:54 pm)

    The one day I have to take the bus in from the south sound via Sound Transit and now after a long day at work and long bus ride, I have to deal with this.

  • Rob April 30, 2012 (8:59 pm)

    Really?Does anyone really care anymore?

  • nighthawk April 30, 2012 (9:04 pm)

    Also be aware that the city has issued an alert about potential for violence at tomorrows protests.

    http://mynorthwest.com/11/669351/City-of-Seattle-warns-of-potential-for-violence-at-May-1-protests

  • Jenni Watkins April 30, 2012 (9:44 pm)

    I have to work tomorrow to survive so I hope others do the same! This march for protest is likely to elicit riot activity like WTO so avoid downtown for your own safety. The hospitals have alerted all staff to avoid downtown due to anticipated violence. If the nursing staff is warning us to be careful it must be bad. Take care & hope no harm comes to the peaceful people whom are trying to protest.

  • dm April 30, 2012 (10:05 pm)

    I WOULD have jury duty tomorrow…Hopefully it will be a peaceful day.

  • Gina May 1, 2012 (9:30 am)

    I hope that the Rachel Marie has no mechanical problems today.

  • jedifarfy May 1, 2012 (12:55 pm)

    Yikes. I luckily work right near I-5 and drove in today for work reasons, so I’ll be heading that way after work. I usually take 4th to the Viaduct but not today! Stay safe everyone!

  • Eddie May 1, 2012 (2:47 pm)

    The newspaper accounts flowing through the afternoon describing the vandalism continue to refer to the knuckleheads breaking windows and throwing paint as “protesters” and not “vandals”. Seems like a simple matter to segregate the discussion about the marchers and speechmakers/audience from the stick carrying, window smashing lunatics.

    • WSB May 1, 2012 (2:59 pm)

      Eddie – I can’t speak for other news orgs but that’s how we will be referring to them when we launch a commute-time update in the next hour or so. I have been looking for links to share on the WSB FB page in the meantime, and have found the basic factual ones – the SPD Twitter stream, for example, has listed locations where vandalism occurred: http://twitter.com/seattlepd – and the Times has been keeping a journal (link from their home page at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com ) of what’s happening where. 2 people have been arrested, according to police; I am monitoring a live briefing by the mayor and police chief right now ( http://mayor.seattle.gov ) – TR

  • Dave May 1, 2012 (2:52 pm)

    This should be filed under the Crime Watch.

  • george May 1, 2012 (4:16 pm)

    I’d love to see the SPD carry paint guns, so that they could “mark” the vandals as they commit their crimes, and can then catch up with them when they try to change clothes. What a bunch of punks. The Ewe-gene crowd strikes again.

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