West Seattle traffic alert: Truck up on median, 1 hurt

(Photo courtesy Tyler – added 12:50 pm)
12:31 PM: At least one person is reported hurt in a crash that the 911 log says is on the westbound bridge – described on the scanner as involving a vehicle on the median. If you happen to see this while getting ready to head back this way from points east, you’ll want to use another route – low bridge, 1st Avenue South Bridge – for now. (The only city bridge camera that’s working shows a backup on the eastbound side – adding the image here – so avoid the bridge entirely for a while.)

12:44 PM UPDATE: Commenters say the crashed vehicle is a red pickup. From one: “Truck involved in accident is hanging by 2 tires off the westbound median sideways.”

12:50 PM UPDATE: Added a photo (thanks, Tyler!). Per scanner, police are reopening the westbound side of the bridge.

4:19 PM UPDATE: The scene is long clear but we’ve received a few more photos. The one above is from David.

A September 8, 2012 (12:36 pm)

Really? Eastbound is awful! It’s rough leaving WS right now.

WSB September 8, 2012 (12:37 pm)

I just added that note to the story – while the 911 log says westbound, the camera shows eastbound backup, so maybe it’s more on this side. Hard to get a bead on the bridge unless you’re on it but we’re going to go check a couple of viewpoints.

Accident September 8, 2012 (12:37 pm)

Looks big. Cars under 99 trying to get into 1 lane it’s a mess. I see 2 medics, 1 fire rig, 3 police cars blocking westbound thus the 1 lane lost. Must be bad.

accident September 8, 2012 (12:39 pm)

Make that 2 rigs. Truck involved in accident is hanging by 2 tires off the westbound median sideways. Crazy!

A September 8, 2012 (12:39 pm)

Eastbound goes down to one lane bc of the crash. Looks like one fire truck and police car on eastbound side.

A September 8, 2012 (12:40 pm)

Oh, and don’t worry. I am not driving and writing! Husband is driving. Looks like we’ll be late to the Sounders game. :(

A September 8, 2012 (12:42 pm)

Red pick up ON the median!

John September 8, 2012 (12:44 pm)

We’re on the bridge, eastbound is backed up, but westbound is clear.

jon September 8, 2012 (12:53 pm)

Way to drive, Seattle! And where are the police directing traffic rather than standing at the scene? No where as per usual.

WSB September 8, 2012 (1:04 pm)

Jon and anybody else – we have NO idea how this happened. Our report was intended simply to warn people to avoid the bridge till it was cleared. Could have been an attempt to swerve to avoid a problem, for all we know. So no speculation or criticism regarding those involved, please – we won’t be able to ask police about any preliminary report of a reason before Monday. Till then, we know one person was hurt (not major, according to scanner traffic), and we hope they’ll be OK. Police were involved in traffic control – also per scanner traffic – logistics discussion included whether certain ramps needed to be closed, etc.

JanS September 8, 2012 (1:01 pm)

my first thought …”How the hell?….”

Leann September 8, 2012 (1:17 pm)

Westbound backed up to i-5

Leann September 8, 2012 (1:19 pm)

Westbound backed up to i-5. Merging issues are slowin it down as usual.

NB September 8, 2012 (1:52 pm)

Lookie Loos…why can’t people just drive already?

candy September 8, 2012 (2:16 pm)

Thankful that we have the “jersey” barrier now, a head one would have been tragically fatal as collisions have been in the past.

Gina September 8, 2012 (2:43 pm)

I had the same thought as candy. That barrier certainly saved more people from injury.

Robert September 8, 2012 (2:51 pm)

Jon,

“Way to drive, Seattle!”? So you are mocking the entire population of the city for an accident, when you have no idea how it occurred? You might want to try thinking before posting.

Mike September 8, 2012 (3:38 pm)

I posted an observation about the number of fire units at this scene. It was removed. It was not off-color. It was not vitriolic . It was critical. Why was it removed?

Lonnie S, September 8, 2012 (8:55 pm)

EVERYONE NEEDS TO NOTE: Coming off I-5 Southbound exit to Spokane Street/ West Seattle Bridge, they need to post a sign indicating that the far right lane now is an exit only to the new 1st Ave S. onramp. Without a warning sign it’s an accident waiting to happen.

Alki Resident September 8, 2012 (9:21 pm)

Lonnie, you are soooooo right. I said the same thing friday when carpooling home. I hope they fix it fast.

w.s. maverick September 9, 2012 (9:40 am)

now how does that happen

Eileen September 9, 2012 (12:31 pm)

I was heading to the Sounders game when this huge plume of smoke and the front end of the pickup slid across the median. It was pretty startling but strangely quiet.

Sorry, comment time is over.