TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday alerts, including bridge crash, Roxbury crash

(Live view from the west-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:19 AM: Just getting word of a crash on the eastbound bridge. (update) Texters say it apparently involves a scooter rider, and multiple lanes are blocked.

7:32 AM: Emergency personnel are still tending to the scooter rider on the ground. If you haven’t headed out yet, avoid the high bridge – try the low bridge or go through Highland Park or points south to get to the 1st Avenue South Bridge. Feeder routes are reported to be backed up too, especially Fauntleroy to 35th.

7:41 AM: Via Twitter, @jamesmahler says a tow truck has arrived for the scooter, and fire/medic vehicles have cleared, taking the rider to the hospital. Everything we’ve heard so far suggest the incident might only have involved the scooter – other cars were stopped for a while, but those were drivers who pulled over to help.

8:15 AM: The crash scene has since been cleared. We have messages out to both SFD and SPD hoping to find out more, particularly regarding the rider’s condition.

(Photo of scooter-crash scene, courtesy Winston)
8:28 AM: Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore says the rider is a woman “approximately 30s,” not seriously hurt, taken to hospital as a precaution.

9:37 AM: Eastbound Roxbury is blocked by a crash at 14th/15th – car hit a tree; two people taken to the hospital.

10:34 AM: Metro reports buses in the area are back on their regular routes, which means the scene on Roxbury is clear.

KP May 23, 2013 (7:24 am)

Just drove past it on a bus. Mini + Scooter accident. Prayers for the scooter occupant who was alert, but still on the ground as the medics pulled up.

Shelley May 23, 2013 (7:25 am)

Looks like it involved a blue moped from what I could see on the bus. I hope everyone’s ok.

Ryan May 23, 2013 (7:29 am)

Traffic is backed all the way to 35

Joe Szilagyi May 23, 2013 (7:40 am)

Avalon to the bridge is crawling.

Admiral May 23, 2013 (7:45 am)

Admiral is backed past the light at the lookout.

Jay May 23, 2013 (7:45 am)

All cleared now and the bridge is actually moving fast once you get onto it.

SunriseHeights May 23, 2013 (7:46 am)

On the 21. Once we got on the bridge we moved at normal speed in the lane for 99. Just the scooter was left in the bus lane from what I could see. Still some fire trucks and police on scene.

Kate W May 23, 2013 (7:46 am)

The King County Water Taxi is an excellent choice to avoid the traffic snarls on the WS bridge!!

Sue May 23, 2013 (7:48 am)

Fauntleroy is now backed up to Brandon (4 blocks south of Alaska)

Trickycoolj May 23, 2013 (7:55 am)

Orchard-Austin between Delridge and 16th is a complete stand still. The back way is not faster.

Spana May 23, 2013 (8:11 am)

Please keep us updated on the scooter driver if you hear.

WSB May 23, 2013 (8:17 am)

Yes, I’m checking with both fire & police media departments to see what more we can find out.

East Coast Cynic May 23, 2013 (8:20 am)

Great job by the tow trucks to move the scooter out and the medics to get the scooter rider out of the way quickly. My 21X was about 4,5 minutes later than usual, which is pretty good for an accident on the bridge.

Fed up May 23, 2013 (8:23 am)

I wish people would not block intersections and run red lights like at Oregon and Fauntleroy!

Melinda May 23, 2013 (8:24 am)

A lot of traffic on 26th through Youngstown. Please slow down, kids waiting for school buses.

Egan Fo May 23, 2013 (8:25 am)

I heard this accident as it happened. The scooter slammed into a stopped Greenwood Heating van about three or four cars behind me. The van kept driving though, not sure why he didn’t pull over. Glad to see people helped out the scooter driver and that the driver seemed to be not injured seriously.

Fed up May 23, 2013 (8:31 am)

Jay reports clear 45 minutes ago. Bridge and Fauntleroy still crawling. I used to love commuting out of WS. Now it’s a crap shoot every day. Sit in a car or crowded bus or risk your life on a bike.

BTW, the left lane is blocked now by a dump truck car accident!

WSB May 23, 2013 (8:42 am)

Fed Up – left lane on the bridge? Supernova- the dispatchers do the best they can with what they have (including what info they have) at the time – looks like, from the 911 log, they sent Aid 14, which comes from the other side of the bay, along with Engine 36, stationed by the bridge at the north end of Delridge, and Engine 32, stationed in The Junction.

supernova72 May 23, 2013 (8:37 am)

I was in the middle of this (7:10-7:45). Glad to hear the rider was not seriously injured. In my rear view also watching a fire truck attempt to get down the bridge to the accident…took about 20 minutes for him/her to get from Taco Time to the crest of the bridge as we moved into the right lane.

Not much else a car can do to make room for something like that. Too bad the fire truck didn’t come from Delridge vs. the top of the bridge?

Kelly May 23, 2013 (8:45 am)

I’m so relieved she wasn’t seriously hurt. I saw that the women who stayed with her were smiling so I was hopeful. Thanks to all the good people who stopped to help!

Fed up May 23, 2013 (8:47 am)

Yes WSB, dump truck stopped going up hill eastbounnd near nucor. Blue compact car in front. Woman was out, exchanging info. This was about 15 minutes ago as we drove by.

WSB May 23, 2013 (9:03 am)

Thank you!

supernova72 May 23, 2013 (9:11 am)

Thanks for the info WSB on the where the engines came from. What I saw must have been engine 32 them from the Junction. Kudo’s for the cars doing the best they could moving to the right lane given there are no shoulders on the bridge…

BLB May 23, 2013 (9:12 am)

Escaping West Seattle is a nightmare!

a May 23, 2013 (9:13 am)

why can’t the bus lane on the bridge become the official emergency lane too? I about got smashed by a bus while i was moving to the right to let Medic One through in the left lane.Firetrucks and police were using the bus lane but medic one was in the left lane. It was a bit of chaos for a short while.My true hope is with the injured person and that she got medical attention as quick as possible and makes a full and speedy recovery.

East Coast Cynic May 23, 2013 (9:25 am)

Kate W, The Water Taxi may be a good option for those who live near the Taxi sailing site and those who don’t have to fight for parking near the site, but otherwise, it can be a potentially hard slog getting to it using the shuttle–I saw the Taxi shuttle stuck in traffic on 35th SW with everybody else.

Sue May 23, 2013 (10:18 am)

What I’m sure was complicating things too was an illegally parked Car2Go on Avalon – you’re not supposed to park those anywhere that will change to a restricted lane (it might’ve been legal when they parked it, but it becomes a bus lane in morning rush hour). We called Car2Go to let them know, but the bus lane there could’ve been used as an emergency lane (not to mention the buses could’ve used it), but instead had to ride with the rest of the traffic.