TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates; weekend Viaduct/99 closures

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:14 AM: Happy foggy Friday!

HIGHWAY 99/VIADUCT CLOSURES THIS WEEKEND: Don’t forget that-both directions of Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct will close between the West Seattle Bridge and Battery Street Tunnel 5 am-6 pm Saturday and 6 am-6 pm Sunday, for the twice-yearly safety inspection. North of downtown, a weekend-long closure of Highway 99 is planned for utility work – full details here.

‘WE ARE METRO’: Metro Transit is celebrating accessibility and diversity all month, as explained here.

7:54 AM: Though the bridge cam is fogged in, we’ve been out on a quick errand and it’s clear on the ground, at least from The Junction southbound. Meantime, there’s a crash on the eastbound bridge at Delridge, per the 911 log. Both bridge cams are fogged in, but the Fauntleroy-approach cam (which unfortunately has no Admiral counterpart) isn’t:

8:32 PM: New crash that might affect you if you’re heading south via I-5 – it’s just come up on the 911 log at southbound I-5 @ Spokane.

redfoxx October 4, 2013 (7:53 am)

I heard there might be an accident on the bridge EB at Delridge. Can anyone confirm what if anything is blocked?

WSB October 4, 2013 (7:54 am)

Don’t know yet what’s affected but yes, as of about 11 minutes ago, there’s a crash on the 911 log.

Bebe October 4, 2013 (8:04 am)

Right lane is blocked – traffic is slow going around it, backed up to the top of the hill

Enough October 4, 2013 (8:09 am)

Backed up to 35th. No fri lite this week.

Enough October 4, 2013 (8:18 am)

Must have cleared quick :)

WSB October 4, 2013 (8:21 am)

The 911 entry is now “closed” (turned from green to blue), which seems to verify that. Thanks! http://www2.cityofseattle.net/fire/realTime911/getRecsForDatePub.asp?action=Today&incDate=&rad1=des

flimflam October 4, 2013 (8:22 am)

wow. this “crash blocking lanes” thing seems like an everyday occurrence. any guess as to why?

Joe Szilagyi October 4, 2013 (8:26 am)

Just cleared the bridge about 10 minutes ago. The bus shot through like a bullet.

WSB October 4, 2013 (8:36 am)

Thanks, Joe. Is it as foggy on ground level on the bridge as the cameras are making it look?

Enough October 4, 2013 (8:47 am)

I agree flimflam. More people in WS is my guess. Weather. Like last weekend, 99 was basically closed because of accidents. This weekend it will be closed too. Lots of weekend closures of major roads like 520, 99… This is a major city. Wth..

East Coast Cynic October 4, 2013 (9:36 am)

More people in WS, more cars in WS, and more or less the same transportation infrastructure (give a few RR lines and a 4th Ave S exit) we’ve had for decades.

But maybe the next mayor will bring us all together to solve those problems.

enough October 4, 2013 (10:21 am)

That new 4th ave off ramp is horrible. I’ve never seen a new road be so messed up from almost day one.

metrognome October 4, 2013 (2:07 pm)

I would guess that an increase in crashes (if in fact there is an increase rather than better reporting and immediate access to accident information) is due more to poorly-trained drivers who get impatient and make impulsive moves to try to get 10 inches ahead of where they are. I think the state made a long-term mistake when they stopped requiring drivers to go thru periodic testing. Maybe many drivers would pass with flying colors but if the bad drivers are required to receive further training before being relicensed, we would see fewer preventable accidents. Professional drivers’ continued employment is based on a finding of ‘non-preventable’ if they are in an accident; maybe this rating should be applied to the rest of us.

bbuddy October 4, 2013 (2:23 pm)

You got that right EC Cynic, Enough, and Flimflam. So what’s to be done? I’m tired of preaching to the choir — why don’t we start a bridge posse or something… like maybe we could recruit our very own West Seattle ‘super hero’ (sort of like Phoenix Jones but NOT Phoenix Jones).

enough October 4, 2013 (3:36 pm)

I’ve tried to point out problem areas and suggest solutions with SPD and SDOT but all I get is an inital “we’ll look into it” and nothing when I follow up. I have a paper trail going back several years. I’ve filed requests for service on the City of Seattle website for a few years now. So, maybe it IS time for a bridge posse.

“Posse up!”

Sir Mix Alot

edit: I just realized who you are bbuddy. I LOVE YOUR Bridgeblog .. check it out everyone.

elisabeth October 4, 2013 (8:19 pm)

I shouldn’t be telling all of you this, but I feel your pain! What I do: take Avalon to Genesee, hang a left off Genessee one block short of Delridge (that’s one LONG light), go one block and hang a right, turn left onto Delridge, and take the lower bridge to the NB entrance of 99. Of course, if the lower bridge is open to let a boat through, we’re all screwed. But generally it’s faster than sitting on the upper bridge. I’ve been commuting to DT since 1986, and that upper bridge has always been a problem.

Knock it off October 4, 2013 (10:42 pm)

Those of us who live on that block, Elisabeth, do NOT appreciate the speeding cars racing down our street every morning because people won’t wait for the light at Delridge and Genesee. It’s out of hand. People don’t even stop or look for pedestrians at the end of our block before turning right. Please stop using our street to bypass that light, but if you must, at lease SLOW DOWN.

Sorry, comment time is over.