TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch; weekend warnings

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy Friday! As we keep watch on today’s traffic, there’s a LOT to remind you about:

THAT I-90 LANE CLOSURE: Starting at 9:30 tonight and continuing for up to six days, WSDOT is doing expansion-joint work on westbound I-90 between Bellevue and Mercer Island, which will be reduced to one westbound lane as a result – full details here. If you have to come back from the Eastside, besides Highway 520, another option is to take 405 to Renton, where it heads west and joins up with Highway 518, which you can take westbound to northbound Highway 509, which connects you with east West Seattle.

FLOAT DODGER 5K & PARADE CLOSURES TOMORROW: From fairly early Saturday morning into early Saturday afternoon, California SW closes between north of SW Lander, the West Seattle Grand Parade starting point, to SW Edmunds, end of the route. The Float Dodger 5K starts from California/Charlestown at about 9:30; its course is here. More parade details in our countdown reports, but for road closures, that’s what you need to know, and do heed the no-parking signs on California and side streets where parade participants are staged. (Later Saturday afternoon, about a mile of 16th SW in White Center is closed for the Jubilee Days Parade, between SW 112th and SW 100th, and 17th SW is closed from Roxbury to 100th all day for the WCJD Street Fair.) Bus reroutes for all of the above, too – check your route here).

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT NEXT TUESDAY: Specifics are still lacking, but President Obama visits Seattle briefly for a fundraiser next Tuesday; SDOT has noon-8 pm set aside as the time period. No word yet exactly where he’ll be, nor even which airport Air Force One will use, but just know that at some point during the day, there’ll be traffic stops for the motorcade somewhere.

Transportation news:

SEATTLE VOTE AHEAD FOR METRO MONEY: The sales tax/car tab combo is going to the November ballot.

SOUND TRANSIT @ WS CHAMBER: If you want West Seattle to be in Sound Transit‘s updated long-range plan, speak up now, the WS Chamber of Commerce was told.

RPH July 18, 2014 (8:52 am)

516 goes through Kent/Des Moines. 518 connects 405 to 509 through Burien.

dsa July 18, 2014 (9:01 am)

SR 900 just north of 405 can be used to avoid 405.

Jeanne from West Seattle Rolfing July 19, 2014 (6:28 am)

WSB- do you have more info about vehicle rerouting and/or ways to get into W. Seattle today during the parade? I have clients coming from across town to see me on California and Andover, starting at 10:30am. I can’t find the route map or where vehicles can cross. Any help is super appreciated!

WSB July 19, 2014 (7:26 am)

Jeanne, the route map is as mentioned, California from Lander to Edmunds. There are no set vehicle crossings that I know of and while I might have been able to get an answer sooner, I won’t be able to reach parade coordinators now – they’re already out on the route getting ready. Approaching from behind (depending on whether you are on the east or west side of California) is about the best you can advise.