TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday on the move

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:37 AM: Just got a call reporting a stalled vehicle on the eastbound bridge. Checking for more info.

6:57 AM: Not seeing anything more on that. Overall, the regional picture has been looking pretty good. Regional note for the weekend: Highway 520 bridge will be closed, tonight through Monday morning.

7:28 AM: From the scanner – dispatchers are sending police to check out a reported “3-car blocking” incident on the eastbound bridge, west of 99. The SDOT camera that would normally point that way is still out of service, and sun glare dominates the other one, but if you happen to see it from a bus or another *passenger* situation, updates appreciated. ***Update*** – closer to the 4th Avenue exit.

7:36 AM: Emergency personnel arriving on scene. Tweeted by SDOT:

7:42 AM: SDOT says the two left lanes are blocked there. A texter who just went through the area confirms it’s 3 vehicles.

7:51 AM: As SDOT puts it on Twitter, the crash scene has “consolidated.” Now blocking 1 lane between 1st and 4th Ave. exits. Meantime, police are investigating a car theft in High Point – the car reportedly was left running to warm up. Every year, police warn against doing that. (P.S. While car theft is reported to be up in the city, most recent WS-specific update showed a year-to-year drop. But any theft is too many.)

8:25 AM: Scanner: Police just called for a city crew to clean up a fluid spill at the crash scene.

8:42 AM: SDOT confirms the scene is clear and all lanes are open.

9:36 AM: Thanks to Tom for the photo of what’s backing up the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct now:

(See comments for more details.)
11:13 AM NOTE: Neglected to update but that *did* clear about 45 minutes after we mentioned it.

17 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday on the move"

  • Jay November 14, 2014 (7:38 am)

    Looks like the accident is a little east of the 1st ave exit. Fire truck was arriving just a minute ago.

    • WSB November 14, 2014 (7:46 am)

      Thank you!

  • Deb b November 14, 2014 (8:04 am)

    Accident is a Three vehicle rear ender with major front end damage on two vehicles. Looks like three tow trucks will be needed. Vehicles and one police car are in left lane while the right lane and the 4th Ave off ramp are open. Took me 23 minutes from 35th to the accident site. Deb

  • Joel November 14, 2014 (8:38 am)

    All clear now!

  • Wendell November 14, 2014 (8:41 am)

    Groundhog Day.

  • ketchup November 14, 2014 (8:58 am)

    Last minute lane jumpers suck big time.

  • beaglenut November 14, 2014 (9:24 am)

    Everyone involved in the accident ok (injuries)?

    • WSB November 14, 2014 (9:25 am)

      If any, they weren’t serious.

  • beaglenut November 14, 2014 (9:28 am)

    Thanks wsb

  • AD November 14, 2014 (9:44 am)

    Northbound SR 99: 3-car collision on viaduct at Seneca Street off-ramp blocking center 2 lanes. Police/emergency vehicles on scene.

    • WSB November 14, 2014 (10:01 am)

      Added it, thanks to Tom’s tweeted photo around half-past … thank you.

  • Robert November 14, 2014 (9:56 am)

    Would be curious if the police ever figure out if these are caused by distracted drivers. Both accidents happened on a clear day, on a straight and dry road.

  • beaglenut November 14, 2014 (10:42 am)

    @Robert – Texting and last minute lane jumping. Every time.

  • old timer November 14, 2014 (11:00 am)

    Me first, where’s mine, up yours – now, what could possibly go wrong?

  • beaglenut November 14, 2014 (11:21 am)

    ↑ well you have to understand, 1 second earlier to work could make alllll the difference :P

  • Azimuth November 14, 2014 (11:39 am)

    What sucks is sometimes the person making the aggressive maneuvers causes others to have the accident but isn’t involved in the accident and drives away, no big deal. Yesterday some guy in a Jeep cuts me off in the left lane (traffic was backed up so were going slow, so annoying but no big deal), then gets POed when another driver later wouldn’t let him merge to the right, so he ends up behind the the driver then cuts off another guy in the far right lane, nearly causing a wreck, just to show up the person who wouldn’t let him in by passing him. Multiply this by the hundreds of times a day for these scenarios on our streets and statistically speaking we are going to have “accidents”.

  • beaglenut November 14, 2014 (11:52 am)

    I’m with you Az. I remember in one of my traffic rants someone referred to the lane “slinky affect”. It’s actually very true. Get in the lane you need to be in and stay there. It’s safer and it keeps traffic flowing. Personally I will not let anyone over after they pass what I consider “the point of no return”, but that’s just me. The downtown onramp (Columbia St.) to 99 is the worst of them all.

Sorry, comment time is over.