TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Rainy Friday updates and alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:25 AM: The rain has returned, as forecast; tomorrow is expected to be more intense than today. Meanwhile, a transit alert just tweeted and texted by Metro:

Transit Alert – Route 56 to downtown Seattle due to leave 61st Av SW & Alki Av SW at 7:33 has been canceled.

— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) August 28, 2015

We’ll be asking King County DOT later if it was the same problem as chronicled here last Friday, a driver shortage.

7:40 AM: Sue notes in comments that the 7:18 am Route 55 also was canceled (texted/tweeted with half an hour’s warning).

8:19 AM: Also a reminder that the SW Myrtle closure from 17th SW westward to Sanislo is expected to continue today; the repaving work represents the start of work related to the Delridge-Highland Park Neighborhood Greenway. We’ll check on the progress later. Meantime, the rain has just picked up again.

Sue August 28, 2015 (7:35 am)

The 7:18 55 was cancelled also. For once the text came in time to make other arrangements.

WSB August 28, 2015 (7:40 am)

Thanks, I see I have that one too, will add it for the record.

Joe Szilagyi August 28, 2015 (7:54 am)

Metro currently has a MAJOR driver shortage, which was caused by the foolish and irrational decisions that led to Metro being funded more by sales taxes — which died during the Great Recession, leading to many of the bus route cuts we saw over the years. Now they’re scrambling to catch up. Metro now, after a fair bit of public pressure from groups and individuals, is doing things like this: announcing cancellations.
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It should be noted that these are almost 100% of the time to my understanding caused by the dire staffing and labor shortage, that Metro finally has budget to work toward fixing, but it’s not easy.

Amanda August 28, 2015 (8:12 am)

Construction crew on hillside at end of WS bridge, before “walking on logs” statues. Not blocking, but causing slowdown due to distraction.

WSB August 28, 2015 (8:17 am)

Thanks. Today I’m checking on exactly what that work is – have seen what looked like a backhoe staging for a while, and then somebody inquired yesterday.

East Coast Cynic August 28, 2015 (8:30 am)

@Joe, was it the elimination of MVET by Governor Locke and the legislature back in the early 2000’s even after the court declared Eyeman’s reprobate I-695 initiative unconstitutional?

Joe Szilagyi August 28, 2015 (9:22 am)

@ECC a whole bunch of people have historically failed us, ourselves included, for not cracking those idiots in the face over their actions.

Colleen August 28, 2015 (10:54 am)

It wouldn’t be commuting from the Admiral District if the bus wasn’t cancelled once a week. My other thought is how much lead time do they have for cancelling/announcing? I love they did announce this one, but 13 mins really just means 13 mins of waiting for the next one, and hoping it can pick you up.