TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates and alerts; NB I-5 crash; stalled vehicle on EB WS Bridge

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:47 AM: The morning starts with trouble on northbound I-5 downtown, a deadly crash that has left only one lane open at Mercer.

6:57 AM: While SDOT described it as a lane, traffic reporters say it’s just the shoulder at one spot. WSP says the scene of the crash, which killed a motorcycle rider, stretches across 150 feet. As noted in comments, other northbound routes (especially 99) are slowed by the spillover.

7:14 AM: Thanks to Erica for calling with the tip – a stalled vehicle is blocking one lane of the Fauntleroy end of the bridge, not too far past Fauntleroy.

7:18 AM: Just heard the dispatch on that, so police are on the way to check it out.

7:21 AM: Again, NB I-5 remains almost completely blocked on the north side of downtown. WSP now says the crash scene stretched across 400 feet.

7:33 AM: While monitoring for updates, we’ll mention two other transportation notes:

BUS BRIEFING: It was late Monday afternoon before the City Council, as the Transportation Benefit District Board, finally heard from Metro leadership. We’ll be publishing the full story when the Seattle Channel video of the meeting is available; in short, there was no specific explanation of why West Seattle routes seemed to be disproportionately affected, just a couple things we’ve heard before – that the overall cancellation rate systemwide is miniscule, and that it should all be better in October (mid-to-late) when they finish hiring, which was described as a lengthy process. (So far this morning, the cancellations tweeted by Metro are NOT on West Seattle routes.)

WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE CORRIDOR ACTION REPORT – SPECIAL MEETING: Announced even later in the day, but with three weeks’ notice – City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen will host a meeting in West Seattle about the report covered here a week ago, suggesting 27 possibilities for improving the “West Seattle Bridge-Duwamish Waterway Corridor.” 6:30 pm Monday, October 19th, at the Sisson Building (home of the Senior Center) in The Junction, California/Oregon. (Here’s our story from last night.)

7:51 AM: Via scanner, we’ve heard police just say the eastbound high bridge is now clear – but still affected by the backup from the northbound I-5 crash (where one lane is open, no ETA for investigators to clear the scene).

8:39 AM: Still just one lane at the NB I-5 scene. We’ll continue to update here past the top of the hour, even once we move to other news at the top of the home page. Meantime, even school buses are affected, the district tweeted:

8:48 AM: Mike Jensen reports via Twitter that there’s (still?) a stalled vehicle on the eastbound bridge, parallel with Nucor. So if you’re going to brave the backup anyway, Admiral/Avalon might be better than the Fauntleroy entrance to the bridge … Mike Lindblom has tweeted that the backup stretches quite a distance back on Delridge Way.

9:28 AM: Per an exchange overheard via scanner a few minutes ago, apparently 911 didn’t have word about THAT stalled vehicle. A police unit told them about it and is now handling it.

9:33 AM: I-5 northbound lanes are all open at Mercer following the motorcycle-crash investigation, but backups are still reported northbound just about everywhere – will take a while to clear.

43 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates and alerts; NB I-5 crash; stalled vehicle on EB WS Bridge"

  • East Coast Cynic September 29, 2015 (6:57 am)

    The unfortunate accident may end up leaving 99NB hammered for the rush hour, to the detriment of Express and Rapid Ride buses as well as SOV’s.

    • WSB September 29, 2015 (7:00 am)

      Thanks, I was just adding an update along those lines. The collision scene sounds big enough that it’s not likely to be cleared any time soon.

  • stb September 29, 2015 (7:45 am)

    We’re trying Beacon Hill. Along with about 10,000 of our friends and neighbors.

  • Molly September 29, 2015 (7:50 am)

    Stall on eastbound West Seattle bridge right lane right at the steel mill @ 7:45

  • Molly September 29, 2015 (7:56 am)

    First Avenue exit is also all backed up

  • Heidi A September 29, 2015 (8:02 am)

    1st Ave not moving… 45 minutes since l left and I’m barely to Starbucks hq

  • Sunrise Heights September 29, 2015 (8:09 am)

    And 4th ave is a parking lot.

  • Paul September 29, 2015 (8:26 am)

    EB bridge was already backed up past the steel mill when I crossed at 645. Backup starts earlier every year and no solution in sight. Gonna get worse before it gets better.

  • Andrew September 29, 2015 (8:32 am)

    I caught the 21 at 35th and Avalon half an hour ago, and we’re just now reaching the bridge almost half an hour later. I’d advise people to stay home until 10:00 am and this CF has cleared.

  • Michelle September 29, 2015 (8:33 am)

    The C line took 30 minutes to go from Avalon/Yancy to the start of the 99 bridge curve on ramp. Water taxi may be the best way to go today if you can!

  • Erica September 29, 2015 (8:51 am)

    1st Ave off ramp at a standstill. Been waiting over 20 mins with little movement.

  • Andrew September 29, 2015 (9:02 am)

    Update: We finally reached 1st Ave after an hour. This is insane.

  • Andrew September 29, 2015 (9:09 am)

    Update / We finally reached 1st Ave after an hour. I’m hopping off at 4th & Lander to take the light rail the rest of the way to downtown.

  • trickycoolj September 29, 2015 (9:12 am)

    South Park Bridge is still bumper to bumper from East Marginal down Cloverdale all the way to 99. 14 is just as bad. Took 45 minutes from High Point to Boeing Field and is no where near the I-5 closure.

  • Hmmmm September 29, 2015 (9:18 am)

    Bridge still backed up almost to 35th.

  • Bennett September 29, 2015 (9:20 am)

    40 minutes from 35th and Yancy to the 99 merg. Via C line.
    Also, to the person who picked up the puppies playing on the west Seattle bridge. You rock!!!!

  • Hmmmm September 29, 2015 (9:21 am)

    Confirming a stall/right lane blocked SPD on scene.

  • JKB September 29, 2015 (9:24 am)

    9:20, bridge is a parking lot, Admiral backed up to City View

  • Hmmmm September 29, 2015 (9:28 am)

    99 n lane is backed up to the south all down Del

  • LyndaB September 29, 2015 (9:28 am)

    If you’re going to UW and using 23rd…it has road construction. Down to one lane and some instances in one direction only. I should have followed the detour signs. After Union, it goes back to two directions.

  • JC September 29, 2015 (9:33 am)

    So I see the RED bus paint on the road, and how does this affect folks needed to make a lane change thru that lane to get into the lane that takes you to NB 99 exit?? I’m assuming we can use that lane to get over and not get nailed by the cops?

  • Hmmmm September 29, 2015 (9:33 am)

    What a mess!

  • Hmmmm September 29, 2015 (9:35 am)

    Stall there for 2 hours!? Laugh or cry?

    • WSB September 29, 2015 (9:42 am)

      Hmmm, I don’t know that it’s the same stall. There WAS a dispatch for the first one. So I’d guess this was separate.

  • Irishlady September 29, 2015 (9:35 am)

    1st and 4th backed up, really really really far, is my only way to put it.

  • Hmmmm September 29, 2015 (9:49 am)

    Ok thanks wsb

  • Irishlady September 29, 2015 (9:55 am)

    Made it to the WS bridge in 20min, on first, from the railroad overpass….yes!

  • schwaggy September 29, 2015 (10:04 am)

    @JC – you will get nailed if the police see you cross the bus lane. It’s redonk. Can’t change your mind, EVER. Once you choose 99 or SSV/Bridge, you have chosen.

  • Irishlady September 29, 2015 (10:23 am)

    1st and Jackson! Woot! Things are moving faster now down on 1st

  • wondering September 29, 2015 (10:35 am)

    Wasn’t there a morning commute fatal motorcycle accident on I 5 north about a month ago?

  • highland park commuter September 29, 2015 (10:42 am)

    I was on a bus in SODO this morning. It took me 2.5 hours to get to work. Normally it takes 38-45 minutes. It was a parking lot

  • Gatewood Resident September 29, 2015 (10:49 am)

    Any updates to traffic or recommended routes at this point? I’m attempting to head downtown shortly after 11. Thanks!

    *Sorry if this double-posts, I tried posting it about 20 minutes ago and haven’t seen it appear in the comments yet.

  • Eastadmiralmama September 29, 2015 (10:57 am)

    Why would it take over three hours to clear this MAJOR arterial?
    What happened to all those fancy plans supposedly implemented after the fish truck incident?

  • JC September 29, 2015 (1:12 pm)

    schwaggy – seriously?? I don’t travel this bridge much, but if I am coming from West Seattle from Fauntleroy and need to take 99 to go North on it, I gotta cross that lane to even get into the exit lane to NB 99 and now they will nail you just for that? What a bunch of (*%&$% the city leaders are. And I didn’t vote for those morons. Ugh…..

  • Franci September 29, 2015 (1:30 pm)

    JC – its okay to cross when the broken white line is present. Once it becomes solid white line and now red paint crossing is not allowed. I agree that it would be nice to have a place to cross once you can see what is what in terms of traffic. Unfortunately the current rules require you to pick a lane – before you can see what they lanes and/or 99N look like.

  • Wes C. Addle September 29, 2015 (1:33 pm)

    @Schwaggy and @JC
    The middle section of the lane is still available to pass through and not marked red. The first incline up to the bridge is red and then once you merge from Delridge on to the bridge there’s that middle gap that you can pass through.

  • Northwest September 29, 2015 (3:59 pm)

    So for my own commute at approx 6:45am on the ws bridge the normal lane I would chose being right lane as I drive the speed limit and exit on 4th ave eventually is no longer a good option because drivers wanting to merge will want to use the right hand lane in order to merge far right and onto the on- ramp for 99.

  • GraysonGirl September 29, 2015 (4:54 pm)

    I cried in my car this morning, with frustration. Not only was traffic terrible. I was stopped not by one, not by two, but by THREE trains. I have lived in WS my whole life, but I’m seriously getting worn down by this type of thing.

  • Marcus m September 29, 2015 (6:15 pm)

    quick bike ride this morning

  • pocketzena September 29, 2015 (7:53 pm)

    @Marcus– you rock!! we all should have been on our bikes today, and every day.

  • WSince86 September 30, 2015 (8:32 am)

    Could it be, Admiral mama, that it took so long to clear due to the fact that this was a fatality ? Not just fish this time. I understand the frustration, however, someone died! Albeit seemingly at their own incredibly reckless hands, a life was lost. I’m betting if it was an Admiral kid, you’d want a full investigation.

  • sam-c September 30, 2015 (9:03 am)

    Maybe this morning’s lower bridge snafu’s were karma for Marcus’s comments ;)

  • Rick September 30, 2015 (9:36 am)

    Sam-c – you rock!

Sorry, comment time is over.