(TOPLINE: As of 8:29, six hours after the truck full of frozen crab went sideways, the Viaduct is fully open again)
A crash is blocking the right lane on the NB SR 99 Viaduct after S Royal Brougham Way. Expect delays. pic.twitter.com/kyB1qrVrKe
— seattledot (@seattledot) April 4, 2016
2:54 PM: That crash has just led to a followup alert that the NB Alaskan Way Viaduct is “subject to closure,” so don’t head that way for a while. Metro is routing 120, 125, and the C Line off NB 99 for now, too.
3 PM UPDATE: Here’s the view from the other side, thanks to a reader who texted us (we’re at 206-293-6302, 24/7):
And another view, texted from a back-seat passenger of someone who was on the Viaduct:
Again, while the photos show left-lane traffic getting by, SDOT has warned that both lanes are “subject to closure,” so an alternate route remains your best bet. Here’s the “live” view:
3:24 PM UPDATE: Tow trucks have arrived.
3:45 PM UPDATE: The southbound lanes also are being closed, says SPD, while they work to right the truck.
4:11 PM UPDATE: Southbound 99 has JUST reopened. Check the “live” view above for an update on northbound – the truck’s been pulled upright, for starters.
4:35 PM: Thanks to the reader who sent this video showing items falling from the truck to the surface below The Viaduct:
SDOT’s latest tweet, meantime: “We’re currently off-loading the truck and will then tow it. Once the structure is deemed safe lanes will reopen.” P.S. Regional media reports the boxes falling off the truck are filled with frozen crab.
4:47 PM: And WSDOT has just tweeted that the truck is being towed. It’s been about two hours since the wreck. (added) You can’t see it in the current “live” view above but other views show MANY boxes left behind, so northbound is going to be out of commission a while longer.
4:59 PM: Thanks to the reader who texted a view showing exactly what we just mentioned:
5:30 PM: This update from SPD Blotter says it’s been determined the Viaduct does *not* have any structural damage as a result of this, and so it’ll be able to reopen once all the debris are cleared. SPD also verifies that the cargo was frozen crab. (Another side note – it’s been a little more than a year since the infamous fish-truck crash; that too happened around 2:30 pm, but it was on SB 99, not NB.)
6 PM: Northbound 99 is still closed at the crash scene. We’ll continue updating until it reopens.
6:37 PM: One lane of NB 99 has just reopened. The right lane will remain closed TFN because of guardrail damage, says WSDOT.
6:47 PM: Metro says Rapid Ride C and Routes 120 and 125 are back on their regular routes using the Viaduct.
8:29 PM: Six hours after the crash, SDOT just announced that NB 99 is fully open again.
8:45 PM: … with this postscript:
UPDATE: We'll briefly close the NB Viaduct again to get the semi & trailer off. Should happen in the next 30 minutes.
— seattledot (@seattledot) April 5, 2016
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