TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates; President arrives this pm

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

6:48 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle right now. Today’s big traffic lookahead:

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: President Obama is due in this pm from the Bay Area to headline a political fundraising dinner at the Convention Center downtown, and is staying overnight. The Boeing Field advisory kicks in at 3:15 pm today and lasts until 9:45 am Saturday, so his arrival/departure will be somewhere in that window. His motorcade usually uses I-5, and when it’s about to pass, the ramps from the West Seattle Bridge are usually closed, so watch for updates here.

7 AM: Just texted and tweeted by Metro, a West Seattle bus cancellation:

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: We should also note that Seattle Public Schools‘ last day of classes is today, with one-hour early dismissal.

8:09 AM – PRESIDENTIAL VISIT UPDATE: Found the official schedule on the White House website. 3:20 pm arrival projected; 6:55 speech at the dinner fundraiser; then at 8:25 pm, he’s due to speak at a “private residence” fundraiser, and after that it’ll be back to downtown Seattle for an overnight stay – the downtown security zone is detailed by SPD here. He’s supposed to depart by 9:45 am Saturday, as mentioned earlier.

3:18 PM: We’ve launched a separate update now that the President is on the way – find it here.

7 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates; President arrives this pm"

  • newnative June 24, 2016 (10:37 am)

    It’s really odd.  The link to the White House blog states the President is arriving via SeaTac but your note says Boeing and doesn’t he always fly in/out of Boeing?  

    • WSB June 24, 2016 (12:21 pm)

      Not always. There’s been at least one Sea-Tac arrival/departure in recent years. I’d like to say that was a change to the advisory since the first time we saw it, but I have no proof of that, so I’ll just apologize and update the references! I’d expect he’ll still use I-5, though, since he’ll be heading downtown…

      (Added) Looking into our archives, our last mention of a Sea-Tac arrival/departure was November 2013 – and that too was an overnight stay, so (just guessing wildly without researching) perhaps that’s the factor behind the airport choice.

  • flimflam June 24, 2016 (11:53 am)

    it seems like there are lots of bus cancelations. didn’t we just give metro more money? don’t we always give metro more money?

    • newnative June 24, 2016 (12:13 pm)

      That particular route is getting cut more often too.  Weird.  that’s why I leave as early as I do.  

  • JC June 24, 2016 (2:48 pm)

    I clicked on the Boeing Field Advisory link and I think this means hey have flight restrictions around the flight pattern/flight path in and out of Boeing field to allow for the Prez arrival and departure out of Sea-tac since it’s in the flight path.

    • WSB June 24, 2016 (3:00 pm)

      Yes, everybody in the region would have an advisory for restricted airspace. I reflexively check Boeing Field for info because that’s where Air Force One usually – but as this reminds us, not always! – lands, and the air advisories are usually the first opportunities to get some hint of the actual visit times.

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