TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates & alerts

(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)

6:51 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle, so far.

7:20 AM: Still relatively quiet. One transportation-news note, looking ahead to today:

SPEED LIMIT ANNOUNCEMENT: This is happening at noon in the U-District but will affect the whole city, so we’ll be monitoring: “The City of Seattle will announce a proposal for new speed limit measures to improve street safety. The proposed changes include reducing the speed limit on all residential streets and on center city streets.”

7:44 AM: Meanwhile, in the 35th-to-Avalon bus lane:

Time for a bus lane crackdown @ 35th/Avalon, @SeattlePD. cc @westseattleblog @kcmetrobus pic.twitter.com/ES4HKRDd2w

— Kevin Freitas (@kevinfreitas) September 13, 2016

8:37 AM: Still quiet, otherwise, in this area. Another look ahead:

ADMIRAL WAY PROJECT @ ANA TONIGHT: 7 pm at The Sanctuary @ Admiral (42nd SW/SW Lander), this month’s Admiral Neighborhood Association includes SDOT project reps for the upcoming changes on Admiral Way west of California SW. The group also will hear from a citizen privately researching vehicle-noise issues in Seattle neighborhoods. Here’s our full preview.

8:57 AM: Seattle Fire is responding to a reported car fire at Delridge Way/17th SW. Just one engine so far but that can be a chokepoint in South Delridge.

Old Friend September 13, 2016 (11:40 am)

The picture taken by KevinFreitas is inaccurate representation of the shared bus AND vehicle turn lane. While there is a bus loading zone to the south as buses load/unload there is time and space for vehicles to enter the turn lane for Avalon. This is a balancing act that works fine 99% of the time.

Sue September 13, 2016 (1:27 pm)

Not entirely inaccurate – if you look at the bus stop on the right, you can see that at least 3 of the cars in front of the bus are in the bus-only lane, and that the turn lane has not started yet.

Pops September 13, 2016 (1:59 pm)

It’s a good concept but doesn’t work 100% of the time. If someone waits to get to the right lane after the bus lane ends (about 40 feet of space?) and there is traffic like a bus waiting to turn right then the person trying to merge right will hold up traffic trying to go straight. I imagine a lot of people want to go straight to get to the bridge. Result, honking, road rage, etc. plus cars in front or behind the bus lane wont let you in.

The left lane on 35th north usually has someone trying to turn left on Avalon so it’s not like people can use the left lane to go around someone trying to merge from the middle lane to the right turn lane.

Not very well thought out or at least for the morning hours. Really bad intersection in general in all directions: peds cross against the light, vehicles (buses mainly) run red lights, cars follow buses who ran a red because the car driver cant see the light because the bus us too high, people turn where it says no turn between 4-7. Then the illegal turners flip off anyone who honks. I’ve asked SPD repeatedly for enforcement. Havent seen it. Doubt it will ever happen. I just avoid the area.

Pops September 13, 2016 (2:02 pm)

*second sentence- If someone wants to get to ..

Pops September 13, 2016 (3:42 pm)

Not saying it’s ok to use the bus lane.

Pops September 14, 2016 (11:17 am)

Check out the right lane on Alaska from Fauntleroy to California. It’s bus only except for right turns but you’d never know it by the number of cars using it like it’s a general purpose lane.

Sorry, comment time is over.