ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT CLOSURE: Next one set for October 8-9

ORIGINAL SEPTEMBER 22ND REPORT: Another road-closure alert: The weekly “lookahead” published today by SDOT includes the news that the next twice-yearly inspection/maintenance closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct is set for the weekend of October 8-9, 6 am-6 pm each day. The most recent shutdowns have lasted just one day, with the second “reserve” day going unused; we’ll be checking with WSDOT to see what they can tell us in advance.

P.S. WSDOT continues to update its tunnel-progress page on Thursdays and Mondays; as of today, the machine has traveled 4,362 feet of the 9,270-foot distance.

ADDED: WSDOT confirms the closure plan. The official announcement is expected on Monday, October 3rd, but it’s on their website already:

Plan ahead: Semiannual Alaskan Way Viaduct Inspection

Saturday, Oct. 8 and Sunday, Oct. 9

The Alaskan Way Viaduct/SR 99 will be closed between South Spokane Street and Denny Way from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Additionally, there will be a full closure of SR 99 between Denny Way and Valley Street from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8. Valley Street will remain open for detours.

ADDED MONDAY: And, the final confirmation.

John H. September 22, 2016 (9:35 pm)

Anyone who drives in/out of WS sees these old-style barriers as a real hazard. These need to be replaced with reinforced concrete modern designs (like on the new Spokane St. viaduct) so that they don’t give way and get pushed into the oncoming traffic. Sure if a big-enough truck wants to smash through them it will, but the vast majority of accidents involve cars and light trucks which shouldn’t be able to displace these barriers. This is a lawsuit on the city waiting to happen when someone gets killed in the opposite lane because a barrier suddenly gets pushed into their lane.

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