TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch; weekend preview, including NB 99 closure Sunday

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

7:02 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far this morning.

WEEKEND ALERTS: No road closures involved, but be aware of the Morgan Junction Community Festival and Westwood Village Street Fair tomorrow, both starting at 10 am and running all day … On Sunday, NB Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed from early morning through mid-afternoon for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. … Lots of big events around the city this weekend – here’s the SDOT roundup.

WEST SEATTLE GREENWAY EVENT ON SATURDAY: 10 am-11:30 am Saturday morning at Uptown Espresso in The Junction, you’re invited to stop by and find out more about the “most promising route” for the West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway, as reported here last weekend.

smittytheclown June 16, 2017 (7:25 am)

Minor gripe.

Anyone else think that buses should use their bus only lane all the way up to the “gore point” even if the far right/exit only lane to NB99 is wide open?

Every morning during the ~6:30 commute a metro bus gets in that right lane at the top of the bridge. As we all know they are SLOW and particularly so navigating the circular on-ramp to NB99. Cars that could move much quicker (like the speed limit that time of morning) get stuck behind the bus because there is no (legal) way to pass at this point.

I guess traffic is so light that time of day that waiting until the actual gore point could prove dangerous, but at least start to merge over 3/4 of the way down the lane instead right at the top?

Happy Friday!

AMD June 16, 2017 (9:13 am)

Some drivers do go to the gore point, some get at the back of the line as soon as they can. It depends on the comfort of the driver forcing their way into the line ahead (since people often don’t let them in voluntarily).

Besides, does it actually slow down your commute to be behind the bus at the top of the hill versus stopping at the bottom to let them in? Either way, you’re still in line to sit in traffic on the viaduct.

miws June 16, 2017 (7:58 am)

It might be a bit of self-preservation, for want of a better way to put it, to change lanes early if there’s an opening, since the buses may very likely have trouble merging later, what with auto drivers not letting them in.

Mike

CAM June 16, 2017 (9:24 am)

As a regular bus rider I am often shocked at the speed the buses go while going over the bridge, and I’m fairly certain they are doing the speed limit it just feels faster because of the size of the vehicle. I also definitely don’t appreciate the bus having to make sudden stops or rapid lane shifts. Three cheers to the bus driver who sees an open lane and merges early and doesn’t approach those turns at breakneck speed. Remember, bus riders are unrestrained, frequently standing, and sitting in seats that don’t face the flow of traffic thus can be affected by those sudden maneuvers more than passengers in a vehicle. If there is no backup onto 99 I can’t see that bus in front of you adding more than 3 minutes to your commute.

smittytheclown June 16, 2017 (1:37 pm)

Good points. I would just hope they would merge 1/2 to maybe 3/4 of the way “down” the bridge rather than at the very top. Plenty of room for a “smooth” merge……

Sorry, comment time is over.