TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: AM watch for 3rd Thursday post-Viaduct

(SDOT MAP with travel times / WS-relevant traffic cams / Water Taxi schedule, other helpful info HERE)

5:55 AM: Good morning! No incidents/alerts in our area so far.

6:06 AM: As the Water Taxi gets going for the day, a reminder that Spirit of Kingston is filling in for Doc Maynard until early afternoon. (Water Taxi Watch shows San Juan Clipper arriving at the dock right now, with SoK to follow.)

6:16 AM: Reader reports that the high bridge is slower than usual for this point in the morning.

6:45 AM: Continuing incident-free.

7:30 AM: Nothing to report, but we’ll note that WSDOT has yet to formally confirm that the tunnel will open Monday. Our next chance to talk with the project leader will be a conference call at 12:30 pm, so if there’s any news, it likely won’t be before then.

7:49 AM: Bridge and I-5 both solid red on the traffic-speeds map right now

8:30 AM: If you’re going to the Saturday viaduct/tunnel celebration, WSDOT has this roundup of helpful info.

14 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: AM watch for 3rd Thursday post-Viaduct"

  • JayDee January 31, 2019 (7:05 am)

    Three police cars staffing the 4th Ave bus lane, with one cheater getting written up. Way to go SPD!

  • Lisa January 31, 2019 (8:21 am)

    I just got a notification from google maps that West Marginal Way is closed and I should use an alternate route to work… but when I pulled up google and Waze both advised to take West Marginal. Can anyone confirm?

    • WSB January 31, 2019 (8:24 am)

      No emergency responses there and no alerts from SDOT. We monitor a wide variety of traffic-reporting channels and nothing’s been mentioned about West Marginal (or any other WS arterial) … (added) The city map shows a “yellow” (slow) section on the southbound side for a short distance north of Highland Park Way: https://web6.seattle.gov/travelers/

      • Lisa January 31, 2019 (8:28 am)

        Thank you for the quick response! 

  • Delridger January 31, 2019 (9:05 am)

    It’s great to hear that the police are out catching the cheaters, but wouldn’t it be better if they were free to take care of other needs? Needs that aren’t so easily automated? The legislature is considering amending state law to allow automated enforcement of bus lane violations and box-blocking. Please contact your legislators to express your support. For those of us in District 34, That would be: eileen.Cody@leg.wa.govJoe.Fitzgibbon@leg.wa.govJoe.Nguyen@leg.wa.gov.

    • j January 31, 2019 (10:01 am)

      I never support giving human jobs to robots. I never support sending millions of dollars in fines out of state to Arizona (ATS). How is this good for our economics? I will never vote for the politicians that continue to accumulate money this way. Money from cameras in school zones was supposed to be used to make school zones safer or towards more cameras. Not one dime has been put back into the school zones in West Seattle. NOT ONE DIME! Millions taken….No safety improvements whatsoever. At least a human officer can see if they have a licence, insurance, dui, wanted felon etc etc and the money stays here.

      • WSB January 31, 2019 (10:33 am)

        Certainly there could be more but yes, some money *has* been spent on school zones in West Seattle. We’ve reported on numerous Safe Routes to School projects. Most recently, the Sanislo and Arbor Heights projects are part of that camera-fine-funded program:

        http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/safety-first/safe-routes-to-school/sw-myrtle-st-/-18th-ave-sw-/-sw-orchard-st
        http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/safety-first/safe-routes-to-school/35th-ave-sw

        We have almost 60 archived stories with mentions of Safe Routes to School – also including for example the crosswalk across Delridge by STEM K-8
        https://westseattleblog.com/2015/06/new-delridge-crosswalk-city-to-start-work-after-holiday-weekend/

        Plus, projects by Highland Park Elementary and the former Roxhill Elementary campus, and that’s just recent years. Safe Routes to School was also involved in the 59th/Alki changes.

        • j February 1, 2019 (10:52 am)

          Re Roxbury I forgot about the partial sidewalk but it ends then only paint and no curb to separate cars from peds…must not have had the moneyBut in the actual zones, that were deemed so unsafe cameras have to be used, no improvements made. 

      • CAM January 31, 2019 (11:56 am)

        On a purely hypothetical basis the argument you are making, j, makes sense. But currently no money is being collected for those bus lane violators and therefore the city/state isn’t losing any money by having the fine money go somewhere else. Your argument also suggests that one of the reasons to argue in support of bus lane enforcement is financial incentive and I don’t find that compelling, or the reason we should enact penalties. The intent is to stop people from violating the law or to teach them not to if they continue to do it. There is no way that the money made from enforcement could make up the costs of hiring enough police/other people necessary for enforcement. On the other hand, cameras are comparatively economical and can achieve the desired impact of getting people to stop breaking the law. 

        • Railroaded January 31, 2019 (12:14 pm)

          You bet. I don’t care if every penny goes out of state as long as the scofflaws are nailed.

          • Delridger January 31, 2019 (12:25 pm)

            Please write your legislators. They need to hear this, and they probably aren’t reading these comments.

        • j February 1, 2019 (11:21 am)

          Cam..you need to re-read I think-I don’t want to collect money for the violaters..that would just be stupid to reward them.-Once fines start being collected money will exit the state…clear?-Our penalties should stay in state.-We CAN catch EVERY violator, ECONOMICALLY, without the use of a camera. Here’s the way. Position one officer or parking enforcer at bus lane, intersection, HOV lane, exit only lane etc. This officer will direct violators to coned off “holding area” nearby (preferably disrupting their route). Drivers will get in line and they will que up for as long as it takes. Another officer will then give each driver a ticket as timely as possible. All offenders get nabbed (plus dui, wanted felons, no insurance, no license etc cameras can’t do that) and money STAYS in state.

  • Patrick January 31, 2019 (9:57 am)

    Has SPD announced whether they will maintain their 4th Ave bus lane enforcement next week in the interim period while the tunnel is open but the Dearborn off-ramp is not? 

  • Brigitte January 31, 2019 (11:55 am)

    It’s noon and the westbound bridge is still jammed up. Getting worst everyday day, even without rain.

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