Another reminder from WSDOT: Viaduct’s Dearborn demolition now 2 weeks away

If you missed the mentions in Monday’s tunnel-toll-date announcement and Thursday’s bus-reroute announcement … here’s another full-on reminder from WSDOT: The section of Alaskan Way Viaduct still straddling Dearborn – right where downtown-bound vehicles now exit 99 – is two weeks away from demolition:

As crews removed the viaduct along Alaskan Way this spring and summer, two small sections were left standing at South Dearborn Street. WSDOT and our contractor Kiewit left these two sections in place in order to coordinate the timing of their removal with our partner agencies.

With demolition in its home stretch, we are ready to remove the viaduct over South Dearborn Street. On Thursday, Sept. 12, crews will close South Dearborn Street and narrow First Avenue South to two lanes on either side of the intersection to create a safe work zone. South Dearborn Street will be closed for up to ten days while crews remove the viaduct overhead.

We and our partner agencies are very aware of how critical First Avenue South and South Dearborn Street are for bus riders and drivers heading to and from SR 99 and points south and west of downtown. Some King County Metro buses will reroute while South Dearborn Street is closed and our contractor Kiewit will pull their work zone back from Alaskan Way so the street has its full four lanes open during this closure.

This closure will cause unavoidable disruptions to traffic and we ask drivers to make a plan for their trips: consider alternate routes or ways of getting around, including exiting SR 99 at Spokane Street, using transit or taking the King County Water Taxi. Next month will also bring demolition to the section of viaduct around Marion Street and changes for passengers arriving at Colman Dock. This construction is just one component of the #SeattleSqueeze as Seattle updates its transportation infrastructure to match the city’s mobility needs.

The temporary bus-reroute plan for this phase of demolition was included in Thursday’s announcement.

7 Replies to "Another reminder from WSDOT: Viaduct's Dearborn demolition now 2 weeks away"

  • Alex August 30, 2019 (2:43 pm)

    Great solution. Move it over to fourth and turn that into gridlock as well. Every single day, every one, I am impressed by the total lack of realistic design and concept at how Seattle/ King County runs its transportation departments.  

    • pdxmark77 August 30, 2019 (5:22 pm)

      Do you have any solutions on how to handle it?  I can’t think of any other options they can do.  Keep in mind it’s all temporary until the busses return to their permanent routing on Alaska Way / Columbia. 

      • Kyle August 31, 2019 (5:57 pm)

        Temporary bus lanes all the way through exiting downtown. They can pick the street.

  • Suds August 30, 2019 (3:15 pm)

    thanks for sharing 

  • Ruckus August 30, 2019 (4:15 pm)

    Alex, everything after “great solution” was snarky and gratuitous. Remember, less is more. 

  • Rumbles August 30, 2019 (7:16 pm)

    Is it too late to save this part for a viewpoint?

    • WSB August 30, 2019 (7:34 pm)

      Yes.

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