TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch

(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)

7:11 AM: Good morning. WSDOT says a vehicle is stalled on the NB 99 exit ramp to Dearborn, blocking the right bus lane.

Looking ahead:

INTERSECTION CLOSURE: The next Avalon/35th intersection closure is scheduled to start 9 am Friday (October 4th) and last all weekend, weather permitting.

ALSO FRIDAY: The 4722 Fauntleroy/4721 38th tower crane is going up; a spokesperson for the developer tells WSB the staging will be on 38th, not Fauntleroy.

Quora October 2, 2019 (8:16 am)

Another MASSIVE bridge back up. Thanks SDOT and the powers that be for creating another unnecessary traffic jam.When do people start just driving in the bus lane all the way up to Dearborn? Who cares really? They don’t enforce vagrant and littering laws; are people really afraid of getting a ticket on that stretch?

West Seattle Hipster October 2, 2019 (12:03 pm)

I drove in the bus lane on Sunday up to Dearborn, my own little form of protest.

Chemine October 2, 2019 (8:25 am)

45 minutes from alki to get over the low bridge. Could have walked faster…

TSurly October 2, 2019 (9:56 am)

Your comment is a great segue for what I was going to post.Left the bicycle at home and ran to work today. 2 miles from home to daycare with the kid in the running stroller, carrying a backpack with laptop, clothes and lunch, followed by another 4.5 miles downtown. Door to daycare to desk (including 10 mins at daycare and 15 mins for showering) took me ONE HOUR TEN MINUTES. Commuting/exercise/childcare efficiently wrapped into one bundle without any need to sit in a vehicle and be pissed at the world.
- Loretta October 3, 2019 (8:10 am)
  
  I like your style Tsurly.

Admiralite October 2, 2019 (8:59 am)

Getting really sick of Admiral way being backed up to the viewpoint every morning. Commuting to Bellevue went from 50 minutes to over an hour and 20. Extremely frustrating

smittytheclown October 2, 2019 (10:42 am)

This is a such an obvious mistake. Metro buses must be running late as a result, not just car commuters.How long does it take to reverse such a stupid decision? How much CO2 is this adding to the environment?

Wendell October 2, 2019 (11:06 am)

The Monorail would’ve been finished by now.

mnw October 2, 2019 (11:43 am)

The bus lane needs to be removed. How much longer must we all endure this for SDOT/WSDOT to admit it was a mistake???

Kevin October 4, 2019 (5:45 pm)

Seriously. This traffic is even worse than what happened during 99 closure for 3 weeks.

Kathy October 2, 2019 (11:54 am)

Think back to the time just before the tunnel opened. For three weeks things went great. Bike counts doubled the first day and Water Taxi ridership zoomed. Just do more cooperating like we did then. If we do more of that, things will go much smoother. I would say bus riders and car poolers have more grounds for complaint than SOV drivers. I don’t get the attitude, it’s taking too long for me on the bus so I will just get back in my car and add to the traffic and slow down the bus commute even more. Especially if you are driving a fuel burning car, I don’t know how you can square that with your conscience.

Admiralite October 2, 2019 (12:21 pm)

Not everyone has a straightforward commute WRT the metro system. Mine to East Bellevue would take over 2 hours without ANY traffic, so driving is still faster. I don’t desire to spend over 4 hours every day commuting, and I don’t think you would either.

GatewoodGuy October 2, 2019 (1:32 pm)

Lots of people tacitly saying (or not so tacitly) that actively making traffic worse for everyone is fine if it gets people out of cars. If any of those folks making that argument have flown on a plane in the past year, perhaps they could give single occupancy vehicle drivers advice on how you “squared that with your conscience”. I wonder if our local elected officials share this view as well? Or if they have any actual position on this mess.

J October 2, 2019 (1:46 pm)

How depressing to finally see some changes and relief in the evening commute, only to end up with new delays in the morning. I’m so exhausted from commuting 2-3 hours a day.

carole October 2, 2019 (2:50 pm)

Realistically, how many people have access to showers at work? I know when I worked no such options were available. And no option to flex hours of work. And I was supposed to pack a professional suit in a backpack and have it look presentable when it came out? Enough with the “everyone should bike to work.” Great if it works for you, but dial down the preaching please.

TSurly October 2, 2019 (4:04 pm)

I assume you are asking me? You mentioned that showers were not available “when you worked”, so I assume that you are retired and if so, how long? Things change quickly. Every corporate stiff that I know has access to a shower and bicycle storage facilities. I’m sure not everyone does, but that has rapidly been changing over the years in my experience. I have worked in offices in the past that did not have showers and would simply dial back the extension on the way in to not sweat as much. Turns out if you exercise regularly, your body becomes stronger and more efficient, reducing the effort needed for a task, thus reducing the sweat factor further.I take an hour on Sundays to ride the bus downtown (or DRIVE!?!) to my office with my clothes for the week (shirt, tie, slacks), and usually attach it to a trip with my kid to do something fun (aquarium, science center, etc). Occasionally I will send clothes out from my office for cleaning. Again, its efficient management that saves me LOTS of time and money during the week. I chose to make a lifestyle change and put the effort in to do so, rather than blaming someone/something else.
- Wendell October 2, 2019 (4:57 pm)
  
  There ye go. Mansplaining done right.
  - Leelee October 2, 2019 (8:58 pm)
    
    Wow. Definitely not mansplaining.Girl here. I ride in from West Seattle. It’s downhill and flat all the way into the city. Takes me 20-25 minutes to get to work. I work in the fashion industry. I have ONE saddle bag. My work laptop, a change of clothes, my makeup bag, and other miscellaneous necessities. I do not need to shower, it’s just not that hard of a ride from West Seattle and it’s very fast. Every once in awhile at work it makes sense for me to drive (meetings, midday appnts, etc), which I do— but I know what I’m getting into. A longer commute, frustration with traffic, paying for parking, FINDING parking, etc. if everyone could cut back just a little on the SOV thing, it would make a huge difference. Take the bus when u can. Bike when u can. The vast majority of people commuting from West Seattle to downtown are PERFECTLY able people. You know what you’re getting into when u get into that car every day. Think about how YOU could make it better instead of focusing on complaining so much.
- Canton October 2, 2019 (6:39 pm)
  
  If your arm doesn’t reach, let me pat you on the back.
  - Wendell October 2, 2019 (9:45 pm)
    
    Girl probably needs to shower, too.
- carole October 2, 2019 (7:08 pm)
  
  Only retired a few years but my former, still working, colleagues confirm there are no showers available to employees. When you work out in the public eye all day, not tucked in an office somewhere, and must be professionally dressed, it isn’t always practical. Additionally, there’s no weekend access to leave a week’s worth of wardrobe. When working downtown I bussed it. Glad it works for you. But again, not for everyone.

Nocars! October 2, 2019 (3:11 pm)

TSURLY. You’re an inspiration! I agree with you that NOBODY needs a car. Everyone can run/bike or take transit wherever they need to go/do, be it work/shopping/vacation.

Tsurly October 2, 2019 (5:15 pm)

I never said that people should not have cars. That would make me a hypocrite, because I have one and an RV. However, plenty of people are capable of doing many day-to-day tasks without one (particularly living in a urban environment), they just choose not to.
- ARPigeonPoint October 3, 2019 (11:22 am)
  
  Yes, *but* I chose to live in West Seattle because it’s *not* an urban environment (I don’t live in any of the junctions on purpose). If I wanted urban, I’d live downtown and not worry about this commute at all. p.s. I like the running post. Not possible with my job/hours, but still sounds fun.
Lame October 2, 2019 (6:32 pm)

Right. Folks with kids and car seats or sports equipment, those with dogs (one of mine is Huge at 130lbs btw), large families, disabled and older folks, and those that work and/or have errands/obligations spread out over the city don’t need cars in the greater Seattle area. It’s great that transit, carpooling, walking/biking work for some but this whole “no car” religion is full of zealots that live in a bubble.
- Tsurly October 2, 2019 (8:46 pm)
  
  Thoroughly read my comments, or learn how to read. I have kids, car seats, sports equipment, a dog (big German Shepard), demanding career, blah, blah, blah and mange to live my life without being desperately dependent on a car. Many other folks are capable in some capacity, but choose not to. I’m not talking about people with disabilities, people who need to haul tools/equipment to work everyday. Twist my words however you want and enjoy wasting hours of your life sitting in traffic.
  - Canton October 2, 2019 (10:45 pm)
    
    Your tone comes across, like the old mad tv skit. With the adult baby saying ” look what I can do”. People will chose the easiest method for their commute, to make their lives work the most efficient. The shaming is incredibly old. Just cause YOU feel, alot of people are capable, THEY, may not want to bike.
    - Tsurly October 3, 2019 (6:54 am)
      
      That’s interesting that you compare me to a baby. I see the traffic for what it is and make the choice to ride a bike/run/bus instead, and hold myself accountable for those choices. Those who CHOOSE to to sit in a car everyday based on their lifestyle choices never take ownership of that decision. They come on the Blog and pass the blame on to local and state government. Who’s the bigger baby?Now it’s off to work on bicycle, burning calories along the way, not worries at all about the waiting latte making me fat.

Sorry, comment time is over.