REMINDER: 35th/Alaska closure = distant detours, and why that’s a good thing

Reminder for the weekend ahead – that sign at 35th/Morgan is part of the detour related to the 35th/Alaska intersection closure that began this morning, despite the distance. As spelled out again in the update we published Thursday, the goal is to keep drivers from using side streets as cut-throughs. And here’s a reminder of why:

That reader-texted photo is from a crash at 36th/Raymond late this afternoon. The texter described it as a “broadside” crash. No medic unit was sent, and the small SFD response closed quickly, so apparently no serious injury. We do NOT know whether anyone involved was “cutting through” BUT this is a reminder to take great care – all the time – on residential streets, too. Meantime, the 35th/Alaska closure is scheduled to end by early Monday; as usual, we will be checking on Sunday in case it ends early.

flimflam January 3, 2020 (6:54 pm)

so only some people may use public streets? i’m missing something i guess.

sarah January 3, 2020 (9:22 pm)

This is about safety not, not entitlement. If you’re going to cut through neighborhoods, do so SAFELY. Like without ending up on the sidewalk, for example, or broadsiding another car! (did you miss the picture of the crash?)
- flimflam January 3, 2020 (9:45 pm)
  
  relax. i was only asking in all seriousness if some city streets are only to be used by “local traffic” or residents only – it sounds weird to me is all. i thought that all city streets are for all people. how would anyone determine who “belongs” on the street?
  - WSB January 3, 2020 (9:52 pm)
    
    There is a uniformed police officer at 35th/Morgan.

Trritch January 3, 2020 (8:20 pm)

People need to yield at the intersections, watched many today on 36th not giving a care!

1994 January 3, 2020 (8:59 pm)

The point is to take great care when wielding 3000 pound machines around. This evening about 4:50 while travelling north on 16th Ave SW I had to slam on my brakes (yes I smelled smoke for such a hard brake at 30) for a car crossing 16th from the side street with a stop sign. I know this side street has poor visibility looking south onto 16th. Clearly the side street driver did not take great care to look for traffic moving along on 16th which has no reason to stop – except for inattentive drivers pulling out in front of moving traffic . Good thing the pavement was dry because if it was wet I fear I would have slid right into the driver who was not exercising great care.

Carole A Allen January 3, 2020 (10:25 pm)

I had to use back streets east of 35th today to get to High Point library before my book hold expired. The few cars I did see were driving carefully and we took turns yielding on the narrow streets.

WW Resident January 4, 2020 (8:58 am)

Leaving Trader Joe’s yesterday and going towards Westwood, I took 36th (I believe) and couldn’t believe how much people were driving like jerks. The biggest culprit being a Fed Ex truck

Quora January 5, 2020 (9:20 am)

FedEx and UPS drivers are some of the worst and most dangerous on the roads in the area. I get that their demands are likely historically high and there is only one way to get a package from point A to point B, but I’m telling you do not hesitate to contact FedEx and UPS to complain about this. Especially if speed enforcement will NEVER be a priority for our city cops (because it won’t).

Distrust January 4, 2020 (9:58 am)

Instead of inconveniencing the neighbors by Alaska, neighbors are being inconvenienced at Morgan. I had to take side streets and an alley to get to Walgreens from the South. Traffic was backed up as 2 cops didn’t manage traffic and just stood there…just like the cop at the Alaska construction who doesn’t manage traffic and stop people from left turns when a sign is posted. Sounds like city won’t trust people. There will always be those who don’t follow the detour and drive too fast. And there are far more who are responsible. Treat us like children usually leads to child-like behavior. And I won’t even rant about how long this project is taking. Simply Ridiculous!

Zark00 January 4, 2020 (1:46 pm)

More people than not speed down 36th, up and down Raymond, and up and down Juneau all day every day. I see multiple cars, every morning and evening, taking illegal lefts or going straight at the right only at Juneau and 35th. The accident above was from someone speeding up the Raymond Jill and hitting another car that was speeding N on 36th trying to skip the detour. Your assessment that most people drive responsibly is wrong. Some do, most don’t. We have to have this extreme detour because of how terrible Seattle drivers actually are. 180th out of 200 cities; literally almost the worst drivers in the nation. As evidenced above.

RideSlow January 4, 2020 (11:33 am)

For Distrust, the officer at 35th and Morgan is there to keep traffic from going north on 35th and getting caught up in narrow unsigned residential streets. His traffic management was to keep stupid drivers from driving around the road closed sign into the oncoming lanes. I watched one try to go nose to nose with a large dump truck. Guess who had to back up.

Mark B January 4, 2020 (12:10 pm)

Today between Morgan and Avalon there were six officers at various points. Can they spare one or two occasionally for bus lane enforcement on the bridge/99 or for speeders on Admiral?

flimflam January 4, 2020 (2:11 pm)

i guess my question is how is it legal to tell the public that they can’t use public streets, rights of way if they don’t live in that neighborhood? sounds very strange. i don’t discount the neighborhood’s concerns about safety, i just have never heard of anything like this? do you have to show ID? Mortgage/rent payment stub? mail? passport? genuinely curious!
- 36th Ave Resident January 4, 2020 (4:07 pm)
  
  flimflam – the reason they are putting a detour in place and suggesting (not requiring) you to follow this detour instead of using side streets, is because the amount of traffic that typically uses 35th, can’t be directed to any random side street around 35th, because there are cars parked along these roads, like 36th and so on, which results in too many people trying to get through, having to play chicken with the oncoming traffic, and causing many people to get frustrated and disrupt a typically quiet neighborhood street. They were not designed to be an arterial. So, Flimflam, use the detour for your neighbors safety. Thank you!
  - flimflam January 4, 2020 (9:41 pm)
    
    so it isn’t mandatory – then why all the police officers? city streets are for all citizens.
    - Km January 4, 2020 (10:52 pm)
      
      Why are there officers when the streets are open, but rechanneled, such as 35th and Alaska the past month or so? Let it go, man. Nobody is banning you from public roads, your rights are in tact. They are just there to make sure people keep moving along rather than stalling in the intersection or whatever while they contemplate the reroute, or have questions maybe. It’s safer for everyone to encourage drivers to use arterial whenever possible. I have a hard time believing this is the first time you’ve come across an arterial detour or witnessed an officer in a public providing community support.

it rhymes with fudd January 4, 2020 (12:32 pm)

I got an emergency OK, its a BBQ emergency but I gotta know, is Pecos Pit open? How does a starvin beast git in there today?TIA

WSB January 4, 2020 (1:58 pm)

We were just in that area. No access problems for the restaurants at 35th/Avalon. Approach from Avalon and turn north onto 35th.

john January 4, 2020 (12:43 pm)

I too experienced some confused, inconsiderate or just plain bad drivers around the Gatewood water towers avoiding 35th. It is a good time to remind all of the YIELD TO THE CAR ON THE RIGHT at all uncontrolled intersections. That is the law. For someone to be T-BONED, one driver had to be failing to yield the right of way. This applies to ALL intersections, no exceptions being for T Intersections or defacto ‘arterials’ through common use. And I disagree with those who proclaim their Seattle kindness/politeness/hesitancy that we are mocked for as it leads to confusion, chaos and collisions. I say ‘collisions’ as someone who has taken responsibility for traffic collisions that may have been ‘accidental’ but were in fact collisions caused by me. When you rear end another vehicle, you are likely at fault for a collision. It is not an ‘accident’ when one causes the collision by following too close, running a red light and not yielding the Right of Way.- Not a Driving Statute like Yielding to the Right, is the age old common sense practice of YIELDING to vehicles coming uphill when you are going downhill. This common courtesy was established in the era of manual transmissions and low tech rear wheel drives that where a challenging drivers’ test on Seattle’s steep rain-slicked streets.-Our current Yield to the Right law, if followed would eliminate most of the uncontrolled intersection collisions. I wonder if all of the SDOT money spent on traffic circles and now again, speed bumps had been spent on education, community outreach and enforcement? Enforcement has all but disappeared, save the dreaded 20 MPH School Zone traps. The introduction of enforcement of those School Zones has had an obvious result, nearly all comply.

Ali January 5, 2020 (11:35 am)

I live on Raymond. This is my route home. I am tailgated pretty much every day for driving 20 mph. People fly from Fauntleroy to 35th. It’s basically a straight shot with a wide open road. I get why this short cut is appealing. I wish the city would put some traffic enforcement on the street. Stop signs or a traffic circle would really help.

Winnie January 5, 2020 (11:41 am)

I would like to know how the work is scheduled. I’m at the intersection of 35th and Alaska and there is no one here. Workers arrived at 8, worked a bit and left. So the street will be closed for what reason?

WSB January 5, 2020 (12:18 pm)

We are headed over to look.

ETA: There are workers at 35th/Alaska. Our next check will be after a 2 p meeting we have to cover, so if anyone sees it reopen before then, plz let us know!
- Winnie January 5, 2020 (12:36 pm)
  
  To clarify. There are two people moving cones. Up the street. There has been no construction today

Sorry, comment time is over.