TRAFFIC/TRANSIT: Wednesday watch, fourth week of West Seattle Bridge closure

5:40 AM: The high-rise West Seattle Bridge is now empty for the 23rd consecutive morning. Restrictions remain for the low bridge – transit, freight, and emergency responses; SPD presence/enforcement continued Tuesday,in multiple dayparts.

For general traffic, the main route across the Duwamish River is the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) – that’s also the main way to get to I-5, cutting across Georgetown.

Or use the South Park Bridge (map), which drops you onto East Marginal Way a mile south of the north end of the 1st Ave. South Bridge.

Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed to see if a bridge is opening for marine traffic.

ROAD WORK ALERT: The last stretch of Avalon paving west of 35th is done:

But crews are continuing to work on permanent striping and marking throughout the full project zone.

TRANSIT ALERTS FOR THIS WEEK:

As first reported here, the Metro and Water Taxi schedules have been slashed. Use the lookup to see which bus trips are canceled.

OTHER LINKS

SDOT’s traffic map
Our traffic-cams page

Let us know what you’re seeing – comment, or text (not if you’re at the wheel!) 206-293-6302.

drM April 15, 2020 (6:16 am)

Just looking at the video feed of the bridge. It is incomprehensible that when there is virtually no traffic on the bridge that it is still restricted. With the advanced technologies we have – it should be possible to allow cars across at low trafficked times. We already have variable speed limits, so it should be possible to implement this variation of that technology. If the city persists in totally unreasonable restrictions, people will continue to disobey them.

dood April 15, 2020 (8:33 am)

What video feed are you looking at please?
ktrapp April 15, 2020 (8:59 am)

The reason why there’s virtually no traffic on the bridge is BECAUSE it’s restricted. Remove the restriction, and it would be jammed up with traffic, even with so many fewer people driving. And considering that a major factor in keeping it clear is to allow emergency vehicles quick transit to and from the peninsula, with there being absolutely no way to predict when that access might be needed, there’s absolutely no way to provide “variable” access to the bridge. You can’t exactly have a half mile backup of cars trying to get across, suddenly have an ambulance need to get across, and just magically get all that traffic out of the way.
- Derrick April 15, 2020 (9:46 am)
  
  Maybe we could study having variably timed restrictions. Many of us work nights, and the volume of those of us who travel at midnight is relatively low. It MAY be reasonable to allow access to the low bridge from say 10p – 6a. This could also save on police resources as well. If this starts to cause a back up then it could be returned to 24 hour restriction.
  - Rumbles April 15, 2020 (10:23 am)
    
    The study I’d rather see is why folks just can’t let this go?! I honestly mean that, why can’t people see that the reason for the restriction is for the greater good and just let it go?!
    - Derrick April 15, 2020 (12:37 pm)
      
      The reason some of us can’t “let it go” is because we are exhausted and tired when working nights. It is reasonable to CONSIDER whether the absolutism of a 24 hour restriction is necessary to accomplish the goal of access for emergency vehicles. Further – why burden law enforcement with excess tasks right now if it is not necessary?
    - Rumbles April 15, 2020 (2:08 pm)
      
      I think your exhaustion comes from arguing a moot point. Honestly, how much more time does it take you to drive to 1st Avenue South “after hours”? Unless you are doing it on a 50 cc scooter, it can’t be that long.
    - The Rog April 15, 2020 (10:34 pm)
      
      I’m exhausted from working days in a grocery store (across town) listening to snowflakes and all of their complaints. Guess what- I don’t get to use the low bridge, so I’m going to learn German with my extra time in the car. There are bigger issues than adding 8 minutes to your commute. Please respect the emergency workers and try to find your zen.
- drM April 15, 2020 (10:20 am)
  
  No… you have to give me a little credit.On the video feed you can see the traffic for both West Marginal Way AND the lower bridge. There was not a lot of traffic going on WMW. Those times should be open to all. I don’t think it would be that difficult to implement flex times. And, as someone noted, working at night should make is possible to use the bridge.
  - Rumbles April 15, 2020 (12:00 pm)
    
    Do you think the reason the low bridge is empty might be because of the restrictions to keep it open to emergency, transit and freight vehicles?
Anne April 15, 2020 (9:17 am)

Oh my goodness -do you not realize there’s no traffic —because it’s restricted—???????

KBear April 15, 2020 (8:32 am)

Your second sentence explains exactly why your idea wouldn’t work.

rml April 15, 2020 (9:10 am)

follow me!.I’m heading over the lower bridge!!

sw April 15, 2020 (10:06 am)

It’s a reasonable idea until you factor in human behavior. Yes, there is no traffic now because we’re all staying home. When that order is lifted and people go back to work, there will be a big influx of traffic, including transit and freight. You can’t set up one scenario now and expect to roll it back in 2 weeks, 4 weeks, whatever and have people comply. Regarding late night to early morning, taking W Marginal to the First Ave S. bridge will also have low traffic volume and only add a few minutes to the commute. It’s not that big an imposition compared to the cluster if we try to have variable rules on who can use the bridge at what hours of the day. We all need to accept that this is the situation, and instead look to improving the alternatives.

Kelly April 15, 2020 (10:24 am)

My shop is under the bridge and I am considered essential by our Governor. SDOT making Cops ticketing anyone who dares try and access west seattle or harbor island while less than a block away junkies have been living on the shore of the duwamish pissing and Sh**ing and dropping used needles for over 2 YEARS and Seattle has done nothing. Typical Seattle idiots, sorry if this offends you. If it does you are part of the problem.

Kelly April 15, 2020 (10:26 am)

Sorry I forgot to mention the critical EMPTY busses running over the bridge every 10 minutes. Just wow.
- Mamasuze April 15, 2020 (1:51 pm)
  
  What Kelly just said. When there are the huge articulated buses driving around with 2 or 3 people on them, that seems like a serious waste of resources. Couldn’t Metro at least switch to the smaller buses?
WSB April 15, 2020 (10:43 am)

Side note to your main point but since you bring it up, the city has a documented sweep there six weeks ago (happened onto thsi during some other research a few nghts ago)
https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/Homelessness/cleanups/2020/02-26-20%20SE%20Clelan%20Ave%20SW%20and%20SW%20Spolane%20Litter%20Pick.pdf
PigeonRidgeBen April 15, 2020 (5:20 pm)

Would you mind sharing the name of your business? I’m trying to spend my scarce resources somewhere that punches up instead of down.
The Rog April 15, 2020 (10:45 pm)

Report illegal dumping- (206)684-7587 or littering- 1-866-LITTER. Who knows, perhaps we can accomplish something if we all find the right thing to complain about. I’m sure city council deserves to hear about this too, but I’ll let y’all decide. It’d be a much better walk/ ride if we didn’t have to dodge needles and human waste.

drM April 15, 2020 (10:26 am)

What video feed are you looking at please?

https://web6.seattle.gov/travelers/

Then just pick your camera and there is a video button.

West Seattle Hipster April 15, 2020 (12:01 pm)

The traffic nightmares that will arise once the quarantine is lifted will be the stuff of legend. Not looking forward to a couple of years with no bridge. As far as improve the alternatives, there are none. Can you imagine the backups when the 1st Ave South bridge is open to allow marine traffic at 8am?Theoretical question, what do emergency vehicles do if the low bridge is in the open position and they are trying to get someone from WS to a First Hill hospital?

WSB April 15, 2020 (12:21 pm)

I would hope there is a protocol for warning the bridge operator, will ask. WSF, for example, has a provision to hold a ferry if a medical transport on Vashon is ferry-bound.

BWald April 15, 2020 (12:09 pm)

I’m an essential worker and commuting to the Eastside. I’m very concerned about what happenes when more people go back to work,especially given that people are already driving pretty aggressively on West Marginal way, in my opinion. I was almost hit last night on the section of road by ChelanCafe by someone speeding up the left lane(which ends for those who haven’t been out) and just cutting into the right lane without looking….or maybe caring. I can see a lot of people being impatient/frustrated/etc as the roads fill back up and take chances they might not ordinarily. I don’t know that there’s anyway to correct/police it except to ask people who are currently driving to please use caution and pray for patience for all of us as the situation progresses.

sna April 15, 2020 (12:16 pm)

One issue when traffic picks back up (whenever that will be), is that just getting to the low bridge will be massive jam. Vehicles coming from Delridge, Harbor Ave, Avalon, and Admiral will all converge are roughly the same place by the low bridge entrance (trying to get to West Marginal Way). You’ll essentially have 4 different lanes of traffic squeezing through one lane. It won’t be pretty, low bridge restricted or not.

sw April 15, 2020 (12:27 pm)

@SNA – Thank you. You get it. The scenario you describe is precisely why we simply cannot open the low bridge up to whoever feels they deserve it. People have no idea the mess that is yet to come.

Bob Lang April 15, 2020 (12:36 pm)

It’s quicker to take California, 35th, or Delridge, and then cut over. Avoid w marginal. 5 way stop is already a mess. When traffic tripples, 5 way stop will come to a stand still.

JDLR April 15, 2020 (1:10 pm)

It’s funny reading everyone complain about the restrictions. Want to use the lower bridge? Ride the bus, it’s currently free and better for the environment then a single passenger car. Bus doesn’t go directly to your office? Walk a few blocks or get a bike. The entitlement here is ridiculous, just because you have a car doesn’t mean you have to use it.

Eli blB April 15, 2020 (8:26 pm)

Guess what? Not everyone has the ability to use public transportation to get to their job. How about instead of sitting on your throne judging others you try some empathy? Maybe they’ll be the essential personnel who saves your life.
- JDLR April 15, 2020 (9:02 pm)
  
  As an essential worker, I’m not on a “throne”, I’m sitting on the Rt. C. Since the bridge isn’t opening anytime soon, would you like me to save you a seat so we can discuss “empathy”?

Jort April 15, 2020 (1:29 pm)

I just want to once again mention a basic fact for everybody here: post-pandemic, if the bridge is still closed, everything you knew and understood about the way you transported yourself outside of West Seattle in a private automobile will be changed in dramatic, definitive ways. I see hints of people grasping this in some comments, but I don’t think most people really have truly grasped the scope of these disruptions. If you drove a car out of West Seattle during commute hours, you will be forced into significant changes and there is literally nothing you will be able to do about it. The individualized decision to drive is not going to be sustainable in any form. It will be an absolute necessity that people mentally adapt to the fact that their car-centered lifestyle will be changing. Yes, you, individually, you and every other car driver in West Seattle. I would encourage you to begin thinking of creative solutions, now, and the important thing to remember is that none of those creative solutions involve you driving your car over the Duwamish River. Prepare yourself.

Jethro Marx April 15, 2020 (3:33 pm)

I get that you want this to be some kind of revolution but no one is going to be forced into anything. If one wants to keep driving they may add a couple hours to their commute, but cars will still go back and forth all day long. I hope many take up transit or biking, and many of those are likely to find their new commute delightful. But the sky is not falling; neither is the internal combustion engine. You are wailing almost as loud as the “oh gawd my PROPERTY values will fall!” crowd.
Beth Waldron April 15, 2020 (8:21 pm)

I would encourage YOU to have empathy for people who HAVE to drive for their livelihood instead of casting judgement. Not everyone has the luxury to not leave the peninsula OR have access to public transportation that fits their needs AS ESSENTIAL PERSONAL pandemic or not. If you can’t be empathetic, just be quiet.

George Babaloo April 15, 2020 (1:33 pm)

When they end the “stay at home” order, it is going to take 2 hours, not 20 minutes, to get into town. I am getting an E-Bike. A friend of mine has one, uses the lower bridge bikeway, and gets into town in 25 minutes from North Admiral. That time won’t change, when you car takes you 2 hours. No one should have to endure that. My friend is not in great shape, and neither am I, but we will both be beating traffic soon.

George Babaloo April 15, 2020 (1:43 pm)

Oh, I forgot, there is an E-Bike store in Pioneer Square that is running a shut down special, More important, since the High Bridge closed, they are offering free delivery to West Seattle. They say they will have to stop that when the traffic gets bad, which could be soon.

George Babaloo April 15, 2020 (1:50 pm)

I am going to get an E-Bike. A friend of mine, who is in worse shape than me, makes it from North Admiral to downtown over the low bridge bikeway in 25 minutes. That won’t change, when the car or bus commute goes up to 2 or more hours, when folks go back to work.’Its coming, better be prepared.

Rico April 15, 2020 (1:51 pm)

I find irony in that fact that the government “leadership” that pushed the $4 billion tunnel didn’t maintain a primary arterial that feeds the tunnel. My prediction, the solution to the West Seattle Bridge repair will involve a new toll-tax.

WSB April 15, 2020 (2:25 pm)

Different governments.

M April 15, 2020 (7:16 pm)

If someone is coming from North Admiral and needs to get to I-5, is it allowed to go under bridge to chelan–W Marginal Way like my GPS is telling me to? Or is that only for emergency vehicles and such? Still confused on this as I haven’t tried to leave WS yet but need to tomorrow.

WSB April 15, 2020 (9:23 pm)

No. Only freight, emergency, transit.
- M April 15, 2020 (9:38 pm)
  
  Okay, thank you!
- M April 15, 2020 (9:44 pm)
  
  A clarification question— what about slight left on chlelan from admiral—L on highland park way SW, slight right towards WA99N/East Marginal way ramp to I-5. That’s a no? Clarifying as a friend is saying that it should be good.
  - WSB April 15, 2020 (9:59 pm)
    
    If you have to cross the Duwamish River on the low bridge, no matter how you get there, it’s no. Crossing the Duwamish any other way, yes. For example: Crossing the Duwamish on the 1st Avenue South Bridge, you exit at Michigan and take that across Georgetown to get to I-5. If you’re going downtown, the 1st Ave. S. Bridge will get you to 4th (“the Costco route”) or 1st, pointed to downtown. If you’re heading way south, though – Tukwila or further south, for example – it’s more efficient to take the Roxbury corridor to southbound 509, then 509 to 516 in Burien and eastward to SB I-5. (We have lived in south WS for 27 years so we know those routes best, although I’m waiting for someone to bust me with news of something I’ve missed …)
    - M April 16, 2020 (9:28 am)
      
      Thank you!!

Justin Hatt April 15, 2020 (7:47 pm)

How about we forget the “train to nowhere” for now and fix what’s broke, the West Seattle Bridge. Let’s get a petition started.

B. Waldron April 15, 2020 (8:23 pm)

Second this! If there is a way to get this started or some sort of organization that needs to get started please let me know

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