ROAD WORK, TRANSIT, TRAFFIC: Friday notes, 10th week of West Seattle Bridge closure

5:53 AM: Good morning – the 67th morning without the high-rise West Seattle Bridge. We start with two traffic reminders – #1, SW Roxbury repaving between 16th and 18th continues. We went by late yesterday – the new pavement is done in the eastbound lanes, so the westbound side is next:

Here’s the nearest traffic camera:

Reminder #2 – the low bridge will be closed to ALL users (including bicycle riders and people on foot) tonight 8 pm-5 am, Saturday night 6 pm-3 am, and – if needed – Sunday night 6 pm-3 am. Details here.

Back to this morning’s traffic – here are the cameras for the 5-way intersection at West Marginal/Delridge/Spokane/Chelan, and the restricted-access low bridge:

The main detour route across the Duwamish River is the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) – here’s that camera:

The other major bridge across the river is the South Park Bridge (map) – this camera shows the SP-side approach:

Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed for info about any of those bridges opening for marine traffic.

You can see all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.

TRANSIT

Metro – Reduced schedule; reduced capacity; check here for next departure

Water Taxi – Reduced schedule continues

Sound Transit reminder – Link light rail and Sounder trains will start charging fares again Monday

During the stay-home order, we’re not live-monitoring morning traffic, but we’ll update with word of incidents, so please let us know what you’re seeing – comment or text (but not if you’re drivingl!) 206-293-6302.

LyndaB May 29, 2020 (7:12 am)

Long back-ups on northbound I-5. Per @sdottraffic twitter, there is collision at Seneca. 7am posting.

waikikigirl May 29, 2020 (7:38 am)

OOO it’s looking good!

Pilsner May 29, 2020 (12:10 pm)

Has there been discussion on having the lower bridge open to all vehicular traffic during night hours? Or for certain hours?

WSB May 29, 2020 (12:13 pm)

We reported earlier this week that SDOT expects some changes in the low-bridge restrictions. What will change and when, not announced yet.

Rob May 29, 2020 (12:43 pm)

Can SDOT remove/fix that old piece of train tracks that cross E Marginal Way S by Creoworks building by the new traffic lights. It has some bad potholes around it

Michael May 29, 2020 (2:25 pm)

Not sure SDOT can do anything about that. I believe railroad crossings are actually the responsibility of the railroad. This has come up in past discussions asking for crossings to be upgraded to flashing lights and gates.

Scooter May 29, 2020 (1:06 pm)

I just sat in a traffic jam for 45 minutes to go about 4 blocks on Marginal Way trying to get on to Harbor Island. Semi trucks are lined up for blocks. I live on Harbor Inland and am not allowed to use the low bridge. I have tried showing my liveaboard moorage bill for proof and cops said go around like everyone else. We no longer go to West Seattle because a 30 minute trip is now 2 hours. My husband has been fighting stage four lymphoma and I had total knee replacement so please keep people like us in mind those of you who think “ let’s all get a bicycle”.

Flivver May 29, 2020 (1:14 pm)

Pilsner. As the spouse of an SDOT employee SDOT has planned all along that there will be times during the day that the low bridge will be open to all of us. Their plan is that they’ll study traffic patterns when thing’s are back to “normal” and loosen restrictions accordingly. The reason SPD is ticketing now is that SDOT felt it was better to come down hard early and loosen up later rather then let everyone use it and restrict later. As WSB said there is no time line when a decision will be made. CAUTION!!! If they deem the high bridge unsafe all this is a moot point as the whole Chelan intersection will be closed. And the low bridge will be closed to ALL.

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