TRAFFIC ALERT: Repair closures ahead for SB 1st Avenue South Bridge

(Reader photo)

Here’s an alert from WSDOT about the southbound First Avenue South Bridge:

We’re going to have a series of brief daytime closures on the SR 99 southbound Duwamish River starting tomorrow and going for about two weeks. We will have about four closures a day, each lasting about 10 minutes, about the length of time for a bridge opening for marine traffic. Closures will take place between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. During the closures our bridge maintenance crews will make temporary repairs.

So if you’ll be traveling that way – be ready for the possibility of extra delays.

Tim October 6, 2020 (5:53 pm)

No problem, we’ll just take one of the many other ways out of West Seattle.

Auntie October 6, 2020 (5:56 pm)

I’m wondering why these closures/repairs cannot be done at night when the old, low bridge is open to all. It’s hard enough to get out of West Seattle now and make it to an appointment on time, let alone with additional closures of the 1st ave s bridge.

AB83 October 6, 2020 (6:41 pm)

Another round of applause for SDOT’S magnificent planning. Why not do it from 9 PM to 5 Am when the low bridge is open to all traffic?

WSB October 6, 2020 (7:41 pm)

This is not an SDOT bridge nor project. The First Avenue South Bridge is a state bridge. I believe it’s part of this ongoing work but will be inquiring.
https://wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr99/duwamish-river-bridges/home
- Kyle October 6, 2020 (10:13 pm)
  
  If it is that project, it looks like a minor $2500 project for some hydraulic maintenance. Can’t see reasoning why this can’t be done during off hours besides they just didn’t think about it.

Kyle October 6, 2020 (6:56 pm)

This is an incredibly brief statement from WSDOT. For starters, what are they repairing?! In normal times, a brief statement may be fine, but this is the main route in/out of west Seattle for the time being. Would be nice to know the actual need and thought behind this delay to the public. Also, why during the day?

Jessica October 6, 2020 (7:25 pm)

This is ridiculous, who makes these stupid decisions? Why not close it at night, or on the weekend, instead of during rush hour? It’s the only way out of West Seattle. The delays won’t be for 10 minutes, either, since traffic backs up. Why are they making “temporary repairs” anyway – are we about to lose that bridge, too?

WSB October 6, 2020 (7:37 pm)

This is the southbound side only. Each side is a separate bridge.

Jon Wright October 6, 2020 (9:04 pm)

West Seattle Bridge closed due to structural damage, blog commenters complain about lack of maintenance. 1st Ave S bridge having brief closures for repairs, blog commenters complain that maintenance is happening.

Jon Wrong October 7, 2020 (9:51 am)

Blog commenters complain that maintenance is happening on the major route out of West Seattle northbound during peak daytime traffic hours instead of doing them, oh I don’t know, overnight. When there’s less traffic. And when the low bridge is open to all traffic.
- WSB October 7, 2020 (9:55 am)
  
  This is NOT HAPPENING NORTHBOUND. It’s SOUTHBOUND, so it’s the route back toward West Seattle, during the hours BEFORE the peak of the pm commute.
  - Chels October 7, 2020 (9:31 pm)
    
    PEOPLE STILL GO SOUTH
    - NotOnHolden October 8, 2020 (12:09 pm)
      
      Right? Like I leave super early to get north in a decent amount of time and I try to leave the office mid day to get home, heading south. This is such an absolute cluster.

Millie October 6, 2020 (9:41 pm)

Just curious, is there anything left forSDOT, WSDOT, or King County Public Works to repair to make our getting off the West Seattle Peninsula even more difficult?? There doesn’t appear to be any communication between these three agencies. Is it time yet to re-consider the idea of becoming The City of West Seattle?

1994 October 6, 2020 (10:15 pm)

Maybe the WA-DOT needs the daylight to see what is happening? Time to check out the reaaallly long way route via the south end of Boeing field. I have to say the WA-DOT has recently done a good job of keeping the campers from camping under this bridge. They removed the risk of RV fires and exploding propane tanks.

Elle Nell October 6, 2020 (11:43 pm)

Well, this can’t be any worse than any other challenge in our life. I’m sure glad I have coping skills and can understand when things such as bridges that carry many of my fellow humans , needs to be repaired so that they and my family are safe.

WSMom October 7, 2020 (8:40 am)

To Jon Wright:I think you may have missed the point of others’ comments. No one is complaining about maintenance. The issue is the time of day when the maintenance is performed, given the challenge of getting out of WS.

Maria October 7, 2020 (2:20 pm)

Getting out of WS is northbound on the bridge, not southbound. I agree with Jon Wright that people are quick to find a reason to complain. Also, not sure if this is the case, but if this work on the bridge can’t be done safely at night, I have no problem with the crews working on it in the daylight. Safety is always #1.

2 Much Whine October 7, 2020 (9:49 am)

Well, for those of you complaining about everything the city does, I suspect that if this were to be done at night it would require the use of lighting (that comes at a cost) AND everyone working on it would get paid for multiple hours of overtime. Suddenly it takes longer and costs more. Are you ok with that? Seems to me that $2500 is a lot for routine maintenance but $3750 to $5000 would be a lot more! Perhaps the bridge tenders will be smart enough to use the time that the bridge is open to let marine traffic through. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not crazy about the thought of additional bridge openings during the day but I can at least appreciate both sides of the argument.

Lagartija Nick October 7, 2020 (10:24 am)

The lack of reading comprehension shown in these comments is simply astounding. It’s no wonder this country is in such a horrible state. If the lot of you can’t understand the simple difference between northbound and southbound how on earth can you be trusted to understand anything of importance?