ROAD WORK, TRANSIT, TRAFFIC: Tuesday watch

6:07 AM: Welcome to Tuesday, January 26th, the 309th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.

TRANSIT

Water Taxi – On its regular schedule but this week and next week will be handled by the lower-capacity Spirit of Kingston

Metro – On regular weekday schedule. If you’re not subscribed to alerts, watch @kcmetrobus on Twitter for them

ROAD (ETC.) WORK

Delridge project – The SW Thistle closure continues between Delridge and 20th. Here’s what else is planned this week.

California and Myrtle – The sewer-repair project continues – if driving/riding on California, watch out for the bumps on the northbound side (though the grade has been improved).

CHECK TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO

Low Bridge: Third week for automated enforcement cameras, while restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily. Here’s a bridge view:

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden:

The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):

The main detour route across the Duwamish River, the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

The other major bridge across the river – the South Park Bridge (map). Here’s the nearest camera:

Going through South Park? Don’t speed. (Same goes for all the other detour-route neighborhoods, both the arterials and neighborhood streets!)

To check for bridges’ marine-traffic openings, see the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.

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

Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.

Al King January 26, 2021 (6:51 am)

WSB. How long after low bridge infraction are tickets mailed?. Have heard people talk about crossing and not getting anything in the mail.

Andrea January 26, 2021 (9:09 am)

“When photo enforcement is operating, the registered owner of an
unauthorized vehicle will receive a notice of infraction in the mail
within 14 days. Citations can be issued for both directions of travel on
the bridge.”https://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2020/12/09/starting-in-january-2021-we-will-add-an-automated-photo-enforcement-system-on-the-low-bridge-that-will-supplement-existing-enforcement-by-police/

T January 26, 2021 (9:18 am)

West Seattle residents should be able to use the lower bridge period.

OMG January 26, 2021 (10:57 am)

And the mighty foot of “T” has landed. Get over it my godHave you not read anything about why “YOU” can’t use it, or do you feel because you live in WS that it is a privilege to do so.Go ahead and use it
Anne January 26, 2021 (12:01 pm)

No-no they shouldn’t-period.
reed January 26, 2021 (2:00 pm)

West Seattle residents can use the low bridge. I used it this morning, rode my bicycle right over it, no issues.

Alkibri January 26, 2021 (10:21 am)

Are there any statistics on the number of infractions per day or overall available? Would SDOT/SPD have/release that information?

reed January 26, 2021 (3:43 pm)

Two observations, from a law-abiding bicyclist who went over the low bridge today, on how drivers may be attempting to cross the low bridge and avoid being caught by the cameras.

Going eastbound this morning I observed a car tailgating a bus by less than two feet. Perhaps the driver of that vehicle thought being so close to the bus would keep them from being pictured? Man will they be mad when they realize the cameras capture the rear of your vehicle.

Coming back west this afternoon around I witnessed a small gray SUV/crossover (Mazda CX-5ish) drive over the low bridge a reckless “guaranteed to kill someone of you crash” speed. I counted the time it took them to pass approximately 6 light poles and came home and used google earth to measure the approximate distance between them. The car took about 4 seconds to cover a distance of approximately 575 feet, which means they were driving between 90 and 100 miles per hour. Lets give them the benefit of the doubt, considering my crude measurements, and say they were going a leisure 70 to 80 miles per hour. Perhaps they thought driving so fast would put them past the field of view of the camera before it could capture them? I’d imagine the lead foot of the angriest driver is still no match for the shutter speed of even a crude traffic camera.All of this in my less than five minutes each way crossing the bridge on a random Tuesday; I can only imagine what else happens when I’m not there to see it.

Sorry, comment time is over.