TRAFFIC ALERT: Weekend sidewalk construction on West Marginal Way starting Saturday

| Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

As mentioned briefly in the morning traffic watch, sidewalk construction near the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse begins this weekend. After hearing about this last night, we asked SDOT for more details today, and here’s their reply:

SDOT is building sidewalks on the west side of West Marginal Way near the Duwamish Longhouse. The new sidewalk will provide safer and easier access to the Duwamish Longhouse and will also provide direct access for people in wheelchairs who are rolling to the Duwamish Longhouse from the parking lots on the east side of West Marginal Way SW. Construction will happen during the weekends and will begin on Saturday, May 1 through Sunday, May 30. Work hours will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. One southbound lane and at least one northbound lane will be maintained during construction. People driving through the area during construction should expect potential delays. If possible, we ask they plan weekend travels accordingly to detour around this work and avoid the work areas. For more information or questions, people can contact 206-684-7623 or 684-ROAD@seattle.gov.

The sidewalks are part of the long-planned project that will include installation of a crossing signal near the Longhouse later this year, separate from the protected-bike-lane proposal. A decision on that hasn’t been made yet, SDOT said at last night’s HPAC meeting, which is where we got first word of the sidewalk work. (Full meeting report to come.)

WS Taxpayer April 30, 2021 (7:39 am)

Awesome, take already crazy busy street, made crazy busy by decisions and incompetence of powers that be, and then further restrict traffic on crazy busy street by decisions by the same powers that be. Here’s an Idea – DON’T DO NICE TO HAVE PROJECTS UNTIL THE BRIDGE IS FIXED! I’m all for improving sidewalks but for goodness sakes…

Jort April 30, 2021 (12:02 pm)

Nothing could be more myopically car-brained than a belief that nothing whatsoever in this city can or should be done until the resumption of cars driving on the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s what’s going to happen: the city will complete the bridge repairs in a manner that includes proper engineering and safety, and in the meantime, they’ll work on other projects. The business of the city continues forward, and mostly it doesn’t care about people’s whiny traffic issues. It’s not complicated, and it’s not a zero-sum game. I’m sorry to the drivers who don’t like being stuck in traffic, but as I have said countless times before, there is literally nothing the city can do to fix that for you, so everyone is individually just going to have to come to terms with that and find a way to deal with it. It’s as draining and pointless as getting mad about the weather. Make your mental adaptations now, and it will be easier.

reed April 30, 2021 (8:45 am)

How dare SDOT potentially inconvenience west seattle motorists to make pedestrian improvements.

Matt April 30, 2021 (10:48 am)

where are you supposed to detour to? running out of ways to get out of west seattle.

WSB April 30, 2021 (10:57 am)

Highland Park Way and Roxbury will both get you toward 509/1st Avenue South access without the northern stretch of West Marginal.

Kris April 30, 2021 (9:31 pm)

I have been trying to use the lower bridge about 7:45 am the last two Saturdays to go to work now that regular traffic can use it before 8am. Both Saturdays the bridge lights are flashing not to use it. Does the bridge always open at that time for boat traffic?

bill May 1, 2021 (12:50 pm)

Probably just bad luck. I would like to see vessels that can clear the bridge and the channel bottom at mean sea level not be allowed through during higher tides when a bridge opening would be required.

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