ROAD WORK: This weekend’s plan for West Marginal/Highland Park Way intersection, and what’s been done so far

When we published this morning’s traffic (etc.) watch, we were awaiting SDOT‘s update on this weekend’s plan for the West Marginal/Highland Park Way intersection. We’ve since heard back, and here’s both the plan and a few toplines of what crews have done so far:

We recognize the traffic impacts caused by construction and lane closures on the detour route for the West Seattle Bridge closure. Thus, we are only performing construction work on Saturday and Sunday between 3 am and 1 pm. We also have four Uniformed Police Officers onsite to help alleviate traffic congestion by “flushing” congestion peaks while we work.

Here is the progress that we have made:

July 17 – July 18: saw-cutting the concrete/asphalt, removing the north curb islands, excavation for new curb ramps at the northwest corner
July 24 – July 25: excavating, pouring three new concrete panels, pouring new curb ramp on the northwest corner, removing and reinstalling new Pedestrian Signal Pole / vehicle detection system

(Next two weekends’ plan)

July 31 – August 1: forming new concrete island on the northwest corner, removing the west and east curb islands

August 7 – August 8: tentatively planning to excavate, form and pour new curb ramps on the northeast corner

Avoid the area during the work hours if you can. Until 8 am both days, for example, the low bridge is unrestricted. Otherwise, the Roxbury corridor is a good way to get to/from the 1st Avenue South Bridge (or the South Park Bridge) without using West Marginal.

9 Replies to "ROAD WORK: This weekend's plan for West Marginal/Highland Park Way intersection, and what's been done so far"

  • Elton July 30, 2021 (3:13 pm)

    This construction work seems really ill conceived. Is there some critical reason I’m missing that they can’t start the road work at 9PM or 10PM, even, instead of 3AM? I don’t trust their 1PM quote either – last Saturday the lanes were still closed when I passed by at almost 2PM. I think the traffic last Saturday was the first time I regretted not purposely taking the low bridge and paying the ticket cost because of how severe the back up was.

  • KM July 30, 2021 (4:13 pm)

    If only they were adding red light cameras too!

    • WSB July 30, 2021 (4:15 pm)

      Don’t know about the rest of the city but West Seattle hasn’t had a new red-light camera in more than a decade. The two existing spots – 35th/Avalon and 35th/Thistle – were installed in the late ’00s.

  • Al King July 30, 2021 (5:05 pm)

    WSB. Any word on when the right turn arrow from w bound HP to n bound W Marg will be activated?

    • WSB July 30, 2021 (5:07 pm)

      What’s published here is all the info we have.

  • jb July 30, 2021 (7:55 pm)

     Starting work late at night would make much more sense, but remember your dealing with SDOT.  After all it’s taken over a year for them to figure out that something must be done regarding that intersection and all the back-ups no matter what time of day.  Can’t wait to see the finally project!

  • Smittytheclown July 31, 2021 (7:55 am)

    Seems like a good time to test lower bridge hours.  Extend them to match these construction times.  If it turns into a logjam then the test failed and close it back down.  Why not try?

  • Al King July 31, 2021 (1:32 pm)

    Smittytc. SDOT wouldn’t do that because it makes sense. By the way, wnt across lw bridge at 7:45 this am. Line if semis w bound to term 5 had bridge TOTALLY clogged. Emergency vehicles wouldnt have gotten through. Thought SDOT didn’t like that………………

    • Daria August 1, 2021 (7:48 pm)

      The same thing happened to me last Saturday at around 7:30.  We were at a standstill for so long that a Metro driver got out and sprayed and wiped her windshield.  Then it suddenly cleared up.

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