UPDATE: Crash on West Marginal Way injures one person

4:32 PM: Fire and police are responding to the 5600 block of West Marginal Way SW [map] for what’s reported as a crash involving a car and semi-truck. At least one person is possibly hurt, so they’ve included a medic unit in the response.

4:44 PM: That photo sent by Matthew explains why there were initial reports that the car was on fire, though firefighters reported no sign of smoke or fire when they arrived.

5:06 PM: Matthew reports a tow truck has taken away the car, while the truck was able to move, and someone was transported by AMR; debris cleanup has ensued.

5:23 PM: SFD says a woman in her mid-20s was taken to the hospital, in stable condition when transported.

Gmoney July 22, 2022 (4:51 pm)

big crash 1 lane getting by each direction northbound consider alternate routes

West Seattle Mad Sci Guy July 22, 2022 (5:02 pm)

A friend suggested it’s serious enough that he saw someone was having CPR performed on them.

WSB July 22, 2022 (5:04 pm)

No info yet – Matthew, who works in the area, says it appears someone was transported by AMR, but I’ll be following up with SFD ASAP.

KT July 22, 2022 (5:08 pm)

Backup just cleared northbound.

Mj July 22, 2022 (5:12 pm)

And only if the High Level Bridge was open to take the pressure off alternate routes!

Blbl July 22, 2022 (5:27 pm)

Another injury because of the bridge closure. This is on SDOT.

Really July 22, 2022 (5:47 pm)

This is not on SDOT, get a grip. If people drive the speed limit on this road, oh wait. It is the West Marginal 500 everyday.
- Wsresident July 23, 2022 (3:24 am)
  
  Are you implying this was a speeding accident? I can attest to the fact that’s impossible! There was too much traffic at this time and it was a heavy truck day lots of trucks pulling in and out. The way the car was hit showed the tractor trailer pulled out without seeing the car.
My two cents July 22, 2022 (6:23 pm)

Blbl – Please explain the specific factors at play here with your statement.
Reed July 22, 2022 (6:30 pm)

No, it’s on drivers who are distracted/impaired/driving reckless etc, etc, etc. When there were accidents on the bridge before it closed, was that SDOT’s fault to?
aa July 22, 2022 (7:34 pm)

Thats ridiculous. There is no reason to blame this accident on the bridge closure.

bolo July 22, 2022 (5:40 pm)

Prodigious amounts of smoke is generated when a semi truck/trailer slams on its brakes, that’s probably what all the smoke was. I’ve seen it before.

Carole July 22, 2022 (6:03 pm)

I drove West Marginal southbound just after noon on Wednesday and in that approximate area two large semis pulled out directly in front of my car from two separate truck exits. Fortunately I was following the speed limit and was able to slow down sufficiently without slamming on my brakes and getting rear-ended by the driver that was riding my bumper. Usually if I’m heading south I try to avoid West Marginal completely (and try to avoid going east or north if at all possible) and just drive down Ambaum, but the construction on Ambaum is a never ending nightmare too. Lots of cones and lane change/closure detours but I rarely see anybody actually out there working.

CarDriver July 22, 2022 (6:41 pm)

Carole/others. I see that a LOT. Saw it again this afternoon. Semi’s simply pull out of businesses causing vehicles on W Marginal to hit the brakes sometimes fairly hard. Those semi’s are in the wrong legally and could be cited, but that won’t happen. It’s a case of size matters and the semi’s will ALWAYS win.
- Sam-c July 22, 2022 (8:24 pm)
  
  I think that blaming SDOT for this is out of line. But, I agree with your comment on the semis. Before the high bridge closure and after the high bridge closure, I’ve had to slam on my brakes to avoid a semi pulling out on W Marginal to take a left turn in front of me or pull out in front of me, travelling in the same lane. No.matter what you have to pay attention. They are unpredictable and think they own the road because they are bigger.I don’t know what happened in this instance and hope everyone is ok.
- Lucas July 26, 2022 (11:45 pm)
  
  I work at one of those businesses as a truck driver. The speed limit on that road is 30 mph. If all of the vehicles traveled at 30 mph, nobody would ever have to feel like they’d been cut-off because the trucks, many weighing in excess of 100,000 pounds would have openings with each cycle of the traffic lights. The speeding vehicles do not allow enough time for a 100,000+ pound truck to clear their lane. Rather than slowing down and allowing the truck to clear, impatient/aggressive drivers take risks by going around a semi at higher speeds, regardless of the fact that they have no idea what’s on the other side of that 70-foot obstruction. Accidents are tragic, but they can be avoided if everyone drove the way they’re supposed to and followed the cardinal rule: YEILD TO LUG NUTS!
YES2WS July 22, 2022 (7:11 pm)

It might be safer to somewhat keep up with the other cars. If there’s not an extra huge gap, the trucks will be less likely to pull out just then. I drive just enough over to keep up and can’t think of a time I’ve been cut off; let alone twice in one stretch.

WS resident July 22, 2022 (6:08 pm)

I saw the car it was BAD, I’m very surprised the person survived and was grateful to see the eyes of the woman on the stretcher open. I hope she’ll be ok.

Andrew F July 23, 2022 (9:59 am)

We drove by as this happened. The truck came out in front of traffic to turn south on Marginal. We were in the left lane going the same direction – the truck was trying to beat oncoming traffic and swinging into the middle turn lane, parallel to us to our left. I remember thinking they were cutting it pretty close. My partner saw the car coming in the opposite direction (north) at a high speed. I heard the screeching tires and saw through my side mirror the car hit the semi’s trailer at a slight angle, but practically head on. It lifted off the ground and the hood had some flames. Very scary. From our perspective it looked like the accident was the result of both drivers taking risks. I hope the driver is ok – but it looked pretty bad.

NotOnHolden July 23, 2022 (12:15 pm)

I’ve never been “surprised” by a semi pulling out in this road, there is great visibility with our current weather. This isn’t on the truck, this was a car speeding and not paying attention. Never surprised, maybe mildy annoyed at losing momentum?I have to drive the route frequently and there is a ton of speeding and traffic doesn’t start to back up until about SW Dakota, if not even a little further towards West Seattle. That’s also why there are all those signs asking folks not to block the driveways which everyone seems to ignore… I hope the injured person will be okay, I really do. We also need to think about how this impacts the CDL of this truck driver; there was definitely drug testing which is mandatory; could possibly lose their job and be out of work now because of this situation, just for having a traffic accident that they may not even be at fault for.