4:48 PM: Thanks for the tips (and to Michael for the photo). Genesee between Avalon and Delridge is blocked by a jackknifed semi truck.
5:30 PM: Metro has issued reroute alerts for buses that usually use that section of Genesee.
5:50 PM: Next photo is from Mike, showing the other side:
6:09 PM: As of a few minutes ago, Mike says it’s not cleared yet.
7:05 PM: Cleared.
Not sure what the photo is above but I live on that street and took a photo as well!
Fixed it, sorry, was publishing from the phone and slipped a gear on the “insert image” function.
Poor truck drivers on Genesee. There really should be a warning at either end to ignore your GPS and go around.
Did it reopen? I saw a metro route 50 heading westbound around 5:50pm (going past 26th Ave sw)
Mike, who sent the second photo, says as of 6:05 pm it was still there.
This is not going to be cleared anytime soon. We live down next to where this is. It’s stuck so bad, they may have to call in a second tow truck. The first one already had to back up Genesee to Delridge to go around and approach it from the Avalon side. There’s no way this is going to be a quick fix, unfortunately.
2 metro busses are stuck on Genesee now, it’s pretty messy in the surrounding area.from people turning around and trying to get where they’re going.
It is now 6:25. It is still blocked. This has been going on for an hour and a half. There is no SPD response, no tow trucks, and no traffic control response. Westbound traffic on Genesee is terrible as there is no good place to turn around. Unbelievable.
I did see SPD stationed at the Genesee/ Avalon intersection, to direct traffic. But I was surprised that I didn’t see any SPD east of the semi truck, to keep drivers from going west past 26th.
Thanks to everybody in the area for updates – all we can rely on otherwise is Metro and/or SDOT Traffic alert
It’s still there, tow truck on site but Doesn’t look like it’s going to be removed from the area anytime soon
Genesse now open.But why would a truck that size attempt to go up Genesse? Trucks Jack knifing on that hill is a common occurrence. So why doesn’t SDOT post signs prohibiting semis going up, or down, that hill?
The truck is gone and the road is clear in both directions.
Trucks have gotten stuck trying to go up the hill in the past. Seems like the industry would know not to attempt to drive up an incline like that. One even lost its load of large ball bearings which tumbled down the hill and damaged vehicles and property.
I remember that! https://www.npr.org/2018/10/19/658817818/lets-bounce-large-metal-balls-roll-out-of-truck-shut-down-the-block
I saw this truck today. Wasn’t sure what was going on but they had a flagger helping him do whatever they were trying to do before it went south and jackknifed. It was travelling up the hill with an awful lot of people backed up behind him heading toward Avalon.
West Seattle Mad Sci Guy,Here’s what I think happened:The truck driver followed his consumer-grade GPS device’s directions westbound, the hill was too steep to get going again after the truck driver had to stop, the truck driver then backed down the hill (eastbound), backed into an Avenue (Avenues in King County are north/south) to get turned around to head back east on Genesee St. (Streets in King County are east/west), then got stuck because there was not enough room to turn around at that particular intersection.
Is there ANY reason a 53′ semi would need to be on a residential street deep in West Seattle? This seems like it could’ve ended very badly. At least here weren’t cars parked on both sides of the street. The driver made an error in judgement, big time!
That’s not an excuse. Drivers use Genesee St as an unofficial detour route to avoid backups on Avalon, Spokane St, and W Marginal Way. They have other options, but they chose to tear down our residential street because it’s faster.
A reminder to please SLOW THE FLOCK DOWN as you drive along SW Genesee St between Avalon Way and Delridge. The speed limit is 25 mph east of Avalon on Genesee and 20 mph approaching/past 26th Ave SW due to the MARKED crosswalk and playground/skatepark/park nearby. Our street neighborhood is not your personal freeway. The two hours that the truck blocked Genesee from speeding traffic were peaceful and calm. This is a street that people live, play, walk, bike on…. please be mindful of them and try not to drive in excess of 40mph on our street. OK? Thanks.
Some speed bumps on Genessee are sorely needed. There is no reason for people to be going 40 mph and more (mostly downhill) along this stretch.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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