WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: First post-reopening traffic stats; nighttime lane closures

Two West Seattle Bridge post-reopening notes tonight:

TRAFFIC STATS: While speaking with the West Seattle Transportation Coalition at tonight’s WSTC meeting, new SDOT director Greg Spotts shared a few traffic stats from the first few post-reopening days. He said the bridge traffic on Monday and Tuesday was 66 percent of comparable pre-closure days. Low-bridge volumes are down by half. Detour-route traffic is down 30 to 50 percent. But some other streets have seen an increase, Spotts said, such as 35th SW – at 35th/Raymond, traffic rose 12 percent.

NIGHTTIME LANE CLOSURES: SDOT had said there’d still be some work going on post-reopening, and the past few nights, there’s been work that led to lane closures on the bridge. Joseph sent this pic while noting the inside lane was closed each way.

We asked what specifically is being done. Here’s the reply from SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson:

These nighttime single-lane closures are to allow crews to finish installing lighting for the inspection platforms inside the bridge. We won’t be doing any more closures this week, and expect to perform some similar overnight work next week.

Once we’ve completed installing the lighting, we’ll use these new inspection platforms for monitoring the structure over the coming months and years. Most routine inspections will not require a lane closure.

8 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: First post-reopening traffic stats; nighttime lane closures"

  • West Seattle Mad Sci Guy September 22, 2022 (9:17 pm)

    Honking at 35th and Avalon is suddenly unnoticeable to off the scale this week. Biggest bridge reopening change I have noticed. I actually was convinced people were holding signs for a cause. No. Just shameful behavior of impatient adults.

    • Beep Beep Toot Toot September 22, 2022 (10:41 pm)

      Yesterday, I saw a driver taking a left turn when they are not allowed and other drivers recognizing that bad behavior and expressing it by honking. I always think Seattle drivers are too weak with the horn based on the amount of crap driving that goes on here, so it surprised me when I saw that!

  • star 55 September 22, 2022 (10:12 pm)

    Hopefully they are planning on painting new lanes.

  • Gittel September 23, 2022 (7:21 am)

    Yes, painting new lanes, and continuing the new, highly-visible-at-night dots and dashes on the eastern half of the bridge as well. (When you’re driving east in the dark you are abruptly dumped into a no-man’s land of invisible lanes.)

  • JenT September 23, 2022 (8:12 am)

    Came across the lane closure last night on my first trip back over the Bridge, and I saw a near-accident as people veered to get out of the suddenly closed lane.  It was not well-marked ahead of the closure.  Good to know they’re done with doing that work in the dark!All of that said, the relief to get back from a medical appointment in 18 mins vs 45 mins was just HUGE. So thankful the Bridge is back open.

  • K to the F September 23, 2022 (9:35 am)

    Do I remember correctly that SDOT was to install those green “blades” atop the center divider to cut down on glare from oncoming traffic headlights or did I just imagine that?

  • Rob H September 23, 2022 (10:04 pm)

    I’m just super grateful to have this thing back. I can’t express how much my life is better with the bridge open.

  • Alan Crawshaw September 24, 2022 (8:27 am)

    I have my some of my own stats. Traffic on Sylvan Way SW, a major detour route during reconstruction, during the three Sundays prior to the bridge reopening, between 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM, an average of 600 cars passed by me. On the day the bridge finally opened, that number was DOWN to 402! But now, with pro football in full swing, I’ll probably be watching games not cars! 

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