1:25 PM: That’s how Tim captioned the photo he just sent of the latest crash near the “Welcome to West Seattle” sign. No serious injuries reported. Police are on the scene of this one right now and calling for a tow truck.
2:38 PM: Officers have told dispatch the scene has been cleared.
People speed all the time on Olson Hill, top and bottom. We’re not reading about new crashes almost daily when it rains there. People speed all over 35th. No regular crashes anywhere along that stretch. People FLY through Fauntleroy, constantly. And yet, not one single spot sees regular single-vehicle spinouts on a regular basis. Highland Park Way hill. Marine View Drive. The off ramp from the bridge to Delridge. Admiral Way.
There are SO many places in West Seattle where we see people speeding constantly. And yet none have the record of single-vehicle collisions this location does.
Why is that? Why did it only start after the bridge closure? Why does it stop during the dry months?
There have been crashes lately on all the streets you mention (except MVD); if we posted every arterial crash, that would pretty much squeeze out all the other news. Generally not traffic effects and visibility like this spot. And generally not spinouts.
Maybe time for some big speed bumps at the end of the bridge to protect Darwin Nominees from their inability to drive at a safe speed.
Or an automated speeding ticket camera. The city could likely make billions if not trillions in revenue from an automated speeding ticket camera right there. I imagine that more than 95 percent of drivers exceed the posted speed limit on that bridge, especially on the westbound downhill portion. I have seen drivers go apoplectic with rage at having to go the speed limit there. Absolutely apoplectic and unhinged. People think they have a right to exceed the posted speed limit.
So many drivers drive like maniacs on that bridge especially on the curve. I don’t know why.Slow down, please! You’ll get to the red light soon enough without ending up in that little park.
Jorty – break down the rationale, assumptions and the math to back up your “ billions if not trillions” if you please.
You’d have to collect on one million tickets at $1000 each to reach a billion. Not to mention that those automated ticket machine companies typically rake 50%.
Here’s a pro tip: any time you get one of those camera tickets in the mail, turn it over, check the box for declaration of non-responsibility, and send it back in. No ticket. Enjoy!
I conservatively think automated speed enforcement could net somewhere around ~500 times the current global GDP (~$57.5 quadrillion USD). Over many decades, I can count on one hand the number of people I have ever seen drive at or below the posted speed limit there. People act like speeding in their car is in Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It’s absurd. The crashes will continue until this city wises up and starts issuing automated enforcement on law-breaking, dangerous driving behavior, with mandatory automobile confiscation and destruction at 5 tickets.
Olsen used to have tons of crashes, like this place. I think they regraded and did something to the surface of the asphalt a few years ago.
K, this is painfully ignorant; facts do not support any of your claims. We all pay extra attention to this spot because it has become a local curiosity that shows off poor driving regularly. I and many others have negotiated this curve in many different vehicles at speeds up to 60mph or so. Quirks of the roadway or not, this is a skill issue. It’s embarrassing that so many of us in West Seattle keep making up reasons it’s not the drivers’ fault employing absolutely atrocious logic, statistics, physics, or whatever else we have a poor grasp on but feel we can intuit. Seriously someone just posted “…the road grabbed me and pulled…”. It’s got serious “While driving, a parked car leapt out and struck my vehicle…” vibes.
Amen. The only thing Seattle needs to do to improve public safety on its roads is take 2/3 of the driving population of Seattle off the road, completely. The remaining 1/3 have no problem taking this curve at 75mph and do so on a regular basis. Speed isn’t the problem – it’s bad drivers who don’t know how to move at any speed.
I can’t believe that no action has been taken to fix this corner. It is unreasonably dangerous for solid axle trucks/SUVs. The two undulations are undetectable in my car but in the rain have skipped me sideways in my 4Runner, and yes even at 30 mph. There is not another curve anywhere that requires that I white knuckle my way through even at the slowest suggested speed. It is the surprise of this difference to my traction anywhere else that is the dangerous thing.
You’re wasting your time trying to rationalize to the commenters here. They’re all stuck in their own secluded bubble of their own experience and they’ll NEVER be convinced of any other possible ideas outside of their own. I’ve commented on the road, weather, SDOT’s lack of willingness to actually come out and look at the road in person; and I’ve even offered to take people out at let them drive my new truck with good tires just to see the actual physics. For the past 18 months, nobody has accepted my offer. I’ve given up trying to inform people of what happens on that corner. But they just seem to prefer mocking people who crash. Yeah, speed is a factor in some. But if you don’t know that curve and have never been to West Seattle, you could be driving safely and still crash.
Another crash at this turn!! WSB, fair enough but I think it’s highly unlikely that this number of crashes (what, third time in three days?) happens at the other spots that K mentions. Speeding or not, this is a problem spot, folks. Keep blaming the drivers but that’s not going to change the fact that this is impacting people’s lives and someone is going to get seriously injured eventually if nothing is done.
Folks need to SLOW DOWN-not even talking about speeding -just slow down at that spot-especially when it’s wet/icy. THATS what can be done immediately-
Everyone here continues to post comments as if the people crashing are lifelong residents who just drive like maniacs. Yet nobody considers how many people come here during the day for their first time in West Seattle. People who follow the driving laws shouldn’t be at risk of crashing just because they’ve never been here before.
Regardless of driver fault (not trying to enter that argument here….), with the sheer volume isn’t this where Forgiving Roads / Safe Systems Approach would lead toward some sort of effort to improve this? If drivers never did anything wrong, we wouldn’t need many of the road features we have today. But we know that cars or drivers or both fail, thus we do things to reduce–thus rumble strips, no turn on red, early pedestrian signals, separated bikelanes, etc etc. Seems like that would warrant action whether you say “yet again the driver had it coming” or you say “there’s an unusual number of accidents here.”
The lack of intellectual curiosity surrounding this and the knee-jerk, automatic assumption that it’s a driver speed issue solely is really disappointing to see. More than one thing can be true – the road can have a defect AND speed can exacerbate that defect. Or maybe the road has a defect and bald tires exacerbate it. Or maybe speed and bald tires and a road defect are the cause. Or maybe the road defect is the lone cause. The only thing that seems to hold true for certain in all cases is that it is wet-road related. It certainly seems plausible there is something wrong with the road itself given the higher incidence of issues there. And it deserves further study and remediation by the city.
There is no knee jerk automatic assumption, just pure logic. Thousands of cars pass through this curve without incident and only a select few fail to navigate it. That means it’s driver error, not an issue with the road. In fact if I do remember right, this very blog reported on SDOT coming out to assess the area and finding no issues with the construction or condition of the road.
SDOT did NOT come inspect in person. They filed a report citing there was not enough information to require an on-site inspection and that they “will monitor that area going forward”.
Maybe we should erect a large tent over this section of roadway, keep it dry and people can safely speed through here.
I just want to say that I adhere to the speed limits posted on all streets that I drive. WS Bridge in that certain section where the accidents seem to happen most often is where cars speed past me (while I am going the speed limit) in the outer lane or a driver that is tailgating my car will go around me in order to speed. And, we both end up stopped at the same stop light…go figure. Speed is definitely a main factor in these ongoing accidents. Speeding puts a driver at a higher risk of having an accident due to reaction timing be unable to match excessive speeds aka to lose control.
Another pickup. I own a pickup. I know to go 30 mph around that curve. Why…?, because there’s a sign telling me to go 30 mph. It even has a sign showing a curve coming up. I’m not a smart man, yet I understand.
As you should know that 30mph sign is a SUGGESTION. The real speed limit signs are white with black numbers.
Given who’s making the suggestions, absolutely. The west seattle bridge is a 6 lane highway with no pedestrians and is virtually straight almost the whole way through, and yet we’re supposed to drive 45mph? That’s a scandalous misuse of our transit resources. The reason why people ignore the speed limits is because the vast majority of the speed limits are so out of wack they defy anyone’s ability to make sense of them. If most of the speed limits signs actually indicated the appropriate speed to drive in a place, then I might be more inclined to actually pay attention to them. If “no turn on red” signs didn’t appear to be strewn about with no rhyme or reason to any of them – obviously without any research done to see if it was actually appropriate for that intersection – well then they might be worth paying attention to. Since the city just wants to put them everywhere and force everyone to drive slower than a grandma on a walker, it is what it is. I wouldn’t blame any driver for ignoring traffic signs in Seattle – they’ve made so many extra of them, as to render themselves meaningless.
If the speed limit is 70 miles per hour on the freeway and there’s a giant yellow sign with a flashing light that says “curve ahead, 45 mph” would you keep driving 70, just because you “can?” Is 70 miles per hour the minimum speed or the maximum speed? Is your suggestion that every road be altered and re-engineered to accommodate continuously driving the posted speed limit? Are drivers unable to be trusted to drive at the safest speed for the conditions?
Sigh. You don’t understand highway warning signs. A warning to slow to a lower speed because of a curve is based on engineering that has to account for the least stable vehicle (typically, a semi-trailer with a high center of gravity) negotiating the turn. So yes, a Porsche can, in fact, take a “45mph” turn safely at 60 or 70 mph. Most front wheel drive cars can safely take a posted turn faster than what is warned, assuming the driver has the requisite skills. And speaking as someone who does routinely drive faster than the posted limit, I’m really okay with that. Easily more than half of all drivers speed – the anecdotal evidence is compelling. If one causes an accident due to speed, then that person should be prepared to pay the consequences. But driving some reasonable amount faster than the speed limit is in and of itself not that big of a deal.
Breathtaking. Previously, K. Davis said they would gleefully disobey “No Turn on Red” laws at the Alaska Junction. Now, when it comes to following another traffic law, we get this: ‘it’s OK if I do it.’ Roughly one in three traffic fatalities have speeding as a contributing factor. It’s fascinating – if not unsurprising – that you not only openly admit breaking the law, but that you (like so many drivers) think it’s “not that big of a deal.” But maybe you’re better and more important than the law? Astonishing. Just astonishing.
I’m so sick of this yes we have people that speed but that curve caught me once not a speeder I have a nervous passenger so always drive speed limits just above or just lower on certain stretches of road that’s one I never f around with also was driving home with a friend the road grabbed and pulled thankfully was in a big heavy surban and was also able to pull out of it that’s a bad stretch of road bottom line so yes people speed but that’s not the problem here could it contribute to will never argue that yes it can be but bottom line is this a bad stretch of road I seriously have a jeep with all terrain tires (yes new ) I drive that stretch normally about 20mpr or slower what will it take to fix this I don’t want death on this road
Point to ponder: I noticed that the lower east section of road was reworked to have groves cut/ made in the concrete which help traction and drainage but not at this location.
Believe the grooves were to help with the winter conditions/ice from a few years ago?
The grooves are cut in road pavement to allow excess water a place to drain away – to reduce hydroplaning. The grooves help provide better grip on wet roads, but result in the pavement wearing away faster.
I sent the following to Councilmember Saka, but it would help if others weighed in too:I’m reaching out because there’s been another in a long series of accidents on the curve at the West end of the West Seattle Bridge (https://westseattleblog.com/2025/12/traffic-alert-yet-another-crash-at-sw-end-of-west-seattle-bridge/). This has been endemic since the completion of repairs to the main span when SDOT also did grinding of the existing concrete pavement. Months ago, SDOT said they were looking into it, but suggested that it was entirely due to speeding, and that they planned to install more speed limit warnings. We’re still waiting on those signs, but their analysis of the problem and solution is pure B.S. Most drivers speed and signs will do nothing to solve this problem. The problem is that the grinding work ended on a curve and that grinding did not match the existing contours of the right lane. As a result, at the transition vehicles come up off their suspension and with speeding and wet weather they lose control. This is a physical roadway problem and SDOT needs to fix it, as opposed to blaming drivers. They could either continue the grinding work until they reach a straight section, or they could shim up the current transition with concrete or asphalt. This is an easy fix, yet SDOT hasn’t even identified the problem correctly.Can the Councilmember Saka weigh-in with SDOT and push for action please.
I’ve never gotten a response from him or his staff when I request assistance with similarly important things.
Serious question, WSB, do you have a count on how many reported
accidents have been posted about on the blog at this location since the
bridge reopened? I am guessing that is the closest tally we can get.
I write this as someone that has worked along this section of roadway and can say without doubt that most of these accidents would not have happened if road surfaces were in better shape. The expansion joints and multiple types of roadway surfaces are the problems. The old road surface has a lot of exposed large worn rock, (surface is same as polished rock) from the many years of being driven on. I’ve walked that area when wet and it is slick, and if any oily/fuel residue has spilled or dripped from a vehicle it’s like ice. The expansion joints are not level and unload suspension of all vehicles, but really sensitive to trucks with no or little load. For those speeding, it really multiples the issues. The work done during closure is already showing signs of failure at expansion joints and can be seen with the asphalt patches. Old roadway surfaces should have been ground/grooved when curve area was worked on. It would’ve helped with traction issues but only temporary as the old surface is just worn out. Very poor work done in that section of road work and any professional would agree. City of Seattle and SDOT have done little to maintain roadway and bridges for many years now and improvements and proper infrastructure needs are going to be much more complex and costly. Taxes have been raised for these needs but have disappeared before the real problems and priorities have been addressed……get ready for more taxes with more promises, maybe they’ll add some more speed bumps;) Those saying road surface has nothing to do with the vehicles spinning on that section of roadway are really misinformed. SDOT has also done a terrible job at prioritizing the maintenance of roadway drains throughout the city, with this year being one of the worst on record that has led to many issues.
It is not SDOT’s fault that maintenance has been historically grossly underfunded. “For those speeding,..” you acknowledge but excuse their negligence.
Bill, are you basing your comments on what your told and have read or do you have any professional experience with roadway construction ? You might comment differently if you did so I believe. Does speed increase issues on that section of roadway ? I have never said it hasn’t. What I have said is that section of roadway surface is bad and dangerous. I also believe most all professionals involved in roadway design and building would agree 100%. You mention grossly underfunded ? seems like there has been multiple levy’s passed for SDOT funding… where’d the money go ? general fund ? Would love to see outside audit done on spending, hiring and promotional habits going on with-in SDOT today ; )
Why are people so opposed to just fixing the problem? It boggles my mind that so many people are dug in on this one. if people were rationale we wouldn’t need stoplights either. Grind the roadway another 200 feet – problem solved. Does someone have to die before we do it?
It’s the undulation right at the turn that makes it so susceptible to spin outs. Yes, if you reduce speed to 20 MPH you can make it in a truck. The undulation lifts the vehicle right at the point in the turn is what makes it so dangerous while wet.
This is precisely correct. I’ve lost the front at the exit of that bend, just after the second undulation in the rain before, in a sporty-ish RWD coupe on old, but well-treaded all-seasons. The second concrete hump dangerously unweights the pointing tires at the worst time in the wet. I’m not surprised at all that so many cars understeer off here. If the road surface were made consistent, i.e. the concrete patches were the same elevation as the tarmac throughout the bend, this would instantly be a non-issue.
Ok! So here’s a solution for this road and every other highly traveled road in Washington. Just reduce the lanes from multiple options, and replace half of the roadway with Bike lanes. Of course, this is the answer that the city engineers have decided to do. And by doing it, they have solved the problem. Now you’re commute will take twice as long, and you’ll be safe. Because we all need know how terribly dangerous those two and three wheelers are to the driving public. And how Irresponsible and careless they are, especially on wet and slippery streets. And while they are out reportioning those dangerous streets, they can take pictures and stand around while they have half the road closed, and comment on how they only need a twelve man crew to get done with a three man crew. And then they can keep that same road closed for a week or two until they have those signs and a paint crew ready to do the job. Of course, while they are there, they might as well put up those new speed reduction signs. You know the ones that reduce the speed from 35 mph to 25 mph. Only to make not only your.commute, painfully slow, but help you get to work much later than you need to. Maybe then they won’t have to deal with the public complaints about dangerous roads.
How many miles of lanes have been repurposed for bike lanes in West Seattle as a proportion of the total number of street miles? Would you be willing to wager it’s less than half a percent? Nobody – except the imaginary people you’re inventing for this comment – are talking about turning the West Seattle Bridge into a bike lanes. And, if you drove the 4 miles from the Admiral Junction to the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock at 35 mph instead of the legal 25 mph, you’d save 2 minutes and 45 seconds. “Painfully slow?” “Much later?” If 2 minutes and 45 seconds is making or breaking your quality of life, I feel tremendous pity for you.
Jorty – FYI.sardonic : showing disrespect or scorn for someone or something : disdainfully or skeptically humorous : derisively mocking
Multiple undulations within a relatively sharp turn on a higher speed thoroughfare seems like it would produce more accidents. If nothing else comments in this blog combined with frequent accidents at this location provide fantastic entertainment.
Maybe instead of sitting here griping on a blog, you can do something about it by submitting a request to the Seattle department of transportation: Select Service Request – Citizen Web Portal https://share.google/Aphr98UkNSvdQt8T2If we all jump on and submit the same request, it’s a lot harder to ignore.
GoFundMe for a webcam feed aimed at the Welcome to West Seattle sign.
Yelling “just slow down”! on the local blog obviously doesn’t work.Fix the problem.
One of the problems with this section of road is that it’s appearance is deceptive. You can see that it’s a curve so you slow to a reasonable speed. You can see that it’s raining so you slow even more. What you can’t see is that there are different pavement surfaces in the curve along with a dip in the road at a critical location. You don’t know that you need to slow down even more for those things because you can’t see them. So if you’re driving a vehicle that is prone to spinning out such as certain SUVs or vans or pickups, you may lose control even though you’ve slowed down to what seems like a reasonable speed.
It would be very reasonable for SDOT to fix this section of road and I can’t imagine that it would be very expensive. Seems like a small price to pay to possibly save a life and/or serious injury to a neighbor or family or a friend.
How do you propose to fix it? More grooves? Glass infused asphalt? Trucks with empty beds & SUVs with high center of gravities, bald tires can’t “do what cars do.” It’s physics.The moment someone says excessive speed, they don’t want to hear it & yell BUT WADDABOUT !!!.Enjoy your airbag for lunch… unless you’re Sabine Schmitz.
RIP Sabine. I still get misty-eyed rewatching her hustle that van around the ‘ring on TG.
I am 60 years old and grew up on Vashon Island, but have lived in the Bellingham area for more than 40 years. I make the drive to the Fauntleroy dock every couple of months, and have driven it hundreds of times over the years. About 8 months ago I nearly had a catastrophic spinout at that very spot at the west end of the West Seattle Bridge. I have no idea how i managed to gain control after fishtailing several times. The pavement was damp but not wet. I was going under the speed limit! The road surface is different there than it used to be, and is a strange mix of patches of different surfaces. Some of the patches are very slippery, and there is no way to anticipate them if you don’t drive there regularly. Something definitely needs to be done about it! I now dread that spot the most of my entire drive from Whatcom County.
I’ve been driving that section for 30 years. Never had a problem. I’ve witnessed plenty of people pass me in the rain just to eat a jersey barrier all over the state though.
From the US Dept of Transportation Federal Admin:
This approach ensures that resources are allocated efficiently to high-risk areas while maintaining consistent road surface conditions for driver safety [1].
Sorry, comment time is over.
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