65 Replies to "TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Post-holiday Wednesday updates"

• Wsrez November 12, 2014 (7:22 am)

  I believe everyone trying to leave west seattle is STUCK for a while. Fauntleroy is backed up toward fairmount. Avalon way past Fauntleroy and song make the mistake of trying to loop down to delrudge, it took 15 to turn left by the gym off Avalon. At least it’s sunny!

• Adam November 12, 2014 (7:27 am)

  Take Delridge if you’re going to the bridge! It’s the only way you’ll be able to skip the mess.

• Cp November 12, 2014 (7:31 am)

  Seriously, this is ridiculous. There’s got to be an alternate route out of WS if people can’t drive without crashing into each other on a sunny day.

  • WSB November 12, 2014 (7:33 am)

    The sun wasn’t in the camera view when this happened at 6:22 am, FWIW. Also, SDOT warns the low bridge is closing (also a topic last night) in a few minutes.

• Kona November 12, 2014 (7:36 am)

  The city needs to have a tow truck waiting to clear wrecks. 1-2 hrs for a tow truck with a crash before 7am. Really?
  But that makes sense ?

• Trileigh November 12, 2014 (7:44 am)

  Yikes, I just signed on to see if things were improving before I head out – and now they’re closing (opening) the lower bridge? Maybe it’s time to try the southern route via Marginal Way and 509… Keep the updates coming, folks, thanks.

• chris w November 12, 2014 (7:44 am)

  I got on bus #55 near the junction just after 7am. Still haven’t got on bridge yet.

• lateagain November 12, 2014 (7:45 am)

  Opening the lower bridge when there’s a crash on the upper bridge during rush hour is downright offensive. I left my house an hour ago and I’m still in W Seattle (which I love, but come on!)

• sara November 12, 2014 (7:46 am)

  Awesome! The lower bridge is closed.

  • WSB November 12, 2014 (7:49 am)

    Late & Sara – SDOT tweeted a few minutes warning, and we noted that in the narrative. Open again, after about 15 minutes.

• Cp November 12, 2014 (7:50 am)

  Still sitting here in traffic and I can kiss my hope of a parking spot in SODO goodbye becauae they’ve all been taken by people NOT commuting feom WS.

• ts November 12, 2014 (7:51 am)

  Just heard from spouse, ambulance eastbound near Nucor trying to get through but having trouble. I know I’m preaching to the choir but it’s high time this is addressed. Year after year there are almost daily issues. WTH!

  • WSB November 12, 2014 (7:54 am)

    Thanks, TS, not sure what the ambulance is for – there were no injuries in this crash (which happened more than an hour and a half ago) and the only med call on 911 is at Avalon/Bradford (Luna Park biz district) but maybe something NOT related to traffic. Hope they can squeeze by.

• Sue November 12, 2014 (7:54 am)

  Police need to be handing out tickets on 35th between Avalon & Alaska – the entire curb lane is wall-to-wall cars, including the part that says bus only, and our Rapid Ride can’t get to the bus stop (we’re in the inner lane as it was the only way to move).

  • WSB November 12, 2014 (8:03 am)

    We’ve found out via Twitter of a new problem, maybe the ambulance TS was referring to – someone took ill aboard a C Line bus which then stopped on Avalon at Charlestown, and everyone’s been taken off it. Some have gotten onto a 55.

• Joe Szilagyi November 12, 2014 (8:00 am)

  I want to go on the record that we are no longer asking for the standby tow capacity- we are demanding and requiring it immediately. This is 100% on SDOT and the Mayor’s office.

• Lou November 12, 2014 (8:03 am)

  I hit traffic on Fauntleroy just past Fairmont Park, checked WSB, and returned home to work during the morning. Thanks staying on top of things WSB. Sucks that this accident is taking forever to clear due to lack of a tow truck.

• forgotmyname November 12, 2014 (8:08 am)

  I once was at an event discussing the ridiculousness of the Coast Guard allowing the low bridge to open during rush hour (since they didn’t allow it in Duluth or Chicago when I lived there) and was overheard by a CG employee (sailor?). I was asked in a very offended manner: “Why would the UNITED STATES Coast Guard take orders from the CITY of Seattle?” That seems to sum it up nicely. Maybe one day they’ll play nice and keep the low bridge down during peak traffic hours.

  • WSB November 12, 2014 (8:12 am)

    If you’re just watching comments: Scene now clear. But as they say, beware “residual backups.”

• Sue November 12, 2014 (8:12 am)

  Yes, there is a C at the curb lane with a fire truck in front of it. Almost no people on it. Blocking the lane so our bus had to go around it and then not able to pull into the bus lane again like on 35the because it’s full of cars. So much for Rapid Ride … Now 30 min from Junction to the 99 ramp.

• Matthew November 12, 2014 (8:13 am)

  I caught a C Line bus in Alaska Junction just after 7:20 which departed with standing room only. The bus was stop and go once we got on 35th, and it was getting quite warm inside. At about 7:55 on Avalon just before the bridge a woman in the back who had been standing fainted. She woke up for a bit and went unconscious again. 911 was called (fire truck arrived quickly) and most passengers got off.

  I hope she is okay. Without knowing for sure what the cause was, I’d imagine the combination of traffic and an overcrowded bus she had to stand up in for a half hour didn’t help.

• Tish November 12, 2014 (8:14 am)

  Can we write up a formal proposal and have signatures and send it to the mayors office saying we need some relief with traffic woes? Im sure a lot is being done just wondering if we as citizens can do more to make it clear how much we are suffering ..little things like tow trucks and quick responses can really help keep things moving since there’s limited options getting off the peninsula . Not to mention there will be lots more people here when those condos are finished being built

• Stuart November 12, 2014 (8:16 am)

  45 mins from fairmont to steel mill

• natinstl November 12, 2014 (8:21 am)

  West Seattle just fifteen minutes from downtown, wait make that two hours. Might as well live up north anymore for the cheaper housing. Commute would be the same.

• JM November 12, 2014 (8:28 am)

  It’s starting to feel like drivers here have as much trouble with sun as they do with rain. The ideal driving conditions appear to be overcast with dry pavement.

• Babs November 12, 2014 (8:30 am)

  I was on the C line bus that had the passenger who passed out. Luckily paramedics arrived fairly quickly. Hate to think if this had happened on the bridge or viaduct. Hope the lady is ok.

• Mel November 12, 2014 (8:32 am)

  Something has to be done about this. Traffic out of West Seattle is unbearable. I couldn’t even get to the water taxi. Now with the wait for the next one, it is going to be 2 hours door to door to get the 10 miles to my office near REI. Not even a snow day. I can’t take it any more. WTF!!??

  • WSB November 12, 2014 (8:36 am)

    JM – Said it upthread but just before the assumption goes too far, this happened around quarter past 6, an hour before sunrise. Don’t know what DID cause it, but this one wasn’t sun trouble.

• Adam November 12, 2014 (8:47 am)

  I saw a (mercedes?) with severe front-end damage, it looked like a normal rear-end collision. I suspect it was due to deicer making the bridge more slippery than most mornings combined with bad driving.

• Laura November 12, 2014 (8:48 am)

  It is outrageous that they can’t get a wreck towed in less than 2 hrs. OUTRAGEOUS!!! I’ve lived many other places, and nowhere but here are they allowed to leave an accident on the highway for that long. Get it off the road. My frustration is beyond words at this point. Two weeks in a row that it took me about 40 min. to go less than 5 miles away from my house. Something needs to be done about this. How do I become involved in making that happen, instead of just complaining about it?

• East Coast Cynic November 12, 2014 (8:58 am)

  @Adam, are you sure it was deicer instead of the car possibly not leaving enough distance between the cars ahead when the roads are slick?

  @Laura, West Seattle Transit Coalition

  • WSB November 12, 2014 (9:06 am)

    West Seattle Transportation Coalition http://westseattletc.org – and they can use more community members getting involved. We cover their meetings and our report on last night’s meeting (which touched on the exact type of thing that happened today) will be up later. Make plans *now* to check them out next month, 6:30 pm December 9th, Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (In the new year, they are changing meeting nights to fourth Thursdays to avoid conflicts with neighborhood councils.) EVEN SOONER – they will be presenting during the Gathering of Neighbors this Saturday. Go sit in on their session. See the flyer in our preview: https://westseattleblog.com/2014/10/gathering-of-neighbors-2014-see-you-there-november-15

• friendlycommuter November 12, 2014 (8:58 am)

  We can all be a part of the solution if we just get out of our cars! Stop complaining and do something about it! I realize that there are lots of folks who have to drive their cars to work for one reason or another, but there are also thousands of single-occupancy vehicles that cross the bridge every damn day, commuting into downtown. Take the bus. Ride a bike. Carpool. There are so many alternatives. You are not allowed to complain about the problem unless you attempt to be part of the solution.

  And enough with the complaining about the low bridge closing during commuting hours. Thank goodness for a booming economy, supported by the maritime shipping industry, that allows us to live (and prosper) in a place like this! (Plus, it doesn’t handle enough traffic that it would have relieved the congestion on the bridge this morning anyway – or any of the other similarly nightmarish commutes.)

• schwaggy November 12, 2014 (9:07 am)

  @friendlycommuter – thanks for your comments. I think we’ll all just keep complaining about things, ESPECIALLY THE LOW BRIDGE OPENING until something changes. We’re allowed. kthxbye.

• Anne November 12, 2014 (9:12 am)

  Well thanks for that insight friendlycommuter. You know LOTS of folks just plain need to use their cars-single occupancy or not & they have a right to complain-just like you-no reason a tow truck cant be standing by. Besides-looks like the busses are just as impacted as cars this morning.
  Question-GT Towing is still located on Harbor Ave right? Were all their tow trucks out on other jobs this morning? If not-why couldn’t they have come to this scene?

• Kathy November 12, 2014 (9:18 am)

  Friendlycommuter, you forgot one other thing people can do to be part of the solution: Walk! (or jog even).

• WishingWell November 12, 2014 (9:24 am)

  Also@friendlycommuter: lots of us would take the bus or other public transit if was available, had space, and connected us in an efficient route from our neighborhood to the destination of choice. North Admiral has been ignored in much of the routing decisions. Existing service is inadequate for the volume of commuters. Parking spillover near rapid ride stops is overwhelming side streets. Another issue that will become more critical with the continued development of congested housing – tenements really. Bus riders didn’t make any more progress than automobile commuters this morning. And let’s remember
  that some folks are not in buff condition nor able to stand in a packed bus or at a series of transit “connecting” points for unpredictable lengths of time.

• Kathy November 12, 2014 (9:32 am)

  Anne,

  The buses are impacted because: 1. Cars are violating the bus-only lanes (need some jersey barriers?) and 2. The city does not give enough priority to buses on our right of way.

  As to the “LOTS” of people that need to drive an SOV, it would be very interesting to know what percent of this traffic jam those people represent.

• iggy November 12, 2014 (9:33 am)

  Regarding the poor woman who fainted. No wonder. We have these brand new state-of-the-art buses, yet the temperature controls are awful. The heat in a packed bus with no windows open is a recipe for fainting, as I have almost done myself. Drivers should be instructed to turn off the heat when a packed bus is sitting in traffic or to have passengers open some windows.
  On another note regarding the C. The Second and Seneca stop needs a higher curb and meanwhile it should be mandatory for drivers to use the kneeler. Last week I tried to exit a packed bus. I couldn’t even get to the front (which is not easy since the bus is on such a steep incline). I was slow getting off because of the huge drop between the bus and the non-curb. THE DRIVER CLOSED THE DOOR ON MY SHOULDER. I almost came down falling and wacked my hand hard on the door trying to keep it open. When I got off the bus started to drive away, the driver oblivious. Passengers told him to stop. I chastised him and he didn’t seem at all concerned that he had almost sent a senior to the hospital because of his negligence. Passengers who came to my aid–thank you. I was more shaken than hurt.

• Sue November 12, 2014 (9:44 am)

  iggy, I’m sorry that happened to you last week. I’ve had similar issues at that stop and agree totally. But even if they kneel the bus, it’s often way too high for someone (like myself) with mobility issues. I try very hard to be near the front so the driver can see that I’m still trying to navigate the exit – and my regular driver on the 55 is awesome – but it’s definitely a challenging stop, especially when the bus isn’t even pulled fully into the curb so it’s an even lower drop – that happens a lot with the C.

• underthebridge November 12, 2014 (9:48 am)

  My bicycle came in handy this morning…no problems.

• workdowntown November 12, 2014 (9:59 am)

  Iggy – I couldn’t agree more. That bus stop on Seneca is the worst! Wish the buses would turn the corner on 3rd (I would prefer right on 3rd!) and let people off on flat ground. Very dangerous getting off on that hill especially if it is icy.

• Bridge Buddy November 12, 2014 (9:59 am)

  I wonder if friendly commuter is actually a commuter at all? It is easy to cast stones.

• Oakley34 November 12, 2014 (10:00 am)

  Quite possible the initial wreck had to do with ice on roads. I was out at about the same time the crash occurred and observed some slickness due to ice. More ice related crashes occur early in seasonal transition due to drivers not yet adjusting their habits. As always…slow down out there folks.
  ——

  This sort of huge backup only reinforces the need for light rail from WS to downtown and beyond.

• JeffK November 12, 2014 (10:00 am)

  I support massive tickets for all you cars that drive in the “BUS ONLY” marked areas.

• flynlo November 12, 2014 (10:05 am)

  To amplify forgotmyname’s comment above:
  The ONLY question that you should be asking city
  officials about the low level bridge opening/closing is: What is the response from our congressional delegation when discussing the issue? The Coast Guard doesn’t give a rip about Tom Rasmussen (or any other city leader), however they MIGHT listen to individuals who control the purse strings! In your discussions of the issue with your congressional delegation, stress that the Duwamish River has not always been a navigable river but only became one when the Army Corp of Engineers made it so. And it will only remain a navigable waterway as long as the Corp keeps dredging it!

• Kathy November 12, 2014 (10:09 am)

  Iggy,

  1. Tell passengers to alert the driver when bus is too hot/cold/drafty.

  2. Report your incident to METRO and demand a response! You don’t need to know the bus number, just the date and time of day you departed your stop.

  When the C line was first launched, safety concerns about de-boarding at that 2nd and Seneca stop were raised. That was 2-3 years ago. I even remember Tom Rasmussen was involved in the conversation about this. I would email your safety issue to tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov and ask when we can expect to improve safety for people getting off at that stop. I’ll write him, too.

• bud November 12, 2014 (10:20 am)

  I left my place on Harbor Ave, one block north of Avalon and The Bridge, at 8:10 a.m. From there, It took me exactly 29 minutes to get over the Lower Bridge and exit onto East Marginal Way. In my opinion, the lower bridge should stay closed between 7-9 a.m., as it is the ONLY source of congestion relief from the upper bridge. I also believe the ‘Bus Only’ lane on the upper bridge should be open to all traffic from 7-9 a.m. as well, there are buses every 5-10 minutes in that lane its ridiculous that there are no alternatives.

• East Coast Cynic November 12, 2014 (10:40 am)

  @Bud, I’ve seen one bus close behind the other on the Bus Only lane on the upper bridge many a times; they don’t infrequently show up in the bus lane. If you open it up to all traffic, you will hose traffic for the buses as well as the cars. A potential alternative is to help push for/support/vote for Light Rail to/from West Seattle (to maybe get those pesky buses off the bridge) or for infrastructure improvements that widen/expand the WSB or 99 to allow for faster passage for all modes.

• CEA November 12, 2014 (10:53 am)

  Quick question for anyone fed up with West Seattle traffic issues: did YOU vote this month? Seattle Transportation Proposition 1 was on the ballot, giving ALL of us an opportunity to weigh in. Yet according to radio station KPLU, “Voter turnout in Washington state could be a 36-year low. Not since 1978 has such a small percentage of registered voters participated in a Washington election.” I’m not endorsing one solution over another, but I dearly hope everyone stuck in this morning’s mess exercised their right to do something about it. Apathy gets us nowhere.

• iggy November 12, 2014 (11:00 am)

  Thank you for the suggestion Kathy. I just e-mailed Tom Rasmussen.
  And thanks to the others who responded to my initial posting with the same issue about curb height at second and seneca. I’ve emailed Metro in the past about this issue and asked them to make it mandatory for drivers to use the kneeler at that stop. I got a form letter type response from Metro saying they are alerting drivers and thanking me for my email. This was months ago, and still no change. Sigh. I’ll keep trying.

• Sue November 12, 2014 (11:00 am)

  Yes, having all the cars in the bus only lanes on 35th and also on Avalon made a huge delay in the buses getting through.
  .
  As for 2nd/Seneca’s bus stop, I never understood why they didn’t just let it turn onto 3rd and let you off there. When it’s slick out, I take the 55 to the next stop (Union at the Post Office) even though I work right next to the Seneca bus stop, because I won’t take the chance on that hill. Unfortunately, Rapid Ride doesn’t stop at that stop, so it’s a much further walk back. Between the steep hill, the low curb, the buses backing up traffic that’s trying to turn into the parking lots of the building, and the buses scraping on the hill, it really was an insane choice of bus stop.
  .
  And yes, if there’s an incident with a bus, report it to Metro. There’s an easy online form to do it, and you don’t need the bus number if you don’t have it. But also don’t forget to report when drivers do well – it goes a long way on their personal records. I routinely “report” my regular drivers for their fantastic service, and try to make it a habit that if I’m going to write to Metro to bitch about something, I will also commend something else.

• AJ November 12, 2014 (12:20 pm)

  I feel really bad for those of you having to deal with this mess with the bridge on a daily basis. If I worked downtown, up north, or on the Eastside, I probably wouldn’t live in WS. My office is in Tukwila and I telecommute on average 3 days per week. Obviously, telecommuting isn’t an option for a lot of people by the nature of their jobs. For those of you with jobs conducive to working at home, I wonder how many of you have tried banding together with other traffic-weary coworkers and putting a little pressure on your company to allow it, even if it’s just 1 or 2 days a week.

• Sara November 12, 2014 (12:20 pm)

  @friendlyCommunter
  I used to commute from WS to Kirkland everyday via the bus.
  But I stopped about a year ago. Being the last stop out of WS for the C-line I routinely would end up passed by 3 or 4 buses every morning since they were too full. The metro cuts for WS routes made me stop using the bus during commute times. It’s faster to sit in the two hours of traffic than to hope a bus has enough room to jam the last of us in there. And no, I do not have another option since they canceled routes but I used to!

• Rick November 12, 2014 (1:35 pm)

  All part of our “density destiny”. Same letters, different results. Rather ironic.

• Les November 12, 2014 (2:23 pm)

  WDOT or SDOT should always have two rapid response tow trucks available to quickly clear stalls or accidents from the West Seattle during peak commute times.There is no acceptable reason why it takes hours to remove the blockage from the bridge.Since West Seattle seems to have this same problem frequently maybe we should crowd fund our own standby tow trucks.

• wsn00b November 12, 2014 (3:05 pm)

  Humans are mostly idiots (like me sometimes) and/or untrained formally as safe drivers. People driving cars around and mingling with buses some parts of the way isn’t going to solve anything for the medium/long term. Sure, one tow-truck here and there might feel better.

  What we need is:
  a) grade/idiot-driver separated bus routes
  a) grade/idiot-driver separated rail routes

  That’s how it’s done in most growing third-world countries with leadership that has half a clue.

  Last time I checked Seattle was a major city in a first world country. We operate like a regressing third world dump.

  FFS

• West Seattle Transportation Coalition November 12, 2014 (3:47 pm)

  For any of you still reading this, are you tired of this and angry? Then get up and join us at our December 9 meeting.
  .
  Here is the Facebook Event page for this meeting, if you wish to join or share it:
  .
  https://www.facebook.com/events/398757576945283
  .
  The full agenda will be pending yet for the December meeting of the West Seattle Transportation Coalition, but here are our three core items:
  .
  1. Emergency clearance of the West Seattle Bridge, Spokane Street Viaduct, SR99 north of Spokane. Yet again, on November 12, we had another hours-long event where things were stuck in the morning commute for lack of a timely tow truck. Enough is enough: the city is required to fix this. We have reached out – repeatedly – to SDOT, SPD, the Mayor’s office, and City Council – about this, for months.
  .
  2. Emergency access to and from the West Seattle peninsula in the event of an emergency or disaster – if the bridges are closed, or jammed, how does an ambulance reach Harborview Medical Center, for example? We had planned on this since October, before the latest bridge event happened. We will be joined by SDOT’s director of emergency preparedness, Lawrence Eichorn, along with Cindi Barker and Sharonn Meeks of the West Seattle Emergency Hub program.
  .
  3. SDOT is looking into moving the Rapid Ride C terminal from eastbound SW Alaska to northbound California SW. Basically, from next to Key Bank to in front of the new condos next to Talarico. The Rapid Ride and other buses would go right up California, for a potential savings of one minute of travel time. SDOT has been doing outreach on this and we will be joined by them, the West Seattle Junction Association that represents Junction businesses, and other stakeholders for a mutual discussion on the pros and cons of the idea.
  .
  We hope to see you in December, and remember – starting in January 2015, we will no longer meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, and are moving to the 4th Thursday of each month.

• West Seattle Hipster November 12, 2014 (4:49 pm)

  It does not take a genius to figure out that West Seattle is a highly desirable place to live, so the population will continue to grow.

  .

  In order to facilitate transportation in and out of West Seattle, the infrastructure needs immediate improving. This can be accomplished by widening the existing WSB bridge or building another one next to it. However, since the WSB / I-5 interchange is so poorly designed, that probably wouldn’t be feasible. We need another way to get folks in and out of West Seattle. The existing infrastructure is significantly outdated.

  .

  Light Rail. The sooner, the better.

  .

  Lean on local politicians to fix the situation with the lower bridge opening during rush hour.

  .

  Start thinking out of the box, we are growing daily, and that growth is not slowing.

• Smitty November 12, 2014 (4:58 pm)

  The cheapest and easiest way would be to re-channel the bridge and the SSV to accommodate reversible lane(s).

  It’s done all the time on I-90 and other places.

  And yes, while it would NOT solve the congestion heading to I-5 it would at least clear out the congestion for those of us utilizing 99, 1st and 4th avenue exits. That’s a lot of cars/buses.

• West Seattle Hipster November 12, 2014 (6:05 pm)

  Great idea Smitty. If they can do it on the Golden Gate Bridge, why not the West Seattle Bridge?

• Lou November 12, 2014 (7:22 pm)

  If the Coast Guard will not answer to the City of Seattle, who will they answer to? And how do we contact that person?

• Jeff November 12, 2014 (8:51 pm)

  Item on King 5 News this evening re lower bridge closure

  http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/seattle/2014/11/12/coast-guard-explains-spokane/18946559/

• Interrobang November 13, 2014 (10:21 am)

  West Seattle commutes are atrocious. Suggesting that the solution is to “abandon all hope” of using your own vehicle to commute with the belief it’s because people are being selfish is rather short sighted. I think if you polled SOV commuters, they would have fairly good rationales as to why they’ve chosen the transportation they have.
  I know for me, the problems were
  1) the buses were ALWAYS full. I couldn’t get to and from places of work, or school, with full reliability. It was a sacrifice to my schedule (I would like to do homework and sleep… eventually?) People will not (and should not) spend money on metro, to prove a point that they are a “true voice” worth listening to, we have inadequate metro. It needs to be fixed.
  2) My transportation times were double or triple my drive times. Which, again, takes us back to the ending of point 1. I’m not going to commute for longer hours, with the hope that someone will finally listen.
  You want people to bike to work? Nothing better than showing up for my nursing shift all sweaty and gross after biking for what will take about 2 hours. “Can I take your BP?” Ew.
  So, no, the solution isn’t for people to get over themselves. People are plenty over themselves, and have given up on metro. We have a lot of unique issues here based on the geographical layout of Seattle.
  Not to side track, but affordable housing in the city would probably help a lot — people wouldn’t need to commute as far, thus relieving congestion on major roads like what we see on 1-5 and 99.
  I think that the option of monorails and trains *could* work, but they would best be utilized in non-residential areas where a parking garage could be built, then directly along the WSB, going both to major transfer stations in Seattle proper and past major congestion areas in north Seattle, and South Seattle, and over to the East side. It would be better of a partnership with things like Car2Go could be formed so that persons arriving at these bays could travel past the highly congested points points.

• Outtahere!! November 13, 2014 (3:56 pm)

  LOL, so glad I escaped that place when I did. Enjoy sitting on that bridge of the rest of your lives as I am sure the sorry leaders of Seattle will never fix the problems that face the city.

Sorry, comment time is over.