Eastbound lower Spokane St. closure approaches: New details

We’ve been updating you on the upcoming closure of lower eastbound Spokane Street, starting right where you get off the eastbound West Seattle Bridge at 1st (or affecting you sooner if you are driving on the surface from someplace further west) — as first reported here last Wednesday, the closure is now scheduled to start a week from tomorrow (see the detour route above), and this morning Seattle Public Utilities — whose water-main project marks the start of the work — has sent a news release with more specifics on exactly what it’s doing and where (plus other Sodo effects, for those who work/do business in that area):

Motorists in the South of Downtown (SODO) neighborhood will encounter some delays and street closures beginning September 16 when Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) undertakes a two-month water main replacement project on South Spokane Street (lower roadway) between 1st Avenue South and 5th Avenue South.

The project entails replacing a 100-year-old, 30-inch cast iron water main in the eastbound lanes of South Spokane Street with a new main constructed to current seismic standards. Upgrading this seismically-vulnerable vital water supply link will strengthen SPU’s ability to provide water services in the aftermath of a significant earthquake event and provide for more robust service to customers.

The work is planned in support of the Spokane Street ramp and widening projects planned by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to prepare for removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct in 2012.

The SPU portion of the work is expected to be completed by mid-November 2008 and the SDOT project will follow.

Construction work will occur Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Some work on 4th Avenue South will occur on evenings and weekends.

Construction impacts will include:

— Street closures during construction hours, starting September 16.

— On eastbound South Spokane Street (the lower roadway, not the upper Spokane Viaduct) the following closures will take place:

o 1st Avenue South to 2nd Avenue South — Local access only.

o 2nd Avenue South to 5th Avenue South — Total closure (except some City Light access).

— Traffic detours rerouting approximately 700 vehicles per day that will affect neighboring street system. (See attached map for details).

o Eastbound South Spokane St traffic will be detoured north at E Marginal Way South via South Hanford St, 1st Avenue South, South Lander St, and 6th Avenue South.

— Temporary loss of street parking starting September 8 when crews begin to stage and mobilize equipment. “No Parking” signs will be clearly posted. No parking will be allowed beneath the viaduct between 2nd Avenue South and 5th Avenue South. Cars left on the street during posted no parking times may be ticketed or towed. Parts of the median will be fenced during construction.

— Increased construction traffic, noise, dust and vibration.

— Temporary utility and/or water interruptions. Seattle Public Utilities will notify affected customers at least 72-hours in advance of any planned water shut-off.

— Possible discolored water, water with a strong chlorine odor, or a temporary reduction in water pressure.

WSB coverage of the Spokane Street Viaduct project is here; the official SDOT website for the project is here. You can get in-person answers from the city on this project (and others) at tomorrow night’s West Seattle Chamber of Commerce transportation forum at West Seattle High School.

CMP September 8, 2008 (8:28 pm)

Was there ever an explanation for why vehicles can’t turn right (southbound) on 1st Avenue from the West Seattle bridge off-ramp? If we all have to turn left for this detour and merge with traffic that’s been detoured from Marginal Way, I think 1st Avenue and Lander will be a disaster. I doubt I would ever need to travel south on 1st, but it would be nice if drivers could have that option.

WSB September 8, 2008 (9:25 pm)

I believe the last time I heard that brought up at a meeting – maybe even the Youngstown meeting of the Southwest and Delridge District Councils last week? – the answer was something like, they’ll look into it. If someone doesn’t find this thread with an update sooner, I will make a note to ask at the open house tomorrow night, since all the project poobahs should be there.

chas redmond September 8, 2008 (9:51 pm)

It was me in a question/answer session with Bob Powers. What I proposed, and still need to email SDOT about, is that the right two surface lanes have a phased signal which allows the right two lanes to turn either right or left onto First Ave. S. The off-ramp two lanes would have a red light at that time. Then the off-ramp lanes (the left two lanes) would have a signal which allowed them to turn right or left. Obviously, approaching First Ave. S on either of these two lane sections, drivers would need signs saying “left lane for left turn only; right lane for right turn only.” That would introduce a delay in the north-south flow of First Avenue S, but, given the duration of the closure (nearly 3 years) the detour route becomes ineffective over that length of time. Causing a delay in First Avenue S traffic flow is the least mitigation required to allow the Spokane Street traffic (surface and viaduct exit lanes) flow to actually go where the driver intends. If you need to go north, you go left, if you need to go south, you go right – none of this go-north-to-go-south detour. But, I need to send this to Bob Powers directly – and so do others. It’s the usual format, Bob’s his nickname so the email is robert.powers@seattle.gov.

PSPS September 8, 2008 (10:49 pm)

The alternating lights idea wouldn’t work out too well, I’m afraid. It would make the red lights even longer than the eternity they already are.
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You can always tell a traffic-design failure like that in Seattle — it gets populated by aggressive panhandlers hounding their captive victims while they wait for the interminable red light to change.
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In Lynnwood, they put up “no loitering” signs on their design failures. I wonder why Seattle doesn’t do the same thing.

credmond September 8, 2008 (11:42 pm)

The question is whether you will waste more time sitting at a red light than you will driving up and around via the detour. There is also the consideration of carbon footprint – which would be the least offensive. At a long red light you could, presumably, turn off your engine, in a hybrid it’s dead then anyway. This also has the advantage of NOT jamming up streets further north for a gratuitous turn-around at Lander. Anyway – it’s about the only alternative to the detour plan other than anti-gravity vehicles (at least that I’ve thought up so far). It’s three years – think of that – 36 months and probably then some.