West Seattle, Washington
28 Tuesday
(Top L, north of 1st Av. S. Bridge; top R, 1st @ Holgate; below L, I-5 on south end of downtown; below R, 12th headed for bridge to Beacon Hill, where there’s alternate WS Bridge access)
We’re kicking off the afternoon/evening commute coverage. “Expect heavy congestion” is the warning again today, but at this point, there’s no reason for it to be worse than yesterday. Updates to come!
3:40 PM UPDATE: Reminder for Metro riders – the reroute used today may not be the same one as yesterday; they are trying to be flexible. Meantime, we’re not sure why, but beware, if you’re heading OUT of West Seattle shortly – the eastbound “high bridge” is moving slowly right now, as shown on the live-video feed linked from the lower-right section of the city map.
4 PM UPDATE: Via Twitter, Sarah says the low bridge westbound (and feeder street) is backed up all the way to Alaskan Way, and adds, “Metro supervisor at First/Hanford directing buses to Marginal reroute due to congestion along Hanford & Alaskan.” As for the eastbound “high bridge” backup, KING 5 traffic ace Tracy Taylor blames it on a NB I-5 wreck at the WS Bridge exit point, but says it’s clearing.
4:39 PM UPDATE: We’re heading out to look at the commute (traveling against the flow so we’re not contributing!), starting with the low bridge. Expecting to see some bicyclists; note that Cascade plans a commute station by the “low bridge” again tomorrow morning, followed by a “bike train” ride.
(Photo taken 4:40 pm)
Meantime, we’ve just arrived by the low bridge; traffic flow’s good till you get to its east end, and now there’s a bit of a backup. From the right side of eastbound lower Spokane off the low bridge, you can divert onto the brand-spanking-new East Marginal Way Grade Separation flyover … we unintentionally did just that. It takes you over the tracks and southbound onto East Marginal.
5:04 PM UPDATE: The 1st Avenue South Bridge also looked pretty good when we traveled over it a few minutes ago. Now we’re checking out 4th Avenue South – right now, heading TOWARD downtown looks worse than heading away!
5:19 PM UPDATE: Overall, still no problems. We are now downtown checking on the Pier 50 water-taxi line. Will have a report on that from the co-publisher in a couple minutes. Assessing comments, FB, Twitter, etc., bus drivers are diverting when they can, to avoid trains; sun glare is perhaps the most frequently mentioned problem, since it’s even brighter than it was yesterday. We were asked on FB to mention again that the northbound Viaduct over downtown is open by design – all along they have said it would be open from the stadiums north, 5 am-7 pm during the weekdays this closure week. If you have to head north past downtown, you can get to the onramp at Royal Brougham Way, but it’ll close again at 7 pm.
5:34 PM UPDATE: Water Taxi lineup a few minutes ago was all the way to the gate.
Now we’re back on the road, homeward bound (sorry to compound the congestion). Just passed 1st Ave. S. in Pioneer Square, all brake lights heading south. We’re trying 4th in hopes of getting to the 1st Avenue South Bridge. 4th looks OK southbound past the train station and “the Clink”…
5:56 PM UPDATE: Made it across the 1st bridge. Only real hangup was a few blocks of stop/start just before making the right turn toward the bridge onramp. On Highland Park Way now, getting dark already on the east slopes (nice sunset off to the west). Still no major problems to report. (The 5:45 pm Water Taxi left more than 20 people behind at Pier 50, though, Bill Schrier reports via Twitter, with this photo.)
6:53 PM UPDATE: Concluding the commute, sounds like those who traveled in the more traditional time frame after 5:30 hit some snags, so if you can leave earlier tomorrow, you might get a better shake. If you’re tracking Water Taxi ridership, this morning’s totals are now posted on the county website. More commute-tracking in the morning, and of course, we’re watching traffic the rest of the time too, because without the Viaduct, any major problem can have worse ripple effects than usual.
(Click to see full-size PDF)
With the arrival of the RapidRide “C” Line next fall – replacing Route 54 – Metro has long said, they would be “restructuring” local bus service, and that they will want to hear from local residents on what changes should be made. Just a few days ago, we published news of local meetings to discuss the “restructuring.” Now we’ve just learned they already have a detailed proposal, and it’s just gone public (thanks to Jake for first word of that, via the North Delridge e-mail list). You can find the proposed changes here (lots of links to follow for expanded explanations, maps, etc., depending on what you’re interested in).
Here are just some of the toplines — Route 21 would only serve Arbor Heights during peak periods; Route 22, which serves Gatewood, would be dropped, but Route 125 would be revised to serve that area (and southward to Chief Sealth International High School) during peak periods, though it would drop the Shorewood area; Route 37 would be dropped, leaving Beach Drive with no bus service; Route 128‘s east-west connection would move further north, to give North Delridge cross-peninsula service. Seattle Transit Blog has more analysis of the changes for West Seattle (and other areas). The first West Seattle meeting for input on this, and other ideas, is at 6:30 pm November 9th at Chief Sealth.
SIDE NOTE: Separate from this process, but likely of interest, tomorrow night is the city’s Transit Master Plan discussion in West Seattle – also a place to voice your transit interests, since even though Metro is a county agency, the city needs to know what priorities to advocate and assist. That meeting is 6-8 pm tomorrow at the West Seattle Eagles‘ hall, 4426 California SW.
(Click for larger version)
If you’ve been wondering how the Alaskan Way Viaduct south-end demolition is going – and haven’t passed that way – the state has a simple update on this “what’s happening now” webpage, “The top, northbound deck of the viaduct is mostly demolished from about the stadiums to the south.” Or, just take a look at the photo above, courtesy of Erick, who’s in a crane nearby. (He contributed yesterday, too – thanks!) The state is showing the newest photos from closer to the ground here. And if it’s been a while since you watched the WSDOT animation of how your drive will look AFTER the closure – here it is; perhaps the strangest thing, for longtime Viaduct drivers, will be heading south on an elevated roadway with nothing up above.
When last we checked in with Family Promise of Seattle, they were planning another “Comfort Food Throwdown” fundraiser – and now it’s just a week and a half away. Family Promise is the only shelter program in our area – and beyond! – to help homeless families while allowing them to stay together. At 6 pm Saturday, November 5th, 10 local restaurants and congregations will offer their favorite “comfort-food” entrees for sampling and judging. For $20, you can try five; for $30, you can try ten. It’ll all happen at Seattle Lutheran High School, and there’s a special guest star – Amy Finley, who won the “Next Food Network Star” TV contest and recently published “How to Eat a Small Country.” She’ll also lead a cooking demonstration at the event. You can buy your ticket online right now by going to this page on the recently remodeled Family Promise of Seattle website.
Announced online: The opening date is November 2nd for Caffé Fiore‘s Admiral District shop (ground floor of a new live/work building at 2206 California SW). We first reported their impending arrival last month. Caffé Fiore bills itself as “Seattle’s first organic coffee house”; this is its fourth location.
(Harlequin duck dust-up, by Danny McMillin – click for larger image)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
BYE-BYE, BLUE WILLOW LUNCHEONETTE: As reported here over the weekend, today is the last day of lunch at Blue Willow Luncheonette in The Junction. The space is changing owners, with a new café on the way, and the Blue Willow Catering operation is moving to a commercial kitchen. They are offering lunch specials today as a “thank you” to patrons.
COMMUNITY CENTERS’ FUTURE: The series of meetings at individual community centers continues with a meeting tonight at Hiawatha Community Center to talk about what hours/programs you’d like to see under the cty’s new plan, 6:30 pm (details here)
OPEN HOUSE: Seattle Lutheran High School open house, 6:30 pm, more info here.
BIG NIGHT FOR ‘FAMILY MATTERS’: Multiple Family Matters presentations/events at Fauntleroy UCC Church (9140 California SW) – full lineup here; tonight, five presentations/events – 5 pm, emergency preparedness, and “Family Love Letter”; 6:30 pm, Family Zumba; 7 pm, Young People and Safety (Technology), and “Praise Vs. Encouragement.”
HIGH-SCHOOL SOCCER PLAYOFFS: Chief Sealth will host Bishop Blanchet at 6:00 pm, Southwest Athletic Complex.
ADVISORY GROUP FOR OVERFLOW-CONTROL PROJECT: First meeting of the Murray CSO Control Facility Design Advisory Group, 6:30-8:30 pm. Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (Board Room; 9131 California SW). This is an organizational meeting for the group that will help oversee the design of the storage-tank project across from Lowman Beach Park, but public is welcome. (More on the project status in a report coming up on WSB later this morning.)
BLOCKWATCH CAPTAINS: West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network meets at 6:30 pm, Southwest Precinct – agenda details here
CANCELED: In case you hadn’t already heard, the West Seattle Candidates’ Forum that was scheduled for tonight has been canceled.
(SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST INFO – and let us know, in comments, how your commute went!)
(More cams on the WSB Traffic page; travel times on the city Travelers’ Info map)
Again today, we’ll keep a running narrative of the morning commute, and invite you to share your experience, either in comments or by another means of your choice … no trouble as we begin, just before 6. Our “Viaduct Crunch” coverage partners at KING 5 say WSDOT reported earlier this morning that the demolition work is on track. At the West Seattle Water Taxi dock, the line for the 6:15 am sailing is longer than it was on Monday morning. Here’s the special schedule; remember the Rachel Marie is back this morning, returning to service at mid-afternoon yesterday after repairs. KING’s “minute-by-minute” updates (including their tweets, ours, and other sources) can be seen here (click “play”).
6:13 AM: Our crew just arrived at the Water Taxi, and reports seeing more street traffic than this time yesterday. But the Don Armeni Boat Ramp parking appears a bit emptier, same for street parking, even though there are indeed more people taking the early Water Taxi (stand by for the official total). SDOT’s live-video cams on the high bridge show it’s a bit foggy, and starting to get busy. (added) 110 estimated on the first Water Taxi run – a few more than yesterday.
6:22 AM: And much like yesterday at this time, the eastbound high bridge is starting to slow down. Just noticed the Water Taxi ridership numbers for yesterday’s PM commute are published (the AM numbers were up early): 5:15, 5:45, 6:15 sailings were at capacity (150). [added} Metro‘s first morning report: No bus delays.
6:32 AM: A KING crew just drove Avalon onto the high bridge, and says it’s sluggish too; they’ve also noted Seattle Police patrolling for bus-lane violators on the bridge again today. (Via Twitter, Jana tells us “Two police cars and three vehicles pulled over for blocking the ‘bus only’ lane” when her bus went by.) Another of their crews is up at the Traffic Management Center in SDOT offices downtown, and reports that the patterns yesterday and today are indeed trending about an hour earlier than usual. By the way, if you’re taking 1st to get on the Viaduct at Royal Brougham, the ramp IS OPEN THIS MORNING (it was closed a few hours during the day yesterday; demolition work got too close).
6:45 AM: High bridge still slow going. Via Twitter, @pleonardo says that given the slowdown, “Glad the coffee is hot”! The 6:45 Water Taxi is down from yesterday, 111 compared to Monday’s 129. Parking for the Water Taxi is more available than early yesterday – more people seem to be getting dropped off. Special lot at Don Armeni still virtually empty.
7 AM: Bus riders are reporting “a breeze” so far this morning – at least those who left by 6:30! High bridge still busy. Low bridge not as busy. No surface trouble spots at major intersections that police are watching, like 1st and Spokane, per a “round robin” check of sorts we just heard via scanner. SDOT is telling KING’s Traffic Management Center crew that **4th looks better than 1st** so try the high bridge to the 4th Ave. S. exit if you can. (added) From Metro via Twitter: “Don’t be surprised if your bus takes a different route from yesterday to avoid morphing congestion. Bus won’t miss any stops.”
7:15 AM: Margie, via Facebook, says the lighted sign on Avalon warns it’ll take you 25 minutes to get to I-5. (added) The 7:15 am Water Taxi sailing had 128, unlike yesterday, which was at capacity with some left at dock. There’s also still parking in the Don Armeni lot, if you’re thinking about the WT. And the high bridge is still slow, more like a “normal” day than like yesterday. But KING’s chopper shows the low bridge continues to flow at an OK pace.
7:39 AM: Like yesterday, the high bridge is starting to thin out a bit. Our crew at the Water Taxi dock (which again is a magnet for TV crews – three trucks there now, according to Bill Schrier, who got to the dock just as the previous boat was leaving). He says it looks like everybody will make it on board – we’ll get an update on the passenger count in a few minutes. However, once you get downtown – 1st Avenue South is slow going, according to a KING crew currently stopped at 1st/Hanford.
7:48 AM: Water Taxi just left with 117 on board, down from capacity 150 (with some left waiting) yesterday. And the high bridge looks GREAT. The low bridge, though, looks slow heading toward downtown – the city just swung a live camera around that way. And westbound is wall-to-wall trucks. Back to Harbor Avenue – the Don Armeni parking lot for the Water Taxi now is almost full. But there’s some street parking along Harbor, west of Alki Tavern, on the water side.
8:05 AM: Haven’t been any crashes compounding things this morning, by the way, along the bridge or I-5. Bridge wide open.
8:19 AM: The 8:15 am Water Taxi run was again below capacity – but still, more than 110 people, including County Councilmember Joe McDermott, chair of the county Ferry District board. Bridge = a breeze. Surface streets downtown = 4th is faster than 1st.
8:30 AM: So if you had to take the bus, leaving before 6:30 or after 7:30 seemed to be the trick. Amy says via Twitter that her bus ride took only 20 minutes.
8:52 AM: And we have a “25 minutes to UW” report too, from SHQ via Twitter. If anything dramatic happens on the roads in the next couple hours, we’ll add it here; otherwise, we’ll have separate pm reports, as we did yesterday. We’ll see if the afternoon/evening commute is any better than yesterday, when train backups in SODO caused some misery, among other factors. The forecast looks good (tomorrow morning too).
10:24 AM: Results of this morning’s police operation on the bridge, from SPD Blotter:
24 Bus Lane violations
2 No Proof of Insurance
1 No Valid Driver’s License
Two cases of incidents involving suspicious people/vehicles in West Seattle neighborhoods – read on:Read More
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – two rounds of The WSBeat, since last week’s edition didn’t get published, it appears immediately after the newest summaries:
*Wednesday night around 7:30, a woman who was planning to go target shooting accidentally left her purse on the counter of an Admiral convenience store. She went back to retrieve the purse but didn’t find the two guns she thought were inside — a .380 revolver and a 9mm pistol. The clerk said no one had taken the guns and offered to provide the store’s surveillance tape. The officer advised the woman to take a look around her home to be sure she hadn’t misplaced the weapons.
*Around 6 p.m. Saturday, when officers stopped to question a man at 14th and Cloverdale, the subject ran off, only to return a few moments later and hit an officer in the eye. He initially refused to provide officers with his name, probably because it turns out he was wanted on a no-bail felony warrant from the Department of Corrections and a $10,000 misdemeanor DUI warrant. He was booked into King County Jail.
13 more summaries ahead:Read More
The family of Rachelle A. Schutte, gone at just 57, shares this tribute, and word that her memorial is planned for Friday:
Rachelle took her place in Heaven after suddenly passing away on October 22nd, 2011, in her West Seattle home.
Born on October 3rd, 1954, in Minneapolis Minnesota, Rachelle became a long time West Seattle resident where she lived her life to the fullest. Rachelle was a loving, kind, and caring person who loved her friends and family unconditionally and always put others before herself. When not in the bingo halls, you would most likely find her spending time with her family and enjoying her grandchildren.
Rachelle is survived by her husband Art; sister Marice; brothers Chuck and Steve; children Matt and Jodie and four grandchildren, McKayla, McKenzie, Kaya, and Kaleb, as well as many other family and friends who will miss her dearly.
Services and reception will be held on Friday, October 28th 2011 at Yarington’s Funeral Home, 10708 16th Ave SW, from 2-5 PM.
(WSB publishes obituaries at no charge; send text and photos to editor@westseattleblog.com)
That’s the reason we’re doing without a key stretch of Highway 99 this week – so WSDOT can take down as much of the south-end section as possible, including what needs to go so crews can connect a bypass allowing them to then get to work building the other half of the new elevated south-end stretch. Here’s another view – from West Seattle-residing pilot Stephen Griffith:
(Click to see larger image)
At Seacrest Pier, some of the almost 1,000 Monday morning-commute West Seattle Water Taxi riders got to see this sunrise:
The downtown skyline was a striking backdrop for the vessel itself, too.
The extra 100+ spaces at nearby Don Armeni Boat Ramp were a hit, full before the morning commute ended:
Besides the Water Taxi, which hit capacity three times in the morning commute (and approached 1,000 morning passengers total), bicycles were a popular alternative – Wes Sauer shared this photo:
Trains were a sore spot during the evening commute, with buses getting stuck waiting for them too. Linda Thielke of Metro told WSB that they are relying on a “flexible reroute plan with three options each direction” to deal with the trains, even knowing it’s “cumbersome” to ask drivers to deal with that. Don’t be startled if your bus diverts all the way to the 1st Avenue South Bridge – she says, that “adds miles but can save minutes.” We’ll be back on commute patrol in just a few hours.
During our morning-commute coverage today, we reported on what fire department medics described as a “jogger” hit by a semi-truck on the east end of the West Seattle “low bridge.” WSB’ers via e-mail and comments have provided new information on his condition and on plans to raise money to help with his recovery. He is identified by friends as Tim Nelson; he was running to work as a Viaduct alternative, according to Justin Coffey, writing on his website Peanut Butter Coast:
Tim is currently in intensive care at Harborview Medical Center. His back was broken, as well as his right shoulder, right arm and a few ribs. His skull is fractured, a lung punctured and his spleen lacerated. His injuries are severe, but his spirits are high. Whether you know him or not, please keep Tim in your thoughts and prayers.
Justin mentions a benefit planned for Friday, November 11, to help with Tim’s expenses – more information in his post. We don’t have official information from police on the circumstances of the crash. (Photo courtesy Mark)
9:49 PM: Police are blocking off the Delridge offramp from the westbound West Seattle Bridge because of a crash toward the bottom of the ramp. Surface traffic may be affected too. No details on the crash circumstances – the level of fire dispatch does not suggest major injuries – but avoid the area for a while.
10:30 PM UPDATE: Police just announced (scanner) that the offramp is reopening. The “gore point” at the ramp’s bottom, however, was described as “demolished,” and a city crew was being called out to fix it ASAP.
(‘Slip 4’ Duwamish cleanup area, photographed in 2010 by Christopher Boffoli)
What could be spookier than toxic trouble that’s invisible as a ghost, but much more real? Once again this year, the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition is offering its “Haunted Halloween Toxic Boat Tour” – 1-3 pm next Sunday afternoon. The death-defying description:
Several spooky guides will lead you on a two-hour boat tour of the Duwamish River Superfund Cleanup Site. You’ll hear stories of local Native American supernatural legends, early settler stories from Georgetown and South Park neighborhoods, and learn about the terrifying realities of toxic chemicals in the Duwamish! Also learn about the natural and human history of the Duwamish Valley, environmental health and (in)justice, and the future of Seattle’s very own Superfund cleanup site on this guided boat tour.
Tour happens rain or shine. Participants must RSVP through Brown Paper Tickets (go here). Space is limited and we cannot over-book the tour. The tour is appropriate for people of all ages and it is ADA accessible. You may bring a snack to eat on the tour. This year we are requesting a $25 fee ($15 for kids). 100% of your proceeds will go to our ongoing Education and Outreach Programs. Please e-mail contact@duwamishcleanup.org or call (206) 453-9803 if you have questions.
If you kept checking the WSB home page earlier today and wondered why we hadn’t seemed to update anything after 7-something am – no, we were NOT slacking off! Some people were stuck with a “cached” version of the home page that refused to show the newest information, even though we had continued to update the morning commute story and then followed it up with several new stories. One browser seemed to be immune to this problem, Chrome, and since that happens to be the browser we use for most of our work, we weren’t aware of the problem until a few hours had gone by and a few people finally sent notes asking what was going on. Then it took a while longer to fix. Thanks to expert tech help, we finally know what was wrong (though not WHY it went awry), and all should be well now. As soon as we realized some people couldn’t see the updated home page, though direct story links worked just fine, we did get the word out via Facebook and Twitter, so if you use either of those services, please make note of where to find us, and consider “liking” or “following” WSB there, even if just to get updates in situations (rare as they are) like this. Sorry again – we try to make sure WSB hums along relatively trouble-free!
(SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES)
We’re going to go ahead and start the afternoon/evening commute coverage, since there’s new news:
RACHEL MARIE BACK ON THE WEST SEATTLE WATER TAXI RUN: WSB’er SK sent word of this – and moments later, we also got word from Michelle Allison in KC Councilmember Joe McDermott’s office: “Apparently the problem was a ‘faulty turbo charger on the starboard engine” which has since been repaired, tested and given the go ahead.” So if you’re coming home on the Water Taxi – here’s the special schedule for this week – you’ll be on Rachel Marie.
TREE BLOCKING FAIRMOUNT: Some park-and-ride Water Taxi commuters might be affected if this isn’t cleared soon – a big tree is blocking Fairmount just north of the bridge:
(Later note – We haven’t heard yet if it’s been cleared – let us know if you’ve gone through there.)
3:56 PM UPDATE: Multiple reports of bus slowness, particularly on 1st Avenue South. And lots of reports of, just like other days, getting stuck waiting for trains. We’re adding cameras relevant to the commute home – 1st and 4th, for example.
4:30 PM UPDATE: The Royal Brougham onramp to NORTHBOUND 99 did reopen as promised, by the way, in case you need to head north. (added) A commuter headed home from Beacon Hill says the backup’s not too bad to get to the bridge from there, but “many lights” to wait through.
4:59 PM UPDATE: Just talked to County Councilmember Joe McDermott about the Water Taxi – as he walked up to the line at Pier 50 to head home to West Seattle. (He shared the photo just added above – he says he’s #74 in line for the 5:15 pm run.) That reminds us, this morning’s ridership is now posted on the WT website – see it here.
5:15 PM: Via Twitter, @matinay reports, “I’m on a 55, 1st ave S & Lander. All SB buses on 1st are being rerouted further south to E Marginal to avoid a long train.”
5:31 PM: We have just driven east on the low bridge to check out the westbound traffic. Counted NINE buses on the low bridge (and a bit east of it) – from west to east, it was 120, a 55, a 21, and a 56, a 116, and another 120, two 54s, and a 21. We were then briefly on the eastbound high bridge – it’s slow going between 99 and 5.
5:43 PM: Another Water Taxi update from Joe McDermott – he estimates about 30 people who were in for the 5:15 pm sailing had to wait for the next one. (Added above, another view of that line, from Josh Sutton.) Meantime, we’ve just taken 4th Avenue South to the 1st Avenue South Bridge. A little backup in the final stretch before the bridge, and we’re now in a short backup on the onramp, but not bad at all.
6:19 PM: Still seeing tweets from people in buses experiencing slow going home. We’ll be asking Metro if they plan to do anything differently tomorrow.
Before it’s too late – a few quick reminders for the rest of the afternoon and tonight:
ADMIRAL BUSINESS LEADERS’ MEETING: The new group forming with the help of the Admiral Neighborhood Association meets again this afternoon at Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor) from 4-5:30 pm.
CRUISE PRESENTATION: AAA West Seattle‘s free presentation at Merrill Gardens-West Seattle (WSB sponsor), wine/appetizers at 5, presentation at 6.
HISTORIC SEATTLE MEETS IN WS: Historic Seattle membership meeting at The Sanctuary at Admiral, 5:30 pm (details here)
EAT LOCAL NOW! Tickets still available for dinner celebration at SODO Park, fundraiser for groups including Sustainable West Seattle and CoolMom, details here – and we’ve just added the menu to our most-recent preview – see it here.
‘BOYS IN THE BAND’: At 7 PM, The Admiral Theater & OutWest Bar present one showing only of the 1970 classic “Boys in the Band.” Event is 21+, with beer/wine available upstairs. Tickets $7.
‘FAMILY MATTERS’: The week of special presentations/events continues at Fauntleroy UCC Church – full lineup here; tonight, “Preventing Bullying,” 7 pm.
FOLLOWING UP ON THE WHITE CENTER RAIDS: The multiagency “Center of Attention” operation reached into West Seattle, too, according to the map included in this followup on our partner site White Center Now, with context on what inspired investigators to start the work. Tonight, 7 pm at Wiley Center in White Center’s Greenbridge development, US Attorney Jenny Durkan and others will lead a community meeting to talk about the raids and how to improve community safety in the future.
4 midday notes related to our current state of Viaductlessness:
(Demolition photo by Erick, from a nearby crane; click for larger image)
*First, the Royal Brougham ramp to northbound 99 is NOT open right now. Though WSDOT had planned to open it 5 am-7 pm all week long, the demolition work has turned out to be too close for comfort, as the Seattle Times (WSB partner) reports. Current estimate is that it’ll reopen at 2 pm. Travis Phelps from WSDOT tells WSB, “No chunks fell onto the ramp. But we did close it for safety reasons to complete work to demolish a large section of the viaduct at this location.” (1:26 pm update – WSDOT aiming for a 3:30 pm reopening)
*Second, for those who wondered why the West Seattle Water Taxi couldn’t shoehorn a few more people in, the Melissa Ann and Rachel Marie currently certified for 150 passengers maximum, though the office of County Councilmember Joe McDermott (Ferry District board chair) reminds us they’re hoping to get that raised to 172 early next year. Meantime, even if the Rachel Marie wasn’t out for repairs (no estimated return time yet) today, they say, logistics of loading/unloading that many people make it impossible for more-frequent runs.
*(added 12:48 pm) Third – In our morning as-it-unfolded coverage, we mentioned the extra police patrols on the high bridge for bus-lane violators. SPD Blotter reports they issued 23 tickets between 6 and 8 am, all but one for the lane violation.
*(added 2:11 pm) Fourth – a link for your mobile phone to get the city’s new live video from the West Seattle Bridge – follow this link, click MENU, then click LIVE TRAFFIC VIDEO.
If there are any more traffic notes between now and about 4, we’ll add them to this story; that’s when we’ll start our comprehensive PM-commute coverage.
(Click for full-size view, as a PDF – upper right of rendering is 29th/Barton)
When Seattle Parks next convenes a meeting to talk about the upcoming Roxhill Park Skatespot and Playground project, they’ll be showing something close to a final design – so they want to make sure they hear from as many people as possible before that almost-final design is crafted. In particular, they’re issuing a last call for comments on the skatespot – deadline, next Monday. Here’s our coverage of the recent meeting showcasing the “schematic” (draft) design; you can get a closer look at the graphics on the project’s official webpage. Then send your thoughts to project manager Kelly Davidson at kelly.davidson@seattle.gov.
Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey shares that photo of Abe, a harbor-seal pup who visited West Seattle shores this weekend, with another plea to please respect the city law against dogs on beaches. She says Abe had a narrow escape from an off-leash dog at Lincoln Park. The full story is on the Seal Sitters “blubberblog” site.
(What follows is our as-it-happened morning-commute coverage. PM-commute updates later!)
(More cams on the WSB Traffic page; travel times on the city Travelers’ Info map)
It’s here – the first of five weekdays without the Alaskan Way Viaduct. We’re covering the commute with any and all information you need to know, regarding the bridges, the West Seattle Water Taxi (this week’s special schedule is here), I-5, and more.
FIRST PROBLEM OF THE MORNING: A crash on I-5 northbound at Mercer, and a thunderstorm that dumped a lot of rain in a short period of time – it’s dried out now but there’s standing water in spots. Suggested alternate route: West Seattle Bridge east to 4th Avenue South, get off and head north into downtown.
Our “Viaduct Crunch” partners at KING 5 are also posting minute-by-minute updates for the wider region, here.
6:06 AM UPDATE: Eastbound West Seattle Bridge still in good shape; a KING crew just reported live, driving onto it from the Avalon/Admiral/etc. access point, no backups. IMPORTANT WATER TAXI NOTE: If you’re parking on Harbor don’t let the “NO PARKING” signs scare you – they are meant to restrict overnight parking just this week, so that more street spaces on Harbor are clear (in addition to those 100+ extra spaces at Don Armeni.
6:18 AM UPDATE: The bridge backup has begun. (added – photo Tony Welch sent in the 6 am hour)
Meantime, from the Water Taxi dock: First run, 6:15 am just left, and we’re told 106 paid passengers were on board – “easily quadruple” the usual load for first thing in the morning.
(***the rest of our as-it-happened coverage is archived after the jump***)Read More
(Melissa Ann, photographed Friday by Donna Payne)
If you’re taking the West Seattle Water Taxi, you’ll be riding Melissa Ann on Monday morning instead of Rachel Marie. The regular WS boat has broken down, the county just announced – BUT they say there will be NO CHANGE in the special, increased schedule:
Mechanical problem to the Rachel Marie causes change in vessels for Monday morning sailings-
A mechanical problem to the Rachel Marie will keep her out of service this Monday, October 24. The Victoria Clipper III will service the Vashon Island Route. The Melissa Ann will be servicing the West Seattle Route. Both routes will run their regularly scheduled sailings (including additional West Seattle service) and neither route’s capacity will be impacted.
The Melissa Ann and Rachel Marie are “twins.”
You never know when you might see a star at Easy Street Records in The Junction. Of course, John Doe‘s appearance was announced two-plus weeks ahead of time, so this was no chance encounter, but still. Easy Street proprietor Matt Vaughan waved a copy of Doe’s newest CD “Keeper” while at the mike for the intro:
John Doe was warming up for an acoustic show scheduled a few hours later at the Tractor Tavern on the north side of town.
Next, he and his longtime band X hit the road, starting in New Orleans later this week, then joining Seattle’s own Pearl Jam for a swing through Central and South America (schedule here).
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