West Seattle, Washington
01 Wednesday
(Live view from east-facing WS Bridge cam; see west-facing view, other cameras on our Traffic page)
After some brief overnight snow sightings, it looks like Seattle is back in the snow shadow and likely to have a relatively normal – if cold – morning commute, so we’re going with the usual style of ongoing morning update unless something changes. Wondering about the forecast? Windy, and another chance of snow showers tonight.
That’s Justin. He works at 35th/Avalon Starbucks. When he’s not directing traffic – which he decided to do today because the 35th/Avalon signal got stuck again, second time in less than 24 hours, and last night wasn’t the first time, either. We found him directing traffic when we arrived following multiple texts (thank you!) about the signal woes – SDOT’s crew had arrived, but no police in sight. We asked SDOT about the chronic problems, and spokesperson Rick Sheridan explained that it has to do with the bus-favoring “transit signal priority”: “A component that supports transit signal priority has been malfunctioning. We disabled that component to ensure the signal operates appropriately. We’ll work to reinstitute the transit signal priority at this location in the near future.”
(SCROLL DOWN for the newest photos/video)
(Added 8:44 am – high tide swamping Statue of Liberty Plaza)
ORIGINAL 6:06 AM REPORT: So far, no major damage or outages reported in West Seattle in the four and a half hours since the wind started kicking up. We’re starting this new report to track whatever happens – including our usual traffic watch – during the morning commute and beyond.
(The west-facing bridge camera is back! Other cams are on the WSB Traffic page)
VASHON WATER TAXI CANCELED: King County just sent a text alert that the Vashon-Downtown Seattle Water Taxi is canceled TFN because of the wind. There are **no** changes reported to the West Seattle Water Taxi so far, though.
HIGH WIND WARNING: The National Weather Service’s wind advisory has been upgraded to a high-wind warning, in effect till noon. See it here; it mentions sustained wind out of the SW, 25-35 mph with gusts of 60 mph possible until midday, though it’ll still be breezy then, with gusts of up to 40 mph.
SNOW TONIGHT/TOMORROW? We mentioned it on Sunday – and the possibility of snow after midnight is still in the newest forecast.
7:06 AM UPDATE: In our area, two single-customer outages are now listed on the City Light map, one in North Admiral and one in Shorewood, both with “tree” listed as the cause. The ground saturation from recent rain has increased the tree/slide risk. On the WSB Facebook page, KL reminds us that since many in West Seattle have Monday trash pickup, you’ll want to take extra steps to secure your containers since the wind will be gusty for at least a few more hours. Also note that this morning’s high “king tide” – almost 13 feet – is still more than an hour away; (added) Justin took this predawn video from Alki and 53rd around 6:30 – no beach visible:
Further west, Beach Drive Blog is tracking it, including video updates.
7:26 AM: Potential traffic trouble – 3-vehicle crash at Delridge/Genesee. Emergency responders en route.
7:51 AM: Waiting to hear from our crew at that scene. Meantime, now that it’s becoming light, we’re seeing what the mega-high tide looks like – Lise Thivierge just sent this from Seacrest:
Seattle Fire has been dispatched to a home in the 6700 block of Beach Drive reporting water coming into the house.
8:05 AM: Just got this video from Mark Tabbutt near Lowman Beach:
8:29 AM: And from Margot in the 7100 block of Beach Drive – she says this is her “front yard”:
We’ve been to Statue of Liberty Plaza, where water has swamped onto the plaza itself. Photo (also see video added atop this story):
8:41 AM: Mark near Lowman Beach also sent this photo of high water at his neighbors’ house:
And back on the north side of the West Seattle waterfront – the tide, without the strongest wind gusts, is swamping Don Armeni – Carolyn Newman sent this photo:
8:55 AM: Swamped stairway and boardwalk at Alki at highest tide half an hour ago:
A reader texted this photo from near Constellation Park (south of Alki Point):
Thanks to everyone who has shared photos – we have two crews out and will be adding more of their photos too, but your perspective from waterfront homes is unique and appreciated. Hope no one has suffered serious damage.
9:24 AM: Thom, just south of Lowman Beach, shared this video:
He added, “Since that video was taken, the other half of the gate is gone as well as the splash plank.”
10:19 AM: Further north on Beach Drive, in the 5400 block and vicinity, WSB’s Patrick Sand caught the waves and the driftwood logs looming offshore:
Thanks to Lura for letting us come shoot that view. Not far away, at Beach Drive Blog HQ, where they were busy getting word out about all this days ago, Patrick’s video shows them pumping out the water that came in:
(added) Kim sent this view of the waves along the 3800 block of Beach Drive:
We also have photos of tree trouble in Highland Park:
Nora, who shared the photo, says: “Fortunately one car is in the shop otherwise it would have been under the big branch to the left. Damage to carport with a few branches sticking through the roof. No damage to the car beneath.”
11:44 AM: We went to the Alki Bathhouse to make sure the high water hadn’t gotten inside and done damage – it had not, we’re told. But while there, we caught this only-on-a-high-tide sight:
We have LOTS more photos to publish – will update when we either add them here or launch a new story.
FIRST REPORT, 6:09 PM: Thanks to everybody who’s messaging about trouble with the 35th/Avalon stoplight. “Big traffic mess,” we’re told. En route to check it out and see if anyone’s on the case.
6:17 PM: Via the WSB Facebook page, Tahna reports police have arrived to help direct traffic.
7:11 PM: Just went through the intersection. Lights look OK but police still directing – looks like at least one stalled or crashed vehicle on east side of intersection.
7:23 PM: No more traffic-directing, but still some SPD on SE corner.
Two traffic notes tonight:
VIADUCT LANE/EXIT CLOSURE REMINDER: If you missed, or forgot about, the alert, be forewarned that the all-weekend-long lane closure and Atlantic exit closure on southbound 99 **is** affecting traffic. Saw it ourselves while headed to Queen Anne for an errand a few hours ago (through-the-windshield-from-passenger-seat photo above) – and decided to take an alternate route when headed back (I-5 tends to be busy every weekend, so we chose 4th Avenue South to the 1st Avenue South Bridge, but if you’re in north West Seattle, 1st Avenue South to the Spokane Street Viaduct works well too.) The lane and exit are not scheduled to reopen until early Monday morning.
BRIDGE CAM RETURNS: Another traffic alert for today involved SDOT work to restore a West Seattle Bridge cam view that’s been out of commission for months – and tonight, it’s back:
That’s a west-pointed view of the West Seattle Bridge, available again, so it’s back in action on the WSB Traffic page too.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB – substituted for previous cameraphone photos)
5:38 PM: Snag in the evening commute: A crash at 35th and Fauntleroy – right at the west end of the bridge. More as we get it – but if you’re stuck in the backup, that’s the problem.
6 PM: Some good news – tow crew’s on scene and it should be clearing.
The backup, we’re told, stretches all the way across the bridge, so that’ll take a while longer to clear.
7:07 PM: There’s also a crash by the Fauntleroy ferry dock causing backups (Fauntleroy/Cloverdale):
Also received late today from SDOT – utility work on the bridge Monday night/Tuesday morning:
City crews will perform high-priority maintenance work on electrical utilities at the western end of the West Seattle Bridge on Monday night, Dec. 17. This work will require drivers coming from Admiral Way SW to make a slight detour as they drive onto the bridge. The crews will begin work at 8:30 p.m. and will have all lanes open again no later than 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18.
Just in from SDOT:
On Saturday, Dec. 15, traffic crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation plan to replace the traffic camera located on the off-ramp from the westbound lanes of the West Seattle Bridge to Delridge Way SW. They will close the inside lane of the ramp at approximately 5:45 a.m. and will reopen the lane by 4 p.m.
During the closure, the crews will replace a traffic camera that provides real-time streaming video of traffic at that location. The new camera should be more reliable. It will automatically reset itself when needed, and traffic engineers will also be able to reset the camera remotely. The camera is expected to be fully functional after traffic engineers complete their work on the installation during the following week.
(If you are a regular user of the WSB Traffic page, you know this camera’s been out a long time.)
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:59 AM: No notable commute problems in our area as Friday begins.
7:40 AM: As Jtk reported in comments, if you are headed southbound toward West Seattle on 99, note that a stalled vehicle is blocking a southbound lane at the Battery Street Tunnel – SDOT just tweeted it.
8 AM: Now the southbound Battery Street Tunnel is reported closed. Tracy Taylor from KING 5 also has mentioned a stall on northbound I-5 near I-90 – so that might affect outbound commuters from here.
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:06 AM: Rain showers are the only commute complication as this morning gets going.
6:59 AM: Via Twitter, Dave just reported a crash on the eastbound bridge. It’s not on the 911 log. But in a comment here, Kimberley has a few more details – “There’s a fender bender in the right lane just before the crest of the bridge.”
7:44 AM: Don’t let the camera fool you – the crash scene(s – commenters report 2) are BEFORE the view you see on the cam. Very slow going.
8:35 AM: West Seattle Bridge is better, we’re told, but 509 (1st Avenue South) is backed up. Nothing on the 911 log – so either it’s a fender-bender/stall, or spillover from earlier WS Bridge problems.
(WSDOT rendering of the 99 “south portal” including the future overpass)
First road-work announcement for 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct in a while – from WSDOT:
Drivers should plan for delays on southbound State Route 99 through downtown Seattle the next two weekends. Crews working for WSDOT will reduce SR 99 to one lane near the stadiums and close the southbound off-ramp to South Atlantic Street. During the closures crews will drive more than 50 pilings to support construction of the new South Atlantic Street overpass.
Dec. 14-17 weekend
Crews will close the right lane of southbound SR 99 between Columbia Street and South Royal Brougham Way and the southbound SR 99 off-ramp to South Atlantic Street from 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, to 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 17.
Dec. 21-24 weekend
Crews will close the right lane of southbound SR 99 between Columbia Street and South Royal Brougham Way and the southbound off-ramp to South Atlantic Street from 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21, to 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 24.
Crews will reopen all lanes of SR 99 and the South Atlantic Street off-ramp two hours prior to the Sunday, Dec. 23, Seahawks game at CenturyLink Field. The ramp and southbound lane will close again an hour after kickoff, and reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 24Construction on the overpass started last summer and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2013. The overpass will improve mobility by allowing freight haulers and commuters to bypass the rail crossing near the entrance to the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 46.
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:59 AM: Nothing out of the ordinary so far this morning.
9:27 AM: JL reports in comments that the 35th/Avalon traffic light is malfunctioning – flashing red all ways. We’ll check in later to see if it’s fixed.
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
We start off with a transit-alert reminder from Metro:
Beginning (today) from the start of service until Friday, December 21 at the end of service, Routes 22 & 120 will be rerouted off of 26th Av SW between SW Barton St and SW Roxbury St, due to construction. During this time, route 22 and route 120 will travel instead via 30th Av SW in both directions to their regular routes.
And a ferry-alert reminder from Washington State Ferries, which has three boats out for repair:
Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth: This route will be on a two boat schedule with the 124-car Issaquah and the 87-car Tillikum. This service will be supplemented with unscheduled sailings by the 34-car Hiyu.
5:15 PM: Two traffic alerts in via e-mail – one, a mattress on the left side of the eastbound West Seattle Bridge (thanks to Damiana for that tip); two, East Marginal Way southbound blocked by truck trouble just before the 1st Avenue South Bridge (thanks to Jamie).
10:21 PM: Another traffic alert – one-car crash at east end of eastbound West Seattle Bridge has police closing the Columbian Way and northbound I-5 exits. Might be a while – scanner traffic also has mentioned some damage at the “gore point” as well as a small oil spill from the crash.
10:56 PM: Scanner traffic says everything’s open again.
9:35 PM: Seattle Police are blocking southbound Delridge at Findlay because of a crash at Delridge/Juneau. According to scanner traffic, a car hit a parked car – and the driver is reported to have left the scene. No word of any injuries, so far – a Seattle Fire engine was responding but has just been canceled since “the patient fled on foot” – possibly into a nearby apartment complex.
10:57 PM UPDATE: Adding a photo. We saw three damaged vehicles at the scene – one being towed, two parked along the street. We will check back soon to verify whether the southbound side of Delridge has reopened.
(REMINDER – each day, the traffic/transit update is the primary place we add traffic notes if it’s not a major incident, and the place we appreciate your reports/comments too – every weekday, you’ll find it linked atop the WSB sidebar)
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! Embarking on Friday morning traffic watch. Nothing to report so far. One note: The extended grace period for the city’s 4 school-zone traffic cams is about to expire – as of Monday, the official tickets begin.
9:04 AM: Thanks to the texter (206-293-6302 any time – add it to your phone contacts just in case! thanks!) who reports a crash on Sylvan Way near Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) – the 911 log has a fire callout to Sylvan Heights Drive/Sylvan Way. We’re going to go check it out. (added) Thanks to @HommeSea for the tweet with photo:
Medical response by Forest Lawn. Traffic now getting through. @westseattleblog twitter.com/HommeSea/statu…
— Homme Sea (@HommeSea) December 7, 2012
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
Starting off quiet again today. Let us know (when you can call or text safely) if you see anything others need to know about – whether it’s on the roads here in West Seattle or on the routes used to get to and from here.
10:35 AM UPDATE: The bridge cam looks more like 8 am right now – there’s a backup on northbound 99, which has been reported to us as various things including construction work and large vehicles stalling. Absent official info right now, we’ll just warn you of the backup.
4:53 PM: Breaking this out from the daily transit/traffic tracker again today since it’s a major intersection – the California/Fauntleroy traffic signal in Morgan Junction is having trouble again (thanks to everybody who tipped us on this). Police are again helping direct traffic. We’ll keep an eye out for when it gets fixed; let us know if you see it working again before we’ve reported an update.
6:35 PM UPDATE: As commenters have noted, it’s fixed – just came through on our way back from the School Board work session. We’ll ask SDOT tomorrow if it’s been looked at for a chronic problem.
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:59 AM: The weather’s quieted down, and nothing out of the ordinary is reported on the roads from/through/to West Seattle so far this morning. For ferry riders: In case you missed the final update last night, the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route IS back to three boats.
8:25 AM: One commenter mentions a construction backup on Avalon – so if you haven’t left yet, you might consider another route, if you can. Since it’s not raining, we have the feeling we’ll see lots of road work today, since multiple projects are still going.
2:45 PM: Metro is warning that Route 21 is being rerouted southbound at 35th and Barton. It’s construction work, says spokesperson Jeff Switzer.
EVENING NOTE: The bus reroute is over. And the Fauntleroy/California signal is broken again.
(iPhone video from a short time ago, not too long of a delay headed southbound)
4:44 PM: In case you haven’t already seen this on the daily transit/traffic tracker – California/Fauntleroy is on a four-way stop system, with police directing traffic, because of signal trouble. We’d suggest avoiding if you can.
Also regarding a ferry alert from earlier – Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth is still on a two-boat schedule because the third is out with mechanical trouble. As of right now, WSF says there’s a 90-minute wait at Fauntleroy.
5:32 PM UPDATE: Both situations still in effect – just checked for a firsthand look.
6:48 PM UPDATE: Good news for California/Fauntleroy – signal’s back in operation. No update from WSF yet on a third boat; VesselWatch still shows only two boats on the run.
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:12 AM: Windy and wet but no other trouble so far this morning – take extra care and time. A “special weather statement” remains in effect, warning of slides now that yet more heavy rain has fallen on already-saturated ground.
12:27 PM UPDATE: The Klahowya is out so Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferries are on a two-boat schedule TFN.
4:01 PM: Trouble reported with the California-Fauntleroy signal. Avoid the intersection.
LATE-NIGHT NOTE: Both the signal and the ferry are fixed.
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:52 AM: Watch out for standing water! That’s the big commute advice this morning. And a reminder for those who travel to/through the Fauntleroy ferry-dock area – today is the scheduled start of at least two weeks with the north tollbooth and lane closed, as announced last week.
7:02 AM UPDATE: If you get on northbound 509/99 from just east of West Seattle, WSDOT reports a crash is partly blocking the ramp from Cloverdale.
7:26 AM UPDATE: That problem is easing. This next one may not affect you since it’s south of the West Seattle Bridge, but it’s a picture you have to see to believe …
Can’t make this up…shopping cart blocking the right lane of SB I-5 before the W. Sea. Freeway. twitpic.com/birixe
— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) December 3, 2012
8:07 AM NOTE: Reminder that Jacobsen Road is expected to have tree-cutting crews at work starting today, per this announcement from Seattle Parks last week.
You’re going to want to avoid the northbound 1st Avenue South Bridge tomorrow morning. An alert from WSDOT:
Two lanes on the northbound 1st Avenue S. Bridge will close Saturday morning, Dec. 1, while crews repair the metal grating on the bridge deck.
Washington State Department of Transportation bridge crews will close the two right lanes from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The exit to S. Michigan Street will remain open. The work may also require some short-term openings of the bridge drawspan.
During the lane closures, crews will weld steel plates to the bridge deck to cover small cracks and holes that periodically occur on the bridge.
You can check the bridge cam on the WSB Traffic page if you have to head that way and wonder how traffic’s going.
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