(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! While we watch the roads, first reminder of the day – California SW paving between Holly and Fauntleroy is scheduled to continue today, and Morgan Junction businesses remind you they ARE open, even if the California-fronting access is blocked.

SUMMER FEST REMINDER: Tomorrow (Thursday) night at 6 until late Sunday night, California SW will be closed between Edmunds and Genesee and SW Alaska between 44th and 42nd for West Seattle Summer Fest (presented by the WS Junction Association, co-sponsored by WSB). Here again are the announced Metro reroutes – each link goes to the Metro PDF explaining the temporary changes;

*RapidRide C Line
*Route 50
*Route 55
*Route 57
*Route 128
*Route 773 (Water Taxi shuttle)

Transportation news in case you missed it:

BIKE CORRAL ON THE WAY: As first reported here Tuesday afternoon, the stalemate over installing on-street bicycle parking (a “bike corral”) in The Junction is over, and SDOT says it will be in place on the west side of the SE corner of California/Alaska by month’s end.

SEATTLE TAXES TO AVOID METRO CUTS? As previewed here last night, Councilmember Nick Licata will be at the 34th District Democrats‘ meeting tonight (7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy) to pitch his and Councilmember Kshama Sawant‘s alternative proposal, which also goes before a council committee this afternoon.

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
First thing on the list this morning: SDOT is scheduled to start two days of work today, repaving a block of California SW in Morgan Junction, just south of Fauntleroy Way, where the intersection was repaved weekend before last. The work schedule is 7 am-7 pm. The city says it will maintain one lane of through traffic “in each direction,” though the weekly “lookahead” says California will be closed – we’ll check after 7 am and update here.

SUMMER FEST REMINDER: We’ll remind you every day – Thursday night at 6 until late Sunday night, California SW closes between Edmunds and Genesee and SW Alaska closes between 44th and 42nd for West Seattle Summer Fest (presented by the WS Junction Association, co-sponsored by WSB). That means bus reroutes, too, now published on Metro’s site – again, these are for Thursday night (July 10th) through Sunday night (July 13th) – each link goes to the Metro PDF explaining what will change and where:

*RapidRide C Line
*Route 50
*Route 55
*Route 57
*Route 128
*Route 773 (Water Taxi shuttle)

8:37 AM: Thanks to Jennhx for confirming that the repaving zone on California *does* have one lane open each way.

10:31 AM: Via Twitter, Wonder reports a crash has Northbound 99 down to one lane just before the stadium zone.

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Four- or five-day weekend for many, with the 4th of July tomorrow, so the morning commute is reported to be quiet.

Reminder – holiday transit changes for Friday are listed on the WSB 4th of July page.

TRANSPORTATION NEWS: A few headlines from Wednesday, if you didn’t catch them first time around:
–Mayor announces SDOT director choice
–More repaving in Morgan Junction
–SDOT’s new plan for Admiral Way hill
–What went wrong with the low bridge Tuesday night

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
We’re off to a late start this morning but it’s been quiet – perhaps the pre-holiday slowdown already. No road work this weekend, WSDOT reminds us; holiday transit changes for Friday are listed on the WSB 4th of July page.

7:07 PM: Thanks to the texter who just sent word that the “low bridge” has been closed to traffic for about 40 minutes. Checking SDOT via Twitter, they report it’s “closed due to some gate issues” and that it should be fixed soon. Updates as we get them.

10:25 PM: No official SDOT updates since then; we’ve been watching this traffic camera and haven’t seen a vehicle cross.

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Welcome to July 2014! Forecast temperatures near 90 are the big news today. Traffic-wise, so far, the nearest trouble is south of our area; nothing on the major routes through/from West Seattle and vicinity.

4TH OF JULY: Planning ahead for Friday? Transit changes for the holiday are all listed already on our special West Seattle 4th of July page (as well as West Seattle events/activities for the day). If you have something to add, please let us know, as we’ll be updating all the way up until the holiday – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Welcome to the last day of the month and the first day of a pre-holiday week, with the 4th of July coming up on Friday. No traffic trouble so far; we’ll update if anything happens.

TRANSPORTATION NEWS: As of 6 am, as promised, the new South Park Bridge is in service, though it’s one (vehicle) lane each way for the first week or so while finishing touches continue … From the “in case you missed it” file, you’re invited to suggest names for the new King County Water Taxi boats … and this open letter calls for the city to get moving on a bicycle-parking “corral” for The Junction.

8:05 AM: Some northbound I-5 trouble downtown:

We’ve had two reports in the past few minutes of stoplight trouble at 35th and Avalon – on our way to check it out, but if you’re about to head out, you might consider avoiding it for now.

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
No major problems to report outbound right now (a Battery St. Tunnel closure following a one-car crash cleared relatively quickly near the top of the hour) – but if you are headed toward West Seattle, southbound I-5 has had some backups, most recently with a crash by the downtown Convention Center.

Quick weekend reminders – California/Fauntleroy intersection is set for repaving 7 am-7 pm Saturday (with extensive no-parking zones on surrounding blocks); 2 lanes of NB I-5 at the West Seattle Bridge will close all weekend (as will the 520 bridge); Alki will be busy tomorrow with the Seafair Pirates Landing (no road closures, but big crowd). And on Sunday, two notable events outside (but not far from) WS – the Pride Parade downtown at 11 am (here’s the route) and the South Park Bridge celebration at noon (the bridge itself opens for vehicle/pedestrian use 6 am Monday).

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Another no-news-is-relatively-good-news commute so far. The weekend reminders:

CALIFORNIA/FAUNTLEROY WORK: 7 am-7 pm Saturday, paving at this major intersection.

NORTHBOUND I-5 LANE CLOSURES + 520 CLOSURE ALL WEEKEND: Here’s the warning from SDOT.

SEAFAIR PIRATES’ LANDING: This happens on Alki at midday Saturday. No road closures but some parking will be taken by related vehicles in the Bathhouse vicinity, and the beach will overall be very busy.

NEW SOUTH PARK BRIDGE: Street party on Sunday, starting at noon, going into the evening, on 14th north of Cloverdale. The bridge itself opens to traffic next Monday morning at 6 am, and that will change Metro routing too, as explained here.

11:58 AM NOTE: Route 773, the Water Taxi shuttle, is having issues right now. In an unrelated case, so is the state ferry M/V Issaquah, which means the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth WSF route is on the two-boat schedule right now.

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
So far, nothing out of the ordinary on the major routes through and from West Seattle. Looking ahead, now that the weekend is in sight:

CALIFORNIA/FAUNTLEROY WORK SATURDAY: 7 am-7 pm, paving at this major intersection, as announced just yesterday.

NORTHBOUND I-5 LANE CLOSURES + 520 CLOSURE ALL WEEKEND: WSDOT sent this reminder.

AND LOOKING WAY AHEAD … we reported on Tuesday that WSDOT’s big repair closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct is set for the weekend of August 23rd.

Just saw a signboard for this on Fauntleroy Way – and now SDOT‘s sent the alert:

On Saturday, June 28, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will be working in the intersection of California Avenue SW and Fauntleroy Way SW. During the work hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the SDOT crew will grind down the surface layer and repave the street. The sidewalks will not be impacted and two crosswalks will remain open at all times. Police Officers will assist pedestrians and re-direct vehicle traffic around the work zone. This project is weather-sensitive.

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! On with the commute. And a nudge:

SOUND TRANSIT SURVEY: It’s been a week and a half since we last shared this but we’re reminded it’s still open and it’s important to let your feelings about potential West Seattle light rail, in particular, be known. Find the survey in our original story – and take it soon as you can, if you haven’t already!

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
The weekend road work is over and it’s on with the first week of summer!

WHAT’S NEXT: According to WSDOT, two lanes will close next weekend on Northbound I-5 at the West Seattle Bridge, late Friday night to early Monday morning (June 30th), as the expansion-joint project continues.

7:48 PM: There’s an emergency response on southbound I-5 just before the West Seattle Bridge exit. Two people have texted saying it appeared to involve someone on foot or who fell/got out of a vehicle. That’s all we have for now; if you have to head this way, use another route TFN.

9:34 PM: The scene is cleared, according to this tweet from a State Patrol spokesperson:

All lanes open Southbound I-5 near W Seattle bridge. Man reported to have fallen out of moving vehicle was transported to hospital. KB

— Trooper Chris Webb (@wspd2pio) June 21, 2014

SIDE NOTE: Not related but while we are talking about traffic – remember that Northbound 99 closes for the weekend at 10 pm, with lane realignment and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon happening during the closure.

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy Friday! Our commute watch is under way. First, a reminder:

NORTHBOUND 99 WEEKEND CLOSURE: 10 pm tonight until 5 am Monday morning, Northbound 99 will be closed between the West Seattle Bridge and the north end of downtown so WSDOT can continue re-aligning the roadway west of the stadiums, as explained here. The closure also covers the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon, which will be used by other roads around the city – (full list here).

(TOPLINE: ‘Low bridge’ reopened just after 7:30 pm; ‘malfunction’ had closed it since just after 5 pm)

5:29 PM: Thanks to commenters on our daily traffic-watch story for first word on this around 5:15 pm – SDOT confirms that the “low bridge” is currently malfunctioning and closed to vehicle/pedestrian traffic. We’ve added a “live” picture from SDOT’s traffic cams – you can see the bicycle riders/pedestrians waiting, and it looks like there’s a relatively slight gap in the bridge.

ADDED 5:50 PM: Still out of service, no update from SDOT. Jason shared the photo we’ve added above, showing bicycle riders who were waiting before it was apparent this situation wasn’t ending quickly.

6:35 PM: We talked with an SDOT rep who said a mechanic has headed to the bridge but they don’t have an ETA yet – they’re promising updates.

(Some of the bikes on the 5:45 Water Taxi; photo by Brian O’Mara)
Meantime, your editor here just took the Water Taxi home from downtown; at least a few bicycle riders had diverted upon hearing about the bridge, but there was still room on the run – 6:45 pm is the last scheduled run from downtown to West Seattle.

7:37 PM: SDOT has just reopened the bridge after the 2 1/2-hour closure. While running electrical tests this past hour or so, they allowed bicycle riders and pedestrians through a few times, we’re told.

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
So far, no news is good news – no trouble reported in or outbound from West Seattle.

REMINDER – NORTHBOUND 99 WEEKEND CLOSURE: Now that the weekend is back in view, time to rev up the reminding again. From 10 pm Friday night (June 20th) until early Monday morning, Northbound 99 will be closed between the West Seattle Bridge and north end of downtown as WSDOT continues re-aligning the roadway west of the stadiums, as explained here. This will coincide on Saturday 6/21 with northbound 99 – and other roads – being used for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon (which has many other closures – see the full list here).

7:58 PM NOTE: The low-bridge problem from earlier (covered in a separate story) is fixed, and the bridge is back to regular operations, after a 2 1/2-hour shutdown.