West Seattle, Washington
30 Friday
(WSDOT photo via Flickr – equipment ready to tear down much of the Viaduct’s southern section during the closure)
We’ve been talking about it for four and a half months – and now, the nine-day, ten-night Alaskan Way Viaduct closure is finally almost here. The official bullet points (the unofficial stuff is coming up separately):
*Scheduled to start 7:30 pm this Friday (October 21) and end by 5 am a week from Monday (October 31)
*Entire southbound stretch will be closed that entire time
*Northbound, West Seattle Bridge to Royal Brougham will be closed the entire time, but from Royal Brougham (stadium zones) on, it’ll be open 5 am-7 pm weekdays (and “special events”)
*Extra Metro buses, plus reroutes (which start at 7 pm Friday) – details here
*Extra King County Water Taxi runs (here’s the special schedule), plus bigger shuttles and parking at Don Armeni
*Travel times and city cams (including live WS Bridge video) on the Travelers’ Information map
Lots of other details from our reports in recent weeks … but those are the toplines. If you still have a question about getting around during the closure, or about the project, post a comment and we’ll seek out answers. And/or PLEASE join us and our friends at KING 5 – with whom we’re teaming up next week for maximum traffic-tackling oomph – for a last-minute online chat on Friday morning, 11 am-noon: The page is already set up – find it here!
We’re just out of the latest media briefing on the impending 9-day, 10-night Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. Remember, it starts at 7:30 pm Friday – so it will not affect the “regular” commute hours on Friday. This briefing included state, city, county, and port reps, and reiterated some of what you’ve heard before – but it was held in the SDOT Traffic Management Center, a screen-filled (but windowless) room on the 37th floor of the Municipal Tower, to highlight the technology that will help monitor and to some degree adjust the situation during the days of most closure-related concern – Monday through Friday next week (October 24-28). Key messages:
*Lots of info on the city’s Travelers Information Map (including the two new live-video West Seattle Bridge cams we reported back on Friday) as well as the traffic times you usually see on the overhead signboards
*All involved agencies will be conferring multiple times daily (the three “check-in” conference calls are scheduled for 7:15 am, 10:15 am, 5:15 pm) and they do intend to make adjustments where they can – signal timing on key corridors (they’ve just added Aurora), for example, and use of uniformed police officers at key intersections that might see major pressure (like the 1st Avenue South and 4th Avenue South intersections with Spokane along the WS Bridge).
When Q/A time came, we asked some specific questions that WSB’ers have been asking. For one, we asked for confirmation that Burlington Northern is going to reduce train activity along the route many people use to get to the “low bridge” during the afternoon commute – WSDOT’s Matt Preedy, who mentioned this at last week’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting (here’s our report), said it’s not a formal agreement, but that the railroad has agreed to do what it can. (Mayor McGinn, who was part of the briefing, gave props to SDOT leadership for getting a deal for the “low bridge” itself to avoid routine 3-6 pm openings those days too.)
We have more to add to this report when we are back at HQ, including video, if you’d like to see/hear exactly what was said. But first, a question we posed to WSB’ers on Facebook last night – what question(s), if any, do YOU still have regarding the closure, and how you’re going to get around? Please post a comment if you have one (or more). We’re working on a Q/A-style story and will incorporate yours – if it’s something that hasn’t been discussed/announced already, we’ll seek out the answer.
ADDED 1:20 PM: More information from today’s briefing. First – if you want to watch the whole thing, here’s a link to Seattle Channel video. We have a clip of Brian Kemper, the city traffic-tech manager who spoke, as he talked about how the different tech components work:
We also have two documents handed to media reps:
*The official news release, here
*A bullet-point handout, here
Talking to one of the traffic-management-center bosses afterward, we learned that they’re extending hours in the center during the closure, too – instead of being open 7 am to 6 pm, it’ll be 6 am-7 pm. (Weekdays.)
Story and photo by Karen Berge
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
This week’s Admiral Neighborhood Association monthly meeting provided attendees with another opportunity to learn and ask questions about the upcoming Alaskan Way Viaduct closure – scheduled to begin on the evening of October 21st – now just one week away.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Viaduct project deputy director Matt Preedy, who had presented a community briefing at West Seattle High School the night before (WSB coverage here), was the featured speaker.
Preedy described what is going to happen during the closure and reiterated many of the points that have been covered recently in previous meetings – but there were still lots of questions. (And there’s some new information, you’ll notice, if you’ve been following the coverage closely!)
(From left, Steve Huling, County Councilmember Joe McDermott, City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen)
6:25 PM: We’re at West Seattle High School‘s commons – most easily accessible from the parking lot off California SW – where the presentation has begun at the informational meeting about the upcoming Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen started off with a few words of acknowledgment; he chairs the council’s Transportation Committee. County Councilmember Joe McDermott is speaking now. He told the crowd “Think of yourself as early adopters – you’re here to get the information early … share the information with everybody you can find, because we all need to get the word out as early as possible.” He suggested the nickname “Via-doom,” but said that, like the much-feared Carmageddon in Southern California, it might not turn out to be that way – depending on action taken by commuters.
6:30 PM: Alaskan Way Viaduct project deputy director Matt Preedy is speaking now. He said one myth he wanted to debunk is – no, the entire Viaduct is *not* coming down now, just a section of the south end. And, aside from this closure, as he’s pointing out, Highway 99 will remain open as south-end replacement work (and, starting next year, central-waterfront tunnel work) continues. He’s also reviewing how the detour in the stadium zone will run, once the closure is over, including an explanation that what’s been under construction to the west of the south end of the Viaduct for the past year is the new southbound side – not just “a ramp.” Key point:
WHAT’S OPEN, WHAT’S CLOSED DURING THE NINE DAYS, TEN NIGHTS OCT. 21-31
*CLOSED: Southbound from Battery Street Tunnel to West Seattle Bridge, in its entirety, closed for the duration, as is the northbound side from WS Bridge to Royal Brougham
*OPEN: Northbound between the South Royal Brougham Way onramp and Battery Street Tunnel, 5 am-7 pm on the weekdays (and for special events)
Another slide with key points:
HOW TO GET AROUND DURING THE CLOSURE
*Carpool, vanpool, vanshare
*Take the bus, water taxi, light rail, train, bike
*Work from home
*Adjust your work schedule
*Use alternate routes where possible
*Plan for delays and added travel time
*Listen to radio traffic reports and use electronic message boards to get up to the minute information
*Delay or reschedule discretionary trips
Even if you can only try an alternative ONE day during the closure, Preedy says, that will help. Also – he is stressing that while they’ll take some questions here in the group session, the county, city, and state reps are here for lots of 1-on-1 conversation, so even if you’re not here yet, don’t hesitate to come on down and find somebody to ask.
6:52 PM: Q/A is under way now. We’ll have a separate story with those points and more later.
6:59 PM: Councilmember McDermott mentioned the “We’ll Get You There” website for informational links – if you’re looking for that, it will come up if you Google that phrase, or here’s the direct link to bookmark.
7:06 PM: One other new link that might interest you – WSDOT has just put up “Recommended Routes” and has broken them down by region – find them all linked from here, or to be specific: Here’s the West Seattle info page. WSDOT plans another media briefing downtown tomorrow morning at which they’ll be talking about the alternate routes, among other things.
10:23 PM NOTE: And if you missed this meeting but would like to hear from, and pose a question to, the same WSDOT exec who presented most of the briefing – Matt Preedy is scheduled to be at Tuesday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting too, 7 pm, lower-level meeting room at Admiral UCC Church (California/Hill).
ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: That’s our video of the 35 minutes during which Rasmussen, McDermott, and Preedy spoke, and fielded questions.
(Among those in our photo from the 6th Ave. S. bus yard: King Co. Marine Div. Dir. Scott Davis, far left; Seattle Times [WSB partner] transportation reporter Mike Lindblom, a West Seattleite, at center)
Just back from a briefing this afternoon by King County Metro and Water Taxi officials, with yet more information to share about the looming Alaskan Way Viaduct closure (7:30 pm Friday, October 21, to 5 am Monday, October 31st). Some of the newest toplines include an infoblitz headed your way:
*70,000 mailers are going out, including free bus tickets
*Posters will be going up, distributed in West Seattle and elsewhere
*Metro has a special web section at kingcounty.gov/getyouthere
*Metro runs that take the Viaduct now will take 4th or 3rd Avenue that week. Coming off the West Seattle Bridge, buses will take the 1st Avenue South exit, and will travel up eastbound lower Spokane Street to turn left onto 4th – cars will not be able to turn left there, only buses, and a uniformed officer will be there to facilitate this.
*The West Seattle Water Taxi has a brochure about the extra runs it’s adding that week (the special schedule is linked from this infopage).
*Water Taxi managers will be at the dock that first commute morning (Monday 10/24) and as many other mornings as needed to help out
A few other notes, some of which we have reported here before:
*Extra Water Taxi parking along Harbor – overnight parking will be prohibited those days, in hopes of opening more spaces for commuters – and at half of Don Armeni Boat Ramp (no special WT shuttle stop there, though), for about 200 total potential all-day spaces.
*The Water Taxi shuttles will include larger – though nonbranded – vehicles that week. Note that the larger shuttles can carry up to two bicycles each; current shuttles have no bike rack. The Water Taxi vessel has an 18-bicycle capacity.
*If you plan to try different commute methods on for size, considering entering the West Seattle Commute Choice Challenge.
ADDED 4:21 PM: The official news release related to this afternoon’s briefing is here.
(Click for larger version)
“We are 16 days away” from the 9-day Alaskan Way Viaduct closure – partial closure northbound, full closure southbound – declared Matt Preedy, WSDOT’s deputy program director, at not one, but two meetings of West Seattle interest on Wednesday – the South Portal Working Group (citizens’ advisory committee that is convened roughly quarterly) and the Southwest District Council (reps of various community councils/organizations/institutions, mostly from western West Seattle). And now that it’s Thursday, we are 15 days away. From those meetings, we have more tidbits on how you are supposed to get around during the closure – which is scheduled from 7:30 pm Friday, October 21st, till 5 am Monday, October 31st (unless it ends early, which is apparently a real possibility). New maps are part of what’s new – the northbound bus plan above, for starters. Read on for more of the latest:Read More
The first full day of the Alaskan Way Viaduct shutdown, WSDOT is setting aside a half-hour on the love-it-or-hate-it span for a contest winner and two dozen of her/his friends. It’s an essay contest – read on for details (and for what you might call a consolation prize that is available even if you don’t enter the contest) :Read More
As first reported here last month, the West Seattle Water Taxi will add runs, shuttle-bus capacity, and parking for the weekdays that fall during the October 21-31 Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. A news release with official final details is just in from the King County Ferry District – including the full WT schedule for the closure period – read on:Read More
(March 2010 view of the “low bridge,” from its tower, taken by Councilmember Rasmussen)
Though they’ve rejected previous requests to limit low (swing) bridge openings during rush hours, the U.S. Coast Guard has agreed to do so, temporarily, for pm rush hour, during the upcoming 9-day, 10-night Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. That’s according to a statement just in from City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s office, which includes formal announcement of the October 10th closure-info open-house meeting we’ve been previewing here – read on for details:Read More
Click the image (or here) to see the full PDF version of that map, which is the first one out from WSDOT to help people get around during the impending October 21-31 Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. WSDOT spokesperson Travis Phelps says that within the next week or so they will have smaller, more detailed maps targeted at specific parts of the area – such as West Seattle – but this one is meant as a reminder that the closure does have a few time/day exceptions – the striped northbound side of The Viaduct, for example, from Royal Brougham north, will be open during certain times. The entire southbound stretch will be continuously closed, as will the northbound stretch from the West Seattle Bridge to Royal Brougham. Phelps says another key feature of this map shows which way downtown streets flow – in case you’re not familiar with that part of the area. (Also another reminder that city/county/state reps will be at a West Seattle-specific open-house-style meeting the evening of October 10th at West Seattle High School – time to be announced Monday – to answer your questions.)
The October 10th evening meeting we mentioned the other day is still in the process of being finalized, the city tells us – your chance to find out more about the Alaskan Way Viaduct closure and the post-closure, long-term Highway 99 picture – for those worried it’s too early, we’re also told that it will be open-house-style, and the short presentation won’t be before 6:30 or so. And it will definitely be in the commons at West Seattle High School. But if you can’t wait till then or can’t make it that night, next week’s Southwest District Council agenda is out, and AWV deputy project director Matt Preedy will be talking about it, and taking questions, shortly after the meeting’s start at 7 pm Wednesday, October 5th, board room at South Seattle Community College, everybody welcome. (Immediately after that, the SWDC will talk about the SW Alaska rechannelization plan – reported here two weeks ago.)
(WSDOT photo of the new southbound 99 SODO offramp that will open after the 10/21-31 closure)
Concerned about the October 21st-31st Alaskan Way Viaduct closure and how we’re all going to get around, considering how just one incident like this morning’s bridge crash can snarl the system? You’ll get a chance to sort it out in person with city, county and state transportation experts and others, in a special meeting that’s just about to be formally announced. We heard about it while tracking this morning’s City Council Transportation Committee meeting; it’s tentatively set for 5:30-8 pm October 10th at West Seattle High School. Besides the short-term issues of how to get around during the shutdown, we’re told City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen and County Councilmember Joe McDermott will want to hear from you on big-picture issues of how the Viaduct project overall will affect area traffic for years to come. A similar meeting is in the works for northwest Seattle, likely October 12th.
During the previous two media briefings we’ve covered regarding the upcoming 9-day, 10-night Alaskan Way Viaduct closure (October 21-31), there hasn’t been much information available about how the West Seattle Water Taxi will be made more usable for the duration – though there were promises that the information was forthcoming. The first major round of updates has just been provided by County Councilmember Joe McDermott, who is also chair of the King County Ferry District Board – details ahead:Read More
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
WSDOT and King County Metro both had news for West Seattle commuters during the “one month till the 9-day closure” briefing that just wrapped up in the shadow of a soon-to-be-demolished Alaskan Way Viaduct section.
The toplines (per executives who happen also to be West Seattleites – Matt Preedy, deputy program director for WSDOT [photo right], and Christina O’Claire, senior transportation planner for Metro):
*The Avalon Way northbound bus lane through the Luna Park business district, expected to be installed sometime in the next few months as the county prepared for next year’s RapidRide debut, may be in place early – before the 9-day Viaduct closure. And that won’t be temporary – that would be permanent, even though RapidRide isn’t scheduled to start in West Seattle until fall of next year.
Seven more key points for West Seattle commuters, ahead:Read More
If you ride Metro buses, two events coming up next month may affect the way you get around. Many are wondering how the October 21st-31st Alaskan Way Viaduct closure will affect routes between West Seattle and downtown, and while Metro is working on that, they also want to be sure you keep your eyes on the upcoming October 1st “service change,” just a week and a half away.
One big change will be, as reported here recently, trips will be added to Route 54, which Metro says will mean they’re “increasing frequency from 30 minutes to every 15 minutes during weekday, midday, and Saturdays to match the existing 15-minute service now offered during weekday commute periods. This is a similar level of service that will operate to and from West Seattle when the RapidRide C Line debuts a year from now.” Three other routes with Viaduct connections will get added trips in the October 1st service change – 18 Express, 120, and 358. Then, there are the reroutes on 10 routes, some serving West Seattle, that will start October 1st and last for at least four years, as well as temporary reroutes for that Viaduct closure:
It’s a popular question: So when the Highway 99 tunnel opens, how much will the toll be? That has yet to be decided – but the City Council has just appointed 15 “community representatives” to an Advisory Committee on Tolling and Traffic Management for the future Alaskan Way Viaduct Central Waterfront replacement. Here’s the official announcement, with the list of appointees. They’re tasked with working with the city and state “to review potential traffic impacts on city streets and I-5 for different tolling scenarios for the SR 99 tunnel; explore ways to refine tolling strategies to meet state funding goals and minimize diversion; and also investigate strategies to reduce or mitigate diversion.” They’re supposed to come up with “preliminary tolling and traffic recommendations” by the end of next year.
Look what we found on the city Traffic Cameras list – an actual Alaskan Way Viaduct traffic camera. It’s since been added to the WSB Traffic page (tidied that up a bit this weekend – fixed some broken links, enlarged the “live” images, added a few other new, relevant ones too). The Viaduct is actually on the preview list today, too:
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM REOPENS: The week-plus budget-cut-plus-holiday closure is over as of today.
BACK TO SCHOOL: Many of West Seattle’s independent schools start the new year today – and one public school; full list here.
DEDICATING THE NEW DENNY: Ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for new Denny International Middle School building, north side of the now-shared Denny/Sealth campus, with guests including Seattle Public Schools‘ interim superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield, 1 pm (details here).
PLAYGROUND PARTY: Lafayette Elementary playground celebration/dedication, community party with entertainment, free barbecue and more, 5-7 pm (details here)
ROTARY GETS VIADUCT UPDATE: Rotary Club of West Seattle weekly luncheon meeting features Seattle Times (WSB partner) transportation reporter Mike Lindblom discussing the Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct/tunnel project, noon at Salty’s on Alki.
CITY COUNCIL GETS VIADUCT UPDATE: City Council’s Alaskan Way Viaduct committee gets briefed on where things stand, 2:30 pm (agenda here)
FIRST TUESDAY TUNE-UP: Salty’s on Alki launches the “First Tuesday Tune-Up” series — a cocktail fundraiser to benefit a local nonprofit, hosted by Victor Janusz, no cover, raffle prizes, tonight featuring ArtsWest Playhouse, on the eve of its new season, which opens with “Amy’s View.” 4:30-7:30 pm.
OPEN MIKE AT SKYLARK: Skylark Café and Club is adding a second open mike night on Tuesdays! (Wednesdays have been packed full of acts for months now.) It’s slightly different … hosted by Tekla & Brian of local band Blvd Park and will be acoustic-only. Poetry and comedy are encouraged, as well as all types of acoustic music, all ages 7-9 pm, then 21+ after 9 pm as usual.
TRY IT FOR $2: Seattle Parks and Recreation‘s “Try It for $2” Program (WSB sponsor) starts its September 2011 run today: Attend a program or class session once for $2 at one of the city’s many community centers. If you like it, register for the remainder of the class for a prorated amount. If you’re new to a water-fitness program, try one session for $2. Current participants get in FREE if they bring a new participant More info at tryitfor2.com.
This could cause some backups, even on a Saturday, so here’s the heads-up from SDOT:
On Saturday, September 3, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will be removing and repairing expansion joints on the Alaskan Way Viaduct southbound. They will be working from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Alaskan Way Viaduct Extension where the roadway increases from two to three lanes near S Hanford Street. In order to accomplish the work, the SDOT crew will move from left to right closing two of the three lanes at a time. Motorists should expect to slow down and be prepared to shift lanes as they pass by the work zone.
The Alaskan Way Viaduct – its past, present, future – is serious business. And yet sometimes, with the votes, the closures, the traffic, the killer-quake simulation … you might have to laugh, or else you’d cry. So in case you haven’t already seen this on the WSB Facebook page, we’re sharing it here too:
Recent West Seattle arrival Mike S. (from the UK) made the mini-mashup, explaining, “I was really impressed with the video produced by WSDOT showing how the commute into Seattle would look after the nine-day closure. However, I still felt it could be improved – with the addition of Super Mario, in his Mario Kart – so I made some modifications.” (The original is linked from our Monday coverage of the WSDOT announcement about the October 21-31 construction closure.)
ADDED 12:54 PM THURSDAY: Mike wondered what WSDOT would think. They don’t seem to mind – according to this tweet!
(Larger version of the “after” graphic can be seen here)
We’re at the WSDOT event announcing the dates for the nine-day Alaskan Way Viaduct closure, and here they are: October 21-31. That spans two weekends and one workweek; here’s the official news release. But it’s not a complete closure of the entire stretch the entire time – here are the details, from WSDOT (and you can see a map here):
Northbound viaduct closure details
Northbound SR 99 between the West Seattle Bridge and South Royal Brougham Way will be closed around-the-clock beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 31.
Northbound SR 99 between the South Royal Brougham Way on-ramp and the Battery Street Tunnel will open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and for special events at CenturyLink Field.Southbound viaduct closure details
Southbound SR 99 between the Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge will be closed around-the-clock beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 31.
When 99 reopens on Halloween, a “construction bypass” will be in place, and WSDOT has just released this video of how that will work:
We also have just talked with SDOT – the new 1st Ave ramp to/from the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct will NOT be finished before the October closure, though SDOT’s Bob Powers says it is expected to be done “by the end of the year.” (added) Here’s our 2-minute chat with him, starting with our question about the new 1st ramp, continuing to “so, city advice for getting around?”
He also says (if you missed it in the clip) 1st Avenue South will be open, two lanes each way, under the Spokane St. Viaduct, for the Alaskan Way Viaduct closure period. (We would also add that the 4th Avenue offramp from the eastbound bridge is usually an excellent Viaduct alternative for getting into downtown – we used it a lot in the mornings while covering the Bushaw murder trial, and it still seems underutilized.)
Metro says it will be adding trips to some West Seattle routes as of October 1st, particularly the 54, which will be on an every-15-minute schedule. The West Seattle Water Taxi will NOT have a schedule change because of the closure, but will continue on through the fall and winter again this year, thanks to state “mitigation” funding related to the ongoing Highway 99 construction.
P.S. We asked Metro reps about the fate of the 2nd/Columbia westbound bus stop – you’ll recall they asked for comments regarding a potential permanent closure. It will be closed for the duration of the October Viaduct shutdown, since southbound 99 will be entirely off-limits. Its permanent fate hasn’t been decided yet – but they tell us that 70 percent of the comments they received were in support of keeping it open. Once 99 has the SODO detour in place, they have to figure out, we are told, what’s the fastest corridor for buses to travel.
(WSDOT photo of Viaduct south-end-replacement progress, via Flickr)
Been waiting to plan a vacation till you hear the dates for WSDOT‘s planned 9-day October construction closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct? Back in June, south-end project boss Matt Preedy told the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council that they were TENTATIVELY targeting October 21-31. Will those indeed be the dates? Or something different? We’ll find out Monday morning – when WSDOT will make the official announcement at a media briefing.
As noted here eight days ago, the southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed this weekend, scheduled for 11 pm Friday-5 am Monday. ONLY the southbound side. The official announcement, with a reminder about the looming nine-day October closure, is out this afternoon – read on:Read More
For your planning-ahead purposes, note that the most recent round of SDOT traffic advisories mention a closure of the *southbound* Alaskan Way Viaduct coming up Friday night 8/19 through Monday morning 8/22.
| 28 COMMENTS