There are several events coming up this weekend, but two on Saturday could delay motorists if they don’t plan ahead.

On Saturday, June 22, the Rock N Roll Marathon and Half Marathon will get under way at 7 a.m. and conclude at around 3 p.m. The course winds from the Seattle Center through the city, across Lake Washington, back on I-90’s express lanes and ends on center grounds.

With 20,000 participants following the 13- and 26-mile courses, streets will be closed and reopened as participants move along. Streets near the center, such as Mercer Street and Fifth Avenue, will be closed from midnight on Friday into the morning in preparation for the event. Additionally, the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed northbound from 5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. From the morning into early afternoon, other key closures include the I-5 and I-90 ramps at Columbia, Dearborn and Rainier; the I-90 express lanes; Broad Street; the downtown core from Second Avenue to Fifth Avenue; Rainer Avenue S and Lake Washington Boulevard. Additional details with maps are available at: http://seattle.competitor.com .

To avoid combining with potential marathon traffic impacts, the ever-popular Fremont Solstice Parade will move its start time and officially kick off Seattle’s summer at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon. With streets closing at 2:30 p.m., some 22,000 people are expected to line the parade route which begins at N 36^th Street and Leary Way; moves eastbound on Leary to Fremont Place N; south and east on Fremont Place N to Fremont Avenue N; south on Fremont Avenue to N 34^th Street; east on 34^th to Stone Way N; south on Stone Way N to N Northlake Way; eastbound on Northlake Way to Gasworks Park where participants will disperse. For more details please see the Solstice event website at: http://fremontartscouncil.org .

Motorists should expect heavy traffic on streets surrounding both events. The Seattle Department of Transportation urges motorists to consider parking the car and taking one of the many alternate modes of transportation available – Metro Transit, the West Seattle Water Taxi, Sounder commuter train, Link light rail, car pool, bicycle or walk, if feasible.

Contact:  Peg Nielsen, SDOT, 206.684.8114

Karen Zaugg Black 206. 733.9810

A signed detour will be in place directing through traffic on southbound 12^th Avenue South to travel southeast on Boren Avenue South to South Jackson Street, then west on South Jackson Street to 12^th Avenue South. There will be no restrictions to east-and westbound traffic on South Jackson Street and northbound traffic on 12^th Avenue South through South Jackson Street will be permitted. Also, local traffic southbound between Boren Avenue South and South Jackson Street, pedestrian access and access to businesses will be maintained.

When complete, the First Hill Streetcar line will have ten stations along a two and one-half mile route from South Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue South to Broadway and Denny Way. The City of Seattle is developing the First Hill Streetcar in partnership with Sound Transit, with funding provided through the 2008 voter approved Sound Transit 2 (ST2) transit expansion plan.  Completion is planned for mid- 2014. For further information, visit the project Website at www.seattlestreetcar.org.

The contractor also continues work on Northeast 125^th between 23^rd Avenue Northeast and 40^th Avenue Northeast.  At least one lane of traffic will remain open for each direction of traffic, with bicycles sharing the road in places with general traffic, for about five more weeks.

Drivers are asked to allow extra time, slow down, and use extra caution in the work zones.

SDOT will send out traffic updates as the work progresses. To sign up to receive project notices by e-mail, please send requests to art.brochet@seattle.gov. For more information about the NE 125^th Street / Sand Point Way Paving Project, please visit SDOT’s project website at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/pave_ne125.htm.

Contact: Peg Nielsen, 206.684.8114

The contractor will work on NE 125^th between 23^rd Avenue NE and 40^th Avenue NE.  At least one lane of traffic will remain open for each direction of traffic, with bicycles sharing the road in places with general traffic, for about six weeks.

Also, Sand Point Way will be closed to southbound traffic between NE 125^th and NE 110^th streets from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on three to four nights this week. For this detour, traffic will be directed to 35^th Avenue NE starting at NE 125^th Street, and will return to Sand Point Way at NE 110^th Street.  Northbound traffic on Sand Point Way and westbound traffic on NE 125^th Street will not be affected. 

SDOT will send out traffic updates as the work progresses. To sign up to receive project notices by e-mail, please send requests to art.brochet@seattle.gov. For more information about the NE 125^th Street / Sand Point Way Paving Project, please visit SDOT’s project website at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/pave_ne125.htm.

The contractor will work on NE 125^th between 23^rd Avenue NE and 40^th Avenue NE.  At least one lane of traffic will remain open for each direction of traffic, with bicycles sharing the road in places with general traffic, for about six weeks.

Also, Sand Point Way will be closed to southbound traffic between NE 125^th and NE 110^th streets from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on three to four nights next week. For this detour, traffic will be directed to 35^th Avenue NE starting at NE 125^th Street, and will return to Sand Point Way at NE 110^th Street.  Northbound traffic on Sand Point Way and westbound traffic on NE 125^th Street will not be affected. 

SDOT will send out traffic updates as the work progresses. To sign up to receive project notices by e-mail, please send requests to art.brochet@seattle.gov. For more information about the NE 125^th Street / Sand Point Way Paving Project, please visit SDOT’s project website at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/pave_ne125.htm.

Motorists traveling in the SODO area Wednesday, June 5, should plan ahead for traffic congestion. 

As early as 8:00 a.m., 4800 students will begin arriving from around the state for the annual Weather Education Day at Safeco Field.  Some 70 to 80 buses, of varying sizes, will be transporting the students and will park in the Safeco Parking Lot, along the Occidental Avenue S east curb next to the plaza, and along the Third Avenue S east curb between S Royal Brougham Way and S Holgate Street.  Access to Occidental and to Third Avenue will be restricted.  The students will also be dropped off by private cars and vans.  At 9:30 a.m. the gates will open to the stadium and at 10 a.m. Steve Pool will make an educational weather presentation.  Most of the students will stay on for the Mariners game against the White Sox at 12:40 p.m., but some buses may begin leaving as early 1 p.m.

Adding to the traffic mix will be some 18,000 fans arriving during the lunch hour before the 12:40 start of the game. 

In addition Terminal 46 activity is expected to be heavy, per usual for a Wednesday, so drivers are advised to avoid Edgar Martinez Drive South all day.  Alternate routes include:

·         Motorists can take the Forest Street exit from I-5 southbound to Sixth Avenue S to access SODO and parking locations east of the ballpark .

·         Northbound I-5 drivers coming into SODO can also take the exit to Spokane Street westbound,  then take the ramp to First Avenue S to access parking locations south        of the ballpark.

·         To access the International District and parking locations to the northeast of the ballpark, motorists can take the Dearborn Street exit from I-5 north or southbound.

·         Another access point to the International District is to take the Rainier Avenue exit from I-90.

·         To access Pioneer Square, downtown, and parking locations north of the ballpark, motorists can take the James Street exit  from I-5 southbound and northbound.

As the game wraps up around 4 p.m., just as the peak afternoon traffic is getting underway, traffic will likely be extra heavy throughout SODO and downtown Seattle.  To help alleviate traffic congestion, the Seattle Department of Transportation encourages motorists to park their cars and try one of the many alternate modes of transportation available such as Metro Transit, the West Seattle Water Taxi, the Sounder commuter train, Link light rail, car pool, bicycle or walk, if feasible. 

Contact: Peg Nielsen 206-684-8114                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Construction of the University of Washington Station’s pedestrian/bicycle bridge is ongoing. In order to continue building the bridge and restripe traffic lanes, the contractor will need to close traffic lanes and sidewalks on Montlake Blvd. between NE Pacific Street and NE Pacific Place. Please see traffic details below.

• Wednesday, June 5, 7:00 pm through Thursday, June  6, 3:00 am
• Thursday, June 6, 7:00 pm through Friday, June  7, 3:00 am
• Friday, June 7, 7:00 pm through Monday, June 10, 4:00 am 

Northbound on Montlake Blvd.

• All lanes northbound on Montlake Blvd. and the east sidewalk between NE Pacific Street and NE Pacific Place will be closed.
• To head northbound: Turn left on NE Pacific Street, right onto NE Pacific Place and turn left back onto Montlake Blvd. at the signal.
• Pedestrians/Bicyclists: Use the crosswalk and the west sidewalk between NE Pacific Street and Place.

Southbound on Montlake Blvd

• One southbound lane will be closed. The west sidewalk will be open between NE Pacific Street and NE Pacific Place.

For further information, please contact Sound Transit community outreach – Andrea Burnett at 206-398-5300 or ulink@soundtransit.org.

For issues that need immediate attention after normal business hours, call Sound Transit’s 24-hour construction hotline at (888) 298-2395.

Bike to Work Month wraps tomorrow with a huge gathering at Ballard’s Bergen Place and on adjacent streets. Coupled with the annual Ballard Summer Streets event, the party celebrates the month and encourages more people to bike and participate in healthy active transportation.  On Saturday, the Roosevelt Neighborhood Parade and the Eucharistic Adoration on Beacon Hill will cause rolling slowdowns on neighborhood streets. Later on Saturday, fans will be swarming to the Kenny Chesney No Shoes Nation Tour at CenturyLink Field.  On Sunday morning, the 20^th annual Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure will impact to traffic as 13,500 participants fill the streets. The one – mile and 5 K race route will be closed to traffic for much of the morning.  Motorists should make their travel plans with these events in mind.

Please see the following schedule for all the details:

Friday, May 31
Bike to Work and Summer Streets Party:  3:30 – 7 p.m.
Bergen Place in Ballard
825 attending
Streets closed from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.: 22^nd Avenue NW in Ballard from NW Market Street to Ballard Avenue NW.  http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/summer_ballard.htm

Saturday, June 1
Roosevelt Neighborhood Parade:  2 – 4 p.m.
NE 68^th Street and 12^th Avenue NE and Roosevelt High parking lot
220 participants
Parade route: Starts at NE 68^th Street and  12^th Avenue NE; west on 68^th to Roosevelt Way NE; south on Roosevelt to NE 64^th Street; east on 64^th to 12^th Avenue NE; north on 12^th to NE 69^th Street; east on 69^th to 15^th Avenue NE; north on 15^th to NE 70^th Street; east on 70^th to 20^th Avenue NE; south on 20^th to NE 68^th Street; west on 68^th to 15^th Avenue NE; south on 15^th to NE 66^th Street; west on 66^th to 12^th Avenue NE; north on 12^th into the Roosevelt High School parking lot; Seattle Police will escort.  Motorists can expect a rolling slowdown as the parade makes its way along streets in the Roosevelt district.

Kenny Chesney concert at CenturyLink Field:  4 – 11 p.m.
CenturyLink Field
40,000
Motorists should anticipate congestion on the surrounding streets before and after the concert.

Eucharistic Adoration:  5 – 6 p.m.
Vietnamese Martyrs Parish (1230 E Fir Street)
1,500 participants
Procession route:  on streets around Vietnamese Martyrs Parish.  Seattle Police will escort.
Drivers can expect a rolling slowdown as the procession moves along the neighborhood streets.

Sunday, June 2
2013 Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure:   Races start 8 and continue through 9 a.m.
Mercer Street and Third Avenue N (gathering site)
13,500 participants
5 K route:  Starts at Mercer Street and Third Avenue N moving east on Mercer to Fifth Avenue N; south on Fifth to Cedar Street; west on Cedar to Second Avenue; south on Second to Spring Street; makes a u-turn at Spring and heads north on Second to Thomas Street.
1 mile route:  Starts at Mercer Street and Third Avenue; moves east on Mercer to Fifth Avenue N; south on Fifth to Cedar Street; west on Cedar to Second Avenue; north on Second to Thomas Street.
Streets closed: Mercer Street from Third to Fifth Avenue N. from 6:30 – 11 a.m.  Fifth Avenue N, Cedar Street and Second Avenue from 7:30 – 11 a.m.  Participants are encouraged to travel via Metro Transit and the Sound Transit Link light rail to Westlake and then take the Monorail to the Seattle Center.  The Monorail will be running every ten minutes starting at 7 a.m.
http://www.komenpugetsound.org/komen-race-for-the-cure/

Note:  Major closures for construction work over the weekend
SR 520 from Montlake to I – 405 will be closed to traffic from 11 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.
S Jackson Street and 6^th Avenue S  partial intersection closure for First Hill Streetcar project – Sixth Avenue South will be closed to through traffic at South Jackson Street. Right turns will be permitted from north- and southbound Sixth Avenue to Jackson Street as well as from east – and westbound South Jackson Street to Sixth Avenue South.