Drivers should plan on possible traffic delays
This coming weekend Friday through Sunday, May 17 – 19, Seattle will be jumping with events throughout the city. There’s something for everyone with parades in Ballard, the International District, West Seattle and Madison Park; the ever-popular 44th Annual University District Street Fair; three runs, including the huge Nordstrom Beat the Bridge Run and Walk; a Bike to Work street party in Ballard and Summer Streets in West Seattle; an art festival at Franklin High School; Seattle University School of Law commencement events; a Seattle Storm preseason game and a Sounder Soccer match. In addition, there will be major construction and maintenance to keep in mind as there could be traffic delays associated with the work.
For more details and traffic impacts, please see the following schedule of events and construction activities.
Friday, May 17
Norwegian 17th of May Parade: 6 p.m. (start of parade)
Starts at 24th Avenue NW and NW 62nd Street
4,500 expected
Parade route: south on 24th to NW Market St; east on Market to 22nd Avenue NW; south on 22nd to Ballard Avenue NW; participants disperse north and south on Ballard Avenue NW.
Parade staging from 4:30 – 6 p.m. on streets around Adams Elementary School located at 26th Avenue NW and NW 62ndStreet. Plan on street closures and find alternate routes. 22nd Avenue NW will be closed from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. http://www.17thofmay.org/parade.html
Ballard Bike Street Party: 4 – 7 p.m.
22nd Avenue NW between Market Street and Ballard Avenue NW and Bergen Place Park
800 expected
Street closed from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. : 22nd Avenue NW http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/summer_ballard.htm
Seattle Storm vs. Tulsa Preseason Game: 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Key Arena
6,000 attending
Expect congestion on west side of the Seattle Center before and after the game.
Saturday, May 18
Seattle University School of Law Graduation: 6 a.m. – 11:59 p.m.
Key Arena, Seattle Center
6,000 attending
All day event; expect congestion on streets surrounding the center grounds.
Seattle’s Best 15K & 10K: 7:30 – 11 a.m.
Starts and ends at Gas Works Park
1,000 participants
Run/walk route is counter clockwise around Lake Union, using sidewalks, bike trails and some streets going from Gas Works Park, then on the Lake Union Loop Trail and along the Ship Canal back to the park; Seattle Police will assist runners through major intersections; drivers should expect a rolling slowdown as runners make their way along the route.Please see http://www.seattle15k.com/ for route detail.
Celebration Birth of Buddha Parade: start time: 9 a.m.
Starts at Hing Hay Park (Maynard Avenue S and S King Street)
900 expected
Parade route: Starts at Maynard Avenue S and S. King Street; heads north on King to 12th Avenue S; north on 12th to S Jackson Street; east on S Jackson Street to the Red Apple Supermarket parking lot at 23rd Avenue S.; Seattle Police will escort. Expect traffic impacts along the parade route. from 7 – 11:30 a.m.
44th Annual University District Street Fair: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The Ave
25,000 expected per day
Streets closed from 2:30 a.m. on Saturday to 2:30 a.m. on Monday: University Way. NE between NE 50th Street and NE Campus Parkway; NE 47th Street, NE 43rd Street, NE 42nd Street, and NE 41st Street between 15th Avenue NE and Brooklyn Avenue NE; event hours Motorists should plan on congestion throughout the area. http://udistrictstreetfair.org/
Seattle Sounders vs. FC Dallas: 7:30 – 9 p.m.
CenturyLink Field
38,000
Expect heavy traffic around the stadium before and after the match.
Sunday, May 19
Nordstrom Beat the Bridge 8K Run & Walk: 8:30 – 11 a.m.
Starts on Montlake Boulevard NE and NE Pacific – ends at Husky Stadium
11,500
Closed for Staging at 7:30 a.m.: Montlake Boulevard NE between NE 44th Street and NE Pacific Street
8K route: Starts at Montlake Boulevard NE and NE Pacific; moves south on Montlake across Montlake Bridge to E Roanoke Street; west on Roanoke to W Montlake Place E; south on W Montlake (Place) to 19th Avenue E; south on 19th to E Lynn Street; west on Lynn to Boyer Avenue E; northwest on Boyer to Fuhrman Avenue E; northwest on Fuhrman to the University Bridge, north across bridge to Lincoln Way NE; east on Lincoln to Brooklyn Avenue NE; south on Brooklyn to NE Pacific Street; east on Pacific to NE Pacific Place; east on Pacific (Place) to Montlake Boulevard NE; north on Montlake to NE 44th Street; u-turn and finish in Husky Stadium. University Bridge goes up at about 8:50 a.m. and stays up for approximately 5 minutes. http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/Walk-Blueprint/Chapter-JDRFNorthwest4700?pg=informational&fr_id=2215&type=fr_informational&sid=1082
Drivers planning trips through the Montlake area should plan ahead for the closure of the Montlake Bridge on Sunday morning. The off-ramp to Montlake from eastbound SR 520 will remain open, but drivers will be held back while runners pass through.
Franklin High School Art Festival: 7 a.m – 5 p.m.
S Mt. Baker Boulevard adjacent to Franklin High School
250 expected
Event will close eastbound S Mt. Baker Boulevard between 30th Avenue S and 32nd Avenue S from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Expect congestion on surrounding streets.
West Seattle 5K Run and Walk: 9:20 a.m.
Down Alki Avenue and back
1,600 participants
Route: starts on Alki Avenue SW at 60th Avenue SW; moves east on Alki to Anchor Park (1100 Alki Avenue SW), makes a u-turn and back to starting point at 60th. http://westseattle5k.com/ Alki Avenue SW between 63rd Avenue SW and 56th Avenue SW will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should anticipate congestion on surrounding streets.
Madrona Mayfair Parade: 9:30 a.m. (approximately 15 minutes in length)
Children’s parade in the Madrona neighborhood;
500 participants
Parade route: Starts south on 34th Avenue between Al Larkin Park (E Pike Street) to Madrona Park (E Spring Street); Seattle Police will escort.
Motorists will encounter a rolling slowdown as parade moves along.
44th Annual University District Street Fair: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The Ave
25,000 expected per day
Streets closed from 2:30 a.m. on Saturday to 2:30 a.m. on Monday: University Way. NE between NE 50th Street and NE Campus Parkway; NE 47th Street, NE 43rd Street, NE 42nd Street, and NE 41st Street between 15th Avenue NE and Brooklyn Avenue NE; event hours Motorists should plan on congestion throughout the area http://udistrictstreetfair.org/
Summer Streets – West Seattle: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Alki Avenue SW from 56th Avenue SW – 63rd Avenue SW
1,525 expected
Alki Avenue SW between 63rd Avenue SW and 56th Avenue SW will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. will be closed to traffic for the street party from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Motorists should expect congestion and plan on being detoured around the street party area. The Water Taxi will continue to operate; Don Armeni Boat Ramp will be open. http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/summer_alki.htm
West Seattle Bee Garden Parade: start time: 11:30a.m.
West Seattle Elementary School (31st Avenue SW and SW Holly Street)
450 participants
Parade route: starts at West Seattle Elementary School at 31st SW and SW Holly Street; heads north on 31st to Lanham Place SW; north on Lanham to SW Graham Street; east on Graham into High Point Commons Park; Seattle Police will escort.
Event will close 31st Avenue SW between SW Graham Bataan Place SW from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. http://www.westseattlebeegarden.com/events.html
Construction and Maintenance work to plan around:
May 16 – 24: Eastbound N 80th Street closed between Greenwood Avenue N and Aurora Avenue N for concrete panel replacement. Work is taking place Tuesdays through Saturdays.
May 17 – 20: Major construction on the Mercer West project begins. SR99 and Mercer Street closed from 11p.m. Friday night to 5a.m. Monday morning. The South Lake Union Streetcar system will also be closed for the weekend.
May 19 – 20: The Montlake Bridge will also be closed from 10 p.m. on Sunday until 5 a.m. on Monday for Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance work. http://wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/King/Construction/KingCountyConstruction.htm
Contact: Peg Nielsen, peg.nielsen@seattle.gov, 206.684.8114
