Plan ahead for possible delays in traffic
In the coming days, if you’re traveling to see relatives, diving into your holiday shopping or taking in holiday events, please keep in mind two words of wisdom: plan ahead. Thursday through Sunday, November 28-December 1, the holidays will get off to a fast moving start with the Seattle Turkey Trot, followed by Macy’s Holiday Parade and the Westlake Tree Lighting Ceremony, the Huskies vs. the Cougars Apple Cup and several races, including the annual Amica Insurance Seattle Marathon. Combined with these events is the start of the holiday shopping season, so area traffic will likely be challenging. Allow extra time to get to your destination.
The Seattle Department of Transportation encourages drivers to help reduce their carbon footprint and traffic by trying one of the many alternate modes of travel available such as Metro Transit, riding the Sounder commuter train, taking Link light rail, carpooling, bicycling or even walking, if feasible. For details about the upcoming events, please see the following schedule.
Thursday, November 28
Seattle Turkey Trot: 9 a.m.
Staging on Loyal Way NW between 31st and 32nd Avenue NW – Golden Gardens Park
3,000 participants
Staging is on Loyal Way NW between 31st and 32nd Avenue NW; moves south on 32nd Avenue NW; west on NW 77th Street; south on 34th Avenue NW; west on NW 57th Street; northwest on 37th Place NW; north on the Burke-Gilman Trail and curb lane along the east side of Seaview Avenue NW; ends at Golden Gardens Park. Motorists can expect delays along the run route. For more details: http://www.seattleturkeytrot.org/.
Friday, November 29
My Macy’s Holiday Parade: 8:45 a.m.
Seventh and Pine Street starting point
20,000 attending
Parade route: Seventh and Pine Street start, heads west on Pine Street to Fifth Avenue; south on Fifth to University Street; west on University to Fourth Avenue; north on Fourth to Macy’s between Pine and Olive Streets.
Streets closed for staging and parade from 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Pine Street between Boren Avenue andSeventh Avenue; Ninth Avenue, Eighth Avenue and Seventh Avenue between Olive Way and Pike Street. The only street to not open by 11 a.m. is Pine Street between Fifth and Fourth avenues which will remain closed until the end of the Westlake Tree Lighting Ceremony around 5:45 – 6 p.m. Motorists can expect traffic congestion throughout the downtown area, particularly on streets adjacent to the parade route. For more details: http://www.macys.com/store/event/index.ognc?action=search&storeId=411.
Westlake Tree Lighting Ceremony and Macy’s Star Lighting and Fireworks: 5 – 5:45 p.m.
Westlake Center Plaza tree lighting at 5:35 p.m.; fireworks and star lighting at Macy’s at Fourth Avenue and Pine at 5:40 p.m.
40,000 attending
Streets closed at 4 p.m. for the event: Fourth Avenue between Union Street and Olive Way; Fifth Avenue between Olive Way and Pike Street; Pine Street between Third and Sixth Avenue; Pike Street between Third and Fifth Avenue. Streets will reopen once pedestrian traffic disperses. Motorists should avoid the general area to avoid delays. For more details please see:
http://www.macys.com/store/event/index.ognc?action=search&storeId=411.
University of Washington Huskies vs. Washington State University Cougars: 12:30 – 4 p.m.
Husky Stadium
72,000 attending
The usual game day traffic restrictions will be in place, including the closure of Montlake Boulevard between NE 45th Street and NE Pacific after the game until all attendees have cleared the Husky Stadium parking areas. Traffic is likely to be extremely heavy on Montlake Boulevard, and throughout the University District with the combination of game-goers and holiday shoppers. Motorists heading to University Village should plan accordingly. For more details, which will be updated between now and the Apple Cup, please see: http://www.gohuskies.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30200&ATCLID=208241384.
Saturday, November 30
Seattle Marathon 5K Race: 8:30 a.m.
Fifth Avenue N between Republican Street and Harrison Street – staging area
1,800 participants
Run route: Starts at Fifth and Republican heading south on Fifth to Cedar Street; west on Cedar to Second Avenue; south on Second to University Street; makes a U-turn at University and goes north on Second back to the Seattle Center grounds; north onto Mercer Street; east on Mercer to Fourth Avenue N; south on Fourth into Memorial Stadium. More info: http://www.seattlemarathon.org/5k/eventinfo.php.
Seattle Children’s Kids Marathon: 10 a.m.
Starts at Fifth and Harrison Street
3,800 participants
Run route: Leaves staging area at Fifth Avenue N and Harrison Street; heads south on Fifth Avenue N to Broad Street; west on Broad to Denny Way; west on Denny to Second Avenue N; north on Second to Republican Street; west on Republican to Mercer Street; east on Mercer to Fourth Avenue N; south on Fourth back into Memorial Stadium; all streets will reopen by 11 a.m. More info: http://www.seattlemarathon.org/kids/eventinfo.php.
Sunday, December 1
Amica Insurance Seattle Marathon: Four separate waves leave between 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m.
Seattle Center start and end point
15,000 participants
The majority of the streets along the 26-mile course will be closed from 6:30 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. with streets at the beginning of the course opening earlier. Streets adjacent to the Seattle Center, including Mercer Street and Fifth Avenue N, will close at 5 a.m. and reopen at the conclusion of the marathon, at approximately 2:15 p.m. The I-90 express lanes will be closed between Seattle and Mercer Island from 4 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. The I-5 express lanes will be closed until 9:30 a.m., when they will reopen to southbound traffic. The northbound I-5 off-ramp to Lakeview Boulevard will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The westbound SR 520 exit to East Roanoke Street will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Expect delays along the course and be prepared to follow signed detours. It is recommended that motorists should use I-5 to bypass local street closures.
Monday, December 2
Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints: 5:40 – 9 p.m.
CenturyLink Field
67,000 attending
Motorists should expect extra heavy traffic on streets in the SODO and Downtown areas, and on I-5, I-90 and SR 99 feeding into SODO during the afternoon commute prior to the start of the game at 5:40 p.m.
Contact: Peg Nielsen, 206.684.8114
