On the Move Blog Department of Transportation

On The Move

Advisories from the Seattle Department of Transportation

SATURDAY, JAN. 5: Temporary Bus Lane Construction on 4th Ave S for the #SeattleSqueeze.

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PLEASE NOTE: Starting January 14, 2019, we will retire the On the Move blog channel and all traffic advisory blogs will be posted on the SDOT blog channel. 

Bus Only Lane

Temporary bus lane construction will occur on Saturday, January 5.

To manage the increased volume of traffic on our city’s streets and changing traffic patterns in advance of the SR closure beginning Friday, January 11, we’re re-channelizing key streets downtown starting Saturday, January 5. Streets include the Spokane Street Viaduct, the eastbound off-ramp to 4th Ave S and a short section of 4th Ave S approaching Spokane St.

These dedicated bus-only lanes will allow buses coming in from West Seattle to access the SODO busway and improve bus travel time throughout the SR 99 closure.

The graphics included with our Street Changes for SR 99 Closure Begin Jan 5 flyer show what’s changing.

Seattle Squeeze Alert

Here’s what you can expect: 

On the Spokane Street Viaduct in the eastbound direction, the right lane will be converted to a bus-only lane from 1st Ave S and will continue to the 4th Ave S exit to the signalized intersection at 4th Ave S.  On 4th Ave S, we are adding a short bus-only lane heading northbound approaching Spokane St. These changes will be in place by 11 PM on Saturday, January 5.

To accommodate this change, we have modified the island separating the north and southbound lanes on 4th Ave at Spokane St and a third northbound lane was added in December.  

 

 

Rain is expected to occur after Saturday, January 5 so these lanes will be installed prior to these weather impacts. Completing this work one week early ensures that we avoid delays associated with the weather for this installation in order to allow buses to begin using the lane on January 11. So, while we are installing these lanes on Saturday, January 5, there won’t be any buses using this lane until after 8 PM on January 11.

Please note that these are temporary bus lanes and will be restored to general travel lanes open to all vehicles in mid-February when the northbound off-ramp to Dearborn St is opened and King County Metro resumes northbound service on the SR 99 corridor.

 

More info?

Notice of future impacts related to the closure of SR 99 and other projects impacting traffic during the Seattle Squeeze are posted to our blog at www.seattle.gov/traffic. Head to this website for the latest updates and announcements. 

Storm Advisory: Getting gusty! High winds throughout the day. See our quick tips!

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An umbrella today, may not help much.

You’ve likely noticed, it’s already quite windy and wet today.

The National Weather Service is predicting a blustery Thursday, with sustained southerly winds (25-40 MPH) and gusts up to 60 MPH from 10 AM to 7 PM in the Seattle area. To that effect, they’ve issued a High Wind Warning for today, 7 AM – 7 PM. Stay inside as you can and take a look at our quick windy weather tips below. Please take extra care when traveling, and if possible avoid commuting, during the high wind times.

Image courtesy of National Weather Service.

 Quick tips:

✔️ Safety

Look out for each other. It’s no fun being outside in this type of weather. If you’re driving, be extra mindful of pedestrians and people biking. If you’re walking or biking, make sure you can see and be seen. We have safety lights if you need any! Let us know. Drivers, be sure to turn your headlights on.

 

✔️ Trains, buses, and ferries

Metro’s Thursday AM Commute: Service delays are expected to subside as the peak commute winds down; visit the Get Ready website for SR 99 closure updates. See the latest information on their blog. They’ll keep their eye on the King County Metro Transit commute from 6-9 AM and again from 3-7 PM and will post about service disruptions. Follow their RSS feed for real-time updates, bookmark their blog, or visit the Metro Online website for additional information and services. If you take the train, find Sound Transit alerts and information here. For Ferry info, please visit Washington State Ferries’ Travel Alert Bulletins, Kitsap Transit’s Fast Ferry, and/or WSDOT’s ferries site regarding your ferry commute.

 

You can also follow:

 

✔️ Outages

If you notice a downed power line, DO NOT touch or approach it. Please report downed wires or outages to Seattle City Light at 206.684.7400. Check out City Light’s outage map and tips for what to do when your power goes out. When traffic lights are out, treat the intersection as a 4-way stop. You can also stay connected, even when the power is out by downloading Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE) mobile app, to track and report power outages in your neighborhood and check status and estimated restoration times, all in the palm of your hand. Follow PSE on Twitter.

 

✔️ Fallen trees or branches

If you notice fallen trees or other debris blocking streets or sidewalks, contact our 24-hour dispatch crews at 206.386.1218.

 

✔️ Blocked gutters or flooding

If you see a blocked gutter, please help clear the leaves and debris to keep the 80,000 storm drains throughout our city flowing smoothly and to help prevent flooding. Please report flooding issues to Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) at 206.386.1800. Follow SPU on Twitter.

 

✔️ Park facilities

Park programs and facilities may be affected. Please check the @SeattleParks Twitter channel, blog, and/or website.

 

✔️ Winter storm planning

For information on planning for the winter storm season, like what you should include in your emergency preparedness kit, check out Take Winter By Storm, our multi-agency preparedness site. For the latest emergency notifications, sign up for Alert Seattle to get alerts via text, tweet, and more. You can also follow the National Weather Service Seattle’s Twitter.

 

Learn about our Winter Weather Response.

Check out our Winter Weather Response webpage for a winter weather response map, winter weather brochure, and snow route map. Learn about our winter environment and what to expect if it snows.

 

Stay safe, everybody!

UPDATE: North Seattle Neighborhood Greenway work progressing

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North Seattle Neighborhood Greenway progress continues, with the installation of new curb ramps and other crossing improvements on the east side of the street at the 3rd Ave NW and N 92nd St intersection: 3rd Ave NW is closed northbound with a detour via Greenwood Ave N until construction is complete in January 2019, weather permitting.

 

What you can expect:

3rd Ave NW and N 92nd St – Installation of curb ramp improvements, crosswalks, and a new crossing beacon on the east side of the street.

Weekdays | 7 AM – 4 PM

Closures

  • Local access only for northbound travelers on 3rd Ave NW between NW 85th St and NW 92nd St through January 2019.
  • NB traffic on 3rd Ave NW will be rerouted to Greenwood Ave N. We recommend using NW 85th St to reach Greenwood Ave N (see map).
  • Those walking will be redirected around the work zone, with a flagger available to assist during work hours.

 

General

  • SB traffic on 3rd Ave NW from NW 95th St to NW 90th St will be maintained throughout construction.
  • Temporary on-street parking restrictions, with “no park” signs placed in advance.
  • Typical construction equipment, materials, noise, dust, and activity in the work area.

 

The North Seattle Neighborhood Greenway will connect with the planned Northgate Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge at N 100th St, which crosses I-5 and connects to the future Northgate Link light rail station, bringing people to popular destinations including parks, schools, business districts, other greenways, and transit hubs.

North Seattle Neighborhood Greenway Project, 100th & Greenwood3rd Ave NW & NW 92nd St, October/November 2018 | click for project map.

Questions?

Please contact the project team at northseattlegreenway@seattle.gov or 206-684-8105. There’s also more information at the project webpage.

 

Thank you for your patience as we work to complete this new neighborhood greenway!

Holiday helping spirit with crews at six locations!

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While out enjoying your weekend, keep an eye out for our crews working in six different areas across Seattle. Here are  the deets…

What you can expect:

Saturday, December 8th | Generally 8AM – 5PM

SDOT teams will be working at:

  1. 3rd Ave NW and NW 103rd St – Assisting concrete with new ramp install;
  2. 8th and Cloverdale – Making repairs creating various intermittent traffic impacts;
  3. Beacon Ave S and S Myrtle St – Helping the contractor prep the intersection for a new signal;
  4. NE 125th St and 37th Ave NE – Supporting area work, with minimal traffic impacts.

 

Sunday, December 9th | Generally 8AM – 5PM

SDOT teams will be working at:

  1. West Seattle Freeway – Helping to complete small improvements, with various traffic impacts;
  2. NW 39th St and Leary Way NW – Making area improvements, with intermittent traffic impacts.

 

Contact us!

For information on projects and events impacting traffic, email us at construction.coordination@seattle.gov or call 206-684-ROAD (7623).  Information is subject to change.

Closures with Beacon Ave S and S Myrtle St intersection construction | December 8 & 9

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The intersection of Beacon Ave S and S Myrtle St will be under construction Saturday and Sunday. It’s preparation to allow installation of a new signal and conduit replacements.

What you can expect:

Saturday, December 8 | 8AM – 5PM

  • Signal at Beacon Ave S/S Myrtle St intersection will be dark; treat the intersection like a 4-way stop!
  • Travel restrictions in effect:
    • NB Beacon Ave S traffic will be detoured on S Othello St, to 33rd Ave S;
    • SB Beacon Ave S should use S Cloverdale St to Martin Luther King Jr Way S;
    • Local traffic only during construction.
  • Uniformed police officers will be on site to direct traffic.

 

Sunday, December 9 | 8AM – 5PM

  • NW corner of Beacon Ave S/S Myrtle St intersection will be closed. 
  • Travel restrictions in effect:
    • SB Beacon Ave S traffic will be directed to Military Rd S (rest of intersection open)
    • Metro routes 107 and 36 will be rerouted. Visit kingcounty.gov/metro/alerts to learn more.
  • Traffic is expected to return to normal on Sunday, by 5PM.

This work is weather-dependent and may be rescheduled if necessary.

 

Contact Us!

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the construction outreach team at swiftmyrtleothello@seattle.gov, or (206) 256-5227.

For more information on this project, please visit: www.seattle.gov/transportation/paving-swift-myrtle-othello

We appreciate your patience during this work!

Multi-Modal Improvements Coming to Green Lake & Wallingford!

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The Green Lake and Wallingford Paving & Multi-Modal Improvements project has been out talking to the community about changes coming to Green Lake and Wallingford. Design is nearly complete, and we’ve made changes based on the design feedback we heard from the community earlier this year.

Map of Green Lake and Wallingford paving area; new/upgraded bike facilities and connections with existing bike facilities; and on-street parking removal.

 

What we heard

In July, more than 670 people joined us at drop-in sessions and many visited our online open house, to learn about streetscape improvements and give feedback.

In review of design and construction planning, we heard support for our general safety and mobility goals, and some suggestions for changes. We’ve summarized everything we heard and our response to the feedback; for details, read our Feedback and Action Plan: What We Heard and What We’re Doing document!

 

Some changes based on your feedback.

Improving safety for people walking on N 40th St | We’re adding rapid flashing beacons and repairing some stretches of sidewalk on 40th.

Reviewing east-west bike connections in Wallingford | We’re taking a step back to reconsider the design for bike improvements on N 40th St. In the coming months, we’ll evaluate other potential improvements to east-west bike connections in Wallingford.

Evaluating options for people walking and biking through the N 50th St, Stone Way N, and E Green Lake Way N intersection | We’re looking at ways to make improvements at this intersection by clearly marking crossings and improving visibility and sightlines.

Partnering with Seattle Parks and Recreation to explore an alternative to the planned bike improvements on Green Lake Way N | Our original design included a new signal on Green Lake Way N at N 52nd St. We’re now partnering with Seattle Parks and Recreation to explore transforming a portion of the planting strip bordering the Lower Woodland Parks Playfield parking lot into a 1-way protected bike lane.

Making the NE Ravenna Blvd, NE 71st St and E Green Lake Way N intersection more predictable | We’re squaring up this intersection as much as possible by adding curb bulbs and widening the west side sidewalk. We’re also adding a rapid flashing beacon one block south of the intersection.

Improving safety and visibility at intersections | We’re adding “no parking” signs 20 feet from all intersections in the project area; on the north side of N 80th St on either side of the Ashworth Ave N intersection, we’ll add paint and post curb bulbs to improve visibility.

Reducing speed limits to improve traffic safety for all | We’ll post a 25 MPH speed limit around the east side of Green Lake, which is a reduction from the current 30 MPH speed limit.

 Visit the project web site for details!

 

What’s next.

We’ll continue to engage you this fall and next year as we prepare for construction. This includes opportunities for public comment in early 2019 regarding bike improvements on N 40th St.

 

We anticipate completing the design by the end of 2018, beginning construction in late spring of 2019, and completing the project in 2020. For more information, please visit our project webpage.

 

Web Resource Launch | Period of Maximum Constraint resource!

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With eight weeks until #Realign99, we are launching a new website!

It’s here! To help you prepare for Seattle’s new era of tough traffic that begins on January 11, 2019 with a three-week closure of SR 99 downtown as WSDOT works to #Realign99 , we have worked with our partners in the City of Seattle and across the region to bring you www.seattle.gov/traffic, your one-stop resource during what we’re calling the Seattle Squeeze.

What’s that?

Beginning with WSDOT’s permanent closure of the Alaska Way Viaduct on January 11 and continuing over the next five years, Seattle is entering a new era of tough traffic. Even after the new SR-99 tunnel opens, the tough times will continue. Additional private and public megaprojects will continue to reduce capacity on our City streets and contribute to gridlock.  All this will be worth it. But everyone traveling to and in Seattle needs to have a plan for commuting to work or school, appointments, and/or running simple errands

 

 

What can you find on the new website?

This digital platform has tools, information, and resources you need to keep you moving safely to and through downtown.

At our evolving information hub you will find:

  • The ”Seattle Squeeze” explained.
  • Current traffic times to neighborhoods across Seattle.
  • Projected travel times 45 minutes from now.
  • Apps, maps, and other tools to help you get around.
  • Q & A to read what people are asking, and ask your own questions!
  • A Partners page for the full list and resources!
  • And lastly… Subscribe to traffic alerts for your commute. We are providing the latest travel times, tips and suggestions for your commute, and traffic alerts twice per day to different neighborhood corridors to help you plan ahead!

 

Realigning travel during Realign99.

When the Viaduct closes, three solid weeks of construction begin. Crews will work around the clock to move State Route 99 off the viaduct and into the new, two-mile SR 99 tunnel beneath downtown Seattle.

During the Realign99 closure, the longest highway closure in Seattle’s history, both the viaduct and new tunnel will be closed. You can expect six weeks of impacts.

 

Why is so much work needed?

Removing the Alaskan Way Viaduct is an important safety project. WSDOT is removing an old roadway vulnerable to earthquakes and replacing it with a much safer tunnel. This regional disruption to traffic is unavoidable. Closing the highway for approximately three weeks is the only way crews can finish building the eight new ramps that will allow travelers to enter and exit the new tunnel. Check out this video to get more of the story.

In the meantime, WSDOT has completed work to provide a temporary surface Alaskan Way option, just west of the Viaduct.

 

Visit www.seattle.gov/traffic.

The #Realign99 closure will be a very challenging time for everyone traveling to, from or through Seattle. We will need everyone’s help to avoid gridlock. Start making your plan today – visit www.seattle.gov/traffic to get started!

 

Emergency work | S Dakota & 38th closed through Friday

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NSF Hawthorne Project | Emergency work closing highlighted intersection.

The intersection of S Dakota St and 38th Ave S is closed now through Friday night for emergency panel work. This emergency work is essential to the efficient and safe completion of the Neighborhood Street Fund Hawthorne Project, in the Mt. Baker neighborhood.

When complete, this project will help enhance safety for people walking, biking, and driving at the intersection.

 

What you can expect:

Wednesday, November 14 – Friday, November 16 | 24/7 closure potentially through 8 PM Friday

Closures | 

  • S Dakota St and 38th Ave S intersection closed, 24/7.
  • No through traffic allowed; local access only.
  • Temporary closure until 8 PM on Friday, as needed.

Detours |

  • N on 38th Ave S:  traffic detoured to Rainier Ave S via S Genesee St.
  • S on 38th Ave S: traffic detoured to Rainier Ave S via S Andover St.
  • People biking: use nearby Neighborhood Greenway, along 37th Ave S.
  • A pedestrian path will be maintained through the intersection.

 

Contact Us:

If you have questions, please contact the project outreach team at NSFHawthorneElementary@seattle.gov or 206-733-9361.

 

Thank you for your patience and understanding!

This project is part of the Neighborhood Street Fund Program. For over a decade, first as part of Bridging the Gap and now the Levy to Move Seattle, the Neighborhood Street Fund (NSF) has enabled SDOT, the Mayor and City Council to partner with the community to identify, prioritize, fund and build transportation improvements in Seattle’s neighborhoods and business districts.

 

 

Spokane St Bridge outage 7 – 9 PM tonight | Shuttle van available!

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Image by Google Maps | www.google.com/maps

 

For 2 hours tonight, starting at 7 PM, the Spokane St Bridge (West Seattle Lower Bridge) and the bike trail will be closed, so crews can replace a power control cable. A shuttle van will be available both directions, to take interested travelers over the high bridge.

 

What you can expect:

During this project, barrels and barricades as well as message boards, will direct traffic. After cable replacement and successful bridge testing, the bridge will reopen to traffic.

November 13 | 7 – 9 PM

Impacts | 

  • Spokane St Bridge (aka Lower W Seattle Bridge) closed.
  • W Seattle Bridge Trail closed.

 

Assistance | A shuttle van will travel back and forth over W Seattle High Bridge, in 15-minute intervals, with the following stops:

  • East Side – 11th Ave SW and SW Spokane St.
  • West side – SW Spokane St and Port of Seattle Terminal 5 Entrance.

 

Shuttle service is scheduled to run during the duration of the outage. Should this maintenance work experience unexpected challenges, the shuttle will run all night, as needed.

 

Questions?

Email paul.jackson@seattle.gov to learn more.

Thank you for your patience as we maintain the Spokane St Bridge!

 

Rally & March Impact Afternoon Commute in Downtown Seattle | Thursday, November 8

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Heads up if you’re travelling downtown during rush hour this afternoon, Thursday, November 8, especially around 5 PM. A coalition of groups will be holding a rally and march regarding the dismissal of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in coordination with a series of rallies at the 5 PM hour across the country.

  • 5 PM – 8 PM event includes march from Cal Anderson Park to Henry M Jackson Federal Courthouse.
  • General route is westbound on Pine St to southbound on 2nd Ave.
  • Estimated attendance is ~5,000; this is an estimate and may vary.
  • Protest is expected to be peaceful; organizers are working with the Seattle Police Department.

Information for travelers.

March route for protest – 1.6 miles

Expected Impacts to Downtown Core:

We expect impacts to the downtown core during the afternoon rush hour, as the march progresses. These impacts begin at approximately 5:30 PM today.

  • E Pine St cross-streets, Broadway to 2nd Ave | Rolling closures as march progresses, starting from north to south along Pine, then onto 2nd.  Length of closures dependent on event attendance numbers.
  • 2nd Ave at University or Seneca | Closed for an extended period after the group arrives at the Federal Building, until the rally disperses sometime after 7:30 PM.
  • Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel | Metro and Sound Transit bus routes 41, 74, 101, 102, 150, 255 and ST Express 550 will not be operating in the tunnel from 5:30 PM to 6:15 PM, utilizing their surface street routing instead, available online. This is subject to change depending on conditions. Capitol Hill and Second Avenue bus routes also are subject to reroutes due to street closures. Sign up for transit alerts and follow @kcmetrobus for updates.

 

Other Impacts:

The Sounders MLS Cup Playoffs at CenturyLink Field game is tonight! Kick-off at 7:30 PM. Estimated attendance: 40,000. If you’re planning on attending the game, please plan ahead and expect impacts to your travel time.

 

Stay informed.

We are working closely with our partners at the Seattle Police Department and our other City departments to make sure safety and mobility are maintained during the event. For live updates and other helpful information, please visit:

SDOTtraffic TWITTER

SDOT TWITTER

SEATTLE POLICE TWITTER