District 1 Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold shared a post regarding the upcoming closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct:
On January 11, WSDOT will permanently close the Alaskan Way Viaduct. This will lead to significant changes in how we get to and from Downtown. A recent presentation at a Council Briefing meeting has a good summary of what this will entail.
Two changes were announced last week that are designed to help.
First of all, the U.S. Coast Guard, which regulates bridge openings, has approved a temporary restriction from January 11 to February 9 to limit Spokane Street Bridge openings (i.e. the “lower bridge” adjacent to the West Seattle Bridge). The restrictions will be in place from 7-10 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m., and prohibit openings for vessels of 5000 or more gross tons (see page 3 of the Coast Guard’s Notice to Mariners).
Secondly, KC Metro’s Ride 2 service began operation on December 17, with city funding. This service will provide shared on-demand trips to buses at the Alaskan Junction and to and from the Water Taxi at Seacrest Park from Monday through Friday, 5-9:30 a.m. and 2:30-7 p.m. You can download the app at the link, or call 855-233-1880. I’ve asked SDOT about the area served; as shown on the map at the website as it doesn’t cover the southern portion of the peninsula. More information is available at the West Seattle Ride 2 website.
SDOT has a new Seattle Traffic site which includes current traffic travel time estimates for several locations, including to and from the West Seattle Junction and Downtown. You can subscribe to traffic alerts by neighborhood here, including for the West Seattle Junction. I’ve asked SDOT if a travel time estimate can be added for Westwood Village to Downtown, as well as a traffic alert.
During the 3 weeks when SR 99 is first closed, and then while the Dearborn exit is being constructed, buses from West Seattle, White Center and Burien that use the Alaskan Way Viaduct (21X, 37X, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, and the C Line) will travel on the Spokane Street Viaduct, then are planned to access Downtown on 4th Avenue. However, they may travel on different streets through SODO, depending on traffic conditions. Once the new ramp on Dearborn is constructed, buses will travel on SR 99 to Dearborn, then on to 1st Avenue.
Last week SDOT sent a follow-up reply to my letter requesting a bus lane on 1stAvenue, after SDOT engineers did a structural analysis of the capacity of 1stAvenue to handle frequent bus traffic. While the 1st Avenue curb lane isn’t able to tolerate frequent bus traffic loads, SDOT is continuing to work with King County Metro to determine the feasibility of routing buses along the inside (non-curb) lane, and examining weight restrictions.
Additional information on the Viaduct removal and new tunnel are available at WSDOT’s Realign 99 website, and WDSOT’s Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement website.
King County’s viaduct closure information page includes information about the water taxi, which will have an extra boat. Bus routes 773 and 775, and 37 all go to the water taxi dock. Here’s a link to additional information; overnight parking restrictions will apply on the water side of Seacrest Park to allow for around 120 cars to park for the water taxi; the Pier 2 parking lot holds over 200 cars, and will be staffed Monday through Friday from 5:45 to 9:15 a.m. and 4 to 7:15 p.m.; a shuttle will run continuously between Pier 2 and Seacrest Park. Here’s a link to a document that has the schedules for the water tax, and routes 773 and 775.
