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We began this week heralding the end of the Mercer Mess. The week is ending with the dubbing of two new alliterative congestion spots: the Dexter Disaster and the Westlake Wrangle. (97.3 KIRO FM/Chris Sullivan)

Mercer Mess fix spawns Dexter Disaster, Westlake Wrangle

BY Chris Sullivan  on August 31, 2012 @ 4:51 am (Updated: 11:59 am - 9/1/12 )

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We began this week heralding the end of the Mercer Mess. How's that working for you right now? The Mess is still there, and it's spilling onto the side streets. The week is ending with the naming of two new alliterative congestion spots: the Dexter Disaster and the Westlake Wrangle.

While it appears that drivers are starting to get a handle on getting onto Mercer from I-5, they are still having a heck of a time navigating just about every other aspect of getting through South Lake Union.

Mercer backs up terribly heading toward I-5 in the afternoon, creating a spill-over on the north-south side streets that have to cross it.

It's become so bad drivers are now calling it the Dexter Disaster and the Westlake Wrangle. Many are sitting through multiple lights without moving an inch.

The major problem is that people on Mercer are blocking the intersections at the cross streets. There are times when the intersections are like a jumble of cars with front ends nearly touching side panels and no one is moving. Fingers are flying and horns are honking. It's so bad the city is about to call on the police to fix it.

Rick Sheridan, with the Seattle Department of Transportation, told KING 5, "blocking the intersection is clearly one of the issues." He said a deterrent might be necessary. "We're going to have SPD to do some additional enforcement there and essentially, potentially write tickets for people who block that intersection."

Compounding the problem is that several north-south streets are still blocked for construction, and they will be for another four to six months. That's putting extra pressure on Dexter and Westlake too.

Sheridan said the department is also considering going window to window for the drivers stuck in this mess and handing out small traffic maps to help them navigate the entire area.

"One of the things we're considering is whether we need to essentially print up leaflets that have a map, the map that we have on our website," he said.

The city is also working on tweaking the timing of the lights so more people can get through.

This has the potential to be a real disaster for the next three days with thousands of people expected to be using Mercer Street during Bumbershoot being held at the Seattle Center.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (24)


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  • NW observer wrote...
    Mercer Mess
    August 31, 2012 7:08 am
    Is anyone surprised that this plan, which was years in development, doesn't work? As has been repeated many times, the most frightening words in our language are: "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." The real irony - those are your tax dollars at work.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Yep,
    August 31, 2012 8:13 am
    Kinda Like the 520 debacle. $400 Million spent before they even poured a drop of concrete. WADOT is about the same as the Democratic Party. Spend, Spend, Spend, and go backwards at the same time....Who cares? We'll just keep raising taxes! IDIOTS!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • seattleJohn wrote...
    Great Solution...
    August 31, 2012 7:13 am
    go up to cars and hand them maps as they are stuck in a gridlock mess...excellent!Hey here's a map of where you won't be going in the next couple of hours. You would be better off handing them dinner because they won't be making it home in time for that. Should be a though way with on/off ramps instead of intersections...there is just way too much volume from I-5
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    This is by design
    August 31, 2012 7:34 am
    One's first reaction here would normally be to criticize the usaul government incompetence, but that's not what is going on here. This is intentional - make driving in the city so miserable that people will consent to paying ever higher taxes for buses and trains in the hope of reducing congestion. Keep enjoying that progressive agenda, Seattle!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Vlastimil wrote...
    Haha!
    August 31, 2012 8:23 am
    The same bureaucratic incompetence that can't fix something relatively simple as a stretch of road will soon be in charge of the complexity of healthcare.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    @Vlastimil
    September 1, 2012 7:26 am
    LOL Touche'!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • deltta wrote...
    Stay away
    August 31, 2012 8:28 am
    From Seattle
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • R L M 456 wrote...
    was listening to the Morning News (opps)I mean editorials
    August 31, 2012 8:34 am
    this AM on Kiro

    SPD is planning on issueing tickets instead of using the manpower to help guide cars so that no one is blocking intersections at the Mercer Fix

    Thats the Team Play, would need the police on site anyway --but

    GET ME THE MONEY

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Actually RLM this time I agree with the COPS
    August 31, 2012 8:47 am
    Whats with the MORONS that just HAVE to move into the intersection and block everyone off so that they can just sit behind someone that isn't moving.

    IMHO 90% of the grid lock is because of the STUPID GREEDY jerks that feel rules and waiting isn't for them, and they are above the rules because they are so important in their minds.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • uralnutjobs wrote...
    tow the idiots that feel the need to proceed.
    August 31, 2012 9:27 am
    if others are backed up to the proceding crosswalk and you feel the need to pass the stop line before the intersection is clear you should get a ticket for blocking the intersection. its a red light ticket and i like the idea of having cops on hand issuing instead of the cameras issuing tickets.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Nickatnyt wrote...
    And this is happening in the best, most dry weather too.
    August 31, 2012 8:34 am
    Just wait til it rains most of a day, and then later on this year when the 1st snowflake floats out of the grey sky. Good times indeed driving in Seattle.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jpetro wrote...
    Is the
    August 31, 2012 8:36 am
    DOT taking applications?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bucket Dad wrote...
    Here's a thought...
    August 31, 2012 9:33 am
    What if the SPD folks there to write tickets actually directed traffic? Wouldn't that do more to solve the problem than just treat the symptom?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Great Idea BD
    September 1, 2012 7:30 am
    But in this city, the cops wont even come to your house if you're burglarized. They will, however, sit in their cars down the street from your house and wait all day to write you a ticket for talking on your cell phone. Excellent JOB SPD!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dexter Ave wrote...
    What Mess
    August 31, 2012 9:55 am
    I guess people just have to complain. I live on Dexter Ave., N and so far the first 4 days of commuting have been great. My round trip time has been reduced by a few minutes each way each day. In fact, the drive home has been blissful compaired to how it was when you had to take a right on Fairview (Time savings Greater then 5 minutes). Thank you Patty Murrey, Thank you Obama, thank you Seattle DOT for making this change. The only downside i have observed is how poorly people understand the rules of the road. You dont block an intersection, when the light turns yellow you stay put. When the light turns green you move forward. Dont we all hate Grid Lock. In a few weeks when people finally get a clue, and maybe their GPS's get an update, it will smooth out and i will see even more improvment in my daily commute.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Howdy wrote...
    ^^^^^^
    August 31, 2012 1:21 pm
    SDOT engineer
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • diverphil wrote...
    Lol@ Howdy
    August 31, 2012 6:55 pm
    To top it off he lives on Dexter Ave. Of course he's not going to have a bad commute when you live on the street.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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