Police will be out to help drivers navigate Mercer mess revision
Aug 28, 2012, 4:47 AM | Updated: 10:52 am
The Mercer Mess was supposed to be fixed when it opened to two-way traffic on Monday, but traffic was worse than ever, as drivers became confused with what they could and could not do.
Traffic backed up onto I-5 in both directions during the morning and afternoon commutes, and travel on Mercer was no better than a crawl.
All the changes seemed to throw drivers for a loop, especially not being able to turn left off the exit onto Fairview Avenue. The restrictions on the side-streets also confused drivers.
Rick Sheridan, with the Seattle Department of Transportation, says traffic cops will be out Tuesday to help.
“That will be our fix for the near term,” says Sheridan. “With any construction project you have a period of adjustment by motorists, so it will take time for people to learn the new configuration and adjust their own personal route.”
Bus riders may also be confused because Fairview routes have been moved to Eastlake Ave. for the 4 to 6 months as construction on the Mercer Mess project transitions to the south.
“It means catching the bus a little earlier,” said Jeff Switzer, with the King County Department of Transportation. “It means leaving a bit earlier. Those are the kinds of steps that we hope people can take.”
The impacted bus routes are the 70, 71, 72, 73, 83 and 309. >>Check the King County Metro website.
For the first time in decades, the South Lake Union-area street between I-5 and the Seattle Center now is a two-way thoroughfare.
Sheridan acknowledged many drivers appeared confused as they headed from I-5 onto Mercer Street Monday. The state Transportation Department says it saw long backups on southbound I-5 approaching the Mercer Street exit.
Television station helicopter shots showed heavy traffic heading out of the city on Mercer on Monday afternoon.
The city Transportation Department says the change will help alleviate a traffic problem known as the Mercer Mess. But probably not this week, as commuters get used to the change.
Traffic has been congested for decades in the area.
The route handles about 80,000 vehicles a day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
