Close
MyNorthwest
News
Opinion
Sports
Tools
Connect

MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Smooth viaduct closure traffic snarled by downtown Seattle protest

May 5, 2016, 5:26 AM | Updated: 6:52 pm

MyNorthwest Staff's Profile Picture

BY MYNORTHWEST STAFF


MyNorthwest.com

Day seven of the Alaskan Way Viaduct closure wasn’t harming drivers too badly — downtown surface streets congested as normal. But that congestion was only made worse by a protest that took over 5th Avenue in downtown.

Stay up-to-date on traffic conditions throughout the area by listening to KIRO Radio and check our online traffic map before you head out the door.

6:40 p.m. UPDATE:

6:30 p.m. UPDATE: I-90 floating bridge is cleared but westbound lanes are still recovering.


6:15 p.m. UPDATE:

6:05 p.m. UPDATE:

5:50 p.m. UPDATE:

6 p.m. UPDATE: 5th Avenue is now open to traffic.

5:30 p.m. UPDATE: 5th Avenue from James Street to Columbia Street is now closed to traffic due to the protests.

5:26 p.m. UPDATE: Downtown surface streets remain congested.

5:15 p.m. UPDATE: Backups on northbound I-5 from Northgate to connection with I-405.

5:10 p.m. UPDATE: Protest stalling traffic along 5th Avenue is reportedly a mix of groups including Black Lives Matter and a Mothers Day March for Justice. Avoid 5th Avenue and 4th Avenue around Cherry Street in downtown Seattle.

5 p.m. UPDATE: Eastbound I-90 now becoming congested along the floating bridge and over Mercer Island.

4:55 p.m. UPDATE: Northbound 15th Avenue is intermittently congested from Queen Anne to Holman Road.

4:45 p.m. UPDATE: Sound Transit now reporting that 5th Avenue protests are causing delays for transit moving through downtown Seattle.

4:35 p.m. UPDATE:

4:20 p.m. UPDATE: I-5 congestion through Seattle now stretched further beyond Northgate in southbound lanes, and past Boeing Field in the northbound lanes.

4:05 p.m. UPDATE: Ballard’s 15th Avenue is experiencing considerable congestion in both directions over the bridge.

4 p.m. UPDATE:

3:50 p.m. UPDATE: Downtown Seattle and SoDo surface streets are filling the traffic map with red. Streets are slowing down, especially the ones that lead to I-5.

3:45 p.m. UPDATE:

3:40 p.m. UPDATE: Westbound SR 520 floating bridge is backing up and traffic is slowing down.

3:35 p.m. UPDATE: Westbound I-90 floating bridge across Lake Washington is congested and slowing down.

3:30 p.m. UPDATE: Both directions of 45th Street and 55th Street from the University District across I-5 and into Wallingford are congested and slow moving. These lead to entrances to I-5, which is also congested in both directions at that area.

3:25 p.m. UPDATE: West Seattle Bridge blockage has cleared.

3:16 p.m. UPDATE:

3:10 p.m. UPDATE: Fremont Bridge congested in both directions, affecting Nickerson Street and 34th Street.

3:05 p.m. UPDATE:

2:55 p.m. UPDATE: Eastbound on the West Seattle Bridge is congested and slow moving.

2:49 p.m. UPDATE: I-5 northbound backed up into downtown starting at King County International Airport.

2:45 p.m. UPDATE: Southbound I-5 backed up into downtown from Northgate.

2:40 p.m. UPDATE:

2:15 p.m.UPDATE: Mid-span on the West Seattle Bridge looks pretty good, but traffic maps indicate building backups in the EB direction closer to I-5.

2:00 p.m. UPDATE: Volumes are already building on SB I-5 into downtown Seattle.

–Thursday morning–

10:10 a.m. UPDATE Sea-Tac to Seattle still more than 40 minutes.

9:35 a.m. UPDATE: Disabled vehicle cleared from westbound Stewart Street and 5th Ave.

9:15 a.m. UPDATE: Still seeing heavy delays across the map. Fewer options for drivers this morning.

9 a.m. UPDATE: King County Metro reporting service delays along NB I-5.

8:50 a.m. UPDATE: Travel times continue to drop as crashes and other incidents on the roads into Bellevue and Seattle clear.

8:35 a.m. UPDATE: KIRO Radio’s Chris Sullivan says more drivers getting off I-5 onto surface streets into Seattle. That is causing delays in areas that have typically been more clear since the viaduct closed.

8:25 a.m. UPDATE: WSDOT reports I-405 is getting back to “normal” after the expansion joint problem this morning.

8:15 a.m. UPDATE: Routes into Seattle are in the red now.

8:05 a.m. UPDATE: Surface streets in Seattle are going to see even more delays as at least two crashes have been reported within the last 30 minutes.

8 a.m. UPDATE: Travel times leaped after the I-405 expansion joint problem. WSDOT crews fixed the issue, but Renton to Bellevue is now well over an hour.

7:50 a.m. UPDATE: A problem with an expansion joint on northbound I-405 is causing monstrous delays.

7:30 a.m. UPDATE: Two crashes are causing significant backups on I-405. KIRO Radio’s Chris Sullivan says avoid NB I-405 if possible.

7:25 a.m. UPDATE: Roads quickly filling in. Federal Way to Seattle more than an hour drive. Some minor incidents adding to backups.

7:15 a.m. UPDATE: Two incidents on I-5 and I-405 are going to make an already slow commute even worse.

7:05 a.m. UPDATE: KIRO Radio’s Chris Sullivan reports delays on the roads in the 10-minute range around the region.

6:55 a.m. UPDATE: Backup on northbound I-5 starts around MLK Way and goes through I-90 interchange – the norm during the viaduct closure. Slight delays on southbound I-5 into downtown.

6:45 a.m. UPDATE: KIRO Radio’s Chris Sullivan says Sea-Tac to Seattle is now about 35 minutes. Renton to Bellevue is 31 minutes, about four minutes longer than it should be.

6:35 a.m. UPDATE: Travel times already reaching nearly an hour for some drivers.

6:25 a.m. UPDATE: Reports say this could be the heaviest commute so far during the viaduct closure.

6:15 a.m. UPDATE: KIRO Radio’s Chris Sullivan says not much slowing on West Seattle Bridge … yet. “We know it’s coming,” he said.

6:05 a.m. UPDATE: And just like that, there’s now heavy traffic for about four miles on northbound I-5 into downtown Seattle.

5:55 a.m. UPDATE: Volumes are quickly building on NB I-5.

5:45 a.m. UPDATE: A collision that briefly blocked the HOV lane of SR 167 at South 180th created a slight backup as more people get going this morning.

5:35 a.m. UPDATE: Seeing lots of brake lights in the south end.

5:30 a.m. UPDATE: Early start to the commute this morning. Already seeing some slowing out of Puyallup.

MyNorthwest News

gold bars shoreline scam...

Frank Lenzi

‘It was hellish’: Shoreline woman says gold bar scam cost her $3 million

A 78-year-old Shoreline woman said she lost $3 million in a gold bar scam involving secrecy and manipulation.

12 minutes ago

tacoma card shop burglar...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Burglars steal around $50K worth of merch from Tacoma card shop

Thieves rammed a truck into a Tacoma business early Monday morning, stealing approximately $50,000 worth of Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon cards.

21 minutes ago

brewster dead animals seized...

Jason Sutich

50 animals seized, numerous found dead in Okanogan County abuse investigation

Fifty animals were seized, and numerous other dead livestock were found on a Brewster property on Monday following animal abuse complaints.

44 minutes ago

light rail stabbing pioneer square...

MyNorthwest Staff

1 Line and 2 Line trains resume service

The 1 Line and 2 Line trains have resumed service.

2 hours ago

Little Beast Ballard...

MyNorthwest Staff

Ballard pub to end restaurant service, citing labor and food costs

Little Beast, the British pub in Ballard that drew national attention in its first year, will stop regular restaurant service at the end of 2026.

2 hours ago

schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner...

Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin Show

‘They can all come in’: Seattle schools superintendent says mergers could close 10 buildings, argues plan is about education

Seattle Public Schools could close 10 school buildings under a merger plan. Superintendent Ben Shuldiner said the goal is to improve education.

2 hours ago

Smooth viaduct closure traffic snarled by downtown Seattle protest