Last Viadoom commute marred by rain, heavy traffic

Feb 1, 2019, 6:54 AM | Updated: 5:57 pm

(AP)

MyNorthwest.com

The Friday morning commute almost went well over the final day of Viadoom, until a sudden power outage snarled traffic in a commonly underused route into Seattle.

The power outage turned off traffic lights throughout Rainier Valley. MLK Jr. Way runs through this area and is a route that KIRO Radio Traffic Reporter Chris Sullivan commonly advises drivers to take to avoid the crawl on northbound I-5 into the city. But on Friday, Sullivan told drivers to stay away.

The darkened traffic lights were slowing things down. Sullivan said that taking surface streets west of I-5, such as Airport Way, were a much better options despite being slow.

It’s been about three weeks since the closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and Seattle-area commuters have gone without an alternative route. The tunnel to replace the viaduct is scheduled to open on Monday.

The following are updates on the final Viadoom commute, including reports from KIRO Radio Traffic Reporters Tracy Taylor and Chris Sullivan.

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5:45 p.m.

That’s a wrap on Viadoom commutes! Stay tuned Monday for updates on the opening of the new SR 99 tunnel.

Seattle! Thank U for shifting trips,🚶‍♀️🚶🚲🚌🚇⛴🛸, working from home, etc. We’d love to hear from you about how you’ve changed your commute. Tag us on Twitter (@seattledot) & share your stories/pics & hashtags: #MyCommuteIsAwesome #SeattleSqueeze.https://t.co/La6NQwNOyM pic.twitter.com/RMwIc8UU70

— seattledot (@seattledot) January 17, 2019

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5:30 p.m.

Transit Alert – Expect delays on bus service traveling along S Jackson St near Rainier Av S due to a blockage.

— King County Metro🚏🚎⛴ (@kcmetrobus) February 2, 2019

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5:05 p.m.

Current traffic conditions (5 PM):
🔴Heavy NB/SB on I-5 to downtown 🔴Heavy EB West Seattle Bridge to I-5
🔴Heavy EB Mercer St to I-5
🔴Heavy EB Denny Way btwn I-5 & 4th Ave
🔴Heavy SB 1st Ave S in SODO
🔶Moderate SB SR 99 to Denny Way
🔴Heavy on major roads downtown

— seattledot (@seattledot) February 2, 2019

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5:00 p.m.

KEEP 👏 IT 👏 UP

There will be an adjustment period as drivers get used to the new route through Seattle. Stay engaged here on Twitter and with our mobile app https://t.co/PNpEGiwpnt! https://t.co/8Qbpo0HN3o

— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) February 2, 2019

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4:30 p.m.

Yep, it's already getting tough out there. Please take it slow on tonight's commute as we face heavy traffic and rainy weather. If you can, take transit or other forms of transportation or delay your travel times. Hang in there on the final evening commute of #Realign99! https://t.co/dpHyIZyXS3

— seattledot (@seattledot) February 2, 2019

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4:05 p.m.

Heads up #Lakewood: Semi blocking access into Tillicum via Berkeley Street. Use Thorne Lane exits from I-5. Expect delays. https://t.co/fR8IoU2nHx pic.twitter.com/4uvIeaGVrR

— WSDOT Tacoma Traffic (@wsdot_tacoma) February 1, 2019

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3:40 p.m.

Drivers going through & around Colman Dock there will be 2 closures near the terminal on Sat.
5 – 11a All SB lanes of 1st Ave S. closed btwn Royal Brougham and Columbia St. All ferry traffic use WB Madison St to get to Alaskan Way.
4a-8p Alaskan Way closed just south of S King St

— TracyTaylorTraffic (@TracyTTraffic) February 1, 2019

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3:30 p.m.

I'll be real with you: this commute is ugly. Check out travel times! ➡️ https://t.co/kOpKtlMgAq
Rain and collisions are causing major slowdowns on I-5 through Seattle and I-405 between Bellevue and Renton. It's got me thinking about how that Christmas Eve traffic map looked… pic.twitter.com/C07LmRn95D

— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) February 1, 2019

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3:00 p.m.

It’s time for the final commute of Viadoom! Stay tuned for updates through the final hours.

guys.. it's ugly out there.. Rain, wrecks and sloooooow traffic. Guess we are really ending the week with a bang. Don't mind me.. I'm all wound up on #coffee
Traffic every 10 min on the 3's on the @CandyMikeTodd show on @KIRORadio #viadoom #SeattleSqueeze pic.twitter.com/oJPZzbBhyB

— TracyTaylorTraffic (@TracyTTraffic) February 1, 2019

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10 a.m.

#SeattleSqueeze Alert: More changes to Seattle’s streets starting tonight. Battery St Tunnel closes tonight @ 10pm. Then, just 3 days left till SR 99 tunnel opens Mon. There’ll be new parking & lane changes too. Learn more: https://t.co/UZWIqRw6nk #realign99 @wsdot_traffic

— seattledot (@seattledot) February 1, 2019

9:05 a.m.

Current Traffic Conditions (9 AM):
🔴Heavy NB/SB I-5 into Downtown
🔴Heavy EB W Seattle Bridge
🔴Heavy SB SR 99 into Downtown
🔴Heavy on Mercer St
🔴Heavy NB 1st Ave S in SODO
🔶Moderate NB 4th Ave S in SODO
🔶Moderate NB 1st Ave Bridge
🔶Moderate major roads Downtown

— seattledot (@seattledot) February 1, 2019

9 a.m.

Northbound I-5 is a crush from the middle of Boeing Field into downtown Seattle. It’s a 42 minute drive from Southcenter into downtown.

The West Seattle Bridge feeding into I-5 is backed up to 35th Avenue. There are related backups on Admiral Way, too.

It’s an hour to drive southbound I-5 from Everett to Seattle.

Link reporting no significant delays from the power outage. Taking extra caution through impacted area.

— Sound Transit – 🚆 🚈 🚍 (@SoundTransit) February 1, 2019

8:30 a.m.

A crash is partially blocking the right lane of NB I-5 at the Madison exit right now in #Seattle. There is a bit of extra slowing in this area as vehicles slow to merge around it. pic.twitter.com/dDw2he9gSk

— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) February 1, 2019

8:10 a.m.

This @SEACityLight outage in Rainier Valley is destroying the drive on surface streets. Dark intersections. Long delays.

— KIRO Radio Traffic (@KIROTraffic) February 1, 2019

8:05 a.m.

A power outage in Rainier Valley is having significant impacts on the roads in that area. Traffic signals are out. If you’re going to ditch I-5 near Boeing Field, Sullivan recommends using surface streets west of I-5, and avoiding MLK to the east of I-5.

Current Traffic Conditions (8 AM):
🔴Heavy NB/SB I-5 into Downtown
🔴Heavy EB W Seattle Bridge
🔴Heavy SB SR 99 into Downtown
🔴Heavy Mercer St
🔴Heavy NB 1st/4th Ave S in SODO
🔶Moderate NB 1st Ave Bridge
🔶Moderate major roads Downtown

— seattledot (@seattledot) February 1, 2019

7:50 a.m.

And that’s $10 in the ETL

— KIRO Radio Traffic (@KIROTraffic) February 1, 2019

7:40 a.m.

It’s about an hour to drive on I-5 from Everett to Seattle.

The West Seattle Bridge over to I-5 and into Seattle is a crawl and backed up to Delridge.

It’s 42 minutes to drive north from Southcenter into downtown Seattle.

Northbound I-405 is slow. It’s 45 minutes from Renton to Bellevue.

.@SEACityLight is reporting a large power outage is the South Seattle area. Please remember to treat dark signals as all-way stops. pic.twitter.com/ja4LPpK9S0

— SDOT Traffic (@SDOTtraffic) February 1, 2019

7:20 a.m.

Current Traffic Conditions (7 AM):
🔴Heavy NB/SB I-5 into Downtown
🔴Heavy Mercer St
🔴Heavy NB 1st/4th Ave S in SODO
🔶Moderate EB W Seattle Bridge
🔶Moderate NB 1st Ave Bridge
✅Light NB/SB SR 99 north of Downtown
✅Light major roads Downtown

— seattledot (@seattledot) February 1, 2019

7 a.m.

A freight train is blocking surface streets in SoDo near 1st Avenue.

Standard heavy spots are filling in on this first February commute. Roads are wet in most areas too so give yourself extra time to get where you need to go.
Check all #TravelTimes: https://t.co/zEoEuUhJPw
Federal Way➡️SEA = 52 mins, 39 HOV
Everett➡️Bellevue = 29 mins, 29 HOV/ETL pic.twitter.com/wQPEWuKxNm

— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) February 1, 2019

6:45 a.m.

“The rain is contributing to heavy slowing at this point, especially on the I-5 northbound corridor with all the early commuters,” Sullivan said. “We are looking at a 6.5 mile backup now starting at the south end of Boeing Field, all the way into downtown. It’s 35 minutes from Southcenter into downtown.”

“The West Seattle Bridge is also backed up from before Delridge,” he said. “Now is a pretty good time to avoid some of this if you can. Eject from I-5 at Boeing Access Road. Airport Road is still a pretty decent option; it’ snot completely slowed down at Lucile yet, but the window for that is closing. MLK is great all the way in. SoDo surface streets are also doing OK.”

The southbound commute is about 50 minutes from Everett to Bellevue or Seattle.

6:30 a.m.

There are some wet roads out there so consider getting your commute started a bit early so you can slow speeds and increasing following distance.
Check your #TravelTimes here https://t.co/zEoEuUhJPw and check cameras along your route via the WSDOT app. pic.twitter.com/u2Mx11WsnW

— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) February 1, 2019

6:05 a.m.

Current Traffic Conditions (6 AM):
🔴Heavy NB I-5 to Downtown
🔶Moderate SB I-5 to Downtown
🔶Moderate EB W Seattle Bridge
✅Light NB/SB SR 99 north of Downtown
✅Light Mercer St
✅Light NB 1st/4th Ave S in SODO
✅Light NB 1st Ave Bridge
✅Light major roads Downtown

— seattledot (@seattledot) February 1, 2019

5:30 a.m.