Weekend traffic guide: Parade, construction to close state route 99

This weekend’s Seafair fun combined with construction
closures, including the State Route 99 Alaskan Way
Viaduct, could mean traffic delays and downtown reroutes
for Metro buses.

Closures on SR-99 start Saturday evening, when all
northbound lanes close between the West Seattle Bridge and
the Battery Street Tunnel for the Seafair Torchlight Run.
SR-99 lanes north of the stadiums will reopen after the
run, but the northbound lanes south of the stadiums will
remain closed until Monday morning. Crews need the time to
continue work on the second of two side-by-side bridges
that will replace the south end of the viaduct.

“To connect the two bridges we need to fill a gap that’s
about 2 feet wide and 700 feet long,” said Matt Preedy,
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program deputy
administrator for the Washington State Department of
Transportation. “We need to keep traffic off of the
northbound lanes because the vehicles cause too much
vibration for the concrete to cure properly.”

But that’s not all. On Sunday evening, crews will close
southbound SR-99 overnight starting just north of the
Battery Street Tunnel to the West Seattle Bridge to
continue reinforcing a two-block section of the viaduct
above the route of the future SR 99 tunnel.

WSDOT recommends drivers to map out routes in advance,
allow extra time and prepare for more congestion than
usual.

Seattle Dragon Boat (Race and) Festival: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Lake Union and at South Lake Union Park
900 attending
Traffic may be heavy on streets surrounding the south end
of Lake Union

Alki Art Fair: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Alki Beach Park
3,000 attending
Expect congestion in the area

The Roosevelt Bull Moose Festival: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Roosevelt Neighborhood
1,000 attending
Streets closed 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.: NE 64th Street from
Roosevelt Way NE and Ninth Avenue NE, Ninth Avenue NE from
NE 64th Street to NE 63rd Street, and NE 63rd Street from
Ninth Avenue east to the alley.

Seattle Mariners vs. Kansas City Royals: 1:10 – 4 p.m.
Safeco Field
32,000 attending
Expect congestion in the area surrounding the stadium
before and after the game.

Seafair Torchlight Run: 6:30 p.m.
Start: Seattle Center – through downtown – End: Seattle
Center
4,200 participants
5K Route: Starts at Seattle Center; south on Second
Avenue N to Denny Way; west on Denny to Fourth Avenue;
south on Fourth to Seneca Street; west on Seneca onto the
northbound lanes of the SR-99 Alaskan Way Viaduct; exit at
Western Avenue; north on Western to Broad Street; east on
Broad to Second Avenue; north on Second into the Seattle
Center.
8K route: Start at Seattle Center; south on Second Avenue
N to Denny Way; west on Denny to Fourth Avenue; south on
Fourth to S Washington Street; west on Washington to First
Avenue S; south on First to S Royal Brougham Way; west on
Royal Brougham onto northbound lanes of SR-99 viaduct;
exit at Western Avenue; north on Western to Broad Street;
east on Broad to Second Avenue; north on Second into the
Seattle Center.

NOTE: Alaskan Way Viaduct closed from 5:30 – 8 p.m.:
Between the West Seattle Bridge and the Western Avenue
off-ramp. Plan on heavy congestion in the vicinity of the parade route.

Torchlight Parade at Seafair: 7:30 p.m.
Fourth Avenue
300,000 attending
Parade staging on streets around the Seattle Center.
Streets closed along the parade route: Starts at Fourth
Avenue N and Broad Street; goes south on Fourth to S
Washington Street; parade disperses on streets south of S
Washington.
Expect heavy congestion in the downtown area.

Alki Art Fair: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Alki Beach Park
3,000 attending
Expect congestion in the area.

St. James Cathedral Parish Picnic: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Adjacent to St James Cathedral
500 attending
Streets closed from 6 a.m. – 5 p.m.: Terry Avenue
between Marion and Columbia streets
Expect congestion on surrounding streets.

Pista sa Nayon: 9a.m. – 8 p.m.
Filipino American community festival at Seward Park
10,000 attending
Expect heavy congestion in the area surrounding Seward
Park.

Seattle Mariners vs. Kansas City Royals: 1:10 – 4 p.m.

Safeco Field
20,000 attending
Plan on congestion surrounding the stadium before and
after the game.