Anyone heading south of downtown Seattle the next 10 days, beware.
The Alaskan Way Viaduct will be completely closed through Oct. 30 while crews demolish large sections of the southern mile of the viaduct. They’re also scheduled to install temporary connections to a new Highway 99 bridge now
under construction on the west side of the viaduct in the Sodo district.
The closure affects the viaduct from the Battery Street tunnel to the West Seattle Bridge from 7:30 p.m. cq Friday until 5 a.m. Oct. 31.
Northbound Highway 99 between the South Royal Brougham Way on-ramp and the Battery Street tunnel will be open from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and for special events at CenturyLink Field.
The nine-day closure will set a record as the longest full closure of a Seattle-area highway, according to the state Department of Transportation. Approximately 110,000 vehicles use the viaduct each weekday. Traffic on I-5 through Seattle and on I-405 is likely to be heavier than usual during the closure.
“While we are excited to get traffic onto the new bridge, we also face a very serious challenge – keeping traffic moving through downtown Seattle for nine days without the viaduct,” said Ron Paananen, Alaskan Way Viaduct program administrator for the transportation department.
“If drivers can change the way they commute for nine days in October, they will help us keep traffic moving.”
Suggested alternatives include: carpooling, vanpooling; riding the bus, water taxi, train or light rail; working from home or adjusting work schedules; checking traffic conditions before hitting the roads; using alternate routes where possible, and delaying or combining trips.
When Highway 99 reopens, all traffic will transition into a curved bypass near South Royal Brougham Way that will connect the new Highway 99 bridge to the existing viaduct at South King Street. Drivers will need to slow down in this section, which will have a 25 mph advisory speed limit.
The bypass allows Highway 99 to remain open to traffic while crews finish replacing the southern mile and building the new $2 billion Highway 99 tunnel, scheduled to open in 2015.
For bus riders, the squeezing of cars into less space is expected to delay trips through town by about five minutes, according to Community Transit.
For buses that make several trips through Seattle, the delays could compound. Some later trips could see delays of 20 minutes or more. That is on top of any other delays caused by accidents, protests or other factors.
Community Transit recommends passengers take earlier trips. Visit Community Transit’s website to find trip planner and route schedules. Riders may also call 425-353-7433 for assistance.
As conditions change during the closure, updated rider alerts will be posted on Community Transit’s website. Riders may sign up to receive electronic alerts via email or text about routes they regularly use.
Sound Transit trains, both Sounder commuter rail and Link light rail, will not be affected by the closures. For more information about Sound Transit trains and express buses, visit the agency’s website .
For more information about the overall project, visit the state’s website .
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