Delridge District Council briefing reveals target dates for the biggest Alaskan Way Viaduct closure of all

(From the updated “interactive simulation”: Red marks the Viaduct section to be demolished during late October closure; green shows how new section will be connected to detour)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

If you are thinking about a fall vacation – October 21-31 might be an excellent time to consider. That has just been announced as the time frame WSDOT is projecting for the biggest Alaskan Way Viaduct shutdown required by the south-end replacement project, according to its director, Matt Preedy.

His Viaduct-project briefing was the biggest presentation at last night’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting, and included other new information of interest to West Seattle drivers/bus riders/etc. – such as, what is being planned to keep our area out of total gridlock during that time.

Details ahead:

DNDC is comprised of reps from community councils and other groups/ organizations around eastern West Seattle. Pigeon Point’s Pete Spalding, acting DNDC chair last night, had requested the briefing – he is one of three West Seattleites on the South Portal Working Group that’s helped WSDOT vet the WS/South Seattle side of the project. (We reported on its most recent meeting here.)

Preedy, as we have noted here before, is a West Seattleite. He opened by mentioning he’s been trying alternate commute methods – the Viaduct construction office is near the stadiums – such as the bus and Water Taxi.

And, he said, those will be indispensable during the big construction closure that will be required when the southbound side of the Viaduct south-end replacement is done in October (as announced two weeks ago) and needs to be connected to the rest of 99 so that the existing south-end mile can be torn down, facilitating construction of its northbound counterpart. “It will be a challenge to a lot of folks, including myself,” he acknowledged.

The work will require a nine-day closure – two weekends bookending a full workweek – and WSDOT has just decided they’re aiming for the closure to start late the night of Friday, October 21st, with 99 reopening by early Monday, October 31st. (The dates COULD change, Preedy cautioned.)

He revealed two other things of note about the closure plan:

-He says SDOT is hoping to have the new 1st Avenue South on/offramp for the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct (aka the eastern section of the West Seattle Bridge, between 99 and I-5) open by then, so that your options for getting to and from downtown will include that and the “currently underutilized” 4th Avenue South exit from the eastbound SSV.

-He says Metro is planning extra buses during the closure. The project team has just had its first meeting about that plan, according to Preedy – he says now that they have dates tentatively identified, they need to discuss alternate routes, timetables, etc., and whether it might be a time to have “every available bus on the street,” with the help of state “mitigation money” provided to the county for transit boosts during the Viaduct construction work. This might call for a dedicated bus corridor on First Avenue South, temporarily removing some street parking during the closure, he suggested. Spalding asked if the issue of banning “low bridge” commute-time openings for marine traffic might be reopened, if only for this time period – the US Coast Guard has twice denied requests for that – and Preedy says it’s under discussion as well.

-When 99 reopens afterward, a 200-yard section of the current south Viaduct will have been demolished as part of the connection work, so you will see an eerie sort of gap.

Once the new southbound section is connected to the rest of 99, it will carry traffic both ways until the northbound section is done – but its permanent purpose is to hold three southbound lanes, while the northbound section will hold three northbound lanes. So far, according to Preedy, the south-end crew has built 4 spans of the 9-span southbound bridge, and they’re expecting to start pouring concrete for the first section of its deck next week.

What makes the new southbound section safer than the current one? A major part of it, he explained, is out of sight – the foundation goes down 280 feet to find stable soil beneath the fill, while the current structure’s foundation only goes down 80 feet.

Another note: They’re hoping to have the dedicated bike/pedestrian trail along the south end done by the end of July, since right now it’s a patchwork of detours not particularly helpful to those who choose to travel by non-motorized means.

Also while speaking to the Delridge District Council, Preedy reminded the group that his part of the construction project does not include any part of the Central Waterfront section – aka “the proposed deep-bore tunnel.” He reiterated that the south-end mile is “designed to hook up to any of the options” that might eventually emerge (tunnel or ?) for replacing the Viaduct’s central section. And he noted once more that the final environmental-impact report on the proposed tunnel is due this summer, at which time – not taking into account the swirling court/election challenges – it would theoretically become the official plan.

Assuming it does, it is still expected to be done and opened in late 2015 (and the south section of 99 will remain two lanes each way until then). Still wondering how West Seattleites will get downtown with an exit-less tunnel? This has been explained before, but it’s a common misunderstanding, so in response to a question, Preedy explained it again: Once the work is all done, whether a tunnel is built or something else, the “new exit into downtown” from northbound 99 will be at King Street, described by Preedy as “five blocks south of (the current one at) Seneca Street.” And he again mentioned the 4th Avenue South exit from the eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct (from which you can go north toward downtown, south toward Costco, or for a few, straight ahead into the City light yard).

Another inquiry: Tunnel tolling. An “advisory group” is being commissioned, according to Preedy, so they can sort out what’s not “so high that no one would use the tunnel, but (not) so low that you won’t generate the funding to complete the project.” Its findings are due out in a year or so.

One last question: Is the nine-day closure tentatively planned for Oct. 21-31 the only one of its kind? For Preedy’s project, yes – but he said that when the tunnel (etc.) is done, it would require a similar closure to connect it to the rest of 99 … but that’s not till late 2015, assuming the current schedule holds.

P.S. The interactive timeline for the project has been updated on the WSDOT site – it starts here.

The next Delridge District Council meeting will be a joint meeting with the Southwest District Council, scheduled for 7 pm Wednesday, July 20th, at High Point Neighborhood Center.

35 Replies to "Delridge District Council briefing reveals target dates for the biggest Alaskan Way Viaduct closure of all"

  • Alex June 16, 2011 (1:05 pm)

    &%#*$!

  • Marge June 16, 2011 (1:28 pm)

    I guess I’m going to have to ride my bicycle downtown to work, year around. Wow! wait until the Hawks have a home game, add in a freight train or two, you’ll never get out of town

  • Admiral California June 16, 2011 (1:50 pm)

    Lots of good information here, but it brings up something that hampers the WSB sometimes: can you lead with the most vital information first, in classic inverted-pyramid style? Before we get to the most relevant parts of this story, we have to read who DNDC is composed of, who requested the briefing, etc.

    I really do appreciate this blog’s reporting but a little old-school journalistic writing would go a long way.

    • WSB June 16, 2011 (1:56 pm)

      Thanks for the critique. Everybody has their own take on it, but we have heard repeatedly, including in our recent survey, that a little context helps too, to frame before you get to the details … echoed in focus groups, reader/viewer surveys, dating back over my 30+ years of doing this. This actually is an inverted-pyramid story – with a graf or two of context thrown in. When I write something assuming everyone knows who everyone mentioned happens to be, people complain about that too. We’ll keep trying! – TR

  • Admiral California June 16, 2011 (1:57 pm)

    Now, on to the substance of the story: more busses aren’t going to help if Metro continues routing all the busses through the same corridors. Downtown during the evening rush hour, busses will often sit at the same stoplight through half a dozen cycles because there isn’t enough room for them to make the turns they need to make – especially on 3rd street between Stewart and Columbia. It’s infuriating.

    My commute from Admiral to South Lake Union has gotten miserable already. I can’t imagine what this mess is going to be like…

  • Maggie \'SudsyMaggie\' Sudduth June 16, 2011 (2:53 pm)

    Admiral California – why not take the water taxi? You could avoid that entire headache.

  • Mark June 16, 2011 (2:56 pm)

    the link to the simulations page is scary. there’s a lot happening around there, and it sounds like traffic will be on the “detour” path until the waterfront section is replaced by 2015.

  • sw June 16, 2011 (3:13 pm)

    One thing that would help with flow would be to keep semi trucks off the upper roadway from 7-9am. That would help reduce the bottleneck from the merge just prior to the First Ave offramp. I imagine the Port trumps WSDOT, so probably not likely.

  • Karrie June 16, 2011 (3:13 pm)

    Story much appreciated. Thanks Tracy. My neighbor has started taking the Water Taxi on her bike 2x a week and really enjoys it. I am going to join her soon, though I don’t work downtown, just to have the experience.

    For what it’s worth, I am grateful that you introduce an organization like the DNDC in your articles and explain who they are because they often get confused with the DNDA (Delridge Neighborhood Development Association) and us over at the NDNC (North Delridge Neighborhood Council). Lots of too-similar acronyms.

    Thanks for literally spelling things out for neighbors who might not know what all the letters stand for. I am happy to skim through a paragraph if I already know the context.

  • Maxie June 16, 2011 (3:25 pm)

    Well…..okay, we will deal with it whether we want to or not. I understand that we are moving forward with at least something to replace the viaduct, but I don’t understand why there still isn’t a plan on what to do. I see projects like the light rail to the airport and the big bore tunnel that is going through by Sound Transit, and I think…Geeez…uh…why don’t we give the project to them. I mean they say they are going to bore a tunnel from Capital Hill to Westlake Station in 15 to 18 months. 15 to 18 months!!! That’s a heck of a lot better then 8 years and….where did they get the money? Did they get it from me? I don’t know. I do know that when the state over runs the budget on their tunnel project, which they most certainly will, they will threaten to cut police, firefighters, and school lunches to get me to pay the difference. Can’t wait.
    In a related story, there was a 5.2 earthquake in Alaska this morning……and the Viaduct has big clamps and bolts and all thread to hold it together. Hmmmmm…
    And don’t watch the “History Channel – Inspector in America Series” episode of said Seattle Viaduct and the Southpark Bridge. You will be taking I-5 every time, traffic and all.

  • Recall McGinn June 16, 2011 (4:25 pm)

    I believe that we need to move forward and complete the project sooner rather than later, but this time frame falls right during the World Series.

    Traffic and parking will be a nightmare. I will be taking the water taxi to the Series.

  • WS commuter June 16, 2011 (4:46 pm)

    Maxie – please get your facts straight. The DBT will NOT take 8 years (not even sure what you think will take 8 years). The actual boring will be about the same amount of time that the Sound Transit bore through Cap. Hill will take.

    In truth, there IS a plan for what to do and its already being built – its just that the fool we elected mayor is trying his darndest to stop the plan so we can all ride bikes and buses.

    You are correct that the existing viaduct is seismically vulnerable. That’s why it has to come down.

  • SaraJ June 16, 2011 (5:22 pm)

    Can I ask why they want the new downtown exit off 99 to be on KING St!? I like where it is on Senaca… it’s halfway between Pioneer Square (especially nice for games) and Belltown/Showbox/Pike Place. If it’s all the way on King, are they going to widen 1st Ave. going northbound so it’s not just 1 lane? (People are commonly parked along the curb in the RH lane so there’s only 1 drive-able lane).

    Also, around gametimes, won’t this make the King St. exit a complete nightmare? Not to mention will it back up everything on 99-N? Scary.

  • Maxie June 16, 2011 (6:19 pm)

    Yes I agree, our mayor is a fool in this case. And it is true, I am somewhat of a pessimist. I know that the “estimated” completion is 2016, but when I look at the time line on WSDOT, that this all started in 2001 (with the quake), that there are still environmental unknowns, that 2009 was when all this was signed on, and all the quarreling over tolls and such, and is this going to turn into a “Boston Big Dig”? Stuff like this is what led to my 8 year prediction. Sorry, Don’t yell at me.

  • PSPS June 16, 2011 (6:35 pm)

    @ WS commuter: Yes, the existing viaduct is seismically vulnerable. But, no, it doesn’t “have to come down.” A seismic retrofit is both possible and costs a fraction of any serious alternative (i.e., the ‘surface street’ option can’t be taken seriously.) The right wallets won’t get fattened with the retrofit option, though. So it’s been moved “off the table.”

  • Pete June 16, 2011 (7:39 pm)

    @PSPS the seismic retrofit cost is equivalent to what is planne dnow. AND to do the retrofit we would see long stretches of tiem whent he viaduct would have to be closed. There are several sections of the viaduct that are in such bad shape that they would have to be totally replaced. For these and numerous other reasons the rebuild is not feasible.
    @SaraJ the new exit off of 99 into downtown is 5 blocks south of where the Seneca exit is now.

  • JN June 16, 2011 (9:45 pm)

    Please don’t associate your ill feelings toward the mayor with bicycling. It is a great option for a lot of people, and given a fair shake (with funding for proper infrastructure just like cars receive), it would easily be the preferred option for MOST, not all, trips. Just because it is becoming slightly more difficult to drive doesn’t mean the big bad mayor is trying to get you, it just means that the balance of transportation is evening out.

  • dsa June 17, 2011 (1:39 am)

    Reading the WSDOT graphic, the southbound offramp majically becomes two lanes at that time too as it will have to handle all the through southbound traffic. I did not see construction widening on the existing upper end of it. From memory it seems too narrow for two lanes, but maybe not.

  • redblack June 17, 2011 (6:26 am)

    ws commuter: no DBT is not already being built. (as the story above has noted, the EIS for the deep bore tunnel is due out later this summer.) please get your facts straight.
    .
    this project only replaces the south end, which may connect to the DBT south portal.
    .
    or a lidded trench.
    .
    or a new elevated structure.
    .
    or a new surface highway.
    .
    or the street grid.
    .
    once you get your facts straight, maybe you can tell me exactly how mike mcginn has in any way impeded the DBT being shoved up seattle’s backside. i wish he could stop it.
    .
    “the mayor hates cars, socialism, mcschwinn, blah blah blah.”
    .
    maxie: if it’s the final plan, at 58 feet wide, the DBT for highway 99 through downtown will be the second-biggest bored tunnel to be attempted anywhere in the world. that’s why it will take about 2 years to bore, plus time to connect to the street grid.
    .
    in contrast, the north-end light rail tunnel is much smaller and is being bored through more stable soil.

  • I Wonder June 17, 2011 (8:19 am)

    That Seahawks game (if NFL plays) Oct.30 should be a doozy.

  • Westie June 17, 2011 (8:28 am)

    @JN – Are bikers paying for the bike lanes and all the road improvements to accommodate bikes? If I pay tabs to go towards roads shouldn’t bikers be required to pay for their associated road improvements? I’m fine with making way for bikes, but I don’t want to pay for something that does not apply to me.
    On a separate note, “Dump the Pump” day implies that this day is for people who normally drive to try public transit. Coffee & pastries are NOT going to make me “Dump the Pump”. I feel like the treats were just for people that already uses alternate travel. Who paid for that? Me, I suppose.
    @Recall McGinn – When is “Dump the Chump” day?

  • M_ June 17, 2011 (9:41 am)

    When I look at the end result in 2013 my first thought is “what’s the point of this project again?”

    • WSB June 17, 2011 (9:55 am)

      WSDOT says it’s pretty simple: Building a highway that won’t come down in an earthquake. The state says the current Viaduct is unsafe. As noted in our story, its foundation goes down 80 feet into fill (that whole area was tideflat). The new foundation goes down 280, anchoring it in supposedly stabler soil. – TR

  • austin June 17, 2011 (10:11 am)

    The chicken little gasoline addicts continue to provide an endless source of entertainment..
    .
    The car drivers who think that they alone pay for all infrastructure are particularly humorous.

  • cstar June 17, 2011 (10:39 am)

    Thanks for the context and comprehensive story, TR. I am trying to stay informed with this project but sifting through all the plans & projections is exhausting. I appreciate you breaking it down.

    The “eerie sort of gap” should be interesting…

    I live & run my business in West Seattle so the closure doesn’t effect me as much as most. Still, I think I’ll look at flights to Hawaii late October to get away from all the griping. Thanks for the heads up! I’ll be reading WSB from the beach.

  • Bruce June 17, 2011 (11:09 am)

    No, let’s not rebuild this cacophonous eyesore of a viaduct. Downtown exists for people who live and work here, not for West Seattleites to drive by really fast.

  • Dizzle June 17, 2011 (12:41 pm)

    “YAWN”- I pay tab fees, so bikers should pay bike lane fees! You should do some research on where the fees are actually going towards. And if more people rode their bikes instead of driving, the roads would need less maintenance and your precious registrations may go down (in theory).

    -Take the water taxi, ride a bike, move our of WS, use the buses or walk….plenty of options!

    • WSB June 17, 2011 (12:46 pm)

      Don’t have time for a lot of detailed links but it also has been pointed out in numerous repeated iterations of the “bikers don’t pay license tabs so don’t pay for the roads” contention – There are other ways in which EVERYBODY is taxed. If you are a property owner who bikes, you may pay more than a renter who drives, for example, as levy money has paid for some of the work (Bridging the Gap, for example). – TR

  • JN June 17, 2011 (1:35 pm)

    @Westie, I’m sorry if you are still ignorant of the fact that tabs and such do NOT pay for the roads. Property tax is what mainly pays for building and repairing roads. So, if you wanted to institute some NEW tax that would directly tax people for the damage they inflict on our roads, a motorist would be paying thousands of dollars a year, and a cyclist would pay at most maybe a dollar or so. If I got some lanes for that, I would gladly pay the two bucks!

  • WS commuter June 17, 2011 (3:31 pm)

    Maxie – point taken, although there are significant differences with the Big Dig and this project. I toured the Big Dig while it was near completion and one understands that the administrative and political dynamics drove costs on that project in ways and degrees that never happen out here – not to say that we don’t have problems, but WSDOT is actually a pretty effective manager of its projects for the most part.

    Redblack – forgive my imprecision. You are technically correct that no actual construction of the three central elements (north portal, south portal and tunnel) has begun yet. But the preparatory elements of the DBT are actually already in motion. Deal with it.

    And for those who think we can simply repair the existing viaduct … no we can’t to any level of acceptible seismic risk.

  • Rob Walker June 17, 2011 (8:40 pm)

    The problem with the tunnel plan is that it is as flawed as the plan that put the convention center over I5 and created the mess we see every day. Also there should have been a light rail link between west Seattle and down town before any viaduct construction began. Thery are spending billions on this project when we can not aford to maintain the roads we have. This is a tunnel for the wealthy property owners down town not the people of this city.

  • NinjaRider June 17, 2011 (8:47 pm)

    @sw – If semi’s are on the upper roadway, it’s pretty unlikely they’re going to the port. Only Terminal 46 is accessible from First Ave S; T-5 is in West Seattle proper, T-10 and T-18 are on Harbor Island, and T-30 is off East Marginal, all of which require using the lower roadways to get to. The wee bitty terminals are all on East or West Marginal, also inaccessible from the eastbound upper span. Now, *Westbound*, the best way onto Harbor Island is the upper roadway to the 11th Ave exit, but that won’t affect our morning commute.

    I agree that banning TT’s eastbound on the upper span during morning hours might help… I also think keeping the lower roadway open during same would help a lot. Or at least developing some kind of vessel warning system… the terminal HAS to know when the ships are going to move; the least they could do is tell us.

    Actually, I *may* have an inside track on that. Watch this space…

  • redblack June 18, 2011 (8:16 am)

    ws commuter: forgiven. the problem is largely your flippant and dismissive tone, though. like, “deal with it.”
    .
    what “preparatory elements” are you referring to? the EIS? buying 619 western? buying politicians? what – exactly – are you referring to?
    .
    i’m hoping the EIS shows some major flaw in this plan. soil stability, fault lines, interference with the BNSF tunnel, etc.
    .
    rob walker: spot on. the monorail would be 2 years old this year. and the folks who axed it for good are the same people pushing DBT through.
    .
    hey, who needs government? the cascadia foundation can make all of our important regional transportation decisions for us.

  • redblack June 18, 2011 (8:32 am)

    anyway, back to the story, WSDOT’s web site says that once the first section comes down and the detour is in place, the speed limit on 99 between king and holgate will be 25 mph.
    .
    october 31 is when the gridlock really begins, whether they begin “the big bore” or not.
    .
    and presumably the speed limit will go back up once the new north- and southbound lanes are complete in late 2013. but the skinny detour ramps around qwest field leading to the still-standing central waterfront section will be a choke point until the entirety of the viaduct is demolished.

  • RD Cox June 29, 2011 (6:10 pm)

    I lived in Seattle for 30 yrs and left 15 yrs ago. I drove a semi and my yard was just east of the Kingdome. When they had a game there I had to drop my trailer down next to the waterfront because all of the cars were parked in my lot,across the drive and in the street. No way I ccould get to my lot. I could’nt even get tow co.s to come get cars out of my way because they could’nt get out of thier own lots. What this new project looks like is this, A brand new parking lot next to the RR tracks and across the tracks from a container yard so that shipping won’t be interupted and all you people bitchin will still be able to get your product on time instead of 2 days late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, comment time is over.