Last week we found out WSDOT and Seattle Tunnel Partners were going to need to close the Alaskan Way viaduct for two weeks while Bertha dug underneath. Friday they announced that the official start date for that two-week closure will be April 29.
Drivers and transit users, pay heed: there are 14 days to get ready for a closure of the State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct through downtown Seattle. Starting Friday, April 29, the Washington State Department of Transportation will close the viaduct between South Spokane Street and the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel.
90,000 vehicles use the viaduct every day and the closure is expected to have "a significant effect on the region’s commute."
"When we closed the viaduct for nine days in 2011, we saw significant congestion on Seattle city streets and nearby highways," said David Sowers, deputy administrator of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program. "We’ll do everything we can to ease congestion, but unfortunately there’s no way to close a major highway without disrupting traffic."
WSDOT highly suggests that commuters use this time to try out any kind of public transportation option that's available to them. They also will employ some tactics that include adding buses to routes, police keeping traffic moving, and more water taxis.
· Alaskan Way Viaduct to close April 29 for two weeks for tunnel boring [PSBJ]
· Get Ready For A Two-Week Alaskan Way Viaduct Closure [CS]