Seattle weekend traffic: Don’t count on the Viaduct

Another weekend, another whole list of things that could disrupt getting around. Some of these events might be things you’re doing, too: The Home Show is this weekend, Imagine Dragons is coming to town, and the Huskies have a game.

Combine that with the Viaduct being closed and this could be a heck of a weekend.

We’ve combed through the alerts and advisories from both the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to deliver transit-friendly solutions for your weekend outings.

Some of this weekend’s advisories—and transit-oriented alternate routes to events—are listed below.

Sports: The Huskies game is on

The big sporting event this weekend is a UW Huskies game against the Cal Bears on Saturday at 7:45 p.m.

Fortunately, Husky Stadium is one of the few places in the U District that Link Light Rail goes directly to. Other options: Metro runs shuttle buses from the Eastgate, Federal Way, Houghton, Kingsgate, South Kirkland, and South Renton Park and Rides. Husky Stadium is also served by Metro routes 44, 45, 71, and 73.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, are down in California to play the Rams on Sunday, and the Sounders don’t have another game until next weekend.

Viaduct closure and other road work

Here’s the big one: The Viaduct is closed most of the weekend (in some stretches, all weekend) for its semiannual inspection, because it is a sickly and aging bridge. Do not plan on taking the Viaduct.

Ramps to and from Bellevue Way off Interstate 90 will also be closed from early Saturday morning through Sunday night.

The Home Show and more

The Seattle Home Show is coming to Centurylink Field Event Center from Friday morning through early Sunday evening. Link Light Rail goes to Centurylink (take your pick of the International District or Stadium stations), as does the First Hill Streetcar and a ton of bus routes from Metro, Community Transit, and Sound Transit.

Imagine Dragons play at Key Arena Friday night. Get to Key Arena directly using King County Metro routes 1, 2, 8, 32, or RapidRide D.

Saturday and Sunday, it’s Lego Brick Con at the Washington State Convention Center. Your closest Link Light Rail Stop is going to be Westlake Station, and at least for now—until the Convention Center expansion takes over—multiple buses run through the Convention Station, including Metro routes 41 74, 101, 102, 150, and 255, plus Sound Transit 550. Outside the tunnel, westbound 7, 10, 43, 47, 49, and 150 take you a block away from the Convention Center.

Saturday, a march for elephants and rhinos starts at 11 a.m. Tilikum Place in Belltown and marches down Fifth Avenue to Westlake Park. The 3, 4, and 8 go right to the starting point.

Sunday afternoon, a Double Tenth Day celebration starts in Hing Hay Park at 1:30 p.m. A parade at 2:30 heads east on King Street, south on Eighth Avenue South, west on South Weller Street, and then back to the park on Fifth Avenue South. This area is also incredibly well-served by transit—also including the light rail—but the First Hill Streetcar, along with the 7, 14, 36, and 106, will get you right there.

In case you consider Monday a part of your weekend: It’s Indigenous Peoples Day, which means a gathering at Westlake Park at 9 a.m. and a march to City Hall via Fifth Avenue at 10:25. Again, Westlake Park is one of the most transit-accessible places in the city—any bus or train that stops downtown on Pike or Pine, or that stops at the Westlake tunnel station, will get you there.

• Seattle Area Construction Lookahead [SDOT]
• Weekly update of construction closures in Northwest Region: King, Snohomish, Skagit, Island and Whatcom Counties [WSDOT]