Seattle weekend traffic and transit: Bite of Seattle, Capitol Hill Block Party, and Seafair

Another weekend, another whole list of things that could disrupt getting around. Some of these things might be things you’re doing, too—it’s Seafair season, the Capitol Hill Block Party is on, and it’s time for the Bite of Seattle once again.

Interested in not getting stuck behind the wheel? Our weekend traffic report is here for you.

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.

Weekend events: Capitol Hill Block Party, Bite of Seattle, and Seafair

The Capitol Hill Block Party starts at 3 p.m. Friday, closing off East Pike Street for a few blocks between Broadway, 12th, Union, and Pine until late Sunday night. Link Light Rail, the First Hill Streetcar, or King County Metro Routes 11, 49, and 60 will get you straight there. Traffic will be a bear anywhere around that area, no matter what your mode of transportation, as people futilely attempt to park.

Via CHBP

The Bite of Seattle is also running this weekend at Seattle Center. Transit is plentiful, depending on what side of the Center you want to get to: The 8 hits both the south and west sides of the Seattle Center. The 1, 2, 13, 32, and RapidRide D also run along the west side of the Center by the Key. The 3 or the 4, which come from Upper Queen Anne on one side and from downtown and the Central District on the other, hit the east side.

Bonus: Get between the Capitol Hill Block Party and the Bite of Seattle using Metro routes 2 or 8.

Seafair

The Seafair Powwow is going on at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center all weekend long—Friday night, then all day Saturday and Sunday. The center’s in Discovery Park; the 33 will get you there.

Seattle Bon Odori, a traditional Buddhist festival, is also wrapped into Seafair. That’s happening Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening at the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple in the ID; take the First Hill Streetcar or Metro routes 7, 9, 14, or 106 to get there.

There are also a few neighborhood Seafair parades happening, although the big Torchlight Parade isn’t until next week. Here’s what’s up:

• The West Seattle Grand Parade is on Saturday at 11 a.m., running down California Avenue from Hiawatha Community Center to and through the West Seattle Junction. Metro routes 11, 37, 50, 55, 57, 128, and RapidRide C will all get you to a point on the route (all of them go to the Junction).
• The Chinatown Seafair Parade is Sunday at 7 p.m., running down King Street to Fifth and then up Weller. So much transportation goes by the parade route; anything that goes through the tunnel, including Link Light rail and several buses, plus the First Hill Streetcar and a decent amount of surface buses.

Road work and bus service changes: I-5 reductions and Convention Place’s retirement

Overnight on Friday, I-5 will be reduced to one lane between Cherry Street and Mercer Street from 11:59 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. The Cherry Street onramp will also be closed through 6 a.m. Saturday morning.

One of the bigger things to remember for bus riders this weekend is that Friday is the last day of service for Convention Place Station, affecting Metro routes 41, 74, 101, 102, 150, and 255, plus Sound Transit Express route 550.

West Seattle Grand Parade reroutes the 22, 50, 128, DART 773, and C-line.

Note: We put immediate and new closures in this section, but not every single planned street closure appears here. Explore all 98 active SDOT projects, many of which involve street and lane closures, here. Here are Sound Transit rider alerts; here are King County Metro rider alerts.

Sports: Mariners and Sounders

The Mariners play the White Sox at home all weekend: 7:10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, then 1:10 p.m. Sunday. The Sounders have a game Saturday too—1:00 p.m. at Vanouver.

The Sounder train will be making special trips for Saturday’s Sounders game and Sunday’s Mariners game; otherwise, Link Light Rail goes to the stadiums, as does the Seattle Streetcar and a ton of bus routes from Metro, Community Transit, and Sound Transit.

The Storm are in Atlanta for Sunday’s game.