Seattle weekend traffic and transit: SR-99 closure, block parties, and runs

Another weekend, another whole list of things that could disrupt getting around. Some of these events might be things you’re doing, too: There are multiple block parties, and a couple of runs. Plus, there’s a big southbound State Route 99 closure happening.

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:

The Boats Afloat Show starts at Chandlers Cove in South Lake Union on Thursday and runs through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The South Lake Union Streetcar drops off right there, plus the C Line and the 70.

Thursday night, there’s a Virtual Self show at Wamu Theater from 7 to 11:45 p.m. That’s by the stadiums; Link Light Rail goes to the stadium district, as does the Seattle Streetcar and a ton of bus routes from Metro, Community Transit, and Sound Transit.

The Susan G. Komen Three-Day starts on Friday morning at 7 a.m. and runs all weekend long. It starts and ends at the Seattle Center, but loops around to the Eastside before ending back up in north Seattle and going back down. There are a lot of ways to get to the Seattle Center; the 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 13, 32, and RapidRide D all hit some point around the campus.

Noon on Friday through 7 p.m. Sunday, St. Demetrios Greek Festival, a celebration of Greek culture with food music, and drinks, is happening at at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Montlake. The 48 or the 43 will get you four (long) blocks away.

Leon Bridges plays WaMu Theater on Friday at 8 p.m. See above.

On Saturday, the Battery Block Party, part of the Seattle Design Festival, closes Battery Street between First and Second from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is an extremely well-served bus stop at Third and Bell.

Saturday, it’s Seattle Fiestas Patrias, an annual festival and parade in and around the South Park Community Center. The parade runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a health fair and community festival runs from noon to 6 p.m. Take Metro route 132 or 60 to get there.

On Sunday from 9:30 to 11 a.m., it’s the Cosmo 7K run and 5K run and walk—which was supposed to happen earlier this summer but got moved due to smoke. That runs along Alki Beach and starts and finishes near the Alki Beach Bath House; take the 37, 50, or 56 to get there. The Water Taxi will at least get you in the neighborhood.

Sports

There were going to be more Storm games this weekend, but we swept the WNBA finals so we’re just champions instead. That works. Everyone else is outta town.

Road work and bus service changes

There was supposed to be Revive I-5 work this weekend, but it was (mostly) postponed—just the Seneca Street northbound offramp will be closed all weekend—but there’s plenty to yell at the sky about, anyway.

The biggest closure is State Route 99, which will be closed entirely southbound from the Battery Street Tunnel to Spokane Street from 11:59 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

There’s a little tearing-up happening in South Lake Union, too: Mercer Street will be closed for repaving on Sunday from Eastlake to Yale from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Seattle City Light Denny substation work continues on Sunday with closures from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. between Ninth, Republican, Mercer, Boren, and Thomas.

A few other stray closures: Columbia Street is closed between First and Post and reduced to one lane between First and Third—now and through the weekend. Blanchard is closed between Seventh and Eighth through Friday. Fir Street is closed between Ninth and Broadway on Saturday for a crane removal.

As for bus reroutes: The 60 is being rerouted in South Park for the Seattle Fiestas Patrias parade on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and while a few buses are being rerouted due to the SR-99 closure, none are missing stops, but you might expect delays on the 120, 125, and C Line.

Note: We put immediate and new closures in this section, but not every single planned street closure appears here. Explore all 93 active SDOT projects, many of which involve street and lane closures, here, and the city’s construction lookahead. Here are Sound Transit rider alerts; here are King County Metro rider alerts.