New Year’s resolution: Plan for Alaskan Way Viaduct closure and beyond

New videos available to help navigate when the new SR 99 tunnel opens

January 4, 2019 11:30 am
New Year’s resolution: Plan for Alaskan Way Viaduct closure and beyond

From WSDOT:

The start of the new year signals dramatic changes ahead for Seattle drivers and commuters. On Jan. 11, 2019, the Alaskan Way Viaduct permanently closes to start three weeks of work needed to open the new State Route 99 tunnel.

When the new SR 99 tunnel opens in early February, getting to and from Seattle via SR 99 will be a very different experience than it is today.

The tunnel is a direct, 2-mile trip underneath downtown Seattle. Tunnel entrances and exits, near Seattle’s Space Needle to the north and the stadiums to the south, work differently than the entrances and exits on the viaduct.

The Washington State Department of Transportation produced four new videos to help drivers navigate the changes the new tunnel brings. The videos show:

The tunnel will be free to use when it first opens, with tolling starting no earlier than summer 2019. After the tunnel opens, it could take weeks or months for traffic patterns to settle down as drivers try different routes to and from their destinations.

Countdown to the viaduct closure

  • At 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4, the SR 99 on-and-off-ramps close near the stadiums. An estimated 23,000 vehicles/day use those ramps.
  • At 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, the Alaskan Way Viaduct closes between South Spokane Street and the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel. An estimated 90,000 vehicles/day use the viaduct.
  • Jan. 11 to early February: Three weeks of intensive construction work to #realign99 into the new SR 99 tunnel. During this time, both the viaduct and the tunnel will be closed.

After the new tunnel opens in early February, it will take up to two additional weeks to complete a new northbound off-ramp into downtown Seattle – creating traffic disruptions for up to six weeks.

Make a plan. Now.

The three week closure of SR 99 through Seattle will be the longest planned highway closure the Puget Sound region has ever experienced. History shows traffic congestion worsens considerably during a viaduct closure – no matter what roads are traveled.

This is why regional transportation agencies are asking everyone to make a plan to get around differently during the 3-week viaduct closure – whether changing commute times, carpooling, taking transit, or even working from home if possible.

Resources and ideas are available including the WSDOT app, King County Metro’s Get Ready page and the Seattle Department of Transportation’s new traffic website.