WA: Seattle I-5 closure: Avoid traffic by taking public transit, officials say

The first weekdays of this summer's roadwork on the northbound Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge brought the commute through Seattle to a crawl.

It took upward of 80 minutes to go southbound from Lynnwood to Seattle via I-5 Monday morning, according to a real-time traffic estimate from the Washington State Department of Transportation. Tuesday morning's commute was better, but just a little bit, with heavy traffic still on southbound I-5.

“When I finally made it to my offramp, I had a nice therapeutic scream,” said Lizzy Canarie of her commute from Seattle's Lake City neighborhood to Eastlake. The drive normally takes 15 to 20 minutes, but on Monday it took an hour.

“I’m going to take the bus, Canarie said. The ride will take 40 minutes to an hour, she estimated. But if it's going to take that long, "I might as well be able to read a book," she said.

Seattle streets such as 23rd Avenue, Denny Way and Fremont Avenue also saw more noticeable slowdowns, said Seattle Department of Transportation spokesperson Mariam Ali.

As commuters grapple with the monthlong construction that has reduced northbound I-5 to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge and shifted express lanes to run northbound all day, they are frustrated but finding ways to adapt, such as considering using public transit or even biking.

And officials say that's the way to go to avoid bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-5, as construction and closures for a necessary concrete repave carry on through mid-August. Public transit agencies' officials said traffic volumes on the interstate and throughout Seattle turned out as expected, and that there were no adjustments to their services that needed to be made.

The Seattle Times asked commuters and drivers to share their traffic stories. Dozens responded, with some such as Canarie telling tales of doubled travel times behind the wheel and others sharing their relief of not sitting in traffic as they used public transit or bikes.

"Many were surprised by how nice it is to take the train!" said Zing Uttam, who was traveling from the University District to Pioneer Square on Monday and always takes public transit.

Another reader, Anthony Avery, who bikes through West Seattle, said his commute was unchanged as he has "made the intentional decision to not be held hostage inside a two-ton metal cage for hours of my day."

Traffic on the interstate remained "somewhat manageable" because commuters opted for public transportation, alternative driving routes and delayed their trips to less busy times, said WSDOT spokesperson Tom Pearce.

“Remember that mass transit is your friend and that especially with limited capacity, it's not that you're stuck in traffic. We all are the traffic,” said Henry Bendon, spokesperson for Sound Transit.

Trains might not be as fast as driving, but they are routine and reliable, and offer a great alternative to commuting on the road, Bendon said. When the interstate backs up, it's going to be a lot less stressful, it's going to be a lot more comfortable” to take the trains.

The train has exclusive right of way, comes every eight minutes and is designed to hold 800 people but can load up to 1,200 if need be, he added. Those using public transit could get up to $25 in free fare at flipyourtrip.org.

Park-and-rides have been filling up by 8:30 a.m. regardless of construction traffic, so Bendon advised commuters to heavily consider bus-to-train transit if they go to work in the late morning or afternoon.

Pearce advised those still driving to pay attention to traffic conditions and updates on the department's website.

Through Aug. 15, commuters can plan out the most time-effective trip through Commute Seattle’s new Commuter Hotline by calling 206-613-3132 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Commuter Hotline has taken a dozen calls over the first weekend of traffic, which had shut down the entire northbound I-5 Ship Canal Bridge, and expects the volume to rise as closures continue throughout the summer, said Alex Hudson, executive director of Commute Seattle.

Travel coaches through the hotline will help commuters map their transit itineraries, pinpoint park-and-ride or vanpool options, plan safe bike routes, and recommend trip planning tools like OneBusAway, Google Maps, Metro Trip Planner and more.

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