Followup: No DMS traffic sign for Delridge; plus, bridge-cam update

| Delridge | Transportation | West Seattle news

Following our report on Saturday about the new Dynamic Messaging Signs that SDOT is putting up in West Seattle (and other areas of the city), commenter Aim wondered why one wasn’t going up on Delridge. We checked with SDOT to see if one was in the works for Delridge further down the line. Short answer: No – Fauntleroy, Admiral and 35th are the three where you’ll get information before you get to The Bridge. We asked SDOT why Delridge isn’t getting one. Not enough money – they had to prioritize, according to SDOT’s Marybeth Turner, and of the four main roads that carry traffic onto The Bridge, Delridge has the lowest volume. So, she says, “While Delridge would benefit from a DMS, it is not funded at this time.” Adiam Emery from SDOT’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) team says, “For the lower level roadways, we will keep all the flashing beacons that inform drivers when the swing bridge is open and operating.” Speaking of bridges, we also inquired with SDOT when the West Seattle Bridge traffic camera would be back in operation – the one that points westbound has been dead for months. Emery’s reply: “The new West Seattle Bridge camera is installed and ready to go, waiting for electrical service connection. We are coordinating with Seattle City Light to assist in any way possible to get power to the equipment. They hope to have power to the camera by the end of this month, if not before.” By the end of August, 136 traffic cameras will be in operation within the city limits, though Emery cautions they’re not all reflected on the travel-info page so far (web5.seattle.gov/travelers).

Smitty March 17, 2010 (5:14 pm)

OK, so am I the only one who thinks we should be able to change lanes *after* the top of the bridge when heading eastbound?

Am I the only one who works downtown and has three options- viaduct, 1st avenue and I-5?

There is no way to know for certain which route is moving the best until you can see the traffic flow. If you’ve committed to the viaduct you can’t “legally” change lanes. You would think the city would want cars to be directed to the “less congested/best moving route”.

Yes, I understand the bus thing, but maybe we could be allowed to change lanes, but not sit in that lane.

That Figures March 17, 2010 (5:15 pm)

I’ll keep that in mind while at a dead-stop on the bridge because drivers from Fauntleroy, Admiral, and 35th are running to the front of the NB viaduct lane and shoving their way in because they think they’ll be late. Oh, wait, they do that now…

wondering March 17, 2010 (5:24 pm)

Well, as usual I feel so important … Delridge and surrounding area always get the left overs or nothing at all. We don’t need to know if the bridge is closed, traffic jam etc. We know we aren’t important! We’ve been told enough!

Oh yeah, unless you count getting an over abundance of new apartments with no playground near by or yard to play in for the kids … it’s ok the kids can play in the street!

Thomas March 17, 2010 (5:46 pm)

Smitty,

No you are not the only one. I am frustrated by that daily!

brittany March 17, 2010 (6:05 pm)

is it really illegal to cross thru the bus lane to change lanes?

austin March 17, 2010 (6:18 pm)

Checking traffic cams before you leave the house is an easy and inexpensive way to plan your commute beforehand.

GenHillOne March 17, 2010 (6:55 pm)

“JUST TURN AROUND AND GO HOME” or “GO TAKE THE WATER TAXI” from the other article basically sums it up for me. “Traffic’s bad ahead” – um yeah, then what? Maybe I’m missing something. There aren’t THAT many alternative routes, and they won’t be any better when everyone starts reacting to the signs. About all these will do is give someone the chance to bail out if they have time to wait or get everyone on their (hands-free of course) phone to say they’re going to be late.

Smitty March 17, 2010 (7:16 pm)

@austin, but what about all the poor people who can’t afford a computer or the internet? We should be able to change lanes after the top. It would actually help more than it would hurt, imo.

Plus, the cams do not do justice to traffic “flow” as it is a snapshot.

A March 17, 2010 (7:33 pm)

“We asked SDOT why Delridge isn’t getting one. Not enough money – they had to prioritize, according to SDOT’s Marybeth Turner, and of the four main roads that carry traffic onto The Bridge, Delridge has the lowest volume.”

More like Delridge has the lowest average income so screw us. It’s been this way for years – Delridge full of potholes and massive gaping cracks that swallow bicycles, while Admiral gets an entire re-do.

Like hell it’s about the traffic volume. They’d have to prove that one by actually doing a study or two before I’ll buy it. There haven’t been traffic flow measurement tools on Delridge in years, and in light of all the new construction the population of Delridge, Pigeon Point, Highland Park and areas in between has simply exploded.

WSB March 17, 2010 (7:35 pm)

The traffic volume link in the story goes to the actual volumes, from 2006 – the map’s a little hard to read but note that east is atop the page and west at the bottom. Delridge, 35th, Admiral bridge feeders are all shown there – TR

A March 17, 2010 (7:40 pm)

Except 2006 was four years ago, before the housing boom. This is my point, though perhaps a bit crabbily made.

pigeonmom March 17, 2010 (8:40 pm)

So, I guess Delridge IS chopped liver. Humph. :-\

chas redmond March 17, 2010 (11:06 pm)

It’s just starting to get interesting…

austin March 18, 2010 (12:03 am)

@smitty: “but what about all the poor people who can’t afford a computer or the internet? ”
They’re taking the bus, and aren’t worried about switching lanes at the last second, because they planned their commute in advance.

wondering March 18, 2010 (6:17 am)

Austin … poor people rich people … buses don’t go where everybody works … 3 buses and over an hour on buses for a 7 mile ride to get where I go and an 8 block walk up hill to get to the bus stop from my house. I’m old … West Seattle doesn’t have a good bus system (anywhere) so you take the bus and I’ll drive til that works for me!!!

s March 18, 2010 (7:50 am)

Scanning through all the city cams just now, I can see that about a THIRD of them are dead, some obviously for many months. On top of not having our critical cams operable, we’ve all found outselves driving onto the Bridge many times to discover an eastbound accident – with none of the flashing yellow signs flashing to warn us to to take the lower roadway instead.

It’s quite frustrating to see the lack of care of the city/DoT workers who are responsible for making these things work. It affects so many people. I guess we’ll see if the new signs will be managed any better, undoubtedly by the same folks. We can only hope. They sure look all modern & helpful, but if nobody in the Department gives a damn… Fingers crossed.

Thomas March 18, 2010 (8:52 am)

@austin:

I was doing that actually. It was wonderful! However, there have been exactly ZERO functioning traffic cams on the bridge that show useful pictures for eastbound commuters for quite a while now (as mentioned in the article above).

sam March 18, 2010 (10:23 am)

sounds like SDOT should spend the $$$ on the traffic cams before they install these new DMS

Amanda L. March 18, 2010 (10:44 am)

Delridge doesn’t need a stinking reader board to know that there is a problem on the bridge. The street comes to a dead stop. No go = No bridge

I would rather have a paved road then fancy flashing sign anyway.

grant March 18, 2010 (1:36 pm)

Good luck to all of you living in Delridge..sorry to say, it’s always been that way and probably will always be….jus being realistic

timr March 18, 2010 (5:57 pm)

Hey, maybe they will show TV on those screens. That would be great, because once I am there I am pretty well locked into that route. Not sure the expense was worth it to tell me I am going to be stuck in traffic. Oh, that’s right I could take the lower bridge, it’s never crowded…

Donolectic March 18, 2010 (11:23 pm)

I’d also prefer to have them repave Delridge before the DMS. I know it doesn’t quite work that way, but when it comes to priorities having a street that you don’t have to play “dodge the pothole” on would be the best option.