Please note: this blog has been updated as more information became available and crews worked to safely reopen key roadways and travel routes following the recent windstorm event.
Last updated: 10:25 a.m. on Wednesday, October 27, 2021.
UPDATE: The South Park Bridge and E Marginal Way S have been fully reopened and both routes are now safe to drive on. The South Park Bridge was reopened as of 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, October 26, and E Marginal Way S was reopened earlier this morning (Wednesday, October 27), shortly after 8:30 a.m., following ongoing coordination between us, Seattle City Light, and Tukwila Public Works to respond to fallen utility poles, power lines, and trees.
Resources to stay informed:
- SDOT Travel Map and Live Cameras: Our Travelers Map shows the latest street and bridge closure status, and shares camera feeds to monitor live conditions. The map is available at https://web6.seattle.gov/travelers.
- Real-time updates on Twitter: Follow@SDOTTraffic for the latest updates on local street closures, @WSDOT_Traffic for updates about highways and freeways, @SEACityLight for updates about power outages and downed power lines, and @KCMetroBus for transit updates.
- Transit Updates: King County Metro is keeping riders informed of transit impacts by sending emails and text messages to route subscribers, and posting updates on Twitter.
- Power Outages: Seattle City Light (SCL) crews have been working at all hours to restore power to customers and respond to over 100 events. This interactive map gives the latest updates on power outages.
- Seattle City Light Blog: You can also read more about Seattle City Light’s work in the field in this SCL Powerlines blog post.
Key locations to be aware of:
South Park Bridge and E Marginal Way S (both now open to traffic):
- E Marginal Way S was reopened to the public shortly after 8:30 a.m. this morning (Wednesday, October 27), following ongoing coordination between us, Seattle City Light, and Tukwila Public Works to respond to fallen utility poles, power lines, and trees.
- E Marginal Way S was closed southeast of 16th Ave S on the afternoon of Sunday, October 24 after severe winds knocked down 15 utility poles and connected power lines. This also resulted in a 48+ hour closure of the South Park Bridge, which can only be accessed from E Marginal Way S.
- Crews finished clearing a safe path to reopen the South Park Bridge at approximately 3:45 p.m. yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, October 26). However, it was necessary to keep the remaining section of E Marginal Way S southeast of 16th Ave S closed overnight as City of Seattle and Tukwila crews continued to work together to repair damaged traffic signal equipment in Tukwila.
- Both routes are now open and safe to drive on.
- Crews from both cities will continue to work together to restore permanent power connections to some traffic signals which are currently running on temporary generators. Drivers, please continue to be careful and give crew members plenty of space to work safely.
Streets now re-opened to traffic:
- Ravenna Ave NE, at NE 73rd St (in Northeast Seattle)
- Lakeview Blvd E, at E Highland Dr (in North Capitol Hill)
General reminders if you encounter an intersection where the traffic signal light is not working:
- In general, if you reach an intersection where the traffic signal isn’t working, please treat it like an all-way stop. Come to a full stop and take turns going through the intersection.
- Please travel slowly and remain aware of your surroundings and other vehicles on the road, as well as any people walking, biking, or rolling nearby, to help ensure everyone’s safety.
Seattle City Light and SDOT crews have been working continuously to respond to this major windstorm event. Safety is the top priority, as well as reopening streets when safe to do so. We thank our crews for working through challenging weather conditions to clear these potential hazards and help ensure safety for the traveling public.
We have received more than 180 reports from the public, and are working to verify current conditions at other locations throughout the City. To report roadway damage or debris in your area, please let us know via the Find It, Fix It mobile app, call 206-684-ROAD (7623), or email 684-Road@seattle.gov.
This major windstorm event impacted power to approximately 44,000 customers. The last few outages from Sunday were restored yesterday (Tuesday, October 26).
