People biking in West Seattle. Photo: SDOT Please note – You can click any of the drop-down links to go directly to a specific topic:
- Day In Day Out Festival
- Madaraka Festival
- Othello Park International Festival
- Alki Beach Pride
- Home soccer games
- Construction snapshot
- Transit and trip planning resources
Happy mid-August, Seattle! The summer is flying by, but there are still plenty of chances to get out and enjoy everything the city has to offer. This week we’re highlighting some festivals that celebrate the rich diversity of Seattle’s communities.
Continuing the rest of the summer is WSDOT’s Revive I-5 work, which will begin closing lanes again Friday night. We have project work taking place over the weekend as well. We encourage you to consider riding transit such as the Link light rail, the bus, or the West Seattle Water Taxi to reach your destinations. Riding a bike or scooter share is also a great option. Choosing transportation other than a car is a great way to lessen traffic and make travel easier for everyone.
Read on for more tips to get around this weekend!
Community Celebrations and Events
Day In Day Out Festival
Beginning around 4 p.m. today (Friday, August 12), the Day In Day Out Festival will bring star music acts like Mitski, Mac DeMarco, and the National to Seattle Center for a weekend of sure-to-be-stellar performances. Shows will take place at Fisher Green Pavilion through 11 p.m. on Sunday, August 14. Food trucks and other food and drink vendors will also be available for the duration of the festival.
With a little planning ahead, Seattle Center is easy to access by transit. Travelers can take the Link light rail to Westlake station and connect to Seattle Center via the Monorail. Also check out King County Metro bus routes 8, 32, and the RapidRide D Line.
Madaraka Festival
The eighth annual Madaraka Festival, a celebration of the music, art, food, and culture of the African diaspora, kicks off at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 13 and runs through Sunday, August 14. The festival draws thousands of people and features African artists with a global reach. Performances, vendors, and more will be set up at Pier 62 at Waterfront Park (located at 1951 Alaskan Way).
While there are two parking garages near the event, expect them to fill up quickly, and consider taking transit to the festival. Many bus routes serve the downtown area, as does the King County Water Taxi; alternatively, the waterfront is a short walk from three Link light rail stations (Westlake, University Street, and Pioneer Square).
Othello Park International Festival
On Sunday, August 14 from 12 to 6 p.m., the Othello Park International Festival will feature a jam-packed roster of live music, dance, games, food, shopping, and more at the Othello Playground. This family-friendly event is sure to be a fun celebration of summer, diverse cultures, and community, and is free for the public to attend.
A friendly note that our SDOT team will be present with a booth alongside other City staff. Please swing by to talk to us about transportation and other related topics—we’d love to chat with you!
If you’re interested in taking transit, Othello Playground is just one block from the Othello light rail station. Metro bus routes 36 and 50 are also good options.
Alki Beach Pride
Now in its eighth year, Alki Beach Pride will be a fun community event celebrating Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community. The celebration features drag shows, live music, a parade, beach yoga, and more, and restaurants and businesses all along Alki Ave SW participate.
The dates and times of the event are:
- Saturday, August 13, 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
- Sunday, August 14, 1 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Because parking on Alki Ave SW is limited, organizers encourage attendees to consider other forms of transportation. Taking the West Seattle Water Taxi from Pier 52 in downtown Seattle will bring you to Seacrest Park, from which a free shuttle goes to Alki Beach. Metro bus routes 50, 56, and 775 also take you right to the beach.
Home soccer games
Seattle’s men’s and women’s soccer teams both have home games on Sunday, August 14 at Lumen Field. Watch the OL Reign face NY/NJ Gotham FC at 12 p.m., and the Sounders square off against Real Salt Lake at 7 p.m.
Conveniently, Lumen Field is served by several light rail stations, as well as the many bus routes traveling through downtown Seattle.
Construction snapshot
SDOT construction work
Construction in West Seattle and South Park this weekend
As part of our Reconnect West Seattle program, on Saturday, August 13, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., we’re paving 8th Ave S from S Kenyon St to S Portland St in South Park. We will restrict parking and maintain one lane of traffic in each direction. People driving should expect delays while the lanes are closed.
On Saturday and Sunday, we will be working in south Delridge at 16th Ave SW and SW Cambridge St to update curb bulbs and curb ramps. Work will begin as early as 8 a.m. and conclude by 5 p.m. We’ll maintain one lane of traffic in each direction. Please anticipate delays and navigate the area with caution.
On Sunday, we’re completing two maintenance projects with work expected to begin as early as 5:30 a.m. and conclude by 5 p.m. Please anticipate delays, drive safely in work zones, and follow directions from signs and flaggers.
- To complete safety and maintenance upgrades, we’ll be pouring a concrete pad for a new crash cushion on SW Spokane St in the vicinity of 11th Ave SW that will impact the eastbound direction. This is east of the Spokane St Swing Bridge (low bridge). Traffic impacts include closure of the East Marginal Way S and the lower SW Spokane St ramps. There will be a detour in place for those traveling in the area.
- To improve visibility due to overgrowth, we’ll be cleaning the planting strip located on the westbound side of SW Roxbury St between 9th Ave SW and 14th Ave SW. We will close the westbound curb lane, so people driving can expect delays.
For the latest SDOT travel information, you can follow our SDOT Traffic Twitter account @sdottraffic, or visit our Seattle Travelers web page for real time traffic camera information.
WSDOT construction work
Revive I-5
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, August 12, contractor crews working for WSDOT will begin working on the left lanes of southbound I-5 to replace expansion joints. Travelers should be aware that:
- All traffic will use the collector/distributor.
- The I-90 ramps to southbound I-5 will be closed, except for two hours after stadium events.
- The express lanes also will remain northbound all weekend, because the southbound merge point is inside the work zone.
Travelers should also note that for approximately the next four weekends, contractors will complete paving work in addition to expansion joint work on I-5. Southbound I-5 will occasionally be reduced to one lane to finish some of this paving. All work will wrap up by 5 a.m. Monday, August 15.
Revive I-5 work is scheduled to continue every weekend this summer through around the end of September. You can visit the Revive I-5 website for the latest information, and you can keep up with WSDOT on Twitter at @wsdot_traffic.
SR 520 ramp closures
From late Friday, August 12 through early morning Monday August 15, the Montlake Blvd and Lake Washington Blvd on-ramps to eastbound SR 520 will be closed. Travelers should be aware and plan other routes if needed.
Transit and trip planning resources
Transit can often be the most convenient way to get where you want to go. The Link light rail and King County Metro both have helpful resources to help you map your route. Simply enter your start and end addresses into Metro’s trip planning tool or Sound Transit’s trip planning tool to find the transit route that works best for you. Google Maps also offers transit planning and biking, walking, and other trip planning options.
Thank you
Thanks for your help in keeping us all traveling around Seattle safely, smoothly, and efficiently! We appreciate your time and attention. Have a great weekend!
