Seattle mayor lays out traffic plan for Alaskan Way Viaduct closure

SEATTLE -- Get set for some traffic tie-ups starting at the end of the month.  That’s when the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be shut down for two weeks so that the Bertha boring machine can dig underneath the aging roadway.

Officials aren’t taking any chances.

“We’ll work with the state and the county,” Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said Wednesday about provisions being made to deal with the expected traffic crunch when the closure begins April 29.  “Additional transit, different transit routes, different routes for some cars,” Murray said about some of the planning.

Murray is encouraging city departments to be flexible during the shutdown.

“The city will be looking at what employees can telecommute for a few days during that period of time to take a few less trips,” Murray said.

Murray is also confident that the governor and WSDOT has looked into the safety issues involved in tunneling under the vulnerable elevated roadway.  He did acknowledge, however, that a problem could occur.

“If there is damage, it could be closed for a period of time,” Murray said.

The mayor’s comments came during an interview with Q13 News, which also covered his plan for a $290 million affordable housing levy this fall and the upcoming Schools Summit on April 30.