Mariners, Sounders fans need to plan ahead to get to games during viaduct closure



SEATTLE -- It took a lot of patience to get around downtown Seattle on day one of the viaduct closure Friday.

“I work around here and just going from one site to the next, it's crazy,” said Chris Archer. “It’s taking about an hour, I think my times are almost double.”

“It usually takes 10 minutes to come from downtown to Queen Anne,” said Sowmya Kumar. “Today it took almost double.”

A home Mariners game didn’t help. Traffic is always bad on game days, which is why Jesse Hubbard decided to take the Light Rail to get to Safeco Field from Capitol Hill.

“I guess it is going to be pretty packed today, that's why I’m here a little bit early.”

Fans who did drive to the game had to give themselves a lot of extra time.

“We left at 3:30 from Lynnwood, and it was slow going, it really was,” said Dan Allison.

There will be two more Mariners games this weekend. The team pushed back Saturday's start time to 7:10 p.m. to give fans a little more time, since the Sounders will also be playing in the afternoon.

Sound Transit will be running special event trains to try and ease a little of the congestion.

Many fans say battling the traffic during the viaduct closure is worth it to take in the games.

“Come on, of course it is,” says Allison.

“Leave like 8 hours early and you’ll probably make it in time,” advises Daniel Gustafson.

It’s not just this weekend that’s going to be a concern for sports fans. The Sounders also play at home next weekend, and the Mariners have several home games the week of May 9.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct, which was closed down Friday, is scheduled to be closed for two weeks while Bertha digs a tunnel under the structure.