City of Seattle advises locals to plan ahead for Seahawks parade

With the unprecedented crowds that are expected to cheer for the Seahawks locals are advised to expect significant delays in and around downtown Seattle on Wednesday, February 5.

The Seattle Department of Transportation, King County Metro Transit, Sound Transit and Community Transit are urging Seahawks fans to enjoy the event but to be patient and to plan ahead for delays.

Due to the crowds unprecedented size, drivers and transit riders should anticipate heavy traffic congestion in downtown, Lake Union, Queen Anne, the stadium area and nearby highways. Metro and Sound Transit plan to use every available resource to accommodate that is set to be the largest parade in the Seattle’s history.

The parade (click on map below for larger view) starts at Fourth Ave and Denny Way, and heads south on Fourth Avenue to S Washington St. From there it will proceed west to Second Ave S, turn south on Second and then move into the North Lot at CenturyLink Field.

Fourth Ave and all cross streets from Third Ave to Fifth Ave will be closed to traffic starting at 10:30 a.m. and reopen after the parade passes, and Occidental Ave will be closed at 8:30 a.m. “No parking” signs for the event are in place and prohibit parking along the route from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

More than 75,000 fans are also expected to attend a ticketed rally in the stadium area after the parade, so delays are expected to continue well after the parade finishes. Fans are also encouraged to dress warmly as the weather forecast is looking quite chilly.

Buses and trains are also expected to be extremely crowded. Riders may have to cope with significant wait times and service delays. Some buses will also be rerouted in Downtown Seattle. Riders should sign up to receive rider alert messages via e-mails or text message for their specific bus route or train.

Here are some tips for transit users from The City of Seattle:

• Come downtown early to better avoid the worst traffic and full buses.
• Dress for both cold temperatures and packed buses.
• Be prepared for lengthy travel times.
• Have transit fare or an ORCA card ready.
• Sign up for transit alerts on Metro’s website.
• Parking at most park-and-ride lots and all Sounder stations often fills early, and demand will be high. Riders who can’t arrive early are encouraged to get dropped off.
• Bus service information accessed through the trip planners on transit agency websites and the One Bus Away service may not be accurate when road closures, re-routes and unusually high congestion levels are in effect. Riders should refer to rider alerts for the specific bus routes they are using.
• Expect transit delays to continue as long as celebrating fans are downtown, likely into the afternoon commute.
• Riders are reminded that if they see something say something, Report any suspicious activity to a bus driver or call 911.

Metro will also have all hands on deck tomorrow with extra buses being added to key high ridership routes in and out of downtown Seattle. Metro also advises riders that the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel will be a better option than street service, especially when the parade is underway. Most Downtown Seattle transit services are expected to be delayed by heavy traffic before, during and after the parade. Even as buses are rerouted, drivers will make every effort to continue to keep transit service moving.

Metro buses that typically travel via or cross Fourth Ave will be rerouted along with general traffic to nearby streets during the parade. Riders can see which routes are affected at Metro’s website.

Metro is also planning the following reroutes during the festivities:  Metro routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 36, 40, 43, 47, 49, 66, 70, 99, 124, 131, 132 & 358 and Metro-operated routes  ST 522, ST 545 & ST 554. Riders are advised to check Metro Online before departing to confirm reroutes.