The following is a press release from King County Metro.
King County is suggesting the community ride transit services to Friday’s Seahawks game, Saturday’s Sounders match and other events in and around the Seattle area this weekend.
Expect some planned transit reroutes as well as possible service delays due to traffic, crowds and congestion associated with weekend events, as well as many construction activities in Metro’s service area.
Even if it is affected by construction activities, temporary reroutes or delays, riding transit is still a great way to get to local events and activities, where there is often heavy traffic congestion and very limited parking.
Events, reroute start and end times and routing and other details may be subject to change. Use regularly published schedules, allow plenty of travel time and expect delays.
Seattle Seahawks Friday night pre-season play
Commuters heading home and fans heading to the game are advised to expect possibly significant transit service delays before the Aug. 18 Friday night pre-season game at CenturyLink Field. Kickoff time is at 7 p.m.
There is no special park-and-ride shuttle bus service or fares for weeknight games. Both for ease of travel, and reducing traffic congestion. Seahawks fans are encouraged to ride regularly scheduled transit service, including Sound Transit’s Link light rail, to and from the game.
There is a lot of regular service to and from the stadium area. Nearly all transit service that travels to or through downtown Seattle stops near CenturyLink Field, and there are many area park-and-ride lots where fans can park for free, and ride regularly scheduled transit service into the stadium area.
Payment of a valid regular fare is required on all transit trips.
Most traffic game-related impacts are expected to be in the SODO, Stadium, Pioneer Square, downtown Seattle and adjacent areas, however service that travels near or through those neighborhoods could be delayed in other areas as well.
Both regular transit commuters and football fans are advised to plan for the expected delays and allow plenty of travel time in all areas on Monday.
For complete information about planning your trip to and from CenturyLink Field or other locations, visit Metro’s online Trip Planner. When planning transit trips, be sure to visit Metro’s Alerts page to find out if service you are riding is affected by any planned reroutes.
Montlake Bridge Weekend Closure
From Friday, Aug. 18 10 p.m., through Monday, August 21 at 5 a.m., Metro routes 43, 48 and 271 will be rerouted in both directions due to the closure of the Montlake Bridge.
During this time, Metro routes 43, 48 and 271 will travel instead via alternate nearby streets, depending on the route, destination, and direction of travel, and will not be able to serve the University of Washington Medical Center or the Husky Stadium area.
Ride Metro Route 44 as alternate service between the University District and these areas.
Expect transit service schedule delays during this closure.
All Weekend Event
From Friday, Aug. 18 at 11 a.m., through Sunday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m., Metro Route 208 will be rerouted off of Railroad Avenue SE in Snoqualmie during the Snoqualmie Railroad Days Festival.
Saturday Events
On Saturday, Aug. 19, from 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., Metro routes 106 and 107 will be rerouted off a portion of Renton Avenue S in the Skyway area during the Skyway Parade.
On Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Route 236 will be rerouted in downtown Woodinville during the Woodinville Community Parade.
Expect possible transit service delays due to traffic, crowds and congestion associated with Saturday’s Sounders match at CenturyLink Field at 1 p.m.
Also on Saturday, from 7 a.m. until the end of service, Metro Route 47 will be rerouted and will not serve stops north of east Denny Way during the Mercer x Summit Block Party.
Visit Metro’s Service Advisories page for complete information about revised bus service, routing and stops for planned events and construction activities. The start and end times and other details for planned reroutes are subject to change.
Transit service during unexpected or civic events
In areas where there are crowds, traffic or civic events, whether scheduled or unexpected, disrupting normal travel patterns or activities, transit riders are advised to be aware of conditions in their immediate vicinity – such as street closures, detours, police directions, etc. – and be prepared for delays or to make revisions to travel plans – such as using a different bus stop or a different route, based on specific circumstances.
During these kinds of events, be prepared for unexpectedly revised traffic or routing and for delays in transit service. Transit riders are encouraged to know the alternate stops or routes that may be in the vicinity of their starting points and destinations.
Depending on the time and the nature of such events, Metro may not be able to provide real time information or service updates via email or text. Event start and end times and other details may be subject to change.
