Caution to anyone arriving in or leaving Seattle on 9/22-24

[wander]

If you are arriving in, departing from or staying in Seattle on Sept. 22, 23 or 24, I suggest you Google - The Seattle Times and read the article on the visit by the President of China. It was in the paper today and will undoubtedly be repeated in tomorrow's internet edition. His visit is apparently from the morning of 9/22 and through the morning of 9/24. It will probably create some real downtown traffic nightmares. A nine block area downtown surrounding his hotel will actually be closed the whole time to all traffic (except his). There is an appropriate map of the closed area with the article.

 

The closed area is easy to avoid (unless you hotel is in the area). But, apparently he has a number of visits to outlying areas of Metropolitan Seattle, which will cause additional nightmares, as will his trip from and to the airport, whether he uses SeaTac or Boeing Field. They have yet given additional information about when even I-5 will be closed, which it probably will.

 

Oh, as long as you are not going anywhere he is - you will probably be fine, but if you are in the "wrong place at the wrong time" it could be a real nightmare, particularly if you are pushed for time.

 

Hopefully the potential problems are being over hyped - but I thought any of you who will be traveling in the area (and not living here - they know about it). The Seattle Times is predicting that the traffic problems will be worse than when a sitting President visits - and those times could be horrible - depending on when and where you wanted to drive when his entourage was on the move.

 

I thought it best to alert folks to this potential issue, but I hope that the warning is actually unnecessary.

[InTheWASide]

If you are arriving in, departing from or staying in Seattle on Sept. 22, 23 or 24, I suggest you Google - The Seattle Times and read the article on the visit by the President of China. It was in the paper today and will undoubtedly be repeated in tomorrow's internet edition. His visit is apparently from the morning of 9/22 and through the morning of 9/24. It will probably create some real downtown traffic nightmares. A nine block area downtown surrounding his hotel will actually be closed the whole time to all traffic (except his). There is an appropriate map of the closed area with the article.

 

The closed area is easy to avoid (unless you hotel is in the area). But, apparently he has a number of visits to outlying areas of Metropolitan Seattle, which will cause additional nightmares, as will his trip from and to the airport, whether he uses SeaTac or Boeing Field. They have yet given additional information about when even I-5 will be closed, which it probably will.

 

Oh, as long as you are not going anywhere he is - you will probably be fine, but if you are in the "wrong place at the wrong time" it could be a real nightmare, particularly if you are pushed for time.

 

Hopefully the potential problems are being over hyped - but I thought any of you who will be traveling in the area (and not living here - they know about it). The Seattle Times is predicting that the traffic problems will be worse than when a sitting President visits - and those times could be horrible - depending on when and where you wanted to drive when his entourage was on the move.

 

I thought it best to alert folks to this potential issue, but I hope that the warning is actually unnecessary.

 

Local news stations are saying that major employers in the downtown area and city/state government are recommending that anyone that can work from home on these days needs to do so (not that everyone has that luxury...)

 

Upon hearing that I was even more happy that we'll be out of town on a cruise those days :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for warning people.

[wander]

You are welcome.

[dockman]

Arriving SEA on Volendam on sep 24....any chance it will affect the Pikes market area?

[Himself]

I am glad I will be in Illinois when this is happening.

[wander]

Dockman,

Since they are being so quiet about the specifics of his travel, it is hard to tell. If he is staying in his hotel at the time. However, if at the time he is moving about the city it could cause problems getting to the market. Unless he goes to the market itself, there will be way to get there but probably inconvenient ways. His hotel is maybe 6 blocks from the north end of the market. Then again, by the time you get there he might be on his way to the airport and the market area might be clear. I have no idea of what time he is leaving, all I have read only says the road closures will be from Tuesday Morning through Thursday morning.

 

If I hear more I will post it, but in the interim, if I wanted to go to the market I would go unless the taxi driver says otherwise. I love the Market. The media might be over hyping this and I would hate for you to skip trying only to find out there would have been no problem getting there. (Josh - would the media ever do that? LOL)

[sail7seas]

It was good of you to give a heads up to people who will be in Seattle.

 

Do you know in which hotel he is staying?

[Cruising-along]

It was good of you to give a heads up to people who will be in Seattle.

 

Do you know in which hotel he is staying?

 

The Westin. Here's a link http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/several-blocks-around-westin-hotel-to-close-during-chinese-presidents-visit/

 

Hoping we won't have problems leaving on vacation Tuesday -- passing Seattle. The news article says there will be highway closures as well.

[sail7seas]

Thank you, Carolyn..

 

Hope your vacation travel goes smoothly. Have a good time. :)

 

[Cruising-along]

Thank you, Carolyn..

 

Hope your vacation travel goes smoothly. Have a good time. :)

 

 

Thank you! I'm sure we will, at least after we get past Seattle....:D

[dockman]

Dockman,

Since they are being so quiet about the specifics of his travel, it is hard to tell. If he is staying in his hotel at the time. However, if at the time he is moving about the city it could cause problems getting to the market. Unless he goes to the market itself, there will be way to get there but probably inconvenient ways. His hotel is maybe 6 blocks from the north end of the market. Then again, by the time you get there he might be on his way to the airport and the market area might be clear. I have no idea of what time he is leaving, all I have read only says the road closures will be from Tuesday Morning through Thursday morning.

 

If I hear more I will post it, but in the interim, if I wanted to go to the market I would go unless the taxi driver says otherwise. I love the Market. The media might be over hyping this and I would hate for you to skip trying only to find out there would have been no problem getting there. (Josh - would the media ever do that? LOL)

 

thanks for the info....last time in Seattle i was able to walk easily from the ship to Pikes market but not sure if we will be at same pier that was so close by....we are there 7 am to 4 pm so hopefully by the time i get off he'll be on his way....

[kazu]

this thread is a HUGE help to those who are boarding in Seattle at that time frame.

 

How kind of you to think of others and post this. A huge help.

[MrsMuir]

As a former Seattle-area resident, I need to remind everyone that it's The Pike Place Market.

 

Mrs M

[wander]

Dockman and others,

HAL now uses Pier 91 -north of where you were before. As the "crow flies" or a speed boat, probably 1 mile away. As the roads go - a number of more miles.

 

From experiences with Presidents' visits, for a time they totally close down I-5 (north-south highway) and/or I-90 or State route 520, two "freeway" and bridge east/west routes over Lake Washington just before the dignitary get there. It causes real havoc for others. As the newspaper says, they will only be announcing such closures minutes before they are to occur. Since I would guess that visits to Microsoft are a part of his visit - for that they have to go across the lake (or around it, it is about 25 miles long).

[wander]

Mrs. M -

 

Yes, you technically are correct, and perhaps I should have used the full title, but having lived in Seattle and its environs for over 40 years, we know what The Market means for visitors. By the way, it is just as good as ever, and growing somewhat, although the space is rather confined in terms of growth potential.

[RuthC]

As a former Seattle-area resident, I need to remind everyone that it's The Pike Place Market.

 

Mrs M

Thank you. It's like nails on a blackboard when referred to as "Pike's ...".

[Cruising-along]

Thank you. It's like nails on a blackboard when referred to as "Pike's ...".

 

I agree! Thank you Mrs. M!