RACE
RACE FOR
RACE FOR THE VIA-DOOM. VI A-POCALYPES, THE SEATTLE
SQUEEZE, THE PERIOD OF MAXIMUM
CONSTRAINT.
CONSTRAINT. >>> IT IS 10:00, THAT MEANS IT
IS SUPPOSED TO BE SHUT
DOWNRIGHT NOW.
DOWNRIGHT NOW. BUT, IT IS MORE LIKE A TOURIST
ATTRACTION IN THE HEART OF
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE.
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE. CREWS STARTED CLOSING THE
RAMPS ABOUT 15 MINUTES AGO.
AMANDA GRACE AND GREG COPELAND
ARE LIVE IN PIONEER SQUARE AS
MANY ARE SAYING GOOD-BYE TO A
PART OF HISTORY.
GOOD EVENING, YOU TWO.
>> Reporter: GOOD EVENING MARK
AND LORI.
AND LORI.
AND LORI. IT'S A PARTY OUT HERE.
>> Reporter: THE BIGGEST PARTY
AROUND PROBABLY.
AROUND PROBABLY. >> Reporter: THERE'S A LOT OF
HOOTING, HOLLERING, HONKS OF
HORNS.
HORNS.
HORNS. AND YES, THERE IS A VERY LONG
LINE OF CARS STILL WAITING TO
GET ONTO THE VIADUCT TONIGHT.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE PASSED
THAT 10:00 MARK.
AND, THIS HIGHWAY IS SUPPOSED
TO BE CLOSED.
PLENTY OF CARS ARE WAITING.
THEY ARE JUST CREEPING.
HIGHWAY 99'S VIADUCT WILL BE
CLOSED THREE WEEKS.
>> Reporter: AND CREWS WILL
GET TO WORK STARTING WITH BIG
CHANGES TOMORROW.
CHANGES TOMORROW. LET'S GET TO KING 5'S NATALIE
SWABY WHO JOINS US LIVE WITH
MORE ON THAT.
>> Reporter: WE ARE HERE AT
COLUMBIA STREET ONRAMP.
THEY CLOSED IT RIGHT ON TIME
AT 9:45.
AT 9:45.
AT 9:45. JOINING ME NOW, I WANT TO
BRING IN DAVID SOURS.
THERE IS A PARTY ON THE
VIADUCT.
VIADUCT.
VIADUCT. PEOPLE WANT ONE LAST LOOK.
ARE YOU SURPRISED HOW MANY
PEOPLE ARE DOING THIS AND DOES
IT INTERFERE WITH THE
SCHEDULE?
SCHEDULE?
SCHEDULE? >> IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH
THE SCHEDULE.
THE SCHEDULE. I WAS GLAD WE HAD EXTRA
WASHINGTON STATE PATROL ON
HAND TO HELP US OUT.
YOU CAN HEAR ALL THE HORNS
GOING.
GOING.
GOING. ALL THE PEOPLE SCREAMING.
EVERYBODY IS HAVING A GREAT
TIME.
TIME.
TIME. BUT
TIME. BUT IT IS THE LAST TIME TO
DRIVE ACROSS THE VIADUCT.
SO, EVERYBODY CAME OUT OF THE
WOODWORK TO ENJOY IT AND SEE
IT FOR THE LAST TIME.
>> Reporter: AND THE PLAN IS
TO START SHUTTING DOWN THE
MAIN LINE AT 10:00.
AND FROM WHAT YOU KNOW,
EVERYTHING IS MOVING THE WAY
IT IS SUPPOSED TO?
>> YEAH, THE CREWS SHOWED UP A
FEW MINUTES AGO TO CLOSE THE
SOUTHBOUND ONRAMP AT COLUMBIA
STREET.
STREET.
STREET. THEY ARE CLOSING THE MAIN LINE
FROM THE NORTH.
ANOTHER CREW WORKING AT THE
SOUTH END.
SOUTH END. THE MAIN LINE SHOULD BE CLOSED
HERE PROBABLY WITHIN ABOUT
HALF AN HOUR TO AN HOUR.
AND THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL
RAMPS THEY HAVE TO CLOSE AT
SENICA.
SENICA.
SENICA. BUT IT IS HAPPENING THE NEXT
FEW HOURS.
FEW HOURS. >> Reporter: THANKS FOR GIVING
US AN UPDATE.
YOU CAN SEE THE ROAD CLOSED
SIGNS.
SIGNS.
SIGNS. 90,000 COMMUTERS TYPICALLY
RELY ON THE VIADUCT DAILY SO
THE MESSAGE IS TO GET READY
FOR THE INCREASED TRAFFIC
DOWNTOWN AND ACROSS THE
REGION.
REGION.
REGION. TODAY WAS A CHANCE TO CROWD ON
AND TAKE IN THE VIADUCT VIEW
ONE LAST TIME.
>> LOOKING FROM THE TOP DECK
AND THE WATER AND THE BIG
WHEEL.
WHEEL.
WHEEL. >>
WHEEL. >> Reporter: ADRIAN MENDEZ
SAYS HE IS SAD TO SEE IT.
>> GO IT LIVED ITS LIFE AND
DID WHAT IT DID A GOOD 65
YEARS.
YEARS.
YEARS. >>
YEARS. >> Reporter: NOW THE FOCUS
SHIFTS TO WHAT'S NEXT.
>> EVERYBODY IS OBVIOUSLY VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC.
>> Reporter: TARESSE BOWEN IS
BRACING FOR BIGGER BACKUPS.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL HAVE
TO USE SURFACE STREETS.
>> Reporter: STREETS THAT RUN
AT THIS SALON.
>> WE ARE AT SONS OF SALON AT
FIRST AND SENICA.
>> Reporter: HAIR STYLEST
KELLY COREY RELIES ON THE BUS
TO GET HERE.
>> I WAS PRETTY BUMMED.
I LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE.
SO.
SO.
SO. I
SO. I TAKE THE VIADUCT EVER DAY.
>> Reporter: A FEW CHEEKS
DOWN, EVIE COMES FROM REDMOND
BY CAR.
BY CAR.
BY CAR. >> I TAKE A CAR BECAUSE I GET
OFF REALLY LATE AT NIGHT.
>> Reporter: TALK TURN TO WHAT
THE VIADUCT SHUTDOWN WILL BE
LIKE.
LIKE.
LIKE. >>
LIKE. >> I HAVE NO IDEA.
I WISH I KNEW.
BUT I REALLY DON'T.
SO, IT IS REALLY JUST
DAUNTING.
DAUNTING.
DAUNTING. >> Reporter: COMMUTERS
CROSSING DOWNTOWN WITH NO
HIGHWAY 99 FOR THREE WEEKS.
THAT'S WHAT WORRIES HER.
>> IT WILL BE NUTS EVERYWHERE.
OUR CLIENTS COULD BE LATE.
>> YOU MAY HAVE PEOPLE LATE TO
WORK.
WORK.
WORK. >>
WORK. >> Reporter: AND THEY HAVE
THEIR PREDICTIONS.
THEIR PREDICTIONS. >> IT WILL BE A LITTLE
LEARNING CURVE IN THE
BEGINNING.
BEGINNING. >> Reporter: OUTSIDE THE
SALON'S DOORS, PEOPLE SAY THEY
KNOW WHAT'S COMING.
>> THREE WEEKS WILL BE AN
ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE.
ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE. >> IT WILL BE CRAZY.
>> Reporter: THE VIADUCT VIEW
WILL BE GONE FOREVER.
WHEN THE VIADUCT SHUT DOWN IN
2016, THERE WERE LONGER
COMMUTE TIMES ON I-5 AND I-
405.
405.
405. THEY
405. THEY EXPECT TO SEE THAT AGAIN.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO
IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.
WEATHER COULD BE THEIR BIGGEST
ADVERSARY.
ADVERSARY. TUNNEL SHOULD OPEN FEBRUARY 4.
BACK TO YOU.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU
NATALIE.
NATALIE.
NATALIE. IF YOU EXPECT TO TAKE THE BUS,
CHECK OUT THIS MAP.
>> Reporter: THERE ARE 12
LINES THAT WILL BE REROUTED.
>> Reporter: SO WHEN YOU TAKE
THE BUS, YOU MAY WANT TO DITCH
THE CASH AND PAY WITH AN ORCA
CARD.
CARD.
CARD. THEY WORK LIKE A DEBIT CARD.
YOU CAN RELOAD MONEY ON IT ANY
TIME.
TIME.
TIME. USING IT TO PAY WILL SAVE YOU
TIME AND MONEY.
JUST TAP IT TO GET ON THE BUS.
>>> WELL SOME OF YOU, SOME OF
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WHEN THE
VIADUCT OPENED, KEN AND JOAN
JACKSON WERE AMONG THE FIRST
PEOPLE TO TRAVEL DOWN THE
HIGHWAY 99 VIADUCT.
THE DAY IT OPENED, APRIL 4,
1953.
1953.
1953. >>
1953. >> THESE ARE THE LITTLE DOGS
WE DROVE ACROSS WITH.
>> I REMEMBER ALL THE CARS
LINING UP, GETTING READY TO
GO.
GO.
GO. AND,
GO. AND, THEY LINED KEN AND HIS
BROTHERS' CARS UP FIRST.
>> Reporter: NOW, ORGANIZERS
OF THE OPENING DAY CEREMONIES
WANTED A PARADE OF VINTAGE
VEHICLES AND KEN WAS PART OF
AN ANTIQUE CAR CLUB.
HE WAS INVITED TO JOIN THE
PROCESSION.
PROCESSION. JOAN WALKED.
JOAN WALKED. IT IS SURREAL.
THEY HAVE SEEN THE LANDMARK
BOTH RISE AND FALL.
>> SO, ONE TAKE AWAY TONIGHT,
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND IT WILL REQUIRE SOME
PLANNING AND SOME PATIENCE.
>> YOU GOT THE BUSES I JUST
MENTIONED BUT THERE ARE A LOT
OF TRANSIT OPTIONS AND WE HAVE
A LOT OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE
ONLINE TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE
THE NEXT THREE WEEKS OF
WHATEVER TRAFFIC TROUBLES
THERE MIGHT BE.
SO STAY TUNED.
>> Reporter: AND WE HAVE THE
COMPLETE GUIDE ON
KING5.COM/TUNNELEFFECT.
KING5.COM/TUNNELEFFECT. AND ON FACEBOOK, WE ARE TAKING
ALL OF YOUR QUESTION INS A
GROUP DISCUSSION.
GROUP DISCUSSION. JUST SEARCH SEATTLE TUNNEL
TRAFFIC ON FACEBOOK.
>> Reporter: AND THE BIG TEST
WILL COME AFTER THE WEEKEND.
MONDAY MORNING THE FIRST
COMMUTE WITHOUT THE VIADUCT.
AND THINGS COULD BE
INTERESTING.
INTERESTING. KING 5 WILL BE COMING TO YOU
EARLIER THAN NORMAL.
4:00 A.M.
4:00 A.M.
4:00 A.M. AND THAT IS TO BRING YOU THE
LATEST NEWS AND TRAFFIC
CONDITIONS.
CONDITIONS. WE INVITE YOU TO WATCH TO HELP
YOU NAVIGATTHE FIRST BIG
DAY.
DAY.
DAY. >>
DAY. >> SO THE HONKING CONTINUES
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. AFTER 10:00.
AFTER 10:00. WE ARE JUST GOING TO WAIT AND
SEE.
SEE.
SEE. WE'LL BE OUT HERE ALL HOURS TO
SEE WHEN THIS CLEARS UP.
>> THE LINE STRETCHES, IT IS
ALMOST ENDLESS.
ALMOST ENDLESS. WE COULD BE HERE A WHILE.
>> BACK TO YOU GUYS.
>> I CAN'T IMAGINE THEY WILL
STAY ON SCHEDULE LIKE THIS.
BUT, MAYBE THEY WILL.
>> Reporter: I'M GUESSING IT
WILL TAKE A STATE PATROL SWEEP
AT SOME POINT TO GET EVERYBODY
OFF THE VIADUCT.
>> THANKS AMANDA, THANKS GREG.
>>> TONIGHT, A LOT OF PEOPLE
AS YOU SAW ARE TRYING TO GET
THE ONE LAST RIDE IN.
THE ONE LAST LOOK AT THE
VIADUCT.
VIADUCT.
VIADUCT. IN FACT, EARLIER, PEOPLE WERE
ACTUALLY STOPPING ON THE
VIADUCT TO TAKE PICTURES.
THIS IS NOT ADVISED.
>> YEAH, ACTUALLY, GETTING OUT
OF THEIR CARS AND THEY ARE
NOW, OUR PRODUCER SAID THAT
PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY STOPPING
AS YOU CAN SEE, GETTING OUT OF
THE CARS.
THE CARS.
THE CARS. THERE THEY ARE ON THE RIGHT
HAND SIDE.
HAND SIDE. THEY HAVE PULLED OFF ONTO THE
TINY SHOULDER THERE.
AND LOOK.
AND LOOK.
AND LOOK. YOU CAN SEE THE SOUTHBOUND
TRAFFIC BELOW.
TRAFFIC BELOW. IT IS JUST BUMPER TO BUMPER.
PEOPLE ARE PACKING THE
VIADUCT.
VIADUCT.
VIADUCT. >> PEOPLE ARE SO SENTIMENTAL.
>> A LOT OF YOU ARE SHARING
MEMORIES IN THE FACEBOOK GROUP
WE CREATED JUST FOR THIS
EVENT.
EVENT.
EVENT. DEBBIE TOOK THIS PICTURE.
ISN'T THIS GREAT?
SHE SAYS THIS WAS THE LAST
SUNRISE FOR THIS MORNING'S
FINAL COMMUTE.
FINAL COMMUTE. A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO SAY GOOD-
BYE.
BYE.
BYE. >>
BYE. >> LANEA SAYS I NEVER THOUGHT
I WOULD GET EMOTIONAL ABOUT
10,000 TONS OF CONCRETE.
I THOUGHT SITTING IN THE CITY
TRAFFIC IF I HAD TO COMMUTE,
AT LEAST I HAD THAT VIEW.
>> AND JUDY TOOK THIS PICTURE
OF THE SUNSET.
HER LAST VIADUCT DRIVE.
SO, LORI, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE
MEMORY?
MEMORY?
MEMORY? LAST HOUR, YOU HAD A FUNNY
STORY.
STORY.
STORY. >>
STORY. >> IT WAS HUMOROUS.
I REMEMBER WHEN THE BIG TRUCK
DUMPED A HUGE LOAD OF FROZEN
CRAB ON THE VIADUCT.
IT JAMMED UP TRAFFIC FOR
HOURS.
HOURS.
HOURS. AND A FRIEND OF MINE CALLED
SAYING HEY, THAT'S MY FROZEN
CRAB!
CRAB!
CRAB! WHERE CAN I GET IT?
BUT BY THE TIME I ANSWERED THE
PHONE, THEY HAD ALREADY TAKEN
IT AWAY AND PUT IT IN A DUMP.
POOR CRAB.
POOR CRAB. >> I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A
POSITIVE VIADUCT STORY.
I HAVE DONE A LOT OF STORIES
ABOUT THE VULNERABILITY OF THE
STRUCTURE.
STRUCTURE. I'M REALLY HONESTLY THANKFUL
THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A MAJOR
EARTHQUAKE OVER THE LIFE SPAN
OF THIS STRUCTURE.
BECAUSE, COUNTLESS ENGINEERS
HAVE SAID IF THE BIG ONE HIT,
THAT WOULD HAVE CRUMBLED.
AND IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A
HUGE LOSS OF LIFE.
SO I THINK WE REALLY DODGED A
BULLET.
BULLET.
BULLET. IT'S COMING AT SOME POINT, BUT
SEISMICALLY, THIS TUNNEL IS
WAY SAFER.
WAY SAFER. JUST LOOK AT CALIFORNIA SAN
FRANCISCO AREA TUNNELS FARE
WAY BETTER.
WAY BETTER. THEY ARE DOWN BELOW THE
GROUND.
GROUND.
GROUND. >> SO MANY ENGINEERS HAVING
PROBABLY THEIR FIRST GOOD