When the viaduct closed on January 12th, city officials and citizens asked themselves: will this be “Viadoom”? Everyone took action to battle the traffic by taking public transportation, working from home, or commuting earlier/later than usual. As we near the end of the viaduct closure in Seattle, it appears the city has responded very well to the change, and the Eastside has seen few travel time problems.
The Kirkland Reporter calls it a “Viadud,” because commuters have reported no significant changes to their daily traffic experiences. This, they attribute to the hype that was created around the closure that led many commuters to take steps toward managing the traffic issue before it became a problem. The smooth sailing of the viaduct closure can also be attributed to the WSDOT’s dedication to providing the public with live traffic updates on Twitter and through their mobile app.
Although traffic has been smooth so far (and we are nearing the end of “Viadoom”), officials urge the public not to revert back to their normal commuting just yet. There is still a potential for traffic to become overloaded, and it is important for drivers to remain cognizant while the viaduct is closed.