Are Seattle's rallies and events disruptive to traffic? (apartment, bus)

[AD1985]

I was told by a Seattle native that because of the liberal culture of the city, you'll see a lot of rallies and events held on the streets of Seattle. He said the same type of thing happens in San Francisco, and in both places it causes pretty severe traffic disruptions.

Is this true? How frequently do these things happen?

[Flightoficarus87]

It can, and does happen, but not with very high frequency.

I'd recommend being aware of (and thus, able to allocate more travel time) key dates for major events (game days, Hempfest, Pride, etc.) that can snarl up traffic. These are more often the cause of traffic jams than random rallies/protests, so it's predictable for the most part.

[CityWok]

I think any major city has its disruptions in traffic. Rallies in Seattle do not stand out in my experience though.

The most noticeable disruptions I've seen is when either the sun comes out (and everybody starts driving someplace neat like Mt. Reindeer) or there is a Seahawks game.

During the game, you can walk the streets and it feels deserted because so many people are either inside or at a bar watching the game So it's both positive and negative, depending how you time it. Cancels itself out.

Now the overall traffic here in general, that's obviously different. Don't get me started

[Hemlock140]

Lately the 99% movement did disrupt traffic and bus service a few times, but most of the time it's only the "May Day" event that's a problem. There are alternatives. Take the day off, or in my case drive that day and take an alternate route home. Hempfest is right near my office, in fact we get vendors selling bongs on our front steps and have to keep throwing them out. Still, it causes few problems for traffic since they are limited to that one area north of the sculpture park, and on Fridays a lot less people are working anyway.

[MondoTime]

Originally Posted by AD1985

I was told by a Seattle native that because of the liberal culture of the city, you'll see a lot of rallies and events held on the streets of Seattle. He said the same type of thing happens in San Francisco, and in both places it causes pretty severe traffic disruptions.

Is this true? How frequently do these things happen?

On the scale that you are thinking - almost never.


Now and again there is some dumb group generally unable to get its act together, roaming around downtown making a lot of noise, and marching up the middle of one street, but they don't stay in one spot and block traffic.

When there is some cause of national or international significance, there may be some protest at the Federal Building, or the like, but even that is minimal, and easily avoided.


You'd get a more 'severe traffic disruption' with one man holed-up in his own apartment threatening suicide, on a main arterial to the north of central Seattle, than you ever would from any organized protest.