Is the traffic on 509/99 as bad as I5? (Seattle: construction, moving)

[sasha1913]

I am checking out driving options from Des Moine to Seattle.

[jinj]

Wait for a few years, if they ever replace the viaduct, the whole area will crrrawwwwlll.

[pw72]

The 509/99 alternative from Sea-Tac to downtown is only a good alternative if there is a major jam on I-5. When I say major, I mean, when traffic is virtually not moving. 509/99 can be a good alternative, but keep in mind it is a much lower capacity corridor, with fewer lanes and once you get into SoDo there are stoplights. It can be a good alternative during certain times, but only when there is a severe problem on I-5. This is why I have been a proponet of building out a connection from I-5 south of Sea-Tac connecting with 509, hopefully expanded, and meeting up with 99 at the future viaduct tunnel. Seattle will probably insist on scaling this back, (as with every other project), but it could be a very effective alternative to I-5 if done correctly. Common sense to me. But Seattle seems to have very little of my definition of common sense. And so it goes.

[sasha1913]

thank you all.

[AlohaHuey]

Avoid the surface streets (1st and 4th) south of downtown. Construction Hell.

509 was quieter until the I-5 construction a few years ago and people "discovered" this alternate route.