Some are frightened. Some have made plans, and some haven't. But, scared or not, with or without plans, the I-5 construction can't be stopped.
Unless, of course, it rains. Assuming it won't rain though, the I-5 closure will not only test drivers' flexibility, but also the flexibility of businesses along the alternate routes.
With an estimate of at least 50 percent of the cars taking alternate routes, the closure will most significantly cause backups through Georgetown, Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley. And for the businesses along streets like Airport Way, one of the main alternate routes during construction, losing their customers seems more likely than not.
"I'm quite frightened about the whole thing because we are a business and the risk is that we're a new business," said Sara Aruguete, who owns Calamity Jane's on Airport Way South. If it kills our business, it could kill us,"
Arugete's main concern is that the predicted bumper-to-bumper traffic along Airport Way will prevent her regulars from getting to the restaurant.
"I'm frightened because I'm afraid that the streets will be so blocked off that no one will want to come down from the neighborhoods, and so many of my customers come from Beacon Hill," said Aruguete.
Although Aruguete has her concerns, she also said the surge of traffic through the neighborhood may not restrict her business as badly as she thinks. It may even boost business.
As traffic slows down along these alternate routes, Aruguete, along with other business owners, hopes it helps the businesses' visibility.
"We've never had a situation like this happen, maybe it'll be okay and people will stop in because they are stopped anyways," said Aruguete, although not with much confidence.
NEGATIVE BECOMES POSITIVE
While Mayor Greg Nickels advised citizens to take vacations - the best option, he said, to avoid the traffic - independent businesses can't afford to close for three weeks, or even one week.
The next option Nickels gave in a press conference about the closure last week may help commuters, but not those in Georgetown or Rainier Valley.
"Avoid or delay your commute. Go to Starbucks. Fill up, log in, and chill out," said Nickels.
But again, that doesn't seem like an option that will aid South Seattle neighborhood businesses.
Instead, the Georgetown community decided to turn the downside of the construction into a positive outlet for advertising.
"We're hoping to gain visibility and hopefully tapping in to a new market," stated Kathy Nyland, the Georgetown Merchants Association Chair and owner of George gift shop on Airport Way South. "If the gridlock is so bad, we've got tons of restaurants that serve breakfast and coffee. There is a lot to do here to pass time."
Nyland also said the neighborhood has been working with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for the past six months to figure out possible means to help businesses gain visibility as well as protect their neighborhood.
Spokesman for WSDOT Stan Suchan who lives in the Mount Baker neighborhood said he hopes drivers will help residents, especially along heavy traffic corridors like Rainier Avenue South and Airport Way South.
"We're all in it together. The pain will be spread throughout the region, which doesn't make it any easier, but it gives everyone a reason to try to make it easier," said Suchan.
As for the potential harmful effects to Georgetown businesses Suchan conceded it's a concern for all of the businesses in every neighborhood.
"The sad new is we don't really have a choice here. We're doing it because we need to, not because we want to," said Suchan. "The good news is that everyone knows about it. This planned closure is a much better choice because surprise closures would hurt businesses even more."
Although Nyland also conceded the project will probably negatively affect businesses, she said the neighborhood plans to give commuters something visual to look at, from promoting businesses to snippets of Georgetown's history.
"We're just acknowledging that it's not going to be an ideal situation, but we're going to have a totally captive market of people who normally just drive through so we figure let's promote ourselves," said Nyland.
As far as the lucrative advertising, some businesses are simply counting on having hungry drivers too stuck to do anything other than eating.
"I'm definitely not going to have the guy in chicken suit, although we do have a giant Cuervo bottle hat I've made people run up and down the sidewalk before in, but I think the best advertisement is going to be people outside the restaurant drinking nice, chilly beers," said Stella Steadmon, owner of Stellar Pizza on Airport Way South.
Steadmon said she doesn't know if it's "going to suck or be good," but she's not as worried as other business owners on the street, partially she says because she's been in business for almost six years.
"I don't know if it's going to kill us, but most of my regulars are planning to walk here so I'm not too worried," said Steadmon. "I'm worried about people being able to make a left to get into the restaurant, but my advice is to come on in and chill out rather than waiting in the car."
A LITTLE RESPECT
Apart from the positive spin Georgetown businesses are putting on the upcoming construction, Nyland said her biggest concern centers on potential disrespect for the neighborhood.
"We're really pleading to the people who are driving through to respect the neighborhood you're in and hoping that people don't use our neighborhood as a thoroughfare," said Nyland, who is a Georgetown resident. "We don't want people cutting through the neighborhood streets."
Even for residents who don't have a business that needs customers to get to it, safety along the streets is a main concern for the neighborhood.
"I'm very concerned about access to my house. Hopefully people won't see it as the same as being on the highway," said Robin Pomazic, Community Council for the Georgetown Community Council. "I don't have any advice, I don't know what it's going to look like, just expecting this is going to be a really tough 19 days."
But Georgetown isn't the only group trying to deflect the harm caused by what the mayor called "the big kahuna" of construction projects.
Nickels also urged residents to be patient and help the city by using alternate means of transportation.
The city encourages residents to carpool, take the bus or use the water taxi when coming from West Seattle.
And if the city's plans to increase green-traffic-light time in the north-south direction along Airport Way South, Beacon Avenue South, First and Fourth Avenues South, and Rainier Avenue South works, then perhaps Georgetown won't suffer as much.
PREPARING FOR THE WORST
But, as city officials and residents have said, it's a matter of preparing for the worst and hoping the measurements taken beforehand ease the traffic congestion predicted.
"There are financial incentives for our contractor to get done early, and our contractor is very eager to get that money," said Suchan. "Every day we can shave off the schedule is critical and we're doing everything we can to make it happen."
Because the I-5 bridge is over 40 years old, Suchan also iterated the importance of taking care of the city's infrastructure before a major accident happens.
The construction consists of replacing expansion joints and repaving slightly over a mile of the freeway on the northbound bridge deck between I-90 and Spokane Street.
In the first phase of construction, two lanes of northbound I-5 will be closed, and in the second phase, three lanes will be closed.
"That means we are really telling people that we need at least 50 percent of vehicles to go away, and that means people need to carpool, take a bus of find an alternate route," said Suchan. "We're really counting on the drivers to help us. With that kind or help, we can get through these 19 days."
Suchan, who already has his new travel routine planned out, said it's important to plan ahead, especially since no one will be able to know exactly what the congestion will look like.
"It's the biggest closure of this type that we've ever tried," warned Suchan. "We're taking a calculated risk here, but it's a risk nonetheless. We can't predict exactly what's going to happen with traffic exactly, either."
Suchan also urged drivers to call the hotline that opened Monday - 206-440-4704 - designed to help monitor the different traffic areas that WSDOT doesn't necessarily see.
"I think we all know this is going to be a huge burden on so many neighborhoods in South Seattle," said Nyland.
"We're just realizing that it has to be done and trying to make the best of it."
Jessica Van Gilder may be reached via editor@sdistrictjournal.com.
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