Seattle braces for World Cup traffic and transit crunch
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Streets will be closed and trains and ferries may be packed — but for Seattle locals, daily life must still go on when FIFA brings six World Cup matches to Lumen Field this summer.
Why it matters: The World Cup frenzy — while exciting for soccer fans and city boosters alike — will require Seattleites to make a few changes to their routines.
Catch up quick: World Cup matches are set to take place at Lumen Field (temporarily renamed Seattle Stadium) on June 15, June 19, June 24, June 26, July 1 and July 6.
State of play: Streets throughout the Pioneer Square neighborhood will be heavily affected, with on-street parking banned starting at 2am on match days.
- Those streets will be closed to traffic starting about four hours before each game and will reopen after each event ends, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation.
Light rail stations will also be mobbed during peak times on game days, Sound Transit warns, with lines expected to last up to two hours after matches.
- That's despite Sound Transit planning to run trains more frequently.
Yes, but: A free waterfront shuttle will help transport people starting May 21.
- It will stop at the stadium, Seattle Center, Pioneer Square, Waterfront Park, Olympic Sculpture Park, the downtown ferry terminal, the Chinatown-International District and Pike Place Market.
- The shuttle will run every 15 minutes most days, with service increasing to every 10 minutes on World Cup match days.
- Normal hours will run from 10am–10pm through Labor Day.
King County Metro is also increasing service on bus routes to try to accommodate World Cup crowds, while adding specific shuttles to serve fans.
What they're saying: "We're going to make it easy to get here — no cars required," Peter Tomozawa, CEO of the local World Cup organizing committee, said at a press conference Wednesday.
- Tomozawa urged people attending a World Cup match to take transit and arrive hours earlier than they would for a Seahawks game, citing the global interest in the international tournament.
- "The world is coming to Seattle — and that is an amazing opportunity for us as a state and as a city," Gov. Bob Ferguson told reporters Wednesday.
Between the lines: Ferry service isn't increasing — but Washington State Ferries plans to have two backup vessels ready in case of breakdowns, John Vezina, the agency's deputy assistant secretary, recently told TVW.
- The ferry system will also boost staffing on vessels and at terminals to help keep things running smoothly, Vezina said.
What's next: Work on the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge project will pause for the World Cup, with all lanes of the freeway reopening from June 8 to July 10.