You've Been Warned: This Weekend, A Perfect Storm of Awful Traffic

Photographer James Callan snapped this arresting shot and dropped it in the Seattlest Flickr Pool. Just look at those smug little cones, waiting to be deployed.

It's almost Summer, Seattle. Which means street fairs, sporting events, outdoor drinking and many, many construction projects. And when all of these factors collide in a single weekend, it leads to backed-up streets, and surly commuters.

Nearly every weekend in the Summer, confused motorists sit in hot cars, listening to NPR, and thinking "Man, I wish I'd known this street was going to be closed so I could have chosen an alternate route." Don't be one of them. Read up on the reason behind this weekend's woeful road conditions, and plan accordingly:

1.) 520 Bridge will be closed.
Closed. All the way closed. Both ways, all day, both days. Closed. Do not attempt to take 520, because you will not be able to. This, of course, will also impact the freeway, as confused motorists and non-Seattlest-readers try their hand at getting in the bridge. They will be unable. It will be closed. Use I-90, or go up and over. Avoid the area around 520.

2.) Mercer On/Off-Ramps will be closed.
Yup, those will also be closed. All the way closed. Which will not only back up South Lake Union, but because of the ramps' close proximity to the flyover that would get you on to 520, will also probably cause a big snarl going both ways on I-5, going in and out of downtown. Best bet? Avoid the freeway. Really. Avoid it.

3.) Sporting events will be happening.
Both Saturday and Sunday night, the Mariners will be playing at Safeco. And while this often, already, causes kind of a snag in Pioneer Square and SoDo (not to mention the freeway), it will be made worse by the aforementioned factors. Also, there is construction, so a lot of lanes will be closed. Avoid SoDo, unless you're on your bike, or possibly the lightrail, which doesn't get bogged down by traffic.

4.) Fremont Fair will be tangling up Fremont.
We love the Fremont Fair, because it is super pedestrian friendly, involves nudity and also has a parade. Unfortunately for motorists, though, it also means some closed-down streets and lots of slow (and possibly drunk) foot traffic. Avoid driving through Fremont.

You know, actually, maybe just do what you know you should be doing, anyway: avoid your car. Ride your bike. All weekend.