Buses will be on a bunch of reroutes this weekend as work continues on the Mercer Street project and people turn out for fun events around the region. Big crowds are expected at the University District Street Fair, Beat the Bridge on Montlake Boulevard and the Alki Summer Street Party. Also, starting Monday morning, May 20, Route 16 to Northgate will have a new long-term reroute due to the Mercer Street project.
We have all the biggest events listed below. You also can visit the Metro Online Construction & Events page for specific reroute information. Visit Metro’s online Trip Planner to find out how to get to and from events and locations. The trip planner provides itineraries based on scheduled transit service and does not reflect temporary service revisions due to events. After obtaining an itinerary, check the Events page to see how related service will be affected.
Friday through Sunday, May 17-19
Norwegian Constitution Day Parade: On Friday, May 17 from approximately 4-8 p.m., the Ballard area will be affected by street closures and traffic congestion associated with the Norwegian Constitution Day Parade.
During this event, Metro service will be rerouted off of Leary Avenue NW, NW Market Street & 24th Avenue NW, and will travel instead via alternate nearby streets, depending on the route, destination and direction of travel. During this event Metro will provide shuttle service between 15th Avenue NW & NW Market Street and 32nd Avenue NW & NW 54th Street.
The shuttle will travel via 15th Avenue NW, NW Leary Way, 17th Avenue NW, Shilshole Avenue NW, 24th Avenue NW & NW Market Street in both directions making all posted stops along its routing.
Mercer Street construction: Starting 11 p.m. Friday, May 17, through the end of bus service Sunday night, May 19, Metro routes 5, 16 and 358 will be rerouted between Virginia Street in downtown Seattle and Aurora Avenue North and Valley Street.
From Friday through Sunday nights, heading toward Northgate and Shoreline, routes 5, 16 and 358 will travel instead via Virginia Street, Westlake Avenue, Eighth Avenue, Bell Street, Dexter Avenue North and Valley Street to their regular routes. They will serve posted stops on Virginia Street just west of Sixth Avenue, and on Dexter Avenue North of Denny Way.
Heading toward downtown Seattle they will travel via Aurora to Valley Street, Fifth Avenue North and Cedar Street to Third Avenue. Rerouted buses will serve all posted bus stops along their revised routes.
University District Street Fair: Beginning midnight Friday, May 17, through Sunday, May 19, the University District area will be affected by street closures and traffic congestion associated with the University District Street Fair.
During this event, Metro service will be rerouted off of University Way NE north of NE Campus Parkway and will travel via 15th Avenue NE instead.
Birth of Buddha parade: On Saturday, May 18 from about 9-11:30 a.m., South Jackson Street will be affected by street closures and traffic congestion associated with the Birth of Buddha Parade. During this event, Southbound Route 14 will be rerouted off of South Jackson Street between 12th Avenue South and Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, and will travel instead via alternate nearby streets.
Routes 7, 36, 60 and 99 will travel their regular routes, but may experience brief delays during the parade.
Nordstrom’s Beat the Bridge: On Sunday, May 19 from about 7-11 a.m., the Montlake and University District areas will be affected by street closures and traffic congestion associated with the Nordstrom’s Beat the Bridge Run.
During this event, Metro Routes 32, 43, 48, 49, 65, 66, 71, 72, 73, 75 & 271 will be rerouted off of the University and Montlake bridges as well as several streets around the UW Campus and Portage Bay, and will travel instead via alternate nearby streets, depending on the route, destination and direction of travel.
West Seattle 5K Run and Alki Summer Street Party: and On Sunday, May 19 from 8 a.m. until about 6 p.m., the Alki area will be affected by street closures and traffic congestion associated with the West Seattle 5K Run and the Alki Summer Street Party.
During these events Metro route 50 and the 775 King County Water Taxi Shuttle will be rerouted and will travel instead via alternate nearby streets, depending on the route, destination and direction of travel.
Monday, May 20 until further notice
Route 16’s long-term reroute will be via Third Avenue to Battery Street to Aurora, and via Aurora to Wall Street when headed toward downtown Seattle. It will not serve Seattle Center while it is operating this reroute.