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One week into the Seattle Squeeze and we’ve returned to address the transportation woes of our staff. With daily media press conferences (including one directly under the viaduct with cars driving overhead), the public response has been just as frenzied as expected.

But at least for now, it appears that you can breathe a sigh of relief. Overall, reactions to the predicted congestion have been overwhelmingly…tame?

Our north end commuters report small changes, but nothing that’s caused major red flags.

“My commute from Wallingford has been unaffected so far, or if anything, maybe a little faster. I’ve commuted by bus some days, light rail on others, and have not found either to be overcrowded or to take more time than usual. We’ll see what next week brings.” —Virginia Smyth, executive editor who commutes from Wallingford.

“There was little to no impact on my commute.” —Ryan Shea, digital marketing services coordinator who commutes from Redmond.

“If anything I’ve found the buses have been later, at times by 15 minutes. I decided to walk to and back from downtown a couple times in the last week just for convenience.” —Chris Robinson, editorial assistant who commutes from Magnolia.

Those making the trek from West and South Seattle area however, are experiencing slightly more woes than the rest of our staff.

“The 120 was really late and when it arrived it was way too packed. I ended up taking the C to the Fauntleroy Ferry and had my husband pick me up from there. Left office shortly after six and was home around eight.” —Gwendolyn Elliot, senior editor who commutes from White Center.

“The bridge is really congested, and it takes easily twice as long to make it over.” —Cherie Singer, associate publisher of Seattle Business magazine, who commutes from West Seattle.

“It takes a little longer to get here on the C Line from West Seattle.” —Kelsey Jones, marketing & events coordinator who commutes from West Seattle.

Public officials have been on top of things, promising increased response times to accidents and tighter enforcement in bus only lanes. Police officers and security have even been placed at popular intersections to aid in the flow of traffic.

“I give huge Kudos to WashDot for once again–at least so far–making what was going to be the apocalypse not that bad.” —Rachel Hart, editorial director who commutes from Ballard.

Seattle Business magazine art director Gene Faught summed up how the office seems to be feeling overall, despite the woes here and there. “It’s been smoother than I thought,” Faught said.

With two weeks left in the squeeze, we’ll let the new reality an underground Highway 99 sink into your systems.

In regards to if it will open on time, the staff is mostly pessimistic.

“I’m not entirely confident, but I hope so.” —Beau Iverson, editorial assistant who commutes from Ballard.

“Government project— no way.” —Andrew Biggs, who commutes from West Seattle.

Meanwhile, Seattle businesses are trying to capitalize on the shutdown by providing discounts to those that choose to stay downtown longer and avoid rush hour traffic.

Tom Douglas restaurants have launched their “99 Reasons to Stay Downtown” campaign, offering discounts and emphatically themed happy hour specials such as Cuoco’s “Gridlock Garlic Bread,” and Brave Horse Tavern’s “Pot Hole O Nuggets.”

While you’re munching on some pre-commute snacks or passing the time working from home, you can rest assured that Viadoom probably isn’t coming for you.

I expected more @kcmetrobus (literally more people, where are they?) #seattlesqueeze (?) pic.twitter.com/xmE5Fv96Gk

— Sammi Bushman (@sammi_bushman) January 14, 2019