Companies around Seattle are bracing for serious traffic disruptions when the Alaskan Way Viaduct closes on January 11. There will be a 3-week period when the Viaduct closes and the new SR 99 tunnel under Seattle hasn't opened yet.
Employers are planning how their workers will commute with the least complications.
On Wednesday, companies and transportation planners gathered in downtown Seattle to strategize ways to keep the gears of major Seattle employers turning, as traffic grinds to a halt.
“From the entry level to the executives, it will have impact,” said Diana Hice, senior director of employee engagement for Holland America Group.
Hice is encouraging employees to telework and says about a third of Holland America’s employees based in Lower Queen Anne work from home 2-3 days a week.
Others work flex schedules, odd hours like 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. And some employees work nine-hour days, giving them a three-day weekend every other week.
“We're hoping for a very small business disruption, if none, because we're preparing so well for the traffic disruptions,” Hice said.
Grange Insurance Association is a much smaller company in Belltown, and they're worried.
“The few times the Viaduct was closed - when, what was it, a fish truck turned over? That was awful! People had 3 and 4-hour commutes home that night, so we really are taking this seriously,” said Annemarie Killen-Gall, Vice President of Human Resources.
Killen-Gall said two-thirds of the Grange workforce can do their jobs at home, a significant increase over just a few years ago when that was kind of frowned upon by some managers.
Commute Seattle, a transportation consulting organization, is holding meetings all across the city, so companies can share ideas and commiserate about a headache looming over every office.
