Traffic moving in Ballard, side streets very icy

9 a.m. update: One of the trouble spots in addition to those mentioned below is 85th Ave. near Aurora. Adds Megan in comments:

85th is good except eastbound just before 99–that small hill there is VERY icy!! When I drove that way about a half hour ago, the car infront of me slid down the hill, a semi behind me started sliding and had to go into the westbound lanes to get traction, and there was a work truck pulled over to the right side putting on chains. I made it through, but be careful!!

You can see a traffic camera of the intersection right here. Meanwhile, traffic on the sanded and de-iced routes has been moving surprisingly well.

Along 15th Ave. (pictured here at Market St.), some drivers were even going 30 mph. Others were sticking with a safer 20 mph.

Traffic is moving smoothly up Market St. over the hill. We also drove 85th St. and 8th Ave., which are clear, but drivers were moving a little slower.

While the routes maintained by SDOT are moving well, the side streets are iced over and treacherous. In four-wheel drive, we slipped a bit as we took the turns, driving very slowly. Any hill on a side steet is dangerous, and you should avoid it. We didn’t see anyone try to drive down the steep portion of 65th St.

Another hazard to point out is this Metro bus sitting in the middle of 15th in the northbound lanes at 70th St. It’s been stranded since late yesterday.

Speaking of Metro, we noticed more people than usual at bus stops around Ballard. (Please be careful walking on the sidewalks because they’re very slippery.) Buses are running at approximately half the average service levels, focusing on the main arterials. You can check the changes on Metro’s website.