Community Post

Obama Visit Live

President Obama is currently downtown at an event for Senator Murray, before a final stop at a private fundraiser on the Lake Washington shoreline near Madrona.

There’s already a heavy security presence in the area, and we’ve confirmed that Lake Washington Boulevard north of Madrona Drive will be closed for the duration of Obama’s visit. No parking signs are up, and a tow truck is hovering in the area.

There’s a heavy presence on the water as well. Police boats are out on Lake Washington, setting up a wide security perimeter around the waterfront home. We just saw the boat turn back a man on a surfboard who was paddling north, not letting him go any further than Madrona park.

Of course the precise route if the motorcade is not published, but there’s only so many ways from downtown to the water. Expect major traffic delays if you’re out on the roadways.

21 thoughts on “Obama Visit Live

  1. Just heard 3 big, concussion booms towards the direction of Madrona. Thought a jet might have flown through seconds before. Any word on what that was?

  2. I’m working on the 22nd floor of a building downtown and heard it — I thought it was the seafair pirates cruising through downtown…

  3. Just heard them too. It rattled my windows and the whole house (at top of hill near TT Minor) and also rattled windows at husbands work in Pioneer Square.

    What the hell?!?!

  4. same here on 24th. followed by a blue helicopter flying west from Madrona, very low altitude. What the heck was that??

  5. from the 500 block of 26th S I heard two, AND my brother on the pone heard them too 4700 block Orcas South

  6. There are several special police vehicles on Madison. The booms sounded like they were South of here. Fire sirens in the area.

  7. News just said it was sonic booms from military aircraft. No other explanation was given.

  8. Sonic booms in Puget Sound area
    The FAA says explosions heard throughout the Puget Sound area are sonic booms from military aircraft in the area.

  9. Scanner says it confirmed they were sonic booms from 2 F-16 Fighter Jets controlling the airspace over Lake Washington

  10. does anyone know what or where all the semi- and hauling trucks are going on MLK jr way? I live just off MLK and Union and the sound of the trucks traveling south on mlk and coming up the slight incline before union is pretty dang loud. Where are they going? I am not really aware of any projects around. They only travel south, I haven’t seen any going north. It’s just the drag of the engine noise, about twice as loud as the #8 coming up the hill. Are the being re-routed because of today’s events? I heard them last night as well though.. just curious, as my dog is on edge every time one climbs that little hill.

  11. As someone who visits Howell park often on sunny days I can’t help but giggle when I see these pictures.

    I’m sure they didn’t let a soul onto the park… but it would have been fun if they did.

  12. Lots of trucks coming and going from the field at the arboretum. There’s a big construction project going on next to the field, tearing up lots of ground and putting in what I think is the new storm water retention thingamabob. There have been a ton of trucks coming down MLK and turning on to Madison for that project every morning and evening.

  13. I was on the phone with someone in Olympia who heard/felt the booms too. The Times reported the fighters were scrambled from Portland (dunno why so far), so apparently the booms were widespread.

  14. Two F16 fighters were scrambled from Portland as a result of a plane flying from Lake Chelan to Kenmore. When it landed in Kenmore it broke the 10 mile airspace restriction because of Obama’s visit.

    Now you know what a sonic boom sounds like…a little different than Seafair huh!!

  15. not much different. My windows rattled in my downtown office, my windows rattled in my home three days in a row on SeaFair weekend. I believe that SeaFair’s concussions were not sonic booms but honestly, they did sound and feel the same.

  16. How does everyone feel about all the pre and post security measures taken for one fundraiser…after all it si your tax dollar and mine that is paying for all this fanfare….is a 32 motorcycle escort seem a little over the top…plus all the vans…suvs. and trucks….think about it….

  17. I guess it depends on what the alternatives are.

    1. Keep the president in the White House more often due to the cost of him leaving
    2. Decrease the level of security, thus saving some money

    Option one seems like a bad option, since hanging around Washington doesn’t seem to do anyone much good. And although we “pay his salary”, he’s still a free man and should be able to get out and about and do what he wants

    Option two seems like an even worse option, considering the number of threats against presidents generally and this one in particular. All it takes is one nut. Spectators at the event yesterday were very worried about a known gun-owning crazy person from the neighborhood who was hanging out in the area.

    And although it does cost money, 32 motorcycles and a dozen SUVs is pretty small in comparison to the rest of government spending.

  18. You display the intersection of Howell @ Lk. Wash. Blvd. That’s where the nudie beach is located, apparently next door to the hacienda hosting the Prez. Think he got to slip off to dunk in the drink?

    Actually, a friend of mine who frequents that beach park said it was closed off long before the fund-raiser shindig next door to the park. Fiddlesticks. Hey, can’t one fanti-size?