WA 99 is former US 99, which explains the numbering of BC 99 in Canada that now connects directly into I-5. 99 doesn't do much anymore besides be a freeway, expressway, and general arterial in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The freeway's really cool though, an old bi-level six laner with some really old signs. Be patient, I'm getting there.


WA 99 SB on the mono-level freeway, at the West Seattle Bridge. The way Seattle was constructed, the low-level original city was built up with stonework and then pumped full of dirt to get up to the cliff level. That only goes for downtown, though, where the streets can get mighty steep. Down here, south of the city proper, the cliffs hem WA 99 in along the Puget Sound, while I-5 towers above them, so that there is very little access between the two until much further south.


EB on the West Seattle Bridge at WA 99.


Columbia Street at WA 99... no wait... US 99!!. What may be the only remnant of its former glory is this downtown Seattle BGS pointing to the Alaskan Way. Well, I suppose the name Alaskan Way is another remnant. But this is the only US 99 shield I believe still exists, and that's important.


Aurora Avenue only exists as Aurora Avenue N, and only exists independently of WA 99 NB for about a block. In that block, you get the arrow on the street sign, funky-lettered prohibition sign, and way-cool original I-5 shield (which could also be for WA 99 traffic emerging from the tunnel).


This (just before the abovementioned tunnel, facing SB), the US 99 assembly above, and one NB assembly just before the other end of the tunnel are the only three button-copy assemblies I know of on WA 99. There may be a couple more on the lower level of the Alaskan Way, WA 99 NB, and there's at least one underneath I-5 in Seattle. There aren't a whole lot more than that anywhere along the I-5 corridor.

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