Hundreds of thousands are expected to flood downtown Seattle on Wednesday for the much-anticipated Seahawks victory parade.
The revelry officially kicks off at 11 a.m., with the route starting just south of Seattle Center at Denny Way. It will then travel south down Fourth Avenue past Westlake Park and finish at the north entrance of CenturyLink Field.
Seattle police said they will shut down Fourth Avenue at 10:30 a.m. and clear the roadway as soon as possible after the parade wraps up at 1:30 p.m.
Peter Anspach of Tacoma is one of 300,000 or so people expected to attend.
“I want to go up there and shout my head off,” said Anspach, 32. “We’ve had to wait a long time for a championship team.”
He’s planning to take his two young nephews, camping chairs and blankets and jump on board a 6 a.m. train so they can stake out a spot close enough for the boys — Caleb, 9, and Owen, 7 — to see Richard Sherman.
“It’s all they’ve been talking about,” Anspach said.
Those planning to join in the festivities are encouraged to bundle up because temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures are usually in the 50s this time of year.
Players, coaches, Sea Gals, Seahawks’ mascot Blitz and the Blue Thunder drum line will ride Duck vehicles through the parade, as will dignitaries like Gov. Jay Inslee, King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.
The amphibious Duck vehicles sit high off the ground and have open sides so spectators will get a good view, said Brian Tracey, owner of Ride the Ducks, a company that gives city tours and is popular with tourists. Tracey anticipated that 11 Ducks would be needed for all the Seahawks, but said the final number is still in flux.
The 1979 parade, after the SuperSonics won the NBA championship, featured open sports cars and vintage classics with the players seated up on the back seat.
Officials warn that parking will be limited at CenturyLink Field and are encouraging fans to carpool or take public transportation.
From Tacoma and Lakewood, fans can ride Sounder trains to King Street Station near Pioneer Square. The 59-minute trip costs $4.75 each way for adults.
The first train leaves at 4:55 a.m. from the Tacoma station at Freighthouse Square, and the last morning train departs Tacoma at 8 a.m. Departures from Lakewood are 14 minutes earlier.
Return trips from Seattle start at 3:12 p.m. and continue through 6:12 p.m.
From Sea-Tac Airport, Central Link light-rail trains will take fans on a 38-minute trip to downtown Seattle as often as every 71/2 minutes during peak hours. Adult fares are $2.75 each way.
The Seattle Times contributed to this report
