Thanks to tipster Ted, we’ve been alerted to roadwork at the bottom of Counterbalance that’s been going on for a few weeks now.
Seattle Metro has been working on installing Rapid Ride D Line’s stops/stations on Queen Anne Ave. at Mercer. Below you can see all the stops planned for this new route.
In terms of making traffic flow a little easier going South, the Rapid Ride line is opening September 29th, so those cones and backups should resolve themselves (hopefully) before then.