New direction for longtime KNKX traffic reporter Adam Gehrke

After more than two decades on the air at 88.5, Adam Gehrke is saying farewell. Friday, October 18, was his last day doing traffic reporting on the radio.

Adam has been a familiar voice to listeners as the longtime on-air partner to KNKX Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick. The two recently sat down in the studio for one final chat.

Click "Listen" above to hear their conversation.

Transcript

Note: This transcript is provided for reference only and may contain typos. Please confirm accuracy before quoting.

KNKX Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick: After more than two decades on our air, Adam Gerke is saying farewell. He is no longer going to be doing traffic on the radio, and since he has been on the station longer than I have, I had to bring him in to have a final chat before he signs off. Adam joins me in studio.

I have to say, Adam, I'm so happy for you, but also sad, because I, along with our listeners, are going to miss you so much. We have been together in the mornings for the past 18 years, and you have been doing traffic on our air even longer than that.

Traffic reporter Adam Gehrke: As a matter of fact, yeah. I've been doing traffic in Seattle for 26 years. And, then-KPLU now KNKX was one of the first affiliates that I had the opportunity to work on. And for me, it was actually kind of a dream come true, because my history with the station goes back even further – to the point where I was in junior high and high school, and my mom and I used to commute to and from school in a car. And in the mornings, I got to control the radio. In the afternoon, she controlled the radio, and in the afternoons, it was always 88.5. So when I finally got the opportunity to be on 88 five, it was kind of like, ‘Yes, I’ve landed!’ It was so exciting. I started on All Things Considered, in the afternoons, and then as my shift and my life kind of changed and evolved, moved to mornings. And 18 years? Can that be? Wow.

Kendrick: Well, in all your years doing traffic reporting, Adam, I'm sure you've had some issues or problems that are burned in your memory.

Gehrke: Oh yeah. There was an early one that I recall along I-5, right at the Ship Canal bridge, as a matter of fact. If you look on the Ship Canal bridge, there are some high tension power lines that run just west of I-5, and an individual had climbed one of those power towers and was standing atop a power tower with a torch and was breathing fire atop the tower, and it shut down I-5 right at the Ship Canal bridge. They had to get negotiators out and this person had to be talked down off of the tower. It was, to this day, one of the strangest, most bizarre incidents that I can think of.

Kendrick: [And] a honeybee truck overturning?

Gehrke: Yeah, sure. That was just a few years ago. That was an overturned truck of bees, 1000s and 1000s of honeybees, that was up in the Linwood area and 405, and I-5 turned into a giant sticky mess. So that was another one.

Also more recent-day, there was a time when we had the Alaskan Way Viaduct and there was a truck of crabmeat that struck the one of the pilings of the actual viaduct itself, and crabmeat strewn everywhere, to the joy of the seagulls, but to the misery of Seattleites. It paralyzed the city so yeah, there have been some pretty epic, strange incidents over the years.

Kendrick: And you have been with listeners through all of that. And speaking of being with listeners through a lot of things, traffic trends have shifted. Like, there doesn't seem to be a usual morning or afternoon commute time anymore, for one example.

Gehrke: Yeah, there is and there isn't. It's sort of a pandemic and post-pandemic era. I've seen Snohomish County getting a later start, so that's kind of an interesting change in trend. But, you're right, through downtown Seattle, as of late, it's kind of like any time of day, you're an hour from anywhere.

Kendrick: You also have history with the station Adam, outside of doing traffic. You've been a news host as well.

Gehrke: Yeah, from 2001 to 2011. I did it for 10 years. Weekend Edition Sunday!

Kendrick: You also started doing movie reviews during your time hosting.

Gehrke: Yes, matter of fact, that was something that was suggested by now jazz host Paige Hansen: little kind of snippet, very, very brief reviews but now I do those in much longer format.

Kendrick: What is next for you as you kind of make this pivot and make some changes?

Gehrke: Well, on the side of doing traffic, I've also been doing radio engineering, and it engineering for many, many years, but more recently, I've been studying cybersecurity, and so I'm going to be extending some of those talents, working with nonprofits here in the area, trying to help them get started to make sure they're secure.

Kendrick: Awesome, Adam. Well, thank you so much for your steady voice in the midst of some, at times, quite messy roads. And for your wit as well! I am going to miss you so much, buddy.

Gehrke: Oh man. Likewise, Kirsten. All the best.

Kendrick: All the best to you. And, even though Adam is signing off from radio traffic reporting, you can find his movie reviews and other news at adamgehrke.com .