FOLLOWUP: Sylvan Way open again, until Sunday

Thanks to Sam for the photos and update. The Sylvan Way drainage project wrapped up for the day around 5:30 pm, and as scheduled, the street has reopened, with another closure scheduled starting around 7:30 tomorrow morning. Here’s what they’re doing:

Seattle Public Utilities told WSB on Friday that the crew is “installing one inlet and one catch basin” to deal with “localized flooding issues that were reported by the community last year.” Though Sylvan Way is a major east-west route more than ever right nwo because of the bridge closure, the planned closure was not announced – beyond scant signage – until yesterday, and that led to detour woes in the High Point and Sylvan Ridge areas:

The detour through High Point for Sylvan Way closure is awful!!! People are speeding, ignoring stop signs, going the wrong way around the circle. This is a disaster. Someone is going to get hurt before this is over!!! pic.twitter.com/bdzoONItkJ

— Erin (@ewknutty) January 16, 2021

SW Holden is the closest alternate route between 35th SW and Delridge, but that too backed up:

EB Holden west of Delridge. Detour b/c Sylvan closure. pic.twitter.com/Nyjd1n0dVf

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) January 16, 2021

If Sylvan reopens earlier than expected tomorrow, we will publish another update.

Train January 16, 2021 (8:39 pm)

It would be nice if 1) SPU were better thinkers and setup detour concessions for the neighborhoods surrounding their projects, like providing MORE THAN ONE reroute with speed deterrents. 2) that those using the detour have respect for the neighborhoods and the people in them by not driving angrily and recklessly speeding (and I mean SPEEDING). It’s amazing how many cars have driven this way in front of our house ALL day long….none stop since 7:30 this morning. Ridiculous.

Alan W Crawshaw January 16, 2021 (9:49 pm)

The planning of the detour routes around the SPU project on Sylvan Way this weekend (Jan 16-17) was an absolute disaster! Knock Knock! Anyone at SPU know that Sylvan Way is a major detour route to the 1st Ave South Bridge? No, I didn’t think so. Drivers ignored signs and ended up either driving through Sylvan Ridge or High Point neighborhoods’ narrow streets. A lot of drivers did U turns in the roadway or wherever they could. The lack of signage and personnel to direct traffic was evident though the onsite personnel tried their best. In the Sylvan Ridge neighborhood there were no detour signs so a lot of drivers drove aimlessly around our curved tight streets looking for a way out. Even after they negotiated our neighborhood they still had to find their way to SW Holden and unless you know the area you’d be adding a lot of travel time to your trip. Even a Metro Bus, that was counting on using Sylvan Way at 5PM and had to do a turnaround at the intersection of Sylvan Way and SW Sylvan Heights Dr. Ouch! SPU and SDOT you need to do a damn sight better!

Trickycoolj January 16, 2021 (11:07 pm)

There needs to be an RCCA between SPU and SDOT this is completely bonkers around High Point today. Lots of car horns and yelling pedestrians today.

CJ January 16, 2021 (11:16 pm)

Another epic fail by Sam Z and company

R January 16, 2021 (11:44 pm)

Absolutely spot on CJ. How on earth is he still there?! Never ending failures on extremely basic things. Enough already.

ScottAmick January 17, 2021 (4:54 am)

WSB-If you could report on the apparent lack of an SDOT approved Traffic Control Plan (TCP) I’d appreciate it. I assume SPU doesn’t need to get a Street Use permit from SDOT to close an arterial or to even modify the street as private contractors do. Requiring a street use permit for non-emergency repair work would at very least trigger the notification processes that SDOT can be quite good at. Requiring a TCP would also prompt the discussions about uniformed police officers possibly being needed at key intersections especially while Sylvan is a major detour route. Thank you!http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SDOT/CAMs/cam2111.pdf

WSB January 17, 2021 (8:16 am)

SPU claims it filed one.
- ScottAmick January 17, 2021 (8:54 am)
  
  Interesting. Thank you. I wouldn’t be shocked if their process means they file a TCP that just shows what they planned to do but didn’t actually have SDOT approve it. There should’ve been officers directing traffic at Holden/Delridge and other overloaded intersections.
- Alan W Crawshaw January 17, 2021 (8:55 am)
  
  Yes, SPU does have a TCP. It just seems that it is a poor plan and not well executed. Now that the word is out maybe today will be better in High Point.

Diana Mary January 17, 2021 (7:09 am)

WOW they really need to get the WS bridge fixed/replaced, by the above pics I never realized how many rude drivers or essential workers lived in WS until now!

DJ Allyn January 17, 2021 (12:37 pm)

I don’t see any real reason why the WS bridge couldn’t be opened for limited passenger vehicles only. Traffic could be effectively metered to keep the total weight down to a minimum.If the bridge in its current condition can’t handle even that, then any kind of ‘repairs’ they make will probably fail.All I know is that the current mess they’ve created by funneling all of the traffic — including large freight trucks (that SHOULD be using the lower bridge) and buses — through a narrow neighborhood street like Sylvan is ridiculous.

Steve January 17, 2021 (7:19 pm)

SPU has a reputation of being “imperial” as a bureaucracy and does not communicate with SDOT, or other departments well. (or so I’m told by bureaucrats). Maybe shake up is in order?

Sorry, comment time is over.