West Seattle, Washington
27 Friday
Just in from WSDOT – read on for the full news release on results of the inspection done while the Alaskan Way Viaduct was closed last weekend:Read More
While Election Day is technically still 13 days away, 
so many people vote by mail that it’s become more like Election Weeks. The presidential and governor’s races are getting lots of play, but you’ll be making other meaningful decisions too – particularly when it comes to several state and local ballot measures. One of the state initiatives, I-1000, “Death With Dignity,” will be explored at a forum tomorrow night at West Seattle High School, sponsored by the WS Ministerial Association, with speakers expected from both sides, 7:30 pm. Meantime, the most-debated local measure on the ballot — Sound Transit Proposition 1, raising the sales tax half a cent — got a thorough airing at this week’s Sustainable West Seattle meeting. If you’re guessing it was a warm, friendly pro-Prop 1 crowd since sustainability and transit seem to go together — not entirely:Read More
We told you last week about a vanpool open house that a West Seattle woman is organizing, coming up this Sunday. Just got word that its scope is now expanded – she started off with a plan to look for other vanpoolers interested in getting to Bellevue, but now, all would-be West Seattle vanpoolers are invited to come and find out about this commuting alternative and potentially make some commuting connections, whatever your destination happens to be. The open house is 4:30-5:30 pm at Uptown Espresso in The Junction. It’s not an official Metro event,, but you’ll meet some current vanpoolers there too, in case you have questions on how it really works. (If you can’t make it on Sunday but are interested in finding out more, e-mail the get-together’s organizer, Lisa: l.rough@comcast.net.)
This morning, we brought you first word of the U.S. Coast 
Guard‘s decision (read it here) not to grant the City of Seattle request to restrict openings of the Spokane Street “low bridge” during weekday rush hours. We asked for reaction from both City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who had pursued the idea, and from SDOT, which made the official request. Heard back from both late today — read on:Read More
More work along the north side of Westwood Village, on Trenton, and it’s a bit of a snarl, so the Barton side is your better bet if you’re headed that way any time soon.
(photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
Just in from the U.S. Coast Guard: They’ve turned thumbs down on the City of Seattle request to restrict openings of the “low bridge” during peak commute hours (comments were taken May-July; WSB coverage here). We will keep expanding this report with more details over the next hour or so, but for starters, Austin Pratt of the Coast Guard told WSB by phone that the reasons include “massive” opposition by the Port of Seattle and local maritime concerns, as well as not enough traffic volume using the bridge to justify the change. Here’s the official document (published today in the Federal Register); technically, the action taken by the USCG was to “withdraw” the proposal to change the bridge rules. Read on for the key excerpt from the federal document explaining why this proposal isn’t going forward – as well as additional information we’ll continue to add:Read More
As promised, we asked SDOT to explain why the “Alaskan Way Viaduct Closed When Flashing” warning lights didn’t go on till mid-afternoon Saturday, long after the long-planned shutdown began early Saturday morning. The answer, e-mailed by SDOT spokesperson Marybeth Turner — the lights didn’t malfunction, they just weren’t turned on:
In response to your inquiry, the “Viaduct Closed When Flashing” signs were mistakenly turned on late on Saturday. Although the road barricades and street closure signs were in place on time, the flashing lights warning drivers of the need to use other routes were not activated. We now have a procedure in place to ensure it won’t happen again.
Looks like we resumed the end-of-weekend gas-price survey runs just in time – driving around West Seattle 
a few hours ago, we discovered some stations had dropped prices for regular gas by 30 cents (or more) in the past week. At left, you see the lowest price we found (at the station that made news this past week for a different reason); at right, the highest. The full list, with April and June prices for comparison, ahead:Read More
As mentioned earlier, one of the doorbelling campaigns under way today in West Seattle, as by-mail voting gets into full swing, is for Sound Transit Proposition 1 (aka “Mass Transit Now!”). This one may be a tough decision for West Seattleites, as it’s mostly about projects in other parts of the region (with some money for studying West Seattle). We have the full text, plus the pro and con websites, linked from the WSB Election page, but if you would rather talk about it in person – here’s the perfect chance: Monday night’s Sustainable West Seattle meeting, 7 pm at Camp Long; Andy Silber from SWS’ transportation team says speakers will be there “representing both the pro and con positions.” Meantime, we recently asked pro-Prop 1 spokesperson Alex Fryer what supporters would say to West Seattleites who are asking “why should I support it – what’s in it for me?” The answer, ahead (and then we’d love to hear what YOU think):Read More
Thanks to those who have e-mailed to point out that though the Alaskan Way Viaduct has been closed since 6 am and is scheduled to remain closed till 6 tomorrow night, the warning signs are NOT flashing, at least as of a short time ago. We spotchecked Admiral, Fauntleroy, and 35th (photo at left shows the sign next to West Seattle Stadium, around 12:15 pm) – all out. We’ll be checking with SDOT to see what the problem is. P.S. Just got a call from Scott C, who says traffic on The Bridge, eastbound, is running at a snail’s pace right now. 4:15 PM UPDATE: The lights are on now.
Thanks to Kim Dinsmoor for the tip that this radar-equipped speed-warning sign is now up and running on northbound 35th at Willow (map). As we reported earlier this week, a recent crackdown there netted dozens of violators; as you can see from our Friday afternoon photo, some are still whizzing by (we actually saw somebody at 55 while we were staked out by the sign for a while; it picks up your speed about a block south of the sign itself). The sign is among the safety improvements promised by the city in the handout that SDOT distributed before and during the rally at 35th/Juneau earlier this month; another one is promised for SB 35th by Camp Long before month’s end.
(click to see full-size potential route map on Metro website)
Thanks to Michael Taylor-Judd for first calling our attention to this: He wrote, “… did you know Metro may propose a new Route 50 which would provide a new, direct connection between Seward Park and the Columbia City Link station, Beacon Hill, SoDo, Harbor Island, and Alaska Junction? In particular, it would run along Spokane St. to Delridge and then make a right turn up Genesee to Avalon and the Junction, providing a new link for folks in Youngstown and Pigeon Point to get up the hill to the Junction!” And indeed, the map you see above (which links here) is somewhat buried in the Metro website, where it’s categorized as a “Southeast Seattle” proposed service change. Nonetheless, wherever you live, you have a chance RIGHT NOW to comment on whether you’d be interested in this — and this page has all the details on how to do that, starting with a community meeting tonight in Columbia City, but also including e-mail, phone, and postal-mail options, or this online questionnaire.
(April 2008 WSB photo of “Fauntle-rut Way” pothole repairs)
We’re at the Morgan Community Association‘s quarterly meeting at The Kenney, and Liz Ellis from SDOT revealed HUGE news that’s buried in the mayor’s 2009 budget proposal: Money is proposed for repaving Fauntleroy Way next year between Alaska and California — the stretch we once dubbed (and we probably weren’t the first) “Fauntle-rut Way.” It’s the only West Seattle project proposed for the Arterial Asphalt and Concrete Program. You can find it on page 11 of this PDF.
We’ve heard lately from more than a few people newly inspired to explore alternate forms of commuting. In one case, a West Seattle woman is arranging a get-together later this month to talk about new vanpooling options opening for people who head toward the Eastgate Park-and-Ride area in Bellevue.
*Thinking about how much you are spending on gas lately?
*Tired of driving in traffic but not sure of your options?
*Not ready to commit to anything yet, but willing to find out more?
*Looking to meet more of your West Seattle Neighbors?
*Wanting to talk to some people that are vanpooling now?Come meet at Uptown Espresso in The Junction (Edmunds/Erskine/California; map):
Sunday, October 26th, 4:30-5:30 PMThis will be an informal gathering to meet and greet other West Seattleites and hear about the joys of vanpooling!
Metro provided the vanpool-vehicle photo, by the way, but wants to be clear it’s not sponsoring/presenting this gathering – it’s a 100% grassroots effort to get more people involved in West Seattle carpooling. (If you know you can’t make it on 10/26 but are interested in finding out more, e-mail get-together organizer Lisa, l.rough@comcast.net)
Back from checking out a 4-car fender-bender at 35th/Kenyon (map). Fire/medics were able to pull out fairly quickly (no serious injuries reported) but police were trying to sort out exactly how it all happened.
Just announced by Washington State Ferries — it’s just added frequently updated traffic cameras for the area around the main Vashon ferry terminal run. See them here (second row), and read the full announcement ahead:Read More
We told you a few days ago about the no-parking signs up along a long stretch of Alki and Harbor Aves, all the way to the heart of the beach, to facilitate painting crews (sharrows and the lane lines to the right of them) this weekend. Just got this note of caution that Andrew wanted to share from the Alki/Bonair (map) vicinity:
I just wanted to give a heads up that the no parking signage is a bit misleading. Be very careful where you park on Alki today as I saw the Seattle Police patroling for cars parked in areas where the new parking lines hadn’t been painted yet. Looks like some of the signage is incorrect and says Monday – Friday when it actually applies today on Sunday. I checked with one of the Officers and he said I was ok, but just beware!
This may include the area that’s been off-limits to parking because of the pump-station work. How to know? Look to see if the lane near the curb has been painted already. If it has, you’re probably OK. If it hasn’t, don’t park there before late afternoon.
Two road notes tonight: First, Ian (who has an excellent Internet-marketing blog here, also included on the WSB Blogs page), sent us the link to that photo of a sign he spotted earlier today and wondered, “What genius put up this detour sign at the intersection of 35th and Fauntleroy, on the north side? 1. It sends you over the West Seattle Bridge. 2. It blocks people trying to get to Dakota, which IS open. 3. There’s a proper detour sign right after Dakota. If they don’t take it down soon I’m going to move it myself …” Meantime, today’s round of sharrow-and-stripe-painting is over on part of Alki/Harbor Aves; more is ahead for tomorrow (make sure you read those no-parking signs carefully – some were marked for 5 am-3 pm today, some for 5 am-3 pm tomorrow), so if you’re driving to Alki elsewhere, best to seek side-street parking during those hours.
We told you yesterday about the extensive no-parking zone along Alki and Harbor Aves 5 am-3 pm Sunday for striping work; now another alert from SDOT about 3 other areas of West Seattle (map above) where work is planned tomorrow:
SDOT paving crews will make street repairs at three locations on California Avenue Southwest on Saturday, October 11. Traffic will be able to get through, but drivers should expect congestion and may want to consider an alternate route.
The work will take place in the northbound lanes of the following blocks: the 5900 block (between SW Juneau and SW Raymond), the 4500 block (between SW Oregon and SW Alaska) and the 3200 block (between SW Hanford and SW Hinds) from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
The work is required to restore the pavement after repair of underground water lines.
Thanks to Chris for e-mailing about the no-parking signs that are lining Harbor and Alki Avenues almost the entire way from The Bridge to The Beach: This Sunday (10/12), 5 am-3 pm, no parking. After driving the stretch to investigate, we’re 99.9% sure it’s being done so crews can stripe the parking lane as a follow-up to the new sharrows; we have a message out to SDOT to double-check. But in the meantime, make a note – if you’re heading that way this Sunday morning/early afternoon to enjoy the beach, take the Water Taxi, etc., you’re going to have to find side-street parking in most areas. 3:52 PM UPDATE: Marybeth Turner from SDOT confirms, this indeed is because of striping work Sunday.
Three hours after the safety rally at 35th/Juneau ended, a minor car accident tonight briefly blocked part of 35th at the exact same spot. No major injuries, and it cleared fairly quickly – police were pulling away as we pulled up, so the image at left is all we could get – but it underscored what neighbors like Lynda Bui told us at the rally — this is a spot with frequent problems, and they’re pretty sure they know why:
(VIDEO CLIP NO LONGER AVAILABLE)
The rally wasn’t just about that spot on 35th, but the speeding (and other) problems that have earned it the nickname “I-35.” Organizers chose this spot because it’s where a crash injured a High Point teenager last month. The city didn’t let today’s rally go unanswered. In fact, we got e-mail from SDOT communications director Rick Sheridan hours earlier, noting that city reps had met with organizers ahead of time and that the two groups “had a very positive discussion about making 35th Avenue SW a better corridor for all. As noted in our handout, drivers can help this effort by obeying the speed limit and being more aware of pedestrians.” More on that handout – a city-prepared document – plus organizers’ reaction and other followup, ahead:Read More
Last month, we updated the city’s timeline for a Junction-area parking review — while some of the work will start before the end of the year, most of it won’t happen till next year, several months later than the earlier projection. We mention this because you might be wondering what’s up with that review if you read this P-I article about the controversial results of a similar city study in Fremont.
Just in from WSDOT: They’ve now decided to close the Alaskan Way Viaduct (and Battery Street Tunnel) continuously, from 6 am Saturday 10/18 to 6 pm Sunday 10/19. Project spokesperson Emily Fishkin explains, “We’ve extended the closure overnight on Saturday to allow crews to repair concrete panels in the southbound lanes, closer to the Spokane Viaduct.”
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