West Seattle, Washington
26 Thursday
We got the tip from Jen Cole of FeetFirst while talking with her at today’s Picnic at the Precinct (first report here, more to come later tonight) this afternoon — the sidewalk improvements for West Seattle’s Sanislo Elementary, funded as part of Safe Routes to School (January report here), are almost done, just in time for the start of school (two weeks from Wednesday). In addition to the sidewalk work you see above (mostly stretching eastward from the campus), Cole says improvements for the Delridge/Myrtle stairway are also under way, and that will complete a safer walking connection between Delridge and 16th. Unfortunately, she says, the 16th/Myrtle crossing guard position (a couple blocks east of Sanislo) apparently will not be filled; we reported last spring that a serious illness had taken the previous guard off the job, and the city had not replaced her – nor, according to Cole, will a replacement be forthcoming for the new school year.
Thanks to John Cahill for sending photos of the truck that toppled onto its side on the West Seattle Bridge exit to southbound I-5 this morning (WSB coverage here), blocking that ramp for more than two hours. From another angle, its contents didn’t look too much the worse for wear:
Thanks to Kate for e-mailing to share news of a project that’s about to begin in the area on the map above:
I have received a “Bridging the Gap” door flyer from SDOT announcing that it will start construction this Monday, August 11, of a paved walkway on the north side of SW Forest Street from Walnut (Hiawatha Park) to Fairmount (top of Fairmount Ravine) to 39th SW. Here is the flyer’s text …:
– Location of work: SW Forest Street between Walnut Ave. SW and 39th Ave. SW
– Beginning on August 11, 2008, our crews will be working to install a new walkway with a concrete curb in your neighborhood.
– We will be placing temporary no parking signs in various areas.
– This project should be completed within 2 weeks, weather permitting.
– If you have any questions or concerns please call the asphalt paving crew chief at 206-233-2512.
– Thank you for your patience and understanding during our construction phase.
Kate also sent along the attached specs for what’s being built; click here to see them. It’s a $70,000 project, according to this city document (page 14).
When this thread popped up in the WSB Forums from High Point residents wondering when the long-closed Lanham/Morgan intersection by the southwest corner of Commons Park will finally reopen, now that nearby construction’s done and a light’s been installed (photo above), we went to the city to look for answers. SDOT sent us to the Seattle Housing Authority, which is responsible for High Point, saying the street-reopening decision is up to SHA — and SHA just sent us this update:
Seattle Housing Authority shares the goal of opening up the Lanham-Morgan connection as soon as possible, while keeping in mind the safety of the public as well as traffic convenience. This process is not solely up to the Housing Authority — it is a collaborative effort between us and our SDOT sponsors.
The final traffic sensors in the streets are being connected and inspected next week, after which SDOT will turn on flashing yellow lights for about another week. We expect that to happen on Monday, August 18 or sooner.
Once the lights are flashing, the barrier from Morgan to Lanham can be removed to allow traffic to enter and exit with caution. After that time, the signals will shift over to green, yellow and red lights at the intersection. The pedestrian crossing signals will also be operating at that time.
We appreciate everyone’s patience as we move toward the street opening. We understand that this has been a significant inconvenience, but both Seattle Housing Authority and SDOT staff are also concerned with the safety issues.
Just in from SDOT:
Motorists are advised to use caution when traveling southbound on Highway 99, before the West Seattle Bridge exit, south of downtown Seattle. Pavement is damaged in the middle lane. Seattle Department of Transportation crews are responding to make emergency repairs. The lane will be closed until repairs are completed, later today.
2:44 PM UPDATE: SDOT says it now expects the lane closure/repairs to happen around 3:30 and to take less than half an hour. 3:34 PM UPDATE: The repairs are done, so this shouldn’t be an issue for the rest of the commute.
A little more than halfway through this year’s Elliott Bay Water Taxi season, we just got word from King County Councilmember Dow Constantine‘s office that ridership numbers for July were once again up double digits from the same month a year earlier – here’s the full news release:Read More
The bit of yellow you see at the left side of that photo is from the lone flag that remains out of the two baskets of pedestrian flags delivered to California/Dawson (by Rite-Aid) a month and a half ago. Days after the delivery, the flag baskets at Avalon/Yancy (one of two other West Seattle ped-flag spots) were already empty, but quickly replenished, as reported here; we advised Kim, who e-mailed us about California/Dawson, to call the SDOT hotline at 206-684-ROAD in hopes they can fix the situation fast.
… because what we would have come up with last night, if we’d done the usually-weekly survey of all West Seattle stations, would have been way outdated by late morning today. See photo at left (California/Andover 76); while most WS gas stations were still in the four-dollar-and-teens vicinity over the weekend, so far today most of the ones we’ve driven by have dropped into the four-oh-somethings. Let us know if you see someone drop below $4 before we see it (posted price, that is; gas was available at $3.99 at Admiral Safeway this morning, for example, for those who qualified for the dime-a-gallon discount and applied it to the $4.09/gallon price there).
For everyone watching RapidRide, the new Metro service scheduled to start in West Seattle in 2011 – its “schematic design” is scheduled to go before the Seattle Design Commission this Thursday (3 pm, City Hall downtown). Though it’s a county project, as a Metro service, the city is closely involved, as we mentioned a week and a half ago when a city delegation including Councilmembers Jan Drago and Tom Rasmussen van-toured the route.
From the county website comes word that the proposal to raise Metro fares a quarter this fall (reported and discussed here a month ago) is getting a second look – because the bus system faces a worse money crunch than originally expected. Read the full news release here. Will it mean a new proposal for a higher rate hike? Or other changes? West Seattle’s County Councilmember Dow Constantine chairs the Transportation Committee and is quoted as saying, “”Every available tool that Metro Transit has to keep the buses rolling must be on the table. That includes cutting costs, postponing investments, innovating to maximize service efficiency, and increasing fares.” Here’s his contact info, if you have a suggestion for what should be done.
Thanks to Deborra for sending word. It’s also in the Traffic.com alerts you can find from the WSB Traffic page anytime – “Highway 99 – Past W. Seattle Brg – accident blocking all lanes – involving a hazmat situation; also blocking the on ramp from Spokane St.” 10:29 AM UPDATE: Note from this city traffic camera that the ramp off The Bridge is closed and things are already pretty jammed heading eastbound on The Bridge – see the “live” image (refresh the page for the latest) above. 10:39 AM UPDATE: Radio reports say the accident involves a gravel truck. We’re also checking to see if the “viaduct closed when flashing” lights are working, just out of curiosity. 10:45 AM UPDATE: The southernmost one on 35th is. 11 AM UPDATE: The “live” picture above shows that the ramp to The Viaduct just reopened, so all this should clear up in a while.
What we reported here last Friday night is now officially confirmed: Alki’s “Car-Free Day” is set for noon-6 pm Sunday, September 7th. According to the official information handed out at the announcement event that just concluded at Alki/Bonair with Mayor Nickels and SDOT director Grace Crunican (pictured above) — both West Seattleites — plus City Councilmember Jan Drago and others, the closure will be from Harbor Ave/California Way SW to Alki Ave/63rd. Here’s a map (the hikers mark the western and eastern ends of the closure):
Here’s video of the mayor explaining how he got into the spirit of the announcement while on the way there:
As we also had reported, the “Car-Free Day” won’t be entirely vehicle-free — there will be a lane for the Water Taxi shuttle and for residents who can’t get to Alki homes any other way; that’ll be the curb lane. Many more details and video to come in report #2; the mayor was joined at the announcement by West Seattleites including Christy Pudduck and Sarah Steere, the entrepreneurs who run Coastal on Alki — you’ll hear from them in report #2, along with Abby Suplizio, who leads the West Seattle chapter of CoolMom, the group that got first word of the impending announcement. Car-Free Days also were announced for Capitol Hill and Rainier Valley areas; read ahead for the official city news release:Read More
Thanks to everyone who has forwarded us an e-mail that is circulating today, and/or has asked about some new signage that has gone up, regarding the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project and work in that area beneath/alongside the east end of the West Seattle Bridge. We wrote an extensive in-depth preview about it and published it here in May, with graphics, detour information, and more. You can see that story here. We also have just checked with the city regarding what’s about to happen in the area – which is actually utility work, not the widening project itself, which starts in fall, but the utility work WILL trigger the first closure to dramatically affect West Seattleites heading for destinations such as Costco. We will add the details on the utility work here shortly, but since that e-mail is apparently going around fast, wanted to start by posting the link to our original preview. More shortly. ADDED 1:45 PM: Here’s the information on what’s about to happen in that area:Read More
Lots of changes in our latest West Seattle-wide survey of gas prices: The highest price in West Seattle as of late last night is seven cents lower than the highest price exactly a week earlier; one station has dropped its price more than twice that much; and four stations are now tied at the low end, while the highest price is not where you’d expect to find it. Text and map versions of the survey, ahead:Read More
WSB has learned tonight that the mayor plans to announce next week that there will definitely be a “Car-Free Day” at Alki this summer. This information comes from CoolMom, whose leaders are helping organize part of the event on Alki next week 
at which details will be announced. We were first to report that a day like this was expected to be included in the city’s “Give Your Car The Summer Off” campaign (here’s our report from June 12th), but when last we checked with SDOT, it wasn’t a done deal – till now. We don’t have the exact date, but CoolMom’s been told that it will be for six hours, on a Sunday. One other important note: Apparently it won’t be 100% vehicle-free — a lane reportedly will remain open for the Water Taxi shuttle and for local residents on the stretch of Alki SW whose homes (particularly the condo buildings) cannot be reached any other way. More info on the Alki “Car-Free Day” as we get it. (CoolMom, by the way, is a moms’ group founded to support lifestyles with lower ecological impact; we told you in April about its West Seattle chapter, which meets monthly; contact info is here.) 11:57 PM ADDITION: Since we first published this, we’ve learned the Alki “Car-Free Day” date is expected to be Sunday, September 7th.
Near the expected southern end of the future West Seattle RapidRide bus route, we caught up this morning with a city delegation including Councilmembers Tom Rasmussen and Jan Drago (at right, with various SDOT and council administration staff, two of whom live in West Seattle, as does Rasmussen). Our last major update on RapidRide came from a briefing presented to the city council last month (WSB coverage here); as a bus service to be provided by Metro, RapidRide is a county operation, but city leaders are trying to keep close watch on the plans. As Drago — who chairs the council’s Transportation Committee — put it, “This is the first of three (RapidRide routes) in the city and we want to make sure it’s done right – it’ll set a precedent for a long time to come” During that briefing in June, she had expressed a lot of concern that RR wouldn’t really live up to the “rapid” in “bus rapid transit” because it will still have a fair number of stops; this morning, Drago told WSB her concern about that has lessened a bit, because there are far fewer stops between Morgan Junction and downtown, than along the southern stretch between MJ and WV. She also said the bus-route tour was eye-opening in one respect: “There’s a lot more development going on over here than I realized.” As we discussed that development — particularly in the booming Triangle area — for a few minutes, Rasmussen noted that he wants to be sure developers are involved in the discussion before the RR design and other aspects are finalized, since so much will be changing in the area in the next few years before RR is scheduled to be ready to go in 2011. Drago said the city is sending Metro a letter with many followup questions regarding this RapidRide route (you can see a map here – the late-spring version that the city delegation was reviewing this morning matched that one except for a few additional stops between the ferry dock and Westwood Village). She also revealed there’s some talk of leasing parking lots – where and whose, we don’t know – to alleviate the parking crunch that’s already been caused by “park-n-hiders” who drive to The Junction and leave their cars in neighborhoods, to catch buses downtown. As for what’s next from the city standpoint, Drago expects her committee to revisit RapidRide late this year or early next. And with that, the delegation re-boarded its van, and headed back to City Hall.
At 35th/Raymond, this is one of two SDOT crews onscene right now to work on the signal upgrade – as we reported last month, the city is turning this into a full-service traffic signal. Now, on to the Junction/Triangle area:
Here’s what the Fauntleroy Place (future Whole Foods, ex-Schuck’s/Hancock) demolition site looks like as of moments ago. On this third day of teardown work, the building itself is still standing while crews continue clearing debris out of its interior (note the huge piles), much of it to be recycled; also note the orange-vested woman in the left-hand foreground – a city worker putting up signs about the revised permit application that’s just been filed (here’s the notice) Design Review Board hearing on the newest FP design (see it in this WSB story) coming up August 14th (8 pm, High Point Community Center). Side note, a small group of little kids and their adult chaperone (day-care, perhaps) have been strolling the perimeter, excitedly watching all the heavy equipment in action. Speaking of little kids, that brings us to what’s happening less than a block away at a future development site:
As promised, the bus that First Student is loaning WestSide Baby (WSB sponsor) for this Sunday’s “Stuff the Bus” diaper drive is in place at the old Huling Buick showroom site (which the same developer that’s handling Fauntleroy Place, BlueStar, plans to turn into Gateway Center). The bus is just there till Saturday as a billboard of sorts – the bus will be at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market (44th at Alaska) on Sunday, 10 am-2 pm, ready for “stuffing” with disposable diapers for local families in need – WestSide Baby hands out hundreds of thousands a year (they’re not covered by food stamps) — go get some and bring ’em down that day.
SDOT is out with two traffic alerts that you might need to know about: First, the eastbound left lane of the Spokane Street/East Waterway Bridge on East Marginal Way will be closed 9 am-3 pm tomorrow for expansion-joint repair (the city describes the exact spot as “between the Spokane Street Swing Bridge and the on-ramp to the Spokane Street Viaduct“); then on Sunday, at the north end of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the left-hand lanes in both directions of the Battery Street Tunnel will be closed 10 am-6 pm for drain-cleaning work. (Also a reminder, while we’re at it, that the Seafair Torchlight Parade is Saturday night, so downtown traffic will be restricted from late afternoon through late evening; looking further ahead, the four days of Blue Angels-related I-90 bridge closures will start a week from tomorrow.)
Tomorrow’s the day the Sound Transit board (members listed here) is expected to vote on whether to put a money measure on the November ballot. You can read about the proposal here; it would raise the local sales tax half a cent on the dollar.. West Seattle’s County Councilmember Dow Constantine is on the Sound Transit board; he just sent a news release saying he’ll vote to send it to voters – here’s his statement:Read More
The clock ticks, Alaskan Way Viaduct traffic rumbles on, and the roar of reminders about looming viaduct change gets increasingly louder. In the past six days, we covered two major meetings with viaduct info that will interest anyone who drives it – first, the public comment meeting for the South End Replacement Project “environmental assessment” (and the comment period’s not over yet, so there’s still time for you to have a say), then the advisory committee briefing on why the semi-short list of Central Waterfront options does not include a retrofit (photo above is from that event). Read on for what you should know about both – including links where you can see the full PowerPoint-type presentations from both events:Read More
After a couple weeks of stagnation, gas prices are dropping a bit, so we’ve taken our West Seattle-wide Gas Price Watch survey for the first time in 3 weeks. You can see the regular and premium prices at each station by clicking locations on the map above (we’ve added the newly reopened Roxbury station, so there are 21 West Seattle stations in all) — or read on for the text list, lowest price to highest, including comparisons going as far back as 12 weeks:Read More
Though the West Seattle Grand Parade (and the Kiddies’ Parade preceding it) follows a straight line down California (see the map in this post from last night), other streets are affected, as you may have discovered if you came home to signs tonight (if not sooner). We asked one of the lead parade organizers, Jim Edwards – who along with others put in ENDLESS volunteer hours to make this happen – for a general outline of what you need to know tomorrow, from early morning through mid-afternoon – note this is an anecdotal sort of description but hopefully helpful:
Edmunds is open across California, I believe, but Southbound California is still closed to Dawson St East approach.
Northbound California (from south of The Junction) is open to Edmunds, but limited to the curb lane.
Oregon and Alaska will have emergency vehicle access. a soft enforcement of the crosswalks essentially.
44th Ave will be cleared to allow a north south detour between the Junction and Stevens, then it is diverted down to 45th through to Admiral Way
Assembly will close:
44th from Stevens to Lander
Lander from 45th to 41st
42nd from Admiral to Lander will be local access only (Safeway)
41st will be cleared to permit a Metro bypass between Admiral and Kander
Stevens from 44th to California will be local access only (PCC/McDonald’s)
The three blocks between Admiral and Hanford on California are closed first thing in the morning.
If you try to drive through you put in danger the many volunteers who bring this parade to you each year.
and dozens, ….. DOZENS of cars do this every year.
If you must get to Safeway to do your morning shopping…. Follow the detours down to Admiral Way starting at Hanford, (44th and 45th) then up Admiral to 42nd to get to Safeway.
It is well posted. but every year people drive by all these signs, claiming they have to get to Safeway.
We designed this assembly area to keep Admiral Way open throughout the parade, and to keep access to the major businesses open throughout the parade.
Jim also believes Metro will start diverting around 7 am, based on what they’ve done in years gone by. More parade countdown coverage a bit later tonight – including some photos from the past – fun to see what the businesses looked like, as well as parade spectators/participants. And note that everything will be open again by tomorrow night, when Saturday night Movies on the Wall begin in the courtyard next to Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) – bring a nonperishable food donation for West Seattle Food Bank – come enjoy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” starting around dusk (stake out your spot sooner); concessions are offered by West Seattle Christian Church (WSB sponsor), with proceeds also benefiting WSFB.
Washington State Ferries says Klahowya will start using a five-percent-biodiesel fuel tomorrow; the largest-capacity ferry on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run, Issaquah, is already using that mix. WSF says the biodiesel comes from tallow (beef fat), not vegetable oil. Side note: You can find out where Issaquah, Klahowya, and other WSF boats are, at any given time, by using the ferry system’s online Vessel Watch feature.
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