Oops: City safety campaign touted on signs showing helmet-less bicycle riders
Maybe it’s just something about north West Seattle and SDOT signage. First came the “HPM” speed-limit-sign saga, and now:
Among a series of new SDOT-placed signs staked beside the bicycle/foot trails along Harbor and Alki Avenues are at least two with that design – silhouettes of two people on a bicycle, without helmets, which are required by law.
After the signs were pointed out by Jackie from Upper Alki, which has a safety controversy of its own going on, we went out to see for ourselves, and then asked SDOT about the signs. Marybeth Turner said they’ll be fixed:
This sign is one of a set of five signs, each with a different image. One of the signs shows a silhouette with a retro image of two people without helmets on a tandem bicycle. My understanding is that sets of five signs were placed at six trails around the city. The signs inform people about the Seattle Trails Upgrade Plan (see SDOT web page about this).
A different bicycle image was originally planned for the set, but was replaced by the image you’ve seen by project staff and did not get our usual thoughtful review for public information materials. Although the image seems to portray bicyclists at a time before helmets were commonly used, we definitely want to promote helmet use, and would not normally approve an image of bicyclists without helmets. We are adding helmet stickers to the signs.
Only one of the sign designs we saw was clearly a promotion for the trail:
The others (including silhouettes of a runner, a dog walker, and someone with a small child on their shoulders) bore only the logos for SDOT and for the city’s Vision Zero safety campaign, including the one with the unhelmeted riders.
West Seattle development: High Point, Junction projects headed back to Design Review
Two West Seattle apartment projects are headed back to the Southwest Design Review Board:
6058 35TH SW: Just added to the schedule, a 6:30 pm September 17th hearing for this mixed-use building at High Point’s last prime vacant corner, 35th/Graham. The project’s current official description:
4-story structure containing 89 residential units, 8,500 sq. ft. of office space, and 1,500 sq. ft. of retail space located at ground level. Surface parking for 98 vehicles to be provided.
This is a second round of Early Design Guidance – the first round on June 25th resulted in the board telling the project team to try again. (The official report on that is still not available, though.)
4528 44TH SW: The latest Land Use Information Bulletin includes official notice of the 6:30 pm September 3rd hearing for this microhousing building in The Junction, proposed as “a 6-story apartment building with approximately 60 small efficiency dwelling units and no vehicle parking”, replacing a 63-year-old, 2-story, 8-unit apartment building. Since the project passed Early Design Guidance back in March (WSB coverage here; official city report here), it’s gained citywide attention because of the lawsuit its developers filed against the city, and the existing building’s tenants, to try to avoid paying the tenants relocation compensation. As we reported last month, the city has moved to dismiss the suit, on grounds no attempt has been made to get the property owners to pay that compensation, so, in the city’s view, there’s nothing to sue over. The hearing on that motion is scheduled for September 2nd, one day before the design-review meeting.
West Seattle storm watch: How much rain, & how much more?
It’s been raining for about five hours now, and so talk has turned to wondering how much rain, and how much longer it’ll continue. The National Weather Service says totals vary widely, area to area – almost an inch at Sea-Tac this afternoon – and that showers will linger, but that after tomorrow morning, a “drier and warmer” trend will take over quickly, so weekend events – including West Seattle Outdoor Movies on Saturday night – should be OK. We’ve checked around this afternoon and besides the problems chronicled earlier – crashes and small outages – no major problems in West Seattle; as intense as this rain has been, it still fell into drought-depleted creeks, for example, so we’re not seeing any overflows. One more stat: More than 650 lightning strikes in Western Washington, per the NWS.
West Seattle storm watch: 2 power outages, blamed on lightning; downed wires on Orchard
2:37 PM: Two power outages are on the map in West Seattle since the lightning, thunder, and pouring rain moved in. Thanks to John for the tip on the bigger one, affecting 12 customers near 21st SW and Croft, north of Sanislo Elementary. The Seattle City Light outage map blames lightning for this outage and says it might take about three hours to fix. That’s also the cause listed for a one-customer outage just south of Solstice Park, estimated for a fix by 4 pm. (Remember the “restoration” times on SCL’s map are always guesstimates.)
3:11 PM: The Solstice Park outage is now up to nine customers (one home or business equals a “customer”).
3:33 PM P.S. Just across the Duwamish River, about 200 customers are affected by outages scattered along East Marginal Way, and traffic signals are out too, so be careful if you have to head that way (or ANY way, really, since the downpour continues).
5:40 PM: Thanks to the tipster who reported tree branches taking out wires along SW Orchard in the Home Depot vicinity. Another texter says the road is closed in that area, so we’re off to check the extent.
6:18 PM: Above is what we found – it’s actually east of the Home Depot intersection.
CRASH UPDATES: Flipped vehicle at 5th & Roxbury; 2 collisions on eastbound bridge; 3-car crash at Olson & Cambridge; SB 99 trouble
(ADDED: Four more crashes since the downpour began – scroll down)
FIRST REPORT, 5TH/ROXBURY CRASH, 1 PM: Big Seattle Fire and Police response is on the way to 5th and Roxbury, for what’s reported as a rollover crash. Passersby are reported to have gotten everyone out of the vehicle. More to come.
1:17 PM: As shown in our photo above, this is on the north side of Roxbury just east of 5th. No serious injuries. Too soon to say what caused it, but a thunderstorm was moving through the area when it happened – and it’s still raining heavily. (2:27 pm – The vehicle has been towed.)
1:48 PM, BRIDGE CRASH: The downpour continues, as do the thunder and lightning. Now there’s a spinout crash on the eastbound bridge, near the Delridge onramp. One lane is reported to be blocked. No one hurt. (2:09 pm – police are blocking the Delridge onramp while working to clear this. 2:26 pm – The ramp has reopened.)
1:54 PM, OLSON/CAMBRIDGE CRASH: Now, police that were at the 5th and Roxbury crash are reporting a multiple-vehicle crash to the east, in the Olson & Cambridge vicinity. At least one person is reported to be hurt. (2:09 pm – three vehicles involved here; they’re calling for tows; 2:26 pm – they’re asking for an SDOT crew to inspect the roadway to see if it’s safe for travel.)
3:02 PM, EASTBOUND BRIDGE AGAIN: Now a two-vehicle collision involving a Metro bus is reported on the eastbound bridge near the Delridge onramp. (3:25 pm – this is “taking up 2 1/2 lanes,” per police radio transmissions, and there’s possible jersey-barrier damage that will need repairs.)
3:52 PM, SOUTHBOUND 99: Trouble on SB 99, per SDOT:
West Seattle food & drink: Junction Starbucks opens; Chopstix, Harry’s remodeling updates
Three updates from the world of West Seattle food and drink:
JUNCTION STARBUCKS OPENS: For the first time since 2008, a standalone Starbucks store is open in The Junction. We first told you six months ago that Starbucks was on the way to the prime California/Alaska corner spot at the two-building Junction 47 project. One distinctive feature, this mural by Portland artist Ryan Bubnis, commissioned especially for this store:
The store’s liquor-license application – mentioned here in June – is still pending; we’re told the company hasn’t decided yet whether it will deploy the “Evenings” concept at this location, which (added) will be open 5 am-10 pm Monday through Friday and 5:30 am-10 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Its first West Seattle store was the one at Admiral & 41st, which opened 25 years ago. The company has 22,000+ stores worldwide.
P.S. If you’ve missed our previous reports, two restaurants are also confirmed for Junction 47 – Kukai Ramen (as reported here Wednesday) and The Lodge Sports Grille (as we reported in June).
Also today, two restaurant-remodeling notes:
CHOPSTIX: The banner outside Chopstix at 5905 California says it will reopen as “Chopstix BBQ” after two weeks of remodeling; its website and phone recording both say tomorrow (August 15th) is reopening day.
HARRY’S CHICKEN JOINT: Instead of reopening today after two weeks of remodeling, Harry’s Chicken Joint at 6032 California SW says it’s now planning to reopen next Tuesday.
COUNTDOWN: 2015 West Seattle Car Show, one month away!
Actually, it’s one month minus one day until the 2015 West Seattle Car Show, and if you’re thinking of showing off your vehicle, now’s the time to register. If you’re just catching up: As announced here in June, the show will be at a new location this year, the expansive north parking lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), on Sunday, September 13th, 10 am-3 pm. Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Autoworks (also both WSB sponsors) are presenting the West Seattle Car Show again this year. You can register a car, truck, or motorcycle (or more than one, for that matter!) – find the registration form here. Proceeds will benefit SSC’s Automotive Technology program, which will be featured during the show along with some of SSC’s other specialties, including its award-winning Northwest Wine Academy. The plan for September 13th also includes food trucks and even the Seahawks‘ road game (at St. Louis) on a big-screen TV. More details as it gets closer, but for starters, sign up to show off! And there’s still time to become a sponsor – e-mail wscarshow@gmail.com to find out how.
WSB EXTRA: Kids create anthem for ‘West Seattle Girls’
How about a little neighborhood pride, set to music?
Click the “play” button to hear the Soundcloud audio for “West Seattle Girls,” by four girls who are all going into the third grade at Lafayette Elementary. The recording was shared with us by Brad Shepard, who explains that the girls were signed up for a weeklong music camp that got canceled – so their parents came up with a backup plan, each family spending one day with all four, and on Brad’s day: “We decided to take a few hours to write/record a pop song so that they could get the music experience.” (He’s a musician himself, by the way.) The performers are Adi, Ruby, Olivia, and Grace; thanks to the parents who suggested sharing the song with the community via WSB!
| 44 COMMENTS