ADMIRAL REPAVING: The bumpy backstory

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Monday photos courtesy Tim Nelson)

The repaving work that’s under way this week on the west section of SW Admiral Way has more of a history than most other “spot paving” projects SDOT announces shortly before they start. When Admiral Way rechannelization west of California SW was first brought up in 2015, calls for repaving resurfaced, but it wasn’t part of the project, and it wasn’t even part of the SDOT long-range plan (see this map). But the road has had persistent bumps, sinks, and other problems, especially near Schmitz Park, and some residents have been persistent about urging that SDOT get something done, including Tim Nelson, who shared the photos.

Last May, we reported on a sinkhole, thanks to a tip, and it was finally filled days later, but that’s continued to be a trouble spot – one of several revealed as SDOT ground off the old pavement yesterday:

Nelson says he has been trying to get something done about this section for a year and a half. He rides a motorcycle and has as a result been extra-aware of the bumps and holes. After getting nowhere with SDOT, he contacted City Councilmember Lisa Herbold; this is from a response she sent him in late June:

… in response to yours and my requests, Transportation Maintenance Division Director, Rodney Maxie, conducted several site visits in West Seattle last week, including this segment of Admiral. In response to my follow up questions last week, when several Admiral Way constituents visited me at my office hours on Friday, SDOT told me the following:

“Mr. Maxie, or one of his Pavement Maintenance leads will follow up with an assessment of Admiral Way. Depending on the ensuing assessment, Mr. Maxie may request a follow-up site visit with the residents who have sent in complaints about the pavement conditions on these blocks. While this street is not prioritized as an AAC project, Rodney will be looking to see whether it might be a good candidate for nearer term spot improvements.”

And then, last week, this week’s work was announced. Meantime, work is still ahead for nearby intersections, including the conversion of 59th/Admiral to an all-way stop; we are checking with SDOT on the newest timetable for that, since it had been announced as “before school starts.”

Thom August 16, 2017 (3:10 pm)

Please allow me to say, for a very many of us who drive this road daily, THANK YOU Tim Nelson (et. al) who worked to get this work to happen.

There were one or two small sinkholes along that stretch of Admiral that were perpetually sinking, being filled in, and sinking again. I lost count of how many times we’ve seen crews working to fill in the same trouble spots, only to have them sink again days later.

To Tim Nelson (and others like him), to Councilmember Herbold, and to Rodney Maxie (and his Pavement Maintenance leads): THANK YOU.

Sadtaco August 16, 2017 (5:20 pm)

Thom, Tim here. More than happy to help here, but a big thanks goes to Lisa Herbold for accelerating this.

Gail August 16, 2017 (7:54 pm)

I’m glad to hear that many who were affected by the slumping pavement and potholes on the 5300 block on Admiral Way voiced their concern. A coalition of neighbors on the block enlisted Lisa Herbold to help us to talk with SDOT about the condition of the street. Rodney Maxie and his pavement engineer then met with us to explain the work that they deemed necessary and that’s being carried out this week. A big shout-out to Lisa, Mr. Maxie, and SDOT for repairing the street so that our houses don’t shake when the bus goes by and bicyclers and motorcyclists aren’t endangered when their tires hit a depression. And the SDOT foreman on the job thanked us for calling it to their attention; they encourage and welcome feedback, he said.