Happening tonight: City Light explains where and how it’ll cut

| Gatewood | Genesee Hill | Utilities | West Seattle news

No snow, but there’s a strong breeze buffeting trees around, at least where we are — and that, according to Seattle City Light, is the number one cause of power outages: trees vs. power lines. As first reported here last month, City Light crews are coming to West Seattle soon for what the utility says is the first extensive round of tree-trimming here in almost a decade – and if you have a tree that’s in the way, NOT cutting is NOT an option — so SCL really wants to make sure everyone understands what’s going on here, before the trucks show up, and why the cuts tend to be big and dramatic, not just a snip here and a snip there. Best place to find out exactly what will happen and when – and to see if your specific neighborhood is included in what City Light’s announcement two weeks ago described as “Alki and North Admiral west of California Avenue in the north end of West Seattle and Genesee, Gatewood and Fairmount Park neighborhoods in the south end of West Seattle” – is to go to tonight’s meeting, 6:30 pm, Hiawatha Community Center.

Ken January 29, 2008 (10:04 am)

Must we point out that the City is again ignoring 35th and any points East of it?
Anyone around long enough to remember why such huge species of trees were planted along 35th? They are tangled in the wires now.

Oh well. This is why I have a wood-stove, kerosene lamps and battery backups for the computers.

Note all utilities for the new construction in Highpoint is underground. But it is fed by the grid from the power lines that go up the ridge along Brandons right-of-way where several trees along the Border of Camp Long fell in the 06 windstorm.

Scott Thomsen, Seattle City Light January 29, 2008 (10:43 am)

Ken,
Thanks for your note about the east side of West Seattle. The areas being trimmed at this time were identified based on an assessment of how many trees were creating problems for power lines. We’re spending the money where it will do the most good. That said, if you or anyone else knows of specific locations where trees have overgrown the lines and are creating a problem, we’d like to hear from you. Please call City Light’s Tree Line at 386-1663. We’ll come out and take a look. If there is an immediate need, we can get that trimming work done.

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