Starting today, crews will take wastewater flows from underground pipes and move those flows to an above ground bypass – pipes that will run the length of the site directly adjacent to the ferry terminal.

Once completed, the bypass will allow crews to shut down normal pump station operations in order to perform the pump station upgrades. The bypass will connect to a temporary pump station currently under construction. Once the temporary pump station is completed, it will be in use for the duration of the project.

The initial bypass work is expected to take up to two weeks, requiring up to four days of running above-ground diesel pumps 24 hours per day. No overnight work will be performed, but staff will be on site to monitor the system. The pumps come equipped with a silencing enclosure to reduce noise levels and will be placed on the east side of the site in an effort to mitigate noise impacts.

What to expect

· Three days of work requiring the use of two above ground diesel pumps running 24 hours/day, with the possibility of a fourth day if needed

· Possible Saturday work to complete bypass cut over. If needed, work hours would be 8:00 – 5:00

· Approximately two weeks of intermittent daytime diesel pump usage as system is tested

· No overnight work

· Staff on site overnight to monitor system during 3-4 day period

· Flagger to continue moving traffic through site and in and out of the ferry terminal entrance

(Recent aerial of the Barton Pump Station work zone, by Long Bach Nguyen)
If you use the Fauntleroy ferry dock or travel through the area, here’s a big announcement from King County as its Barton Pump Station Upgrade Project north of the dock continues:

Starting Thursday [tomorrow], the north ferry entrance lane and toll booth will reopen. The lane and toll booth have been closed since January due to construction activities at the Barton Pump Station. With the opening of the north lane and toll booth, a uniformed police officer will no longer be on site.

During the closure, crews have conducted activities essential to the pump station upgrade, including jet grouting, which is a soil stabilization technique that will allow a safe underground work zone.

As work on the pump station progresses, there may be a need for occasional daytime lane closures. King County will notify commuters and the community of any short-term or day-long lane closures.

What to expect

· There will no longer be a uniformed police officer to direct traffic
· Flagger to continue moving traffic through site and in and out of the ferry terminal entrance, when necessary
· Work to continue on site, beginning with excavation of the pump station
· Heavy equipment on site
· Work hours typically 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday

You may have noticed that after a decade “Gail Ann has left the building.”

Gail Ann opened her photography studio some 11 years ago after noticing a for rent sign in the brown brick building known as the Fauntleroy Shopping Center just up from the Fauntleroy Ferry dock. Locals could always find entertainment value in her window displays featuring local families. Many of you have been photographed by her at the Fauntleroy Fall Festival where she has volunteered her services since its inception or seen her at local auction events capturing candids for posterity.

Says Gail Ann “The studio may be closed but I’m open for business! I’ll be on a short hiatus traveling through Poland. I’ll be back to work in June and look forward to working with all of you again.”

Gail Ann can still be reached at 206-371-0585 or by visiting her blog.

As today’s Fauntleroy Church Recycle Roundup got going, their recycling partner 1 Green Planet (a nonprofit) had three trucks on standby, knowing that West Seattleites are ready to fill them up, as they have in past editions. The one in our photo above was rapidly filling with old TV sets of all ages (we’ll probably pitch in some day, having not joined the flat-screen revolution just yet). They’re there until 3 pm – free (though the church’s Green Committee, which organizes this twice a year, is glad to accept a token $ donation from anyone who offers) – look for the signs outside the church parking lot at 9140 California SW:

The list of what they’re accepting is here.

First, Lonjina‘s stolen truck is back, and might offer clues for other crime victims:

Was found by a friend of ours at 122nd and Ambaum in the Forest View Apt Complex parking lot. Full of possibly stolen gardening tools. We believe they were not done with the truck! Let readers know if they had their garage or gardening tools missing last night to contact the Burien Police Dept.

Updating the other incident in our earlier roundup – from Al’s wife Christine:

On Friday 4/26 at approximately 4:30 PM a suspicious vehicle was witnessed stopped in front of a home at 10XXX 37th Avenue in Arbor Heights. He was witnessed taking photos of the same car burglarized at the same location on Wednesday 4/24 between 11 PM and 6:45 AM. He sped off toward 102nd when confronted by a neighbor. The prowler’s vehicle was later spotted in the Arbor Heights area.

Vehicle Description: Mid 90s, Dark Green, Chevy S-10 pickup truck

As of Friday this vehicle was making a very loud rumbling engine sound as though it was out of oil.

Suspect Description: White man with an odd long face. Between the ages of 20 and 30. He is believed to be tall due to how he sat in the cab of the truck.

We have overwhelming evidence leading us to believe that this man is prowling the neighborhood with a radio frequency scanning device that allows him to “hack” into smart cars.

Be vigilant and watch out for this truck or suspects pointing tech devices (phones, laptops, etc.) toward cars and houses. Call the Seattle Police Department if you see the truck.

And Carolyn in Fauntleroy reports car vandalism, possibly a prowling attempt:

Just wanted to let you know that the passenger door window in my car was bashed overnight. The person didn’t hit the driver’s side, which was closest to the alley, but had to walked around my car and stand between the fence and my car to take out the window. My car was loaded for a community event but nothing was taken. In the past, someone has rifled through my car but not taken anything on the few occasions that I’ve forgotten to lock it. I’m in 8600 block of Fauntleroy Way SW.

You have about another hour to go explore and “Celebrate Lincoln Park” with the help of naturalists like Noelle, as well as artists, writers, and local volunteers like these Seal Sitters:

Events from nature walks to kids’ art projects proceeded as scheduled despite the weather’s decision to turn gray and breezy.

The Fauntleroy Community Association organized CLP as a two-part event, with today’s outdoor fun following last Tuesday’s presentations about the park’s history, wildlife, status, and more (our Tuesday coverage includes as-it-happened video of those presentations – find it here). It’s on till 2:30, at multiple locations toward the south end of the park.

The Klahowya is out of service due to necessary repairs to the vessel. The 11:10 am sailing from Fauntleroy is cancelled. The next two departures from Fauntleroy to Vashon and Southworth are 11:45am and 12:20pm. Customers should expect delays. We apologize for the inconvenience. Updates will be posted when more information becomes available.

1:25 PM UPDATE: WSF has some cancellations, too – if you’re headed that way, ask about the ongoing schedule changes when you arrive at the dock.

Starting as early as Monday, April 29, crews will take wastewater flows from underground pipes and move those flows to an above ground bypass – pipes that will run the length of the site directly adjacent to the ferry terminal.

Once completed, the bypass will allow crews to shut down normal pump station operations in order to perform the pump station upgrades. The bypass will connect to a temporary pump station currently under construction. Once the temporary pump station is completed, it will be in use for the duration of the project.

The initial bypass work is expected to take up to two weeks, requiring four days of running two above-ground diesel pumps 24 hours per day.

No overnight work will be performed, but staff will be on site to monitor the system. The pumps come equipped with a silencing enclosure to reduce noise levels and will be placed on the east side of the site in an effort to mitigate noise impacts.

What to expect

· Up to four days of work requiring the use of two above ground diesel pumps running 24 hours/day

· Approximately two weeks of intermittent daytime diesel pump usage as system is tested

· No overnight work

· Staff on site overnight to monitor system during four day period

· Work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled if inclement weather is predicted

· Flagger to continue moving traffic through site and in and out of the ferry terminal entrance

· Work hours typically 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday

The project is expected to wrap up late next year.

THURSDAY NOTE: This work is now expected to start in early May.

(Young female Cooper’s Hawk photographed in Lincoln Park recently by Trileigh Tucker)
Think you know everything there is to know about West Seattle’s treasured Lincoln Park? We’ll be so bold as to guarantee you’ll learn something new Tuesday night, during the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s first event in the two-part “Celebrate Lincoln Park” series. Come to The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW) to learn about its past, its future, its wildlife, and its ecological importance, via informational tables and speakers. Tables will be set up at 6:30 pm; 7-8 pm, you’ll hear from Seattle Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams, local historian Judy Pickens, Seattle University Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Trileigh Tucker, and Friends of Lincoln Park President Sharon Baker.

Then next Saturday (April 27), it’s part two – and there are new details since we first published the announcement:

Celebrate Lincoln Park, Part II on Saturday, April 27, will take advantage of a minus 2.6-foot tide to help park visitors see and learn about sea life along the beach, in the water, and in the forest. Volunteer beach naturalists and Seal Sitters, plus staff from the Seattle Aquarium, will be on hand. Local experts in birds, marine life, plants, ecology, nature photography, and art will lead nature walks and creative activities in the forested upper part of the park. Bring your binoculars, sketchbooks, pencils, etc. Special activities will be available for children. The four-hour window for participating will be 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, with walks and workshops beginning at 11:00, noon, and 1:00. All activities will start in the south part of the park. Signs and volunteers will direct visitors to activities.

For both parts of Celebrate Lincoln Park, everything is free.

(WSB photo from last September’s Recycle Roundup)
It’s an ever-more-popular component of spring/fall cleaning in West Seattle – the twice-yearly Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church. Judy Pickens sends word that the date for the next one is set!

The Recycle Roundup is coming to town again, thanks to organizing by the Green Committee at Fauntleroy Church. It will be Sunday, April 28, 9 am – 3 pm in the church parking lot (9140 California Ave. SW). 1 Green Planet will take almost anything for free, responsible recycling. Here’s the list and contact information for questions.

(Hemiptera, photographed in Lincoln Park by Machel Spence)
The Fauntleroy Community Association has been working for months to plan two “Celebrate Lincoln Park” events – and now, they’re just weeks away. As announced by FCA’s Carolyn Duncan:

Celebrate Lincoln Park, Part I on Tuesday, April 23, at The Hall at Fauntleroy will have information tables from 6:30 to 8:30 pm and presentations about the history, creatures, and ecological importance of the park from 7 to 8 pm.

Seattle Parks and Recreation Acting Superintendent Christopher Williams will be there to share management and strategic planning news in response to last year’s controversy over a staff proposal to add a commercial zip line to the park. Since dropping the proposal, he and his staff have been working collaboratively with FCA to build a better relationship with neighbors and users of the park. Alliance

Information tables will include representatives from Seal Sitters, the Whale Trail, Fauntleroy YMCA, Seattle Parks, Puget Sound Partnership, Seattle Animal Control, Friends of Lincoln Park, and the Alliance for Lincoln Park Nature. Speakers in addition to Williams will be local historian Judy Pickens, Seattle University Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Trileigh Tucker, and Friends of Lincoln Park President Sharon Baker.

Celebrate Lincoln Park, Part II on Saturday, April 27, will take advantage of a minus 2.6-foot tide to help park visitors see and learn about sea life along the beach and in the water. Volunteer beach naturalists and Seal Sitters, plus staff from the Seattle Aquarium, will be on hand. Local experts in birds, marine life, plants, ecology, nature photography, and art will lead nature walks and creative activities in the forested upper part of the park. The four-hour window for participating will be 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. All activities will start in the south part of the park. Signs and volunteers will direct visitors to activities.

All activities will be free. Watch for updates at fauntleroy.net.

Some friends left a Trader Joe’s paper grocery bag on our front porch this afternoon (in the 8400 block of) Fauntleroy Way SW (directly across the street from Lincoln Park, just north of the southern parking lot) and the bag was stolen from the porch. It’s terribly frustrating because the bag didn’t contain much except a couple of kids’ books and kids’ sunglasses (both Easter presents), and my prescription glasses (which I have no backup for). Nothing of value to anyone but me and my family. Hopefully someone might come across the contents (maybe dumped in the park?) and could return to them to us. My phone number is 206-349-5477.