West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
SDOT announced late today that crews will be “filling in a missing section of sidewalk SW Barton Place at 22nd Avenue SW [map]. They will start installing the new sidewalk on Monday, May 23, and expect to complete the work in about one week. The parking lane at this location will be closed. The crews will work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.”
It’s a straightaway from Seaview toward Genesee – and many neighbors say drivers tend to treat that section of 48th SW like a drag strip. They asked the city for help, and now four sets of speed bumps between Brandon and Graham (map) are closer to reality. SDOT says they are slated for installation in September, provided they work out the details with the neighborhood. Next step, a community meeting at 7 pm Thursday (May 19th) at Seaview Methodist Church (thanks to Barb for sharing the official flyer distributed to neighbors – see it, with a photo of the proposed bumps, here).
Despite the downpour, about 20 people are out along 35th SW near Juneau – site of a recent deadly motorcycle-car collision – for a rally urging drivers to slow down. As you probably know, the propensity for speeding on the straightaway has given the road the nickname “I-35.” Denise Sharify of Neighborhood House, who led the crusade that resulted in a similar rally almost three years ago, organized this one too.
Also out: Seattle Police, with Community Police Team Officer Kevin McDaniel on hand, and Traffic Unit vehicles in evidence too (our crew saw one chase down a speeder). Plus TV crews in abundance.
Sharify (talking with KIRO’s Graham Johnson in the photo above) says they’ll be out there as long as people concerned about safety are willing to join them – scheduled end time 6 pm.
She also says they may plan another rally, so this doesn’t fall too far off the front burner. (Additional photos added 5:31 pm.)
Thanks to the WSB’ers who have e-mailed and called about a car-motorcycle crash at 35th and Holden, by Fire Station 37, whose Engine 37 was dispatched to check out the people involved. Helen reports the motorcycle ridera woman was seen on a stretcher.
3:55 PM: As the photo sent by Fulay shows, the crash actually was north of the fire station, right by the Chevron station. We’re checking to see what we can find out about the rider’s condition and the crash circumstances. This was dispatched as an aid call, not a more-serious medic call, so that would generally suggest NOT-life-threatening injuries.
4:05 PM: Updated information from Seattle Fire, via Lt. Sue Stangl: The motorcycle rider “refused treatment.” The car driver was taken to the hospital as a precaution; she was reportedly complaining of arm pain. Police at the scene tell us they’re still trying to sort out the circumstances of the collision; tow trucks have arrived so the scene should be clear soon. By the way, the 35th SW safety rally is still on for 4 pm this Wednesday, at 35th/Juneau, which is roughly a mile north of today’s crash scene.
Kam shared that photo, reporting: “SDOT just finished with the first phase of repairs on Shore Pl. Thank you to the A-team pothole-repair crew!” According to Kam, it was a three-person team – truck driver plus Reneé and Leon with the asphalt. (Shore Place is right off Beach Drive, recently dubbed “Pothole Drive” – here’s a location map; and here’s the city’s “pothole-report map.”)
One of the most sidewalk-less areas of West Seattle is in line for a few blocks of potential change. Lisa spotted survey workers on 35th south of Roxbury yesterday, found out their work had something to do with a paved walkway, and asked what we knew about it. We checked with SDOT‘s Marybeth Turner, who confirms:
Survey work is underway for the design of a walkway at this location, to be constructed next year. How long the walkway will be has not yet determined–it will depend on the cost. At this point they are looking at the west side of 35th Ave SW from SW 97th to SW 100th. More will be known as the design work progresses. This is a “Walk Bike Ride” project.
(WSB video from October 2008 rally on 35th SW)
Concerned about safety on 35th SW, a rekindled topic here after the deadly motorcycle-car collision last month, and speeder-targeting police patrols? One of the High Point-area neighborhood advocates who has been working on the issue for years, Denise Sharify, just sent word of a “Traffic Slow Down Rally” planned for Wednesday, May 11th, 4-5:30 pm (weather permitting) – 2 1/2 years after the last one, which followed a crash that sent a student to the hospital. All are welcome to participate in this one; we’re checking on the exact gathering place.
(Collection boxes at the Admiral Way Viewpoint dropoff station)
Story and photos by Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Two West Seattle drop-off locations were part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day today, a chance to get unused/unneeded/expired drugs out of your home for safe disposal, no questions asked.
First up, the Admiral Way Viewpoint, where Washington Poison Center staffer Jan Binks said that, pending final numbers, it appears that they were collecting more unused prescriptions than last year. Staff from the Seattle field division of the Drug Enforcement Agency were on hand to collect the bottles, bags and blister packs from the steady stream of cars that rolled through the ‘drive-through’ station. Also on hand, Mr. Yuk:
Drivers honked and waved at the mascot as they drove by, and goggled at the bright blue HumVee from the Drug Enforcement Agency – a vehicle formerly owned by a drug dealer who saw it seized before he “went away for a loooong time.”
If you’re still a little hinky about clearing out your medicine cabinet via National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day dropoff spots this Saturday, maybe this will help: Jodie Underwood from the Drug Enforcement Agency‘s Seattle office says their Admiral Way Viewpoint location will be a drive-through! Right there at the viewpoint on the northeast side of the top-of-Admiral-Way curve, you can drive through – 10 am-2 pm Saturday (April 30) – drop off the meds, drive away. You don’t even have to give them your prescription container (though if you do, you can block out the info with a marker ahead of time) – you can just empty it into their receptacle. Underwood stresses that this is a no-questions-asked event – they just want to get unneeded drugs away from places where they might be a danger or temptation to someone (there are also environmental hazards, since some think it’s OK to flush them or dump them down some other drain). Underwood also tells us the DEA’s Admiral Way site will have a mascot – good ol’ Mr. Yuk. That’s one of two drop-off locations in West Seattle on Saturday; Seattle Police will also have one, same hours, at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster).
The Aggressive Drivers Response Team‘s latest report just turned up on SPD Blotter, with top speeding tickets mentioned including 54 mph on 35th SW, 58 mph on Admiral Way, 66 mph on the West Seattle Bridge, among other spots. Full list here. (P.S. The speed-camera van also has been spotted on 35th SW today, according to a phone call we received. And no, police do NOT mind if we warn you.)
As WSB commenters pointed out, the Aggressive Drivers Response Team was visible on 35th SW again yesterday. Here are the tickets mentioned on the Seattle Police website SPD Blotter:
1 at 49 mph
1 at 47 mph
3 at 46 mph
2 at 45 mph
3 for No Proof of Insurance and 5 Cell Phone violations
Will they return today? They don’t announce their plans in advance, but as the update concludes, they do advise “all motor vehicle operators to be familiar with and obey all local and state traffic laws and to always drive with due regard for all others on the roadway.”
The dent under the headlight in that photo is where a “flying door” hit Meredith‘s car about an hour and a half ago on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge, just before the “official bus lane” begins. It likely would have done much worse, if she hadn’t seen it coming in time for evasive action – she told WSB by e-mail, “It was set to come down on my open sunroof. I slowed enough that its first touchdown was front of my car.” Then, she says, she saw the “house door, hollow core” shattered by a black SUV nearby. She and her little boy are OK, but shaken up. Meredith thinks the debris might have come from an “unsecured load, perhaps on a westbound vehicle,” but is hoping that perhaps somebody saw something on the bridge that will help police investigate (she was awaiting a callback as of a short time ago).
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
In November 2007, Denise Sharify showed City Councilmember Nick Licata the dangers of 35th SW in the High Point area – and we captured a moment of drama on camera as he stopped a little boy from wandering out into the fast-moving traffic. She also explained to him how they had been lobbying the city for improvements since at least 2005:
(WSB video, November 2007, outside High Point Library)
Almost a year after that, following a crash that sent a teenage pedestrian to the hospital, Sharify (who works for Neighborhood House) and others staged a high-profile rally in October 2008 along the same stretch of 35th SW.
Not long after that, we published an update on police patrols along the road ruefully dubbed “I-35,” as police ticketed dozens for speeds often exceeding 55 mph.
Flash forward two and a half years, to yesterday afternoon:
The latest “emphasis patrol” on 35th led to 21 speeding tickets, Southwest Precinct’s Capt. Steve Paulsen — veteran of many years in the traffic division – told the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council last night, most around 50 mph in what’s supposed to be a 35-mph-maximum zone, with the highest ticketed speed at 60.
And that patrol came less than a week after a deadly crash at 35th and Juneau – the latest incident to revive concern about 35th SW safety.
SDOT’s community traffic liaison Jim Curtin (above right, with WSCPC president Richard Miller) was already booked to speak to the WS Crime Prevention Council before that happened; traffic-safety issues are often brought up in the WSCPC meetings when it’s time to voice concerns to the local police reps who invariably are on hand.
Last night, given recent events, almost the entire discussion focused on 35th SW.
At the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, where SDOT community traffic liaison Jim Curtin is front and center: While most of the discussion so far has centered on 35th, Curtin revealed a new proposal for a California SW intersection that’s been of concern – California/Dakota. You might recall the most recent wave of concern there, sparked when a hit-and-run driver killed a dog (and narrowly missed its owner – WSB coverage here and here, and specifically regarding traffic-safety followup, here). Curtin says that the city is applying for a state grant to install a “rapid-fire beacon” (here’s what those look like) that would be pedestrian-activated. If they get the grant, the installation could happen this fall, he says.
ADDED: We asked Curtin a few follow-up questions after the meeting. He says the city will apply for the grant in May, and is fairly confident it’ll be approved; the cost of the special lights will be about $50,000 $15,000. The case of Lucy the dog is not the only reason California/Dakota is being singled out for this, he says; it’s also a busy crossing area because of the schools on the north side of The Junction – such as Tilden, Holy Rosary, Hope, Seattle Lutheran.
Somehow, we had expected to see this happen in advance of tonight’s traffic-safety discussion at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, since SDOT’s Jim Curtin (who will address WSCPC) had told us “more enforcement” was a possibility after last week’s deadly crash: The Seattle Police Aggressive Drivers Response Team was out on 35th SW earlier this afternoon. (Thanks to the WSB’er who texted us after spotting them!) We photographed one of the Chargers at 35th/Henderson – after first spotting them just north of 35th/Webster (and as we got the camera out, off they went, lights flashing):
This comes six days after the deadly motorcycle-car collision at 35th/Juneau, where this afternoon, as police patrolled, we found a roadside tribute to the motorcyclist, Andrew Seffernick (whose 25th birthday would have been today):
Though there have been other 35th SW deaths in the years between, that stirred memories of the tribute a few blocks away at 35th/Graham after the death of bicyclist Susanne Scaringi (also in her mid-20s when a collision killed her in 2006 – also a 2-wheeled vehicle hitting a turning 4-wheeled vehicle broadside). Meantime, we spotted two TV crews out in the area this afternoon, so you may see regional-media stories tonight about 35th SW; the Crime Prevention Council meeting is at 7 pm, Southwest Precinct.
7:48 PM UPDATE: We’re at the WSCPC meeting. SW Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen says 21 tickets were written today, average speed 50 mph (in a 35 zone), highest one, he believes, was for 60 mph.
Disaster Preparedness Month is almost two-thirds over – are you any more prepared now than you were when it started? If your answer is “no,” click “play” and at least listen to our video in the background for a while today. It’s our recording of last night’s special edition of SNAP – Seattle Neighborhoods Be Prepared – training, presented by the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network and West Seattle Be Prepared.
Trainer Debbie Goetz doesn’t just go through the rock-bottom basics; she has surprises along the way – did you know, for example, that your hot-water heater is eventually an OK source of drinking water, post-disaster? Another good reason you want to make sure it’s strapped so it doesn’t come down during a quake – preserve the supply, just in case. SNAP classes are offered around the city, including a few a year in West Seattle; you can watch this calendar for upcoming ones – including sessions focused on earthquake retrofitting (last Saturday’s WS session was a full house – about 50 people!). Next scheduled one is June 7 in High Point (details here).
(Seen April 2010 at 35th/Webster, shared by MAS)
There have been safety concerns for years along the central stretch of 35th Avenue SW – symbolized by the sign in our file photo – and they resurfaced following last Wednesday night’s 35th/Juneau motorcycle-car collision, which killed a motorcyclist identified by his family in WSB comments as Andrew Seffernick (who would’ve been turning 25 tomorrow).
If you share those concerns – or are worried about other West Seattle streets – it just so happens that, coincidentally, a key SDOT traffic-safety manager is the guest at tomorrow night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting. West Seattle resident Jim Curtin is community-traffic liaison for SDOT. We had checked with Curtin late last week, after the deadly crash, to ask if anything happened to currently be in the works for that stretch. He pointed out that Seattle Police will investigate the crash to see what factored into that, but in the meantime: “No changes are currently planned for this location [35th/Juneau] at this time. We can, however, recommend additional enforcement in this area and will look at SPD’s findings to see if any changes are warranted.” It should be noted, though, that those findings may not be out for months, given how long major investigations often take. Tomorrow night’s WSCPC meeting is at the Southwest Precinct (the meeting room is right off the parking lot alongside SW Webster, east of Delridge), 7 pm, all welcome (and you can bring neighborhood-crime questions for SWP police, too). Till then, you can also read up on SDOT’s neighborhood-traffic program, by going here.
If you are one of the few who can answer that question “Yes, we are as prepared as we possibly could be” – congratulations! If not, join West Seattle Be Prepared and the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network for another special FREE training session tomorrow (Monday) night, this time at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster), 6-7:30 pm. If you were among the 50 or so who attended the first one earlier this month (here’s our coverage, including video of the entire presentation), note that this one is different – with more of a focus on earthquake safety, among other things (here’s an explanation of how the two sessions are differentiated). Disaster Preparedness Month is only half over but this week is the big spotlight for quake survival – Wednesday is the statewide drop/cover/hold drill. Meantime, the perennial preparedness advice – be sure you know your Emergency Communication Hub!
We’ve received two reports of incidents that don’t clearly qualify for West Seattle Crime Watch classification, but are both of potential interest – one as a warning, one as a mystery. One involves a frightening encounter early today, the other a mysterious discovery last night, and both – apparently coincidentally – happened along the Genesee Hill stretch of SW Genesee west of California (map) – read on for both:Read More
Disaster Preparedness Month continues, as does our almost-nightly focus on earthquake readiness. You’ve likely heard what to do before an earthquake, to enhance your readiness … and what to do during one (stop, drop, hold) … but how about what to do afterward? The natural reaction is to be stunned. If you have a list of things that are vital to check on and attend to, though, your survivability likelihood will rise in a big way. Here’s that list – from a California source, but thorough (they’ve been through it more often than we have). Meantime – know your nearest hub (and make sure your family/neighbors know it too)!
For the first time in a while, Seattle Police have published a “speeder of the day” update on SPD Blotter. 82 mph on The Bridge this time – but that’s not the only thing they were cited for …
On this one-month anniversary of the Japan earthquake: Being ready for disaster is more than your responsibility to yourself and your family – it’s also your responsibility to your neighborhood and community. As Disaster Preparedness Month continues, so does our monthlong series of reminders and reports. This time – new online resources including the West Seattle Be Prepared recap of Saturday’s Community Summit downtown – story and photos here. The focus here, how you can help your community. Read the recap here; and after the jump, more updates:Read More
In case you just couldn’t make it to the Senior Center of West Seattle last night for the first training session sponsored by the all-volunteer West Seattle Be Prepared – above, you will find WSB video of the session, in its entirety. The leaders were David Shannon and Sarah Rothman from the local branch of the American Red Cross. If you don’t have time for an hour-and-a-half video, here’s our report on the highlights (added 8:59 am):
By Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
“Our volunteers are our most precious asset and resource, and without them, we can’t do it,” declared Deb Ticknor, Red Cross Readiness Manager, leading off the first session in a new West Seattle series with an overview of how the Red Cross responds to local disasters.
“If something happens here in Washington, say we have a major wildfire and a landslide at the same time, a lot of families would be impacted, and our local chapters would respond. We would bring in people from around our state who are Red Cross-trained, so when a disaster hits we’re ready to stand up and provide services that our community needs.”
However – you need to be prepared, too, and that was the point of the session – don’t expect somebody else will rescue you (not immediately, anyway).Read More
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