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Safety 1622 results

82 mph on the West Seattle Bridge – but wait, there’s more!
April 12, 2011 4:39 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

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 …

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Preparedness Month, 9th report: Community Summit, and more
April 11, 2011 2:48 am
|    Comments Off on Preparedness Month, 9th report: Community Summit, and more
 |   Preparedness | Safety | West Seattle news

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

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Preparedness Month, 7th report: Watch, or read about, WS training
April 8, 2011 5:04 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Preparedness | Safety | West Seattle news

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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Preparedness Month, 5th report: ‘Drop, Cover, Hold,’ and then…
April 6, 2011 2:31 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Preparedness | Safety | West Seattle news

If an earthquake hit now, what would you do? If you replied “Run for a doorway” – sorry, wrong. The advice these days is “Drop, Cover, Hold.” As our nightly Disaster Preparedness Month spotlights continue, with a focus on quake preparedness/survival – there’s a little more to “Drop, Cover, Hold” than those three steps. We’ve found a few videos that have extra information that can increase the chances “Drop, Cover, Hold” – or as some put it, “Drop, Cover, Hold On” – will save you. They’re right after the jump:Read More

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‘Yucky intersection’: No major injuries in 44th/Oregon crash
April 5, 2011 2:31 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

Thanks to Brian from TouchTech Systems for the photo and thanks to Meredith and Jennifer for the tips on a multi-vehicle crash that snarled traffic for a while early this afternoon at 44th/Oregon in The Junction. Noting it on the WSB Facebook wall, Jennifer described it as a “yucky intersection.” Meredith noticed debris strewn for some distance, which required more cleanup than usual, but tow trucks have responded; no medic unit was summoned, which generally indicates no serious injuries.

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West Seattle potholes: ‘Spot paving’ planned for some rough spots
April 5, 2011 11:11 am
|      30 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(January photo of Orchard-to-Sylvan potholes, shared by Gary)
Hat tip for this one goes to the Sanislo Elementary School PTSA newsletter – reading the latest edition last night, we saw news of some road-repair work planned nearby, so we followed up this morning by asking SDOT for details. Here’s the reply from Marybeth Turner:

An SDOT asphalt crew will be doing spot asphalt paving along Sylvan Way SW, SW Orchard St and Dumar Way SW in areas where there are frequent problems with potholes.

They will pave the eastbound lane on Sylvan Way SW around the curve to the intersection with SW Orchard. They will also pave the eastbound lane of SW Orchard from Delridge up to the intersection with Dumar Way SW, and then continue for a short distance around the curve on Dumar.

The crews have not yet scheduled this work–it will be executed with other paving jobs, and it requires favorable weather. We will announce the dates when the crews are closer to starting this paving work.

We will also be doing some spot travel lane repairs between the 4100 and 6900 blocks on Delridge to address problem pothole areas.

We would like to perform more extensive street reconstruction and paving, but this is what we can do with the funding available at this time.

The Sylvan potholes got special note here back in January. The city is still tracking potholes online (with 229 in queue as of about a week ago); you can see the latest map, with info on how to report them, by going here.

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Preparedness Month, 3rd report: It’s the little things …
April 3, 2011 11:56 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Preparedness | Safety | West Seattle news

Once again this April – Disaster Preparedness Month in our state – we’re spotlighting preparedness every night on WSB, with a special focus on earthquakes. As noted here last night, one of the in-person training sessions you can check out in West Seattle this month is an earthquake-retrofitting workshop on Saturday, April 16, 11 am-2 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. But realize that readiness is about the little things, too. One of the preparedness experts who responded to our call for resource suggestions shared a link to a quiz about how to make your living room safer – through earthquake-proofing for the everyday items it just might contain, such as a wide-screen video monitor, a bookcase, glass/ceramic art pieces, mirrors on the wall. It’s a simple quiz with graphics and multiple-choice questions; we’ll confess that we only got half the answers right, so we learned a lot. It’s from a California agency, but don’t let that stop you – the quiz starts here. Even if you only take away one or two things you can easily do in your home to earthquake-proof some of its smaller contents, that’s progress. Till tomorrow – we’ll close with another important reminder: Get to know West Seattle Be Prepared – especially your nearest Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hub.

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Preparedness Month, 2nd report: 3 chances for in-person training!
April 3, 2011 4:00 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Preparedness | Safety | West Seattle news

April is Disaster Preparedness Month in our state, and for the second year, WSB is committed to a nightly focus on preparedness, with a particular emphasis on being ready in case of earthquakes, given our area’s history and risk, as well as the heightened awareness and concerns resulting from last month’s quake/tsunami disaster in Japan.

Our first report gave a quick refresher on the Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hubs that are part of an amazing volunteer-led effort that has given West Seattle the preparedness edge so far – West Seattle Be Prepared. But the relatively small group of volunteers who have come forward to join in the planning and preparation this far won’t be able to do much in case of disaster without backup and help from hundreds, even thousands of others in the community. That’s why your participation in training is vital as part of Preparedness Month – and the good thing is, you don’t have to seek it out on your own. Here are 3 West Seattle opportunities coming up in the next two and a half weeks, all free – you just have to show up!

THIS THURSDAY (APRIL 7TH): West Seattle Be Prepared launches a new training/education series. 6-7:30 pm, be at the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction (California/Oregon). An hour and a half is a small investment considering the potentially lifesaving information you get in return – here are full details from WSBP.

APRIL 16TH: Find out about retrofitting your home for earthquake safety, with a free workshop at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library Branch – full details here. (Though the class is free, registration is requested – 206-233-5076.)

APRIL 18TH: WSBP and the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network team up for a preparedness-training session, 6-7:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster).

Those are all from the West Seattle Be Prepared events calendar, where you will also find a reminder of April 20th – the day for a statewide “drop, cover, and hold” earthquake drill at 9:45 am. More here tomorrow night, and we’re still interested in your suggestions for what you most want to know about earthquake readiness (we’ll be working on the questions raised in last night’s comments!).

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Alki Beach safety reminder: Why fires belong in the rings
April 1, 2011 3:06 am
|    Comments Off on Alki Beach safety reminder: Why fires belong in the rings
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

The forecast calls for some sunshine this weekend, but before you go rushing off to the beach, maybe even to walk barefoot in the sand – consider the story of Mike Daigle‘s disturbing discovery on Alki last weekend, which led him to share what is both a reminder and a warning:

Just as a reminder to everyone who loves to play on and enjoy Alki Beach. Beach fires are required to be confined to the metal “rings” on the west end of the beach. Starting a fire outside of the rings is a violation of Parks Department rules but has much deeper consequences then a fine. (Last Saturday) I checked out a few black spots in the sand where fires had been started outside the rings. I found about 100 rusty nails in a 2’x2’ area where someone had been burning scrap wood. We got most of them up but I’m sure more remain. I have a message in to the Parks Department and I am awaiting a reply.

Besides rusty nails in the sand, fires outside the rings usually result in hot coals being buried just below the surface. These hot coals smolder for hours and days awaiting a poor soul to step into it and burn their foot. Another likely scenario is a child digging in the sand and burning a hand. Even in the rings, as per Seattle Fire Code, you are not allowed to burn anything other than clean cord wood. No scrap wood, no garbage, no melting glass bottles in the hot coals. The Seattle Fire Department has publications with more information. Here is the link.

*Keep it in the rings
*Keep it clean wood
*Keep a bucket of water nearby

Here’s even more information – via the city Parks Department’s page about Alki Beach fire pits.

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Followup: Driver cited in Admiral crash, toddler reportedly home
March 25, 2011 3:58 pm
|      48 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from Wednesday, looking toward the west side of California/Lander intersection)
We promised a followup when we had new information about the Admiral crash that injured a toddler and his nanny on Wednesday afternoon, near Lafayette Elementary and Hiawatha park. Today, police confirmed that the driver who hit them was cited for failure to yield right of way; that word from Seattle Police media unit Det. Mark Jamieson. Harborview Medical Center, to which the two victims were taken after the crash, is unable to provide information without the victims’ names, which we don’t have. But as often happens, the comment section on our original story has yielded information. This account of the crash, from Jon, is not disputed by police – as our photo (above) showed, the crosswalk was the collision scene. The story is also related, along with updates on the victims, in this comment from Brooke:

The nanny was dropping off my daughter and the little girl she watches at gymnastics. She then left with the 21 month old brother to go to the park. They crossed at the intersection when it said walk. The yellow smart car turned without yielding. The nanny was holding the little boy’s hand and picked him up immediately when she saw they were going to get hit and pushed him out of the way. He suffered some head and eye damage but was able to come home today. The nanny severely damaged her leg and had surgery last night. She will not be able to put weight on it for 3 months and her leg will never be the same. The parents feel that their little boy would not be here without the nanny. We love this family dearly and hope that things strengthen faster than they are supposed to. Please send out your prayers and thoughts, especially for the nanny that is going to have a really rough next few months.

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Alaskan Way Viaduct checkup report: No new problems
March 25, 2011 1:20 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Safety

No new cracks, no new settlement. That’s the bottom line to last weekend’s Alaskan Way Viaduct inspection, WSDOT says today. Here’s the long version:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Tell the city about your neighborhood
March 23, 2011 3:27 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

Just got word of a new city “public safety survey,” and we are going through it even as we type this. First thing we noticed – not all West Seattle neighborhoods are listed in the first question about where you live (Morgan Junction and Gatewood are missing), so choose whatever’s closest. Otherwise, if you are concerned at all about crime and safety – and even if you feel your neighborhood is the safest place anywhere – there are a lot of good meaty questions to answer, about both your perception of crime/safety where you live, and your perception of Seattle police. The survey is here: seattle.gov/publicsafetysurvey – for an explanation, click ahead:Read More

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Blockwatch Network: ‘Hostile vegetation,’ more anticrime strategy
March 22, 2011 10:55 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

The advice that Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Jonathan Kiehn shared with the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network tonight just might prevent a few break-ins – or more than a few. He coached the captains in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design – CPTED (“SEP-ted” as if you were saying “interCEPted”). In addition to concepts you might not have considered before – such as “hostile vegetation” – his presentation busted a few myths, too (is it better to have your blinds up or down? high hedge or not? etc.). More than 45 people crowded the meeting room by the time he began (from almost every neighborhood in West Seattle, according to the round of self-intros that opened the meeting – from Admiral to The Arroyos!). Read on for the highlights:Read More

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Traffic alert: 2 more California SW pedestrian-safety projects starting
March 21, 2011 3:11 pm
|    Comments Off on Traffic alert: 2 more California SW pedestrian-safety projects starting
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Just in from SDOT:

Seattle Department of Transportation paving crews will start work this week on two pedestrian safety projects on California Avenue SW.

The first project will be at the intersection of California Avenue and SW Frontenac Street [map], where they will install new curb ramps on three corners of the intersection. When the first job is finished, the crews will install a new curb bulb on the southbound side of California Avenue SW at SW Othello Street [map].

The crews will work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parking will be restricted in the work area. The crew chief hopes to complete both projects by the end of the month.

These are the two remaining projects out of three on California SW whose Neighborhood Street Fund money was announced last year; we had a progress report on the third one, at SW Findlay, earlier this month.

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Followup: Working for safer West Seattle streets in Lucy’s honor
March 18, 2011 2:45 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | Safety | West Seattle news

One week ago, we published the sad story of the hit-run crash that killed Lucy, a 13-year-old Golden Retriever. First we heard from the witness who saw the whole thing, as Lucy and her owner were crossing California SW at Dakota. Then we heard directly from Matt, who was with Lucy when it happened, and almost got hit himself. While there is no word from police on any break in the case, those who told their stories have been working on the pedestrian-safety advocacy they hope might be Lucy’s legacy. We promised a followup. First, the witness e-mailed three City Council members, who, he says, got a fourth involved, which ultimately led him to Seattle City Light to make sure the street light on the southwest corner of that intersection is working. He was also pointed to SDOT to request better signage for the crosswalk.

The witness was also directly in touch with Matt (and wife Sarah), who say they have connected with SDOT’s community traffic liaison, Jim Curtin. They learned Jim, a West Seattleite, had heard about Lucy’s death via WSB, and they wrote:

Jim informed me that the wheels are turning at SDOT and they plan to do a full site visit and evaluation to determine the most appropriate options for making the California/Dakota intersection safer. He indicated that he will be back in touch with me within one to two weeks with recommendations and next steps. Additionally, we briefly discussed potential opportunities for funding if there isn’t a budget for the recommended improvements. Some alternative sources of funds could include the SDOT Neighborhood Street Fund and/or the DON Neighborhood Matching Fund in conjunction with community funding (via fundraiser).

Also, we’ve received a more detailed description of the vehicle involved in the hit-run incident from the Seattle Police Department. The vehicle is a customized dark colored El Camino with possibly aftermarket grill and rims and tinted windows. It would be great if we could ask the community to keep a look out for this vehicle and, if seen, inform the Police. The SW Precinct police officers involved have been incredibly responsive and helpful.

… Please let the community know how much we appreciate all their kind words and thoughts for our family during this difficult time and how fortunate we feel to live in such a wonderful, close-knit community.

We’ll continue to follow up.

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Got a boat? Get a free safety check in West Seattle
March 15, 2011 3:07 pm
|    Comments Off on Got a boat? Get a free safety check in West Seattle
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

Not really the kind of day you would think about boating, but the season is getting ever closer on the calendar, and this Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering free drop-in safety checks in West Seattle (as well as offering the chance for safety checks at other times):

Make sure that you are safe when on the water with a US Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel safety check. This is a no-law enforcement … check of the equipment onboard your boat. For questions or to sign-up in advance, e-mail Lynn Dossett at uscgauxled@gmail.com or call him at 206-331-1807. At the Don Armeni boat ramp (West Seattle) the Auxiliary will be holding voluntary, no sign-up needed, vessel safety checks on Saturday, March 19th from 3 to 5 pm.

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Followup: From the owner of Lucy, killed by a hit-run driver
March 11, 2011 9:16 am
|      91 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | Safety | West Seattle news

Last night, we published a witness’s report about the hit-run crash at California/Dakota that killed a dog named Lucy (and nearly missed her owner). This morning, we have the story directly from Lucy’s owner Matt, who also shared the collage of photos of his beloved dog, as well as concerns he has beyond what specifically happened to him and Lucy:

My dog Lucy and I approached the crosswalk at California and Dakota from the west just before 7:30 on March 10, 2011 like we have done hundreds of times. We have crosswalks on arterial roads like California so people, their families and their pets may safely cross from one side to the other.

On this evening, we entered the crosswalk after the southbound vehicles stopped. I took a few steps into the crosswalk and waved my arms to get northbound traffic to stop. My dog by my side, the northbound traffic did not stop and my dog took one too many steps ahead of me and lost her life. The northbound car barreled through the crosswalk, almost hitting me but squarely hitting Lucy. The driver did not stop and my dog of 13 years was lost. This is a very sad day for me, my wife, and our 4 month old, who misses the dog she never got to know. Thank you for your support.

We have a few points we would like to make:

* This particular crosswalk has a school and playground on one side, a church and park on the other, and bus stops on both sides, which results in a lot of pedestrian crossing. This crosswalk is not respected, my wife, my neighbors and I have repeated that many many times. While we lost our pet, this just as easily could have been a child who slipped from their parents hands and stepped into traffic that didn’t obey the crosswalk. We would like to gather neighbor support to campaign for SDOT to implement additional precautions, other than flags which are often stolen or ignored by drivers.

* We did file a police report. The incident is a hit and run and the incident number is 2011-80320. If you know anything about the car or driver please let the police know. Officer P. Chang stopped by our house to listen to what happened and he said anyone with information can call the non-emergency line at (206) 625-5011, provide the incident number and any information that will help identify the driver or car.

* Regarding the (car), I saw what seemed like a 70’s/80’s sleek sedan dark in color. Like an Electrica or LeSabre. Officer Chang told us that someone identified it as an El Camino.

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8.9 earthquake in Japan: Tsunami watch; preparedness reminder
March 11, 2011 12:56 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Preparedness | Safety

(Video recorded at a home in Japan during the earthquake)
We’ll leave the information about the huge, magnitude 8.9 Japan earthquake to those who are covering it directly – but a couple of notes: First, the federal websites providing tsunami information are finally working properly (until a half-hour or so ago, they were not reflecting the watch that is in effect for the ocean coast) – here’s where to go for that information. Note that even though any wave generated in a situation like this is technically a “tsunami,” if one actually hits this side of the Pacific, it could be barely a ripple – we have seen that scenario play out time and again – BUT it is never a reason for complacency. “Watch” means lowest level of “keep your radar up.” We’ll be keeping an eye on the situation all night.

Second, until we get information about relief efforts to help the quake survivors, here’s something you can do to not feel so powerless in the face of the horrifying scenes from the Japan quake zones – THINK PREPAREDNESS. Start by knowing your Emergency Communication Hub location. Here’s the West Seattle-volunteer-created, info-rich West Seattle Be Prepared website, as a place to start.

2:50 AM UPDATE: This table has the projected height of whatever “tsunami” might hit the Washington ocean coast. Note the highest is about three feet.

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Another scam phone call alert; this time, the bank name’s a clue
March 9, 2011 10:04 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

If you haven’t already heard a warning about this bogus call – we’ve heard citywide-media reports about it, and Lola says she got it today:

Just got the weirdest phishing phone call. It’s a robo-call saying “This is Washington Mutual. We’re calling to let you know that your debit card has been locked. Press 1 for more information.”

Since there’s no such thing as Washington Mutual, I hung up and called Chase. No problem with my debit card. It was a phishing call. Might want to alert folks to check with anyone who might fall for this.

Good point – even if you know you wouldn’t fall for it, if you have potentially vulnerable friends or relatives, make sure to warn them.

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Car theft up, most of the rest down: 2010 crime, citywide and WS
March 9, 2011 10:49 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

“The only acceptable crime stat would be no crime in the city,” Seattle Police Chief John Diaz qualified, toward the start of a Tuesday briefing as the last of the 2010 crime statistics were released, finishing the picture of last year in its entirety. We attended the briefing downtown, and reviewed the statistics later, to put together an update including West Seattle specifics.

Citywide headlines included the number of murders – 19, with 15 of them solved – fewest murders since 1956 (three in West Seattle, all solved). Two categories were up – most notably car theft, plus a slight increase in aggravated assaults – while everything else was down. Assistant Chief Jim Pugel, who leads the Investigations Bureau, started the briefing after opening remarks from the chief. Here’s video of their half-hour-long briefing:

(About 21 minutes in, WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand asked Chief Diaz about something Mayor McGinn said in West Seattle last Sunday, regarding a new emphasis on community policing. The chief confirmed that’s under discussion, without offering specifics.)

Aside from this one-sheet breaking down the categories of crimes and listing the citywide numbers, compared to previous years and the “10-year average,” the only other stats available for the year are the monthly precinct-by-precinct sheets posted to the city’s website. From those:

WEST SEATTLE SPECIFICS:

Through the month-by-month breakouts that were posted, we took a look at the two property-crime categories that Southwest Precinct leadership has acknowledged are the most challenging – burglaries and auto thefts. For the year, the SWP area – West Seattle and South Park – had 436 car thefts and 829 burglaries. For car thefts, March 2010 was the low (23) and May 2010 the high (50), while for burglaries, November 2010 was the low (49) and January 2010 the high (95). Compared to a year earlier, burglaries were down (from 983 in 2009) and car thefts were up (from 395 in 2009).

One final set of 2010 numbers – those who think east West Seattle has more crime than west West Seattle might be surprised to hear that the eastern sector (Frank) had fewer burglaries than the western sector (William) – 345 of them were in F, 483 in W. (Here’s the citywide sector map.)

So what are police doing about property crimes? That was discussed during the briefing by Assistant Chief Mike Sanford, who supervises the precincts. He explained how police are looking for micro-crime patterns (which also is another reason why it’s vital that you report even seemingly small crimes) and work to figure out how to deter crime:

You can explore the latest crime statistics further starting with this page on the SPD website – the year-by-year breakout pages are where you will find the precinct-by-precinct links.

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Next time you hear a horn – someone might be saving a life
March 3, 2011 2:43 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

Another matter of pedestrian safety – this time, gratitude, and a reminder, from Abby:

I wanted to both thank a driver and caution other less-than-careful drivers to watch out for pedestrians. Last night, getting off the bus at 35th and Roxbury, I was crossing Barton heading north on 35th Ave SW when a truck taking a left turn onto Barton nearly ran me over, going at quite a speed. It was only thanks to a driver stopped on Barton, heading East, who honked his horn that made me stop just inches shy of being hit and likely killed last night. Thank you. I am so grateful for your action – for being there-for honking. And to all of us who drive – please take care to be watchful and mindful of pedestrians, bicyclists, and fellow motorists.

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Let there be lights: California crosswalk; bridge LEDs
March 3, 2011 1:06 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Two updates that both involve lights and roads:

First, thanks to the team at Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) for the tip that a new flashing-light crosswalk sign has gone up over California SW at Findlay (map). It’s one of three California SW intersections in a Neighborhood Street Fund project whose funding was noted here last year. The other two, SW Frontenac and SW Othello (both south of Morgan Junction), are also slated to get pedestrian-safety improvements this month – as reported here a few weeks back.

Second – we’ve been talking about the city’s ongoing conversion to LED streetlights, to save energy and money. A few West Seattle neighborhoods and side streets have seen some test installations. Now, there’s word that the entire West Seattle Bridge – from I-5 to the 35th/Fauntleroy end – is going to get LEDs as a “pilot” project testing them on arterials. This is according to the slides in a briefing presented to the City Council’s Energy, Technology and Civil Rights Committee on Wednesday. (The rest of West Seattle, as reiterated in the briefing, isn’t slated for conversion till 2012-2013.)

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Admiral sinkhole followup: Now an ’emergency’ pipe replacement
February 23, 2011 10:38 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Safety | Utilities | West Seattle news

That big backhoe sits tonight atop what was the traffic circle at Fairmount and Forest in Admiral – which we last visited on Friday afternoon, as neighbors and passersby became increasingly worried about a growing sinkhole (first mentioned here a week ago):

(WSB photo from last Friday)
What was the traffic circle, and sinkhole, in the center of the intersection south of Fairmount Ravine is now the site of an emergency construction project to remove and replace 50 feet of “collapsed” sewer main under the street. That’s according to a notice posted at the site, which has even more heavy equipment standing by, beyond the backhoe atop the ex-circle:

One neighbor we spoke with this afternoon says the broken pipe and water from last week’s rain backed up under the street surface, and that led to the sinkhole problem. The Seattle Public Utilities notice says the emergency work will take about two weeks and may continue through weekends. In the meantime, what would have gone through the damaged pipe will be routed, says SPU’s notice, through a temporary line, so that service isn’t interrupted to nearby homes.

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