Reader report: Delridge-bound driver “de-rails”

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We got that photo on the south side of Youngstown Arts Center, looking southeast up the 23rd SW hill (map), after Eryka e-mailed us about what caused the damage: “Last night at 12:15 a.m. a driver in a brand new four door white pickup truck rounded the corner on Oregon to Delridge, quickly plowed through the guardrail, fence, and into the Cultural Arts Center lawn and driveway.” She says the driver appeared OK but impaired, and that police administered a sobriety test, then “cuffed him.” She added: “He went completely through the wire fence (or maybe under it?) and took out a couple of trees in the process. People zip around that corner incredibly fast. It’s a scary thought.” 9:32 PM ADDENDUM: Be sure to read the comments, where Mike Dady from the North Delridge Neighborhood Council notes this is at least the fourth time in two years this has happened – but also says help is on the way.

7 Replies to "Reader report: Delridge-bound driver "de-rails""

  • Wow September 21, 2008 (8:07 pm)

    The guardrail completely failed!

  • Aim September 21, 2008 (8:58 pm)

    you know, if the SPD really wanted to catch a slew of drunk drivers, they could simply stake out Delridge on a Friday or Saturday night.

    Every single weekend morning I see dozens of smashed cars all the way down the entire 3 miles of Delridge.

    It seems like a no-brainer to me…

  • austin September 21, 2008 (8:59 pm)

    Totally. I hope drunky mcdriver has to pay for the damage.

  • Mike Dady September 21, 2008 (9:21 pm)

    This same guardrail was knocked out twice in 2006 and once in 2007. There may have been more incidents, those are just the ones I kept records of. Certainly there were more before I started actually keeping track in 2006.

    In the coming weeks SDOT will be installing Speed Cushion along the upper reaches of the hill where it flattens out as 21st Ave. Dawson is also slated for Speed Cushions and perhaps even a section of 16th. Plenty of crack-ups and car roll overs have occurred up in those curves.

    The Speed Cushions are to be like the ones near Alki Elementary and on Beach Drive, just south of Jacobsen Road.

    The actual hill itself near the guardrail location is supposed to receive some other form of Traffic Calming element. Speed Cushions we were told are not safe on hills due to bicyclists coming down at speed. (BTW – The Seattle Bicycle Master Plan has a Climbing Lane in the works for the hill)

    The number of true idiots that fly up and down this section of city streets is truly alarming. Not all of them are lit-up on alcohol or drugs. Plenty of them are on their way to SSCC or Cooper Elementary. All the numb-nuts should instead be attending Drivers Education or watching films of car crashes. Watching these fools pass cars, Metro buse, etc. going down or up this hill is always interesting. I did some SDOT sanctioned neighborhood radar gun traffic studies and clocked speeds on the hill of over 70 mph.

    Thankfully this nonsense will be reduced with the traffic calming features arriving soon.

  • mike September 21, 2008 (10:15 pm)

    speed cushions aka speed bumps are stupid. The problem appears to be drunk drivers. 70mph around that turn is impossible even for an f1 car.

  • d September 21, 2008 (10:22 pm)

    Mike Dady!

    70 mph! That explains it – further up the road around the Glass Studio, there is a house across the street. In the six or so years I have lived here, I think I have seen that cars have gone through their picket fence three times. They don’t negotiate the turn heading east toward the college.

    Also, the bus stops seem closer than usual to the road around there.

    It is great to know the speed bumps are coming. Truly needed on that section of road!

  • DM September 21, 2008 (11:07 pm)

    This incident looks like a drunk driver was involved. I’m not sure how speed cushions could have prevented this particular crash. But I am all for measures that slow all drivers down to the speed limit, especially in neighborhoods. A lot of sober people speed up, down and around Oregon. The scary spot for me is the curve near the Logarto glass gallery. It’s as if drivers are not concerned about what MIGHT be in front of them, the speed they are driving, or if they have veered into the on-coming lane. Drivers seem to forget that they are operating VERY heavy machinery. I’m astonished when bicyclists have the courage to ride on Oregon in that particular section.

    I had a similar thought when this blog mentioned people crashing into parked cars on Fauntleroy. I know I’m complaining to the choir by writing this, but don’t most drivers slow down when they see a stationary object in front of them?

    I wish I could do without driving, for ecological reasons and personal safety. Maybe some day. In the mean time I wish people would drive sanely.

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