More road-project updates: 16th SW paving, 30th SW sidewalk

| Delridge | High Point | Puget Ridge | Transportation | West Seattle news

First, new information on the upcoming 16th SW paving project near South Seattle Community College, from Rick Sheridan at the city Transportation Department – he says the schedule is now pushed back about a month:

An update on the paving work that will occur on 16th Avenue SW this summer. The project, previously scheduled for June, will now instead begin in late July. This is being done to accelerate our work on 4th Avenue S between Royal Brougham and Airport Way, and lessen its impact on the traveling public and nearby businesses.

We will still be able to repave 16th Avenue SW during the summer session at South Seattle Community College, when student traffic through the area is lower. The work will last approximately six weeks and require a detour.

Here’s the official city page about the project. Meantime, a report from Marco in High Point, regarding the 30th SW sidewalk work between High Point and Delridge, right after this photo he just sent:

After weeks of construction on 30th Ave SW they removed the ‘road closed’ sign at the bottom of the hill, but not yet at the top (Juneau).

The city’s most recent update, published online earlier this month, said the project was on schedule to be done “in early June.”

sam May 29, 2009 (7:47 pm)

Thanks for the update on these projects-

I sent message to both SDOT and Metro (earlier this week) to see how the detour (described in the blog previously) would affect Route 125 and haven’t heard back yet. I don’t see anything on the Route 125 website either. This gives me more time to find out.

WSB May 29, 2009 (8:10 pm)

If you don’t hear soon, let me know. The Metro media person with whom I usually deal is very responsive and I can ask her to find out – though it’s always interesting FIRST to see how a member of the public is dealt with – you should get as rapid response as I would get for being media! – TR

sam June 5, 2009 (1:21 pm)

I did hear back today (response below): sounds like the northbound route 125 will be affected and will follow the detour described on WSB and below.

response from the SDOT project manager:
“Thank you for your inquiry into the 16th Ave SW Paving work. I am the project manager and was asked to respond to your concerns. The schedule for the 16th Ave SW paving has changed. The start date is now late July rather than mid-June. We are well coordinated with Metro for this work but typically Metro doesn’t post information on their website this far in advanced. We realize that the detour will have a significant impact on the Metro route that operates in this area but it is not possible to rebuild the road while maintaining two directions of traffic. The current road is only one lane each way and we would not be able to rebuild it if we didn’t remove traffic from at least one side. We currently plan to detour only northbound traffic. Metro would be able to reach all the stops northbound up to Findlay but then have to turn around and follow the detour. Several stops would be missed. Our goad is to minimize the overall duration of the work so the detour is in place as little as possible. Right now we believe the work will take 5-6 weeks to complete. If you would like more information about Metro’s plans for reroutes during this project you may call Metro Information at 553-3000 as the project start date gets closer. I’m also to discuss the project further if you’d like to call me “- end of response

so those who use the 125 between Findlay and Delridge Way, SW. would need to look into other options. I’ll tell all my neighbors to get their bikes tuned so they can ride in downtown instead. Or, walk to Delridge and catch a bus there. who knows, the detour may not have to be in place for the whole 5-6 weeks.

I do have options for getting around- we have a car, and I’m in walking/biking distance to my office. But, I’m concerned about some others that live on my street, including a very old woman who has trouble walking, that don’t have other transportation options. I will be sure that she knows about the Access van.