West Seattle roadside scenes: Bike lane; sharrows; tree-cutting

| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

A few more things of note, along West Seattle streets: The “rechannelization” – striping that’s part of the last phase of the road reconstruction – has begun along Fauntleroy Way; we spotted the striped-in bike lane tonight, as we headed northeast. SDOT announced recently that the work will be done by the middle of this month. And “sharrow”-painting continues to stretch further south:

We just noticed sharrows have been roughed in along Thistle between California and Delridge (map).Last but not least, Rhonda from The Mortgage Porter (WSB sponsor) called our attention this morning to this scene along Jacobsen Road just east of Beach Drive, south edge of Me-Kwa-Mooks Natural Area (map):

She wondered what was being cut and why, and so did we when we saw it, so we contacted the Parks Department – the crew had clearly labeled Parks vehicles – and Dewey Potter tells us:

This was a single dead alder tree that our Tree Crew Chief identified. It was hanging close to the road and the driveways of two houses. The bark was starting to fall off the stem and branches. The crew will leave a snag for habitat if possible. That is the only tree being removed.

atemybuick September 3, 2009 (8:40 am)

I was disappointed to see that the northbound lane is half asphalt and half concrete. I read in the Times a while back that SDOT always tried to avoid doing this. How long before we again have potholes where the two materials meet? Or maybe as the picture shows, people will drive in the bike lane.

WSB September 3, 2009 (8:42 am)

For clarification, I wasn’t driving in the bike lane. As soon as I saw it had been striped, I pulled over into the wider parking/stopping lane at that spot (just past Calif/Fauntleroy i/s) to get the pic (then got back into the main road – in the driving lane! – once I was done and traffic of all kinds had cleared) – TR

Al September 3, 2009 (9:27 am)

People are sort of in the bike lane right now because it’s not completed. The barrels protrude into the main travel lane a bit forcing vehicles to the right a bit. This shouldn’t be an issue when it’s done. I am enjoying using the parking strip as a bike lane right now. I’ll be sad to see that go away once parking comes back.

OP September 3, 2009 (10:48 am)

A while ago, I half jokingly replied to someone in another thread that even SDOT wouldn’t be so stupid as to leave the road looking done in half asphalt/half concrete. Do I stand corrected?

WSB September 3, 2009 (10:56 am)

I am checking with SDOT on that today because I was frankly startled myself to see the striping over non-matching pavement. Although that section of the road also becomes blacktop a bit further north … TR

atemybuick September 3, 2009 (12:42 pm)

WSB, Actually I was referring to the silver car in your picture which is in the bike a lane a bit, which is how I found myself driving this morning to keep all four wheels on the concrete.

WSM September 3, 2009 (2:48 pm)

This resurfacing is a total disaster. Old pavement, new concrete, new asphalt. The southbound lanes are particularly bad as there are black tire tracks on the concrete. It looks terrible. A complete waste of millions of tax dollars. Who do we contact at the city to complain?

WSB: how about an in-depth investigation of this?

WSB September 3, 2009 (2:52 pm)

Atemy – I noticed that upon closer look, sorry. I work with a 13″ laptop screen and really need new glasses. Just didn’t want you all to think we were mowing down bicyclists in the name of a thrilling photo of road stripes. WSM, I am waiting for answer #1 from SDOT re: the non-uniform resurfacing, for starters – TR

Marybeth Turner September 3, 2009 (5:37 pm)

In response to questions about Fauntleroy being paved with part concrete and part asphalt, please note that the street was part asphalt and part concrete (concrete that was not overlayed with asphalt) before the paving project started. We no longer place a layer of asphalt over concrete, although this once was the practice. Now we know this to be unnecessary.

We have replaced the most damaged concrete panels on the west side of the street and have left those that had remaining life.

Marybeth Turner
Seattle Department of Transportation

Trolling? Nulu September 3, 2009 (6:54 pm)

Is it illegal for a car to be in or partially in the bike lane when no bikes are present?
An in the photo, the silver car is traveling in a lane that is not fully open due to Gay Merlino’s 2′
diameter orange traffic markers.
atemybuick’s point seems niggling.

grr September 3, 2009 (10:24 pm)

at least it will be safe for motorcycles again..

anyone else think those bike lanes are REALLLY wide???? Do they need THAT much space??

OP September 3, 2009 (10:45 pm)

Calling BS to Marybeth. Then explain the repave on Calif 2 years ago; surely all of the concrete there wasn’t bad and the entire street was repaved. Same goes for 1st Ave. today. Aesthetically speaking, Fauntleroy looks like crap at the moment (and likely forever now). Way to think that one through.

WSM September 4, 2009 (7:17 am)

If I were the Mayor, I would demand the resignation of everyone involved with this repaving mess. Ms. Turner, your attitude is an example of why city government is broken.

I seem to recall an article in the Times a few months ago about shoddy street construction work. Looks like we can add Fauntleroy to the list.

How do we complain to the city about this?

WSB September 4, 2009 (8:57 am)

There are a variety of places to go to with complaints.
.
For one, there’s the City Council. Jan Drago heads the transportation committee – but will be out of office as of early next year. Sally Clark is its vice chair. Contact info linked on the committee page:
http://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/transportation_comm.htm
.
684-ROAD is the official complaint/report line for SDOT.
.
And of course Grace Crunican is the director
http://www.seattle.gov/directory/detail.asp?ID=100132
.
And she reports to the mayor, who like Jan Drago has a few more months to go – but there also happen to be two guys running for the gig, whose websites with contact info are:
http://www.mallahanformayor.com/
http://www.mcginnformayor.com

Mike & Kate September 4, 2009 (9:48 am)

We, too, would like to add our names to those who are very disappointed with the half completed job. We live on Fauntleroy Way SW and have endured the noise, dust, and smells all summer with the expectation that we would have a smooth, quiet, attractive road when they finished. We will be sending Emails to those listed here. Please join in and hope against hope that something might be done.

WSB September 4, 2009 (10:03 am)

FYI, I have requested the opportunity to do a story taking a closer look at the work before it is officially done, preferably with the city’s paving guru, who I know has responded to some residents’ questions along the way, and who we’ve talked with at some of the events leading up to this project (and others). It’s been a project with an interesting history – at one point this project almost didn’t get off the ground at all – due to last minute budget maneuverings (all covered here) – then when the bid (like most projects these days) came in lower than expected, the project was expanded to stretch to SW Holly, which wasn’t in the original plan … TR

atemybuick September 4, 2009 (10:38 am)

Here’s the Times article regarding another street with half concrete/half asphalt lanes. Says they wouldn’t be doing that anymore.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/bumpertobumper/2009588419_bumper03m.html

WSM September 4, 2009 (1:04 pm)

email sent to Ms. Crunican. I urge everyone who is upset about this to please send her an email. The city took a short cut on this project, and needs to fix it.

Sorry, comment time is over.