West Seattle scene: Renaming Beach Drive for its potholes

Just sent by Heath, with the observation, “How true.” (The structure on which the impromptu sign is duct-taped is along the Beach Drive waterfront, across from Me-Kwa-Mooks. It’s the framework for another of the wayfinding kiosks that are going up around the area – this one has been awaiting its permanent map and artwork inserts, as of our most recent drive past. A stretch south of this spot is in pretty good shape after a rebuild a few years ago, but further down, it’s arguably one of West Seattle’s ruttiest stretches.)

21 Replies to "West Seattle scene: Renaming Beach Drive for its potholes"

  • Robert2715 May 2, 2011 (12:33 pm)

    To Seattle’s “credit”, some of Seattle’s most expensive homes are on the crappiest strests! How egalitarian! :-)

  • Arbor Heights May 2, 2011 (12:46 pm)

    I love an inventive sign sabotage. I wonder if it’s a street on which everyone else assumes their neighbor will call pothole patrol.

  • brn2bm May 2, 2011 (12:53 pm)

    Any street with speed bumps certainly isn’t a priority to fix potholes.

  • Robert May 2, 2011 (1:16 pm)

    Worst route in Seattle to ride a bicycle.

  • commuter May 2, 2011 (1:25 pm)

    They should also premanently install a “Motorcycles Use Extreme Caution” sign.

  • I. Ponder May 2, 2011 (1:47 pm)

    I’m not pro-pothole but if it slows drivers down it’s got a plus side.

  • George May 2, 2011 (2:25 pm)

    Actually I agree with I. Ponder. The potholes and the deteriorated street condition is the only thing keeping the speed down on that stretch. The minute you pave that stretch as nicely as the area right by that park, you will see people driving 50mph + all the time.

    Please don’t fix a thing. In fact, please come and install some new potholes on Alki in advance of the busy summer season.

  • Been There May 2, 2011 (2:42 pm)

    Fun sign…..but, SDOT Traffic flow data shows Beach Drive has a scant 4,600 vehicle trips per 24 hr. period. There are many more streets in the city with much higher traffic volume that are in bad shape. Beach Drive is not a priority when you look at the big picture.

    Plus, as has been discussed ad nauseam on the WSB before, the soils/slopes/roadbed north and south of Atlas Place are unstable and will continue to shift, buckle and crack. To try and keep that from happening will be very pricey. Again, not a priority.

  • alki2 May 2, 2011 (3:04 pm)

    Pothole hotline:
    http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/potholereport.htm

    I reported potholes on a side street in Alki last month (at about 3 p.m.) A crew was out fixing them by 9:30 a.m. the next day. I believe they try to come within 3 days but it worked great for me.

    • WSB May 2, 2011 (3:06 pm)

      Thanks, Alki2. It just occurred to me now that I’m home from a sojourn downtown that I should have checked the city pothole map to see how things are going on BD. – TR

  • Dawn May 2, 2011 (3:13 pm)

    one reason why i sold my mini cooper!.. i lost too many tires on this street !!

  • Jay May 2, 2011 (4:35 pm)

    When are they going to fix the long, continuous pothole that runs in both lanes of California, from Dawson to Fauntleroy?

  • Jake May 2, 2011 (4:56 pm)

    I rode my bike on this stretch last weekend. As I continually swerved to avoid the potholes, a woman in an SUV behind me honked, and yelled “learn to ride!” A few seconds later, she roared by me with her middle finger out the sun roof. Sheesh!

  • Jon May 2, 2011 (6:26 pm)

    If you don’t call them, how are they supposed to know to fix them. Sounds pretty simple. I have done so in the past and they are there within just a few days. As alki2 reported above.

  • Matty May 2, 2011 (9:07 pm)

    It’s all fun and games, until a cyclist swerves to avoid a pothole and gets killed by someone driving who’s in a “hurry” to get to Alki. That stretch has been in shambles forever, and I’m sure SDOT has had hundreds of calls to fix those holes..

  • kate May 2, 2011 (9:41 pm)

    I did the same thing too, Alki2, about 6 months ago. Within an hour of me emailing I received a confirmation call to verify the exact location and in 2 days the holes were filled. I encourage people to call/email at the link listed above.

  • Mike May 2, 2011 (10:04 pm)

    When you call or report a pothole, follow up on it. I blew a tire, tried to fight for reimbursement since it was a prviously filled hole that reopened. The city responded saying they have no duty to reimburse me since nobody reported it reopened (even though it was a ‘temp’ fix and had been done nearly a year ago, how long is temp?). So fight it, make them do their job. I’m tempted to take a day off work, drive around and just use my wifi from my cell to report potholes all day. That way the city would be required (according to their own agreements) to fill them within “reasonable” timeframes. I think if I report a few hundred it’ll keep them on their toes, it’ll only be a few thousand dollars they’d need to put out. Fine by me since I’m out over $1500 now due to blown tire, tie rod, and 3 control arms (my car has 5 on each front corner).

  • James May 2, 2011 (11:22 pm)

    Bikers should not be allowed on that road.

  • Me May 3, 2011 (9:49 am)

    I’ve reported them … they dump fill in (don’t even press it down!) it’s empty the next day! I call back and they say, “it’s been done”! Sure …

  • sean May 3, 2011 (2:04 pm)

    Like a lot of streets in W. Seattle, Beach Dr. is in terrible shape. It’s been that way for many years. There are a few stretches of Beach Dr. that have been redone and they are so much nicer to bike and drive. @Jake… I’ve had people yelling at me when I’m on my bike along Beach Dr. too, but honestly that happens all over the city. Thankfully, I would say most motorists are quite courteous.

  • Lois May 3, 2011 (8:43 pm)

    I love the humor! Thank you! A chiropractor and message therapist should open a studio at the end of the street for spine readjustment. We all need it after driving on that street. Maybe back surgery:) Everybody just drive with care because you can ruin your back on that road!
    But thank you for the sign!

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