FOLLOWUP: City cleans up SW Marginal Place dumped debris

That’s what we found late this morning when we went back to the north end of SW Marginal Place, just west of the low bridge. It’s the same spot where, as we showed you yesterday afternoon, an RV had left behind this pile of junk including syringes and broken glass on the road and sidewalk, blocking the SW Charlestown stairway from Pigeon Point. We took the next photo on our second visit yesterday afternoon, around 5 pm, after the pile had been condensed a bit, and cordoned off:

Seattle Public Utilities is the primary agency accountable for cleaning up illegal dumping on public property, and this morning they told us the junk would be cleaned up today. By late yesterday, they also had heard from City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who earlier in the day had announced SPU was taking a new approach to illegal dumping. And we know that at least two people associated with West Seattle Bike Connections had reported the RV and trash to Seattle Police – the spot is right alongside the bicycle path to and from the low bridge, and in the middle of the route used to get from there down to West Marginal Way SW – as well as via the city’s Find It Fix It app.

The one thing we don’t yet know: What happened to the RV? One WSB commenter believes he saw it being towed on the Alaskan Way Viaduct yesterday afternoon. We asked SPD if they would be able to find out whether it was towed to be impounded – so far, we haven’t found anyone with access to that information, but we’re still trying.

Waikikigirl February 26, 2016 (2:24 pm)

GOOD JOB to the people that cleaned that cr@p up so quickly!!!!

Thankful February 26, 2016 (2:28 pm)

Awesome! Looks great. Thank you! Too bad they had to, but I’m glad they were quick to do so…

Pile-o-rox February 26, 2016 (2:42 pm)

Note to Mayor Murray – if you want people to use the bike paths get rid of the RV campers and other junkies. I mean really – I bike or run to work and it is downright scary going past the car campers and others dwelling under the bridge (i.e., the only path for use to take out of West Seatle). With the sanctioned areas coming online there is simply no excuse to indulge the junkies and allow them to stay here.

flimflam February 26, 2016 (2:55 pm)

I know this is a far fetched, wild thought, but why wasn’t the vehicle that trashed the area cited? I don’t care if he/she can’t/won’t pay – you simply can’t do that without consequence.

WSB February 26, 2016 (3:01 pm)

I don’t know that it wasn’t. One of the photos we received from Al shows paperwork on the left window. I can’t blow it up enough to read it. As I wrote in yesterday’s story, by the time we went over for a firsthand look yesterday afternoon, it was gone – commenter Greg thinks it was towed. SPD Public Affairs can’t just look for this kind of citation – without a license plate number or something, it’s a needle in a haystack, so to speak – I did ask.

Rick February 26, 2016 (3:03 pm)

Pun intended?

935 February 26, 2016 (3:03 pm)

I can’t believe how quickly the city took care of this!

There are potholes and repaving projects still in the queue reported LOOOONG ago that have not been addressed….Guess it doesn’t “have to be stewn across Avalon” to have the powers that be do something about it. Doesn’t seem that it was ignored at all!!!!

A RAR “great job” to the city…Keep it up!

Waikikigirl February 26, 2016 (3:14 pm)

WSB….a needle in a haystack?!?!?! LOL!!!!!! :>)

Born on Alki 59 February 26, 2016 (3:31 pm)

The “City” is merely contracting this cleanup out to private companies, at the taxpayers expense. Kudos go out to anyone paying taxes and living in Seattle city limits. I’d be curious to see what those costs are ytd. These encampment junk heaps seem to be tolerated by our fine elected officials, but are a total embarrassment. Seattle is turning into an eyesore.

WSB February 26, 2016 (3:42 pm)

Not a private company. State Department of Corrections work crews (aka offenders). Thought I’d mentioned this in yesterday’s coverage, sorry. That’s what SPU told me again today, and the agency has done so for 17 years, according to this Times story which goes into detail about how that works. – TR
- KM February 26, 2016 (6:06 pm)
  
  I love seeing the DOC crews out. It’s better for them than sitting in a cell all day, and they are helping our region out by doing these types of clean-ups. I wonder if there is any studies on how these types of programs help those who are involved vs those who don’t or can’t participate. Really happy this has been cleaned up!

Kravitz February 26, 2016 (3:57 pm)

And people wonder why so many neighbors aren’t thrilled about having RV “Safe Lots” in their hoods… at least this was simply garbage, rather than the body that was found in a shopping cart in Ballard a couple months ago. Read the story here:

“According to detectives, the men dumped her body in a shopping cart near the Ballard Bridge to avoid drawing attention to drug activity that took place inside their motor home.”

Pile-o-Rox February 26, 2016 (4:52 pm)

Kravitz – the city’s approach to the homelessness issue is truly astounding.

It appears our “leaders” are incapable of grasping the notion that you can be compassionate and responsible at the same time. The solution is very, very simple.

Provide shelter (be it in the form of temporary housing, RV lots, sanctioned encampments or otherwise) for those who are willing to participate in job search and anti-addition activities and follow the rules (i.e., no guns, drugs, or alcohol), while at the same time bolstering and strictly enforcing anti-loitering ordinances everywhere else.

That way, everyone who is willing to be helped, will be helped and those who do not want help will be required to move along or be arrested (at which point they will get all the addiction counseling they need in a jail void of drugs and alcohol).

As many of you know, our shelter beds GO EMPTY in Seattle, even in places right next to the jungle because the folks living in unauthorized encampments by and large don’t want help.

Indeed, as detailed in this article, out of the 80 people offered shelter for 6 months on the condition they participate in counseling, there was NOT A SINGLE TAKER. In fact, the shelter has not been at capacity in YEARS.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiK9qKC3ZbLAhVJqh4KHX1HA_IQqQIIHTAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seattletimes.com%2Fseattle-news%2Fsome-shelter-beds-go-empty-even-right-next-to-seattles-jungle-encampment%2F&usg=AFQjCNH_VwANL8yNf7dX3N_KeEdLQGCwIQ&bvm=bv.115339255,d.dmo

In short, if you want help, we are here to help you. If not, MOVE ALONG.

NW February 26, 2016 (5:06 pm)

Start taking some ownership and care of the infrastructure in the area where you live and those who use it those stairs which I have walked before are full of slippery rotting leaves and moss year round and come summer that pathway becomes over grown and hard to walk up. If you live in Pigeon Hill or the community below Riverside get neighbors together and care for this area you may be surprised at the difference it makes and could steer people away who cause chaos. Keep a look out for eachother!

Concerned February 26, 2016 (10:34 pm)

NW and this would help to keep the RV drug addicts out of the area how?
- NW February 27, 2016 (12:14 am)
  
  Puts eyes of concerned residents liked yourself in the area where it’s obviously lacking. This area I believe was a major hub of transit activity within the last century and may be again someday with light rail.

lurkey February 26, 2016 (5:41 pm)

I live right next to this, it had Been a mess for a while and there are always rvs left here about a month ago there were three or four that I walk or bike past almost every day, the rv in question had been booted by the police and then I kept seeing people “looting” it for about a week before it was left with a taped off mess still there so Damn happy to see all that gone

wetone February 26, 2016 (5:44 pm)

RV and hazardous garbage gone from this spot, but people responsible for mess just move to new area only to repeat once again. Until Mayor Murray starts holding people causing issues like this accountable this city will continue to attract more of same, especially as weather warms up. Sad deal for people and family’s that really need help and want to better themselves. Watching money that could help them, go to cleaning this kind of crap up. Feattle’s government seems more concerned with enabling and rights of druggie’s /criminals to continue their lifestyle than the responsible ones paying the bills……

Born on Alki 59 February 26, 2016 (7:56 pm)

I’ve seen Junk Boys cleaning up the giant junk piles near the stadiums on several occasions lately. I assumed they were being paid by the city. Apparently they are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts. I had not heard DOC was involved.

K'lo February 26, 2016 (8:31 pm)

Unfortunately, other rouge RV livers will see this as a ‘the City did it once, they’ll do it again, and again, and again … and, if you think these folks don’t have Internet to read these neighborhood stories, think again! Most have cell phones w/internet connection. I appreciate the City stepping in, however, I think there needs to be some way of making these offenders pay for their mess.

brian February 26, 2016 (10:11 pm)

God forbid the poor and impoverished have access to the Internet! I hope they know how lucky they are that we let them do such things!
- Rick February 27, 2016 (7:41 am)
  
  Not sure why you derived that assumption from K’lo’s statement but I hope it made you feel better. Sharpen your fingers a bit more when pointing at your next target. And “paying for their mess” doesn’t necessarily have to mean monetarily.