day : 29/09/2016 12 results

The flashing-beacon signs are in at 35th and Kenyon, the first big step in the work to bring back a marked crosswalk there, nine years after one was removed there. The plan to reinstall one, as requested by local business owners during planning for the 35th SW Safety Project, was confirmed earlier this year.

Just last week, SDOT’s Jim Curtin had told the West Seattle Transportation Coalition that the 35th/Kenyon crosswalk installation was about to start (and he told us today it should be done “within a week or two” depending on weather). He was at the WSTC meeting with updates on the planning for Phase 2, as well as Q&A. He said SDOT is continuing to work on its promised report about the first year since Phase 2 rechannelized 35th to one lane each way plus a center turn lane for most of the stretch between Holly and Roxbury.

For those who contend the rechannelization has driven drivers to side streets, Curtin told the WSTC that the volume on 35th is down a little, most notably just north of Roxbury, which SDOT interprets as an indication that Arbor Heights residents are taking other routes – Roxbury or SW 106th, depending on where they’re going. Delridge volume is down slightly on the south end, up a bit on the north end. And SDOT is observing side-street traffic volumes, Curtin said, to either verify or debunk the contention that people are diverting to residential roads.

On 35th, post-rechannelization, hey’ve had a reduction in crashes involving drivers hitting parked cars, which is “the #1 crash type in the city of Seattle,” no right-turn crashes, a major drop in left-turn collisions, no pedestrian collisions, but rear-end crashes are up, especially on weekends.

That’s expected to be alleviated, he said, by new signal timings, which are being worked on right now – they were mentioned at the August community meeting, and Curtin replied to our followup question today by saying “we’ve gone to longer signal cycles on Saturdays to accommodate higher volumes of vehicular traffic between noon and 6 PM.”

He also told the WSTC that Roxbury signal timings are being worked on, and that left-turn signalization is being looked at for 35th/Barton.

What’s next? As explained in August, they’re still evaluating possible options for Phase 2 – see page 7 of the presentation. SDOT is “slowing down,” Curtin said, because of the decisions to be made about the route for West Seattle’s next “greenway” (have you taken the online survey yet? deadline is Sunday).

No date set yet for the next community discussion, he told us today as part of our followup exchange: “We’re developing the Phase 1 report now but we do not have our next set of meetings planned just yet.”

P.S. The WSTC meeting also included a vote to endorse Sound Transit 3, the Regional Proposition 1 ballot measure you’ll see on your November ballot – 5 WSTC board members for it, 1 abstaining, none against.

WSTC also saw a presentation of the city’s plans for the waterfront, once the tunnel’s open (still skeptical? tunneling is about to hit the halfway mark, WSDOT said today). We don’t have toplines for the latter but we did get the meeting on video and it’s the first presentation, if you want to watch:

The West Seattle Transportation Coalition meets fourth Thursdays, 6:30 pm, at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center.

Share This

West Seattle restaurants: A la Mode Pie shows off Junction café, 4 days before opening

September 29, 2016 8:58 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

There it is – the “boozy milkshake” menu for A la Mode Pies‘ West Seattle shop, 4 of 5 named from WSB readers’ suggestions. Five months after we brought you first word that A la Mode was expanding to add a location at Junction 47 (SW Alaska just east of California SW), tonight was friends/family/media open house night, 4 days before the Monday opening.

Pie fries (savory OR sweet), anyone?

As promised, the baking will happen before your eyes while you’re in the shop.

We can’t tell you anything about how it all tastes, because we don’t eat or drink on the job – but it looked pretty luscious, like the peanut-butter mousse pie.

The “pie guy” behind it all is Chris Porter:

His West Seattle shop isn’t just about dessert, it’s offering a “savory menu” too – salads, soup, quiche for brunch, dinner pies including Shepherd’s Pie, and hand pies from barbecue pork to spinach and feta:

As announced in August, next Monday (October 3rd) is the official opening day for A la Mode Pies in West Seattle, at 8 am. Hours will be 8 am-10 pm Sundays-Thursdays, 8 am-11 pm Fridays and Saturdays.

Share This

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Jean Carroll’s big 90th bash @ Senior Center

September 29, 2016 6:13 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Photos by Leda Costa for West Seattle Blog

A West Seattle legend celebrated a milestone today. The Senior Center of West Seattle threw a party for Jean Carroll‘s 90th birthday. About 60 people were there for a party she pronounced “absolutely marvelous”!

(Carol Johnston dancing with Jean)

Jean has been a volunteer at the center for 18 years. If you don’t already know her, you might remember her in the spotlight for another reason this past summer – she spoke at the 75th anniversary celebration for Colman Pool (WSB coverage here), where she was one of the first two people to swim before it opened on July 4th, 1941. Ahead, more from today’s party: Read More

Share This

Life-saving lesson: Firefighter Story Times coming up at local libraries

September 29, 2016 4:13 pm

| Comments Off on Life-saving lesson: Firefighter Story Times coming up at local libraries

| Safety | West Seattle news

If there are one or more preschool-age children in your family, next month brings two chances for them to learn life-saving lessons: The Seattle Public Library has just announced its next round of Firefighter Story Times, when crews from local stations come read a special book that helps the little ones learn what to do in case of fire. The two set for local libraries are 11:15 am Wednesday, October 19th, at South Park Library (8604 8th Ave. S.) and Wednesday, October 26th, at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW). All are welcome and ASL interpretation will be available.

Share This

UPDATED – HOW TO HELP: Donation drives for people displaced by Lam-Bow Apartments fire

September 29, 2016 12:44 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(OCTOBER 4TH UPDATE: You can now donate $ online – scroll down for updates)

(WSB photo, Tuesday afternoon)

12:44 PM: We finally have additional information on how to help the dozens of people who lost their homes and belongings in Tuesday’s 3-alarm fire at the Lam Bow Apartments.

Many are continuing to be sheltered, with the help of the American Red Cross, at the Delridge Community Center. However, we learned during a visit there on Wednesday, they cannot directly accept donations, so they ask that you please do NOT go there.

Good news is, there are bins right across the street at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), thanks to the teamwork of Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (which owns and operates Youngstown) and the West Seattle Helpline, which has offered some assistance directly to the fire victims, including bus tickets – the type of emergency help that the Helpline is known for.

When we talked with DCC and Red Cross workers helping with the shelter, they stressed that adult items were most needed, but there are some needs for kids and babies too. Here is the list we were given as of late yesterday:

Sweats, shirts 16 XL woman
sweats shirts XXL/ size 40 man
baby clothing 3 months, diapers size 1

(the above is for a family of 3)

shoes blouse pants, women’s size 8, medium, medium
shoes blouse pants for 15 year old girl, size 8
blanket that is NOT wool for someone who is allergic

boys clothing sizes 6+, 8+, 10

underwear for boys, size 4

girls’ underwear sizes 7, 10

socks/underwear for men, sizes M, L, XL
socks, underwear for women, sizes M, L, XL

diapers sizes 1 and 5

blankets and pillows

LONG dresses and skirts for females sizes S, M, L, XL
shirts for women (long sleeves) S, M, L, XL

hygiene products for males and females

pants men’s sizes 32/32 and 34/32

men’s shirts, coats M, L, XL

ADDED: size 28 women’s pants

Note that the 5-week-old baby is a boy

Please donate new, or if gently used, clean items, and again, long sleeved tops and long pants for women.

Youngstown asks that you drop off donations between 10 am and 6:30 pm weekdays.

(One of the donation bins at Youngstown – find them inside the west and north entrances)

Also – as mentioned in comments on our Wednesday followup, there is a collection drive at 24-Hour Fitness in Westwood Village, and Sanislo Elementary is collecting some items from its school community during its Multicultural Potluck event tonight.

And you can support the ongoing American Red Cross sheltering service – which they provide to many victims in all types of disasters large and small.

Meantime, SFD has not yet announced the results of its investigation into how the fire started.

ADDED 1:15 PM: Just as we were publishing this update, SFD announced:

The investigation showed the fire started on the exterior of the building. Fire Investigators were unable to determine a specific cause. The damage was estimated at 3.3 million dollars.

ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: Thanks to the person who texted that West Seattle High School is collecting items for at least one family. They shared this image of a message from a school-community communication list with the requests and how to drop them off.

We expect to have an updated list sometime Friday with more information on how to help, so please check back.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Youngstown Arts Center’s David Bestock says in a comment that what they REALLY need is volunteer help to sort through what’s been dropped off. 4408 Delridge Way SW, until 6 pm today.

FRIDAY EVENING: And a new update – NO MORE DONATIONS, please, as explained here. We’ll continue to follow this so that when there’s word of other needs, we can update.

OCTOBER 4TH: Two ways to donate money now:
-Online (see the PayPal link here)
-Via check (here’s how)

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Injured Junction workers improving; state investigating

September 29, 2016 12:31 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from Monday)

Three days after two workers were seriously hurt when a portable crane touched power wires at a Junction construction site (WSB coverage here), they’re both improving. That’s what we’ve heard both from a co-worker and from Harborview Medical Center, which says that both men “continue to improve” – one man is out of intensive care and listed in satisfactory condition, while the other remains in intensive care but has been upgraded to serious condition, from critical. We don’t have any information about possible community contribution drives to help them and their families but the co-worker promised to let me know if there was anything to be made public. Both were on the ground near the crane, whose operator was apparently unhurt, when it touched the wires, according to early word from investigators at the scene on Monday.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Labor and Industries tells WSB that they are investigating two companies because of what happened at the 4505 42nd SW mixed-use-building project site. According to L&I spokesperson Tim Church, the companies are Spartan Concrete, a subcontractor that he says is the employer of the two injured workers, and MarPac Construction, the general contractor. Spartan’s record shows a power-line/crane-safety violation at a jobsite in 2012, marked as “corrected.”

L&I has up to six months to finish its investigation.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: SDOT pushes back Admiral Way Safety Project work to next week

September 29, 2016 12:06 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

Just in from SDOT – the Admiral Way Safety Project work that was supposed to be happening now has been delayed until next week. SDOT’s Dawn Schellenberg just sent word that the construction schedule is now 7 am-5 pm Wednesday, October 5th, and Thursday, October 6th “depending on weather.” The “no-parking” signs in the area are to be updated. On construction dates, the plan remains:

· No parking on both sides of SW Admiral Way between California Ave SW and 63rd Ave SW to keep a travel lane in each direction open

· Existing striping will be removed and new striping will be installed

· Temporary lane closures and lane shifts around the work area; flaggers will be present to direct traffic

· Sidewalks will remain open during work; people biking on the sidewalk must yield to people walking at all times

· People biking should use alternate routes during construction

· Construction equipment, trucks, noise and activity will be in the area for about one week

· Emergency response vehicles will have continual access

The project has been in the works for a year and a half. The final design was announced by e-mail in July.

Share This

Live/work in Delridge? October 8th open house, workshop, resource fair set

September 29, 2016 12:00 pm

| Comments Off on Live/work in Delridge? October 8th open house, workshop, resource fair set

| Delridge | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from our coverage of the Delridge Projects Workshop at SWTLC in June 2015)

As mentioned in our coverage of last week’s Delridge District Council meeting, the next community workshop /open house about the Delridge Action Plan – multiple potential neighborhood improvements – is set for October 8th. The city has just sent this announcement with new details:

The City of Seattle is collaborating with communities to create a shared vision and Delridge Action Plan to improve the livability of the North Delridge neighborhood.

For two years, the Office of Planning and Community Development has worked with the community on plans to create great community places and improved services. City departments have coordinated work on the action plan with other projects on Delridge Way SW, including transportation safety improvements and better transit service.

The City is holding an open house on October 8 to present the highlights of the plan, gather feedback and additional input. At the workshop, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is hosting a community resource fair where neighbors can learn and share projects, improvements, resources and initiatives that Delridge community and neighbors are leading.

Open House and Community Resource Fair

9:30 a.m. to Noon, Sat., Oct. 8
Southwest Teen Life Center
2801 SW Thistle Street

Child care, light snacks, and foreign language interpretation will be provided.

To make the street safer and more comfortable for all users, the Delridge Way SW Multimodal Project is considering improvements to the roadway from SW Roxbury St. to the West Seattle Bridge. At the workshop, residents will look at different segments of Delridge Way SW and discuss a range of transportation improvements and the trade-offs between them.

The proposed improvements under consideration were identified based on public input, traffic and collision data, and recommendations from the Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT’s) modal plans. The result will be new street designs that improve safety and mobility for people and goods. Transit service will be improved through RapidRide transit service.

In the Longfellow Creek Watershed, Seattle Public Utility’s (SPU) Natural Drainage Systems (NDS) Partnership Program will build right-of-way stormwater projects to help achieve the water quality goals identified in the Plan to Protect Seattle’s Waterways. Visit SPU’s website to learn more about natural drainage systems.

Over the years, the residents of North Delridge have worked with the City to create neighborhood assets such as the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, Longfellow Creek Legacy Trail, Cottage Grove Park, and affordable housing options. Fifteen years have passed since the Delridge community completed their neighborhood plan.

Share This

West Seattle Thursday: Benefit bake sale; Curriculum Night x 2; Kenney meeting; more…

September 29, 2016 11:31 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Thursday: Benefit bake sale; Curriculum Night x 2; Kenney meeting; more…

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

West Seattle firefighters are in The Junction today as part of Seattle Fire Fighters Union IAFF Local 27‘s annual “Fill the Boot” drive for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. You’ll see them until noon and then 2-5 pm – in our photo above, that’s firefighter Jennifer from Ladder 11. Here’s what else is going on:

DROP OFF YOUR ART FOR SOUTHWEST LIBRARY SHOWCASE: Today’s the first of three days that you are invited to drop off your visual-art work for showcasing starting this weekend in the 25th annual community showcase at Southwest Library – details in our preview from earlier this week. If you’re a musician, you can upload your work right now, as explained here. (35th SW/SW Henderson)

BENEFIT BAKE SALE: During the Delridge Grocery Farm Stand 4-7 pm today (“or until we run out of baked goods”), a Camp Fire group plans a bake sale to raise money for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, in memory of group leader Katie‘s dad. Details in our calendar listing – including an invitation to donate baked goods – just drop them off during the sale! (Delridge Way SW/Puget Boulevard SW)

COOKBOOK SIGNING: Leslie Mackey signs “More from Macrina“ 5-7 pm at Admiral Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor), as part of the ongoing “Kitchen Superstars” series. (41st/42nd/Admiral)

COLLAGE WORKSHOP: With artist Linda McClamrock, 6:15 pm tonight and next Thursday night at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – our calendar listing has details, including how to sign up if there’s still room. (5612 California SW)

COMMUNITY MEETING AT THE KENNEY: 6:30 pm in the meeting rooms downstairs, community members are invited to talk about The Kenney‘s future, including potential expansion of its independent-living units, as previewed here on Wednesday. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)

DENNY CURRICULUM NIGHT: Families are invited to find out more about what and how their kids are learning this year, 6:30 pm at Denny International Middle School. (2601 SW Kenyon)

WEST SEATTLE HS CURRICULUM NIGHT: It’s also Curriculum Night for families of students at West Seattle High School, 6:30 pm. (3000 California SW)

‘GHOSTS’: Second week for the first production of ArtsWest Playhouse‘s new season, curtain time 7:30 pm. (4711 California SW)

Share This

FOLLOWUP: 35th SW road repairs continuing into Friday

September 29, 2016 11:03 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Our photo from early this morning looks south toward where the pavement is torn up across both lanes of northbound 35th SW just north of Alaska, as WSB readers first started pointing out during Wednesday’s afternoon/evening commute, when encountering the resulting bottleneck without warning. After publishing an item about it last night, we contacted SDOT this morning to ask about it, as promised, and to find out how long the work will last. The reply, from SDOT spokesperson Sue Romero:

There was a lapse in timing of communicating on this specific project, therefore the work began without notification. In response to complaints from the public about the street, our crews are removing and replacing some concrete panels on 35th between SW Snoqualmie and SW Alaska. The work should be completed tomorrow and all lanes open by Friday afternoon.

So be forewarned, the lane closures will be continuing for the pm commute today – that caused some backup off the westbound bridge yesterday, coupled with a stalled vehicle by the last curve.

Share This

West Seattle development: 5952 California apartments now in Administrative Design Review

September 29, 2016 9:00 am

| 10 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

9 AM: Back in May, we mentioned an early-stage proposal for 48 apartments north of Morgan Junction at 5952 California SW.

Today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin includes the official notice that Administrative Design Review is under way – that’s a no-meeting form of Design Review – for the project.

The project is now described as “37 small efficiency units and 4 efficiency dwelling units (41 units total).” As was the case when we made note of it last spring, 5 offstreet-parking spaces are in the plan, and it’s replacing a single-family house plus “garage spaces” behind that are part of an auto-body business.

One wrinkle with this, as of this writing – while you’re invited to comment on this project through October 12th, as explained in the notice, the design packet is not available on the city website as of the moment we’re publishing this. We noticed this last week, even before the formal notice was issued, and called it to the designated planner’s attention, but it hasn’t appeared yet, and the project’s page on the city website – where the notice says you SHOULD be able to view the design packet – says you have to go downtown to look at it. That’s why we’re showing the map from the notice above, rather than a frame from the design packet.

We’ll update if and when that’s fixed and the design is available for online viewing, as is usually the case with projects assigned to Design Review.

9:56 AM: Available now (here).

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday alerts & updates

September 29, 2016 6:58 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

6:58 AM: One lane is reported blocked by a crash on the NB 1st Avenue South Bridge. And as promised, we’re off to check on the two lanes of NB 35th SW south of Avalon where torn-up pavement caused traffic trouble yesterday afternoon.

7:20 AM: Just checked. Yes, two lanes of 35th are still closed with torn-up pavement between Alaska and Avalon. This will be a bottleneck, albeit a relatively short one.

7:34 AM: The 1st Ave. S. Bridge crash has cleared.

10:53 AM: SDOT says the pavement work will continue into tomorrow. Separate update ahead.

Share This