FOLLOWUP: Rebuilding, renovating, repairing West Seattle stairways

| Transportation | West Seattle news

Five weeks ago, when we reported on SDOT rebuilding the stairway at Fauntleroy/Director, we included information about other stairway projects in the works for West Seattle. Today, we have updates from SDOT‘s Greg Funk, as peak walking season approaches:

-The Fauntleroy/Director stairway rebuild is finished

-California/Willow is done, except for permanent rail to be installed by month’s end

-Soil analysis is planned at a stairway that’s been closed since 1998 between Atlas Place SW and 50th SW; Funk says, “There has been some interest from the public in rebuilding the stairway.”

-Repairs have been done “to mitigate some drainage issues at SW Graham stairway that runs from 21st Ave SW & 18th Ave SW”

-SW Hill St between 42nd Ave SW & California Ave SW (SDOT photo at right) will be rebuilt, with work expected to start in late April

-SW Holly St & Beveridge Pl SW stairway renovations are planned to start in June

Stairway projects citywide are listed on this SDOT webpage. When we published our January update, Funk mentioned two other stairways for which “design options” are being considered this year, for future work – the long SW Thistle stairway east of Lincoln Park, and Bonair SW.

Mike March 6, 2018 (3:47 pm)

Thank you for posting this. I live near an area that could really use a set of stairs. There’s a steep, dangerous path connecting 25th Ave SW & Myrtle with Sylvan Way SW. I see lots of bikers using it too. I sent the city a note to see if I’d get a response, copied Councilmember Herbold too.

Colin March 6, 2018 (4:45 pm)

My neighborhood could use a staircase connecting Delridge to Puget Ridge at Brandon from 21st Sw down to 23rd SW.

Delridger March 7, 2018 (2:05 pm)

Yes to this! There’s a really long gap for pedestrians between the staircase at Juneau and the next road/sidewalk connection to the north at 22nd (which becomes Oregon where it intersects with Delridge).

There are two submissions to the Your Voice Your Choice project list for exactly this: one last year (17-125) that carried over to this year and a new one submitted this year (18-169). See here: https://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/programs-and-services/your-voice-your-choice/get-involved/project-development

Both are scheduled for discussion at the Monday, May 12 meeting time from 10-12 am at Southwest Youth and Family Services. I’ll be working then, so can’t attend, but hopefully one of these two submissions will make it through to the final voting round (but hopefully not both, so they don’t compete against each other!).

BlairJ March 7, 2018 (11:46 am)

Look carefully at the old stairways that have not yet been renovated. Some of them are made from old streetcar tracks. The concrete panels from between the streetcar tracks were stacked to form the steps, and the streetcar rails were cut and inserted vertically into the ground to form the uprights for the handrails.

I hope the renovations preserve some of this history.

Azimuth March 7, 2018 (7:03 pm)

I’m having trouble envisioning where the 50th and Atlas stairway is.

WSB March 7, 2018 (7:32 pm)

I can’t find it on Google Street View but this map shows more of a gap between 50th and Atlas where I’d bet it is?
https://goo.gl/maps/JoC89J27xUw
wetone March 8, 2018 (6:15 pm)

Located at north end of 6000 50th SW block. Saw SDOT crew earlier this week clearing brush on Atlas, about 1/4 way down. Very over grown and not used for 20+yrs. Well need extensive rebuild $$$. Find it interesting city is into spending so much $$$ to redo these stairs when one can walk 5min to do same. Our tax dollars at work : (

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