West Seattle, Washington

18 Thursday

49℉

month : 07/2018 333 results

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Hand-built bicycle stolen
July 25, 2018 5:52 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Barry sent this report for West Seattle Crime Watch:

While at work at an outdoor camp for kids, my son’s bike – which he built himself – was stolen. The lock, which was around a telephone pole right on Beach Drive across from the park, was cut in broad daylight around lunchtime today.

Again, this is a bike he that built, with love, himself. It is absolutely heartbreaking to him that he’s lost it to a criminal.

Neighbors, please keep your eyes out for his beloved stolen bike, and don’t trust your bikes to be safe locked up ANYwhere.

We asked which park, and Barry replied, “Me Kwa Mooks Park. The City runs outdoor education called Nature Quest, which is there this week. It was probably stolen between 8:45 and 10 am. They left the cut lock and a (I’m assuming previously stolen) hastily repainted beater bike behind.”

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FILM-CREW ALERT: What’s planned in Don Armeni/Duwamish Head area this Friday
July 25, 2018 4:07 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Thanks to Carolyn for the heads-up on those “no parking” signs placed today alongside Harbor Avenue SW by Don Armeni Boat Ramp and stretching toward Duwamish Head, as well as several in the Don Armeni lot (southeast side) itself. It’s for “filming activity that will be happening at Luna Park (Duwamish Head) and the Don Armeni Boat Launch this upcoming Friday, 7/27,” according to the location manager, who adds that “A film crew will be over in the area filming a variety of scenes in the afternoon and evening. One of the scenes involves a jogger running along the path, which will involve intermittently holding both vehicle and bicycle/pedestrian traffic when filming is underway.” So if you’re planning to be in that area Friday pm, now you know. We’re hoping to find out a little more and will update with any additional information we get.

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VIDEO: Adah Cruzen’s gift will fund a new ‘Welcome to West Seattle’ sign; your vote is needed to choose between 2 designs
July 25, 2018 2:13 pm
|      35 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

2:13 PM: After 22 years, it’s time for a refresh for the “Welcome to West Seattle” sign along the west end of the West Seattle Bridge. Philanthropist Adah Cruzen is donating money for a new one – and to help maintain the area around it – and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has just announced it has two options for you to vote on. They were just unveiled at a media briefing at Chamber headquarters; we’ll add video when back at HQ (3:47 pm – here it is):

Here’s the news release:

For more than two decades, the “Welcome to West Seattle” sign along the Fauntleroy Expressway has served as a beacon for newcomers and long-timers alike. Today, the sign continues to greet thousands of motorists and transit riders every day, but its original wooden structure is threatened, and the surrounding hillside provides a continual landscaping challenge.

The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is deeply grateful to longtime Alki resident Adah Rhodes Cruzen for a gift of $100,000 designated for the installation of a new “Welcome to West Seattle” sign and a sustainable maintenance plan. Adah made the donation on behalf of the estate of her late husband, Earl Cruzen, who died Jan. 23, 2017, at the age of 96.

(Earl Cruzen, 2009 WSB photo)

Earl is recognized for bringing three groups together, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the Junction Merchants Association and the West Seattle Trusteed Properties, as the Junction Development Committee. The “Welcome to West Seattle” sign, installed in September 1996, is one of the many legacy projects Earl and this group completed.

The first step for the new project was to create the Welcome to West Seattle Sign Committee (WWS Sign Committee). It is composed of these chamber members:

 Tim Andes of Waypoint Sign Company
 Paul Prentice, of Prentice Designs Inc.
 Hamilton Gardiner of Holmquist and Gardiner PLLC
 Gary Potter of Potter Construction
 Pete Spalding of Verity Credit Union
 Shannon Felix of Avalon Glassworks
 Lynn Dennis, CEO of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce

The Board of Directors of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce feels strongly that the committee should gather input from the West Seattle community on the design selection.

The WWS Sign Committee has identified two options, and the chamber is reaching out to the community for its feedback. On the chamber website and via other promotion, the chamber will gather votes in this fashion:

After a 10-day period for gathering community input that ends on Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, the WWS Sign Committee will make the final selection and a Request for Proposals for fabrication and installation will go out to the business community.

If you are interested in applying to fabricate and install the sign, please contact Lynn Dennis, lynn@wschamber.com, (206) 932-5685.

Dennis says, “After you take a moment to read the obituary and eulogy for Earl Cruzen on the website of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, I know you will agree that the new “Welcome to West Seattle” is another sign that Earl is still here. Be sure to tip your hat to Earl as you drive by.”

Voting is already open on the Chamber website.

3:48 PM: A few more notes from the brief Chamber announcement, which you can watch above in its entirety: Adah Cruzen added that she wants everyone to know the new sign will be made from steel, so the water in the slope along the road doesn’t rot it like the current one. The Chamber says the new sign should be in place by year’s end. The firms involved with the committee in designing the two options are Prentice Design and Waypoint Sign Company, both with A, the latter with B.

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More C Line service on the way, thanks to Amazon, city $
July 25, 2018 1:00 pm
|      27 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo: C Line bus along westbound SW Spokane this morning)

“Amazon will fund 12,000 hours of increased bus service over two years on six of King County’s most traveled routes to downtown and South Lake Union,” according to a county announcement today that says the C Line is one of those routes:

… Amazon’s investment will provide 22 additional weekday trips for two years across some of Metro’s busiest routes serving West Seattle, Shoreline, Ballard, and Capitol Hill. The additional service provides room for roughly 1,700 weekday boardings, and includes the RapidRide E Line and C Line, and Routes 8, 40, 62, and 63. …

Amazon is paying Metro $1.5 million for those extra trips, which will start with the September Metro “service change” (on September 22nd), according to the announcement, which also says:

This September, the Seattle Transportation Benefit District will pay for about 20,000 hours of increased Metro service on 12 routes. This includes improving the Routes 41 and 70 to 10-minute service, adding peak period capacity on Routes 8, 17, 18, 40, 56, and RapidRide C, D, and E Lines, and adding late evening trips on Routes 7 and 106. In total, this will add more than 50 weekday trips to some of the busiest routes in Metro’s system, providing capacity for more than 4,000 additional weekday boardings.

The added service on Route 56 was announced by City Councilmember Lisa Herbold two months ago. Meantime, you can see Metro’s full announcement about these (and non-West Seattle) additions by going here.

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West Seattle scene: Engine 36 visits Delridge Library for Firefighter Story Time
July 25, 2018 12:11 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle scene: Engine 36 visits Delridge Library for Firefighter Story Time
 |   Delridge | Safety | West Seattle news

The crew from Seattle Fire Engine 36, based at North Delridge’s Station 36 by the bridge, had an education call this morning – Firefighter Story Time at the Delridge Library.

They of course read the classic “No Dragons for Tea” (written by Jean E. Pendziwol and illustrated by Martine Gourbalt), which teaches kids about fire safety. They also brought along gear so that if kids ever find themselves face to face with suited-up firefighters in an emergency, they will remember not to be scared.

SFD sends crews around the city to visit libraries periodically for Firefighter Story Times. This was the only West Seattle stop in the current round, but one month from today, you have another chance to bring the family to meet firefighters and learn about fire safety – “Fired Up Family Day” at the Homestead parking lot on Alki (2717 61st SW), 11 am-1 pm August 25th – explained in our calendar listing.

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OUTDOOR MUSIC: Who you’ll hear at Summer Concerts at Hiawatha tomorrow, Alki Art Fair all weekend
July 25, 2018 10:44 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Multiple opportunities ahead to enjoy outdoor music in West Seattle!

THURSDAY NIGHT: Good Quiver – listen to their debut EP via the embedded YouTube clip above – performs tomorrow night in the second show of the Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association (with co-sponsors including WSB). It’s free, on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center (along Walnut south of Lander), starting at 6:30 pm. Bring your own chair/blanket!

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY: Music is a mainstay of the annual Alki Art Fair, happening on the promenade/boardwalk at the beach all weekend.

(Alki Art Fair 2017 aerial by Long Bach Nguyen)

Today, we have the music schedule – see it here (PDF). Main stage music east of the Alki Bathhouse is scheduled 10 am-9 pm Saturday and 10 am-5 pm Sunday; there’s a “busker stage” 10-5 both days further west, too. The fair is offering a free shuttle bus again this year, with pickup both at the park-and-ride under the bridge and at the Admiral Junction – details are on the festival website.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Firefighter Story Time; Fauntleroy Boulevard roundtable; ‘Get Fit’ info night; more!
July 25, 2018 9:00 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Firefighter Story Time; Fauntleroy Boulevard roundtable; ‘Get Fit’ info night; more!
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Great Blue Heron, photographed by Jim Borrow)

Here’s what’s teed up for your West Seattle Wednesday:

WADING POOLS OPEN – The wading pools scheduled to be open today are Lincoln Park until 8 pm (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), Hiawatha 12 pm-6:30 pm (Walnut/Lander), EC Hughes 12 pm-7 pm (2805 SW Holden).

FIREFIGHTER STORY TIME: 11:15 am at Delridge Library, bring the kids so they can meet firefighters and learn about fire safety! (5423 Delridge Way SW)

WILDERNESS SLEUTHS: 11:30 am at High Point Library, meet the special mystery guests from Woodland Park Zoo. (3411 SW Raymond)

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MOVIES: It’s been pointed out that the Senior Center of West Seattle is an air-conditioned place you can stay cool. 1 pm today, you can do that with a movie, “The Great Dan Patch” (1949), $1 members/$2 nonmembers. (4217 SW Oregon)

HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN FARMSTAND: Third weekly farmstand this summer for produce grown where it’s sold, 4 pm-7 pm. (32nd SW & SW Juneau)

FAUNTLEROY BOULEVARD ROUNDTABLE: The project’s on hold. But SDOT says smaller-scale safety improvements ca be made. That’ll be the topic of a by-invitation community roundtable at 5:30 pm at the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor). While there won’t be public comment, we’re told observers are welcome. (3622 SW Snoqualmie)

OPEN HOUSE: The South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology program invites prospective students to a 6-7 pm open house. (6000 16th SW)

‘GET FIT, WEST SEATTLE’ INFO NIGHT: 7 pm, be at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) to find out about the next “Get Fit, West Seattle,” which will get you up and running, working toward a half-marathon this fall. Free! (2743 California SW)

TRIANGULAR JAZZTET: Jazz at Whisky West (WSB sponsor), starting at 7 pm. No cover. 21+. Details here! (6451 California SW)

SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … via our complete calendar!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch
July 25, 2018 7:03 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

7:03 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far.

WATER TAXI REMINDER: Last scheduled day for the smaller Spirit of Kingston to fill in for the Doc Maynard, which is undergoing maintenance.

STADIUM ZONE: Day game for the Mariners, vs. the Giants, 1:10 pm.

7:50 AM: The Sound Transit Express 560 is experiencing delays, according to a text alert, “due to traffic.”

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CONGRATULATIONS! West Seattle Karate Academy’s Kris Wilder in Hall of Fame
July 24, 2018 11:08 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

The photo and report are from West Seattle Karate Academy:

On Saturday, July 21, 2018, local martial arts instructor Kris Wilder was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame for Life Time Achievement. The event was held at the Sheraton Downtown OKC, which culminated a weeklong celebration of the martial arts. The black-tie affair was attended by more than 300 guest, where the Class of 2018 was welcomed.

Kris Wilder started teaching in West Seattle 26 years ago at the West Seattle YMCA. His school is now located on the corner of Roxbury and 35th. He is the author of several best-selling books regarding martial arts, safety, and self-achievement. Wilder says, “I love teaching here, working with some of the best students, parents, and seekers you will ever find. I am honored they walk into the karate dojo every evening and give their best. And sometimes they even laugh at my jokes.”

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ROAD-WORK ALERT: New timeline for Harbor/Spokane project, as work resumes
July 24, 2018 9:28 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

After several questions about when work would resume on the weeks-idle Harbor/Spokane Neighborhood Street Fund project, we asked SDOT about it today – and found out that work in fact had JUST resumed. Here’s the update we received as a reply to our inquiry, including a new timeline for completion:

Crews began paving today and plan to continue paving this week. Paving has been scheduled in coordination with equipment needs for other Neighborhood Street Fund projects under construction right now, which is why it has appeared that the site has had limited construction activity. Crews currently anticipate completing work for this project in mid-August.

Crews plan to complete paving at the corner of Harbor Ave SW and SW Spokane St over the course of 3 days.

Work will be completed in sections, allowing a pathway to the Alki Trail to be maintained for people walking and biking. People biking will be asked to dismount and proceed through the work area with caution. A flagger or uniformed police officer will be present to escort people through the work zone. Please take note of wet concrete in the area.

Crews have made great progress on this project to date. Once paving and installation of new sidewalks and ramps is complete, crews will:

-Install striping on the road
-Turn on the bike-only signal

Crews will need to wait approximately 3 weeks after paving before they can stripe the road. This is to ensure that the asphalt has properly cured. Once striping is complete, crews will be able to turn on the bike-only signal.

As soon as October, crews will begin replanting the area. The timing of this work is restricted by the City of Seattle’s planting season.

When work on the project started last month, SDOT had estimated it would take about six weeks – which would have had it wrapping up about now.

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FOLLOWUP: South Delridge stabbing victim likely ‘targeted,’ police say
July 24, 2018 7:44 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(WSB photo: Part of memorial at stabbing scene)

Across Delridge from the scene of Friday night’s deadly stabbing of 34-year-old Michael Abay, the Southwest Precinct’s second-in-command has just provided a short update on the case. Asked to speak to those gathered for a 34th District State Senate candidates’ forum (separate forum story later), Lt. Steve Strand said police believe Abay was “targeted.” He did not comment on why. He also said that while they haven’t identified a suspect yet, he believes they will. Mr. Abay’s death was the third homicide case of the year in West Seattle and police have described all three as “targeted.”

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CONGRATULATIONS! Another state-tournament victory for West Seattle Little League All-Star 12s
July 24, 2018 6:24 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(Added: Photos by Barry J. White)

6:24 PM: Via the GameChanger app (thanks to Cami MacNamara for the tip!), the West Seattle Little League 12-year-old All-Stars have done it again, winning 5-1, over Sammamish, at the state tournament in Sedro-Woolley. Next game: Thursday afternoon, vs. the winner of the Pacific vs. Auburn game, which is set to start shortly.

9:49 PM: Thanks to Barry J. White for again sharing photos and a summary:

West Seattle Little League All-Stars continue to impress at the 2018 state tournament with an all-around display of power pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense.

(Above, Miles Gosztola slides into second after picking up the first of his two RBIs. He took the mound on his birthday and got the win while giving up one run on four hits and striking out eight.)

(Above, Blake Taft takes third on a passed ball and would later score the team’s final run on an infield hit.)

The team moves on to the semifinals on Thursday at 4:00 at Tesarik Field in Sedro-Woolley.

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FOLLOWUP: SDOT distributing 35th SW Phase 2 notices in SW Juneau area today
July 24, 2018 3:43 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

SDOT‘s updated plan for the 35th SW/SW Juneau intersection, as part of the 35th SW Safety Project‘s Phase 2, was featured in our Morgan Community Association quarterly-meeting report last week – including the draft version of a notice for businesses/residents in the area. Today, SDOT’s Dawn Schellenberg tells us, that notice is being circulated. Here’s the final version (PDF). As the notice says, the work at 35th/Juneau will start soon, and will include turn restrictions as well as parking removal; while the notice doesn’t list a number, we asked SDOT’s Jim Curtin at the MoCA meeting, and he replied it would be at least 20 spaces, described as little-used. As for the rest of 35th SW Phase 2, here’s what we first reported back in April.

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2 chances to talk with 2 City Councilmembers in West Seattle this week
July 24, 2018 2:22 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Two West Seattle events before week’s end will each offer a chance to talk with/hear from two city councilmembers:

THURSDAY: The West Seattle Transportation Coalition has just announced that its guests this Thursday night will be Councilmembers Lisa Herbold (WS/South Park District 1) and Teresa Mosqueda (citywide Position 8). (6:30 pm July 26th, Neighborhood House High Point, 6400 Sylvan Way SW)

FRIDAY: Councilmember Herbold’s periodic in-district office hours will include Councilmember Lorena González (citywide Position 9, and a WS resident) for the first hour and a half, according to her weekly update. (2-6:45 pm July 27th, with CM Gonzalez there until 3:30 pm, Southwest Neighborhood Service Center, 2801 SW Thistle)

Both are open to the public – just show up.

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COUNTDOWN: 2 weeks until Night Out block parties in West Seattle (and nationwide)
July 24, 2018 1:22 pm
|    Comments Off on COUNTDOWN: 2 weeks until Night Out block parties in West Seattle (and nationwide)
 |   Neighborhoods | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

All set for a block (or building, or …) party to celebrate Night Out? It’s exactly two weeks away – Tuesday, August 7th. If you want to close the street for your party, you need to register with Seattle Police, and Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner provides the link – just go here. Side note: Though the SW Precinct is the smallest in the city, Jennifer says it had the second-highest number of parties signed up as of a few days ago!

P.S. We’ll be out stopping by Night Out parties as always – if you wouldn’t mind us stopping by yours for a photo, please e-mail us the location, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Last chance to run on the Alaskan Way Viaduct: Saturday night’s Torchlight Run
July 24, 2018 12:17 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news

One last time before its demolition (which could start before the year ends), you can run on the Alaskan Way Viaduct if you sign up for this Saturday night’s Seafair Torchlight Run. You can register here. And if you’re not running, remember the NB AWV will be closed for a few hours for the run, which precedes the Torchlight Parade. (Added) WSDOT’s advisory says 4:30-7:30 pm, thiugh alert signage cites a 6 pm start.

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5 for your West Seattle Tuesday!
July 24, 2018 11:27 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(WSF’s Walla Walla and former ferry Annabelle, photographed this morning by Jim Borrow)

Quick look at what’s up for today/tonight:

WADING POOLS: Open today! In West Seattle, your options are Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), 11 am-8 pm, and Delridge (Genesee/Delridge), noon-6:30 pm.

MOBILE BIKE REPAIRS: Third BikeWorks session of the summer – get free or reduced-price bicycle repairs on the driveway behind Neighborhood House High Point, 2-4:30 pm. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

DELRIDGE GROCERY FARMSTAND: The Delridge Grocery Coop continues its weekly farmstand, 3-7 pm at the Shell across from DGC’s future store. (5441 Delridge Way SW)

34TH DISTRICT STATE SENATE CANDIDATES’ FORUM: Last scheduled public forum that we’ve heard of is tonight at TommySound in South Delridge, presented by the White Center Chamber of Commerce, 6 pm. Organizers say six of the 11 candidates had RSVP’d as of late yesterday: Sofia Aragon, Shannon Braddock, Lem Charleston, Joe Nguyen, Lois Schipper, Hillary Shaw. Moderator is Aaron Garcia of the White Center Community Development Association. (9409 Delridge Way SW)

FREE FILM: “Armor of Light,” 7 pm at Admiral UCC, with Q&A afterward. (4320 SW Hill)

GOT SOMETHING FOR THE CALENDAR? E-mail info (plain text in body of your e-mail, please, not a flyer or image) to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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BIZNOTE: Pumpspotting bus tour to stop at Nurturing Expressions on Sunday
July 24, 2018 10:05 am
|    Comments Off on BIZNOTE: Pumpspotting bus tour to stop at Nurturing Expressions on Sunday
 |   West Seattle news

If you spot the Pumpspotting bus in The Junction next Sunday, here’s what it’s all about! Nurturing Expressions (4727 44th SW; WSB sponsor) is hosting its nationwide-tour stop 10 am-2 pm Sunday (July 29th). Nurturing Expressions proprietor Tracy Corey explains, “They are spreading awareness about breastfeeding and supporting mamas nationwide.” You are welcome to visit; giveaways and a panel discussion are planned.

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Memorial on Saturday for Ralph Svehaug, 1922-2018
July 24, 2018 9:00 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

A memorial is planned next Saturday for Ralph J. Svehaug, whose family is sharing this remembrance with the community:

Ralph J Svehaug was born in Portland, Oregon on January 6, 1922 to Norwegian immigrants Ole Svehaug and Pauline Vie. Ralph was raised in Norway with his younger brothers Henry and Oswald amongst their aunts, uncles and cousins. In October 1939 with the winds of war in Europe gaining strength, they booked passage back to the U.S. Just 6 months later in May 1940, Hitler’s troops invaded and occupied Norway. Ralph was just a few months shy of his 18th birthday when they returned to the U.S. and he enlisted in the Oregon National Guard and was sent to Camp Murray near Tacoma where he was called into the U.S. Army. When he indicated he was fluent in Norwegian and an expert skier who knew the difficult terrain in Norway, the Army sent him to New Guinea, where he served for three years.

While on leave in Melbourne, Australia he met his first wife, Kathleen, mother of sons Erik and Chris. Ralph built a log cabin in rural Oregon, attended Chiropractic college in Portland and later moved to Estacada, where he became the mayor for several years. Ralph and Kath moved to Seattle and Ralph established his chiropractic office on California Avenue in West Seattle where he practiced for over 40 years.

After Kathleen passed in 1995, Ralph re-connected with a dear friend from their years at Hope Lutheran Church, Marion Pommer, and married her in 1996. Ralph was an avid wood carver, Cribbage player and an excellent dancer. Ralph is survived by his sons Erik and Chris, his daughter-in-laws Patty and Cindy, his grandchildren Christopher, Analisa and Katy, and Marion’s children Maureen Meier and Bill Pommer, their children and many nephews and their families.

There will be a memorial of his life in the chapel of Providence Mt St Vincent on Saturday, July 28, at 12:30.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch
July 24, 2018 7:06 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

7:06 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far this morning.

WATER TAXI REMINDER: The smaller Spirit of Kingston is again filling in for the Doc Maynard, which is undergoing maintenance. You’re advised to arrive early as some runs may sell out (and we hear at least one did yesterday).

STADIUM ZONE: The Mariners are home to play the Giants tonight, 7:10 pm.

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LIGHT RAIL: Taking a walk to consider possible West Seattle Junction station sites
July 23, 2018 10:34 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

That group walking through the West Seattle Junction/Triangle today was tasked with looking 12 years into the future.

The task: Help evaluate potential Junction and Avalon station locations for the future Sound Transit West Seattle light-rail line. The section of the tour for which we went along was looking at five possible Junction sites, three of which would be “cut and cover” underground, two elevated. This is from one of the brochures provided to the participants:

As reported here last night, the year-plus process of deciding on a “preferred alternative” for the West Seattle (2030) and Ballard (2035) extensions – so it can go through environmental study – is at the midpoint. The working groups that will decide this fall what goes to the next level were promised “evaluation” information about the options on the table in the current second level of the three-level review, and while much of that will come from Sound Transit, some will come from community members such as those who gathered for today’s walking tour, a prelude to a design charrette tomorrow. (There was one last Friday for the Delridge station area; we were unable to cover that.)

Along with Sound Transit staffers and consultants, the walking tour included representatives of neighborhood and transportation/mobility advocacy groups – the Junction Neighborhood Organization, West Seattle Bike Connections, Feet First, and the West Seattle Junction Association – plus Metro reps and a legislative assistant from City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s staff. The mission was to walk to each potential station location for The Junction and Avalon, and consider both challenges and opportunities. We went along for the first hour of the tour.

It began at Junction Plaza Park, near the possible elevated SW Alaska station site. If an elevated station were located there, ST reps said, the track would be about 50 feet above the street – other station features would be higher up – and would have to straddle SW Alaska, which would mean supports on both sides of the street. How would that affect the sidewalk, the park, buildings? These are all questions factoring into the evaluations.

Or – that area could have an underground station beneath the 42nd/Alaska intersection. If so, where would the entrances be?

Sloan Dawson, whose planning work with ST focuses on station areas, noted also that the same section of 42nd is planned as part of the West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway – so how would that factor in?

The tour went north on 42nd to Oregon, a street that factors into two routing alternatives that are being considered – elevated and tunnel. If elevated, the tour leaders said, at that point the track would be about 45 feet above the roadway, and instead of a “straddling” support, it might be on columns down the middle of the road

After walking west on Oregon, the group turned down 44th and proceeded to the Junction parking lot behind KeyBank to consider the options there – possible elevated and tunnel options “east of 44th.” Among the points brought up there – less density on that side of the heart of The Junction, and the community’s concern about the parking provided in that lot.

We had to move on after that. The goal of the tour was to prime the pump for tomorrow’s charrette, rather than to reach conclusions, but it also shone some light into how ST is conducting evaluation. We’re told the information from the charrettes will be included in what’s presented not only to the next Stakeholder Advisory Group meeting September 5th, but also at the West Seattle neighborhood forum three days later (9 am September 8th, Seattle Lutheran High School gym, 4100 SW Genesee, open to all). All the resulting feedback will be available for the SAG and Elected Leadership Group to mull in recommending in late September/early October what moves to the last level of review before that “preferred alternative” is finalized for study.

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City Council approves new laws protecting domestic workers
July 23, 2018 7:45 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

(Seattle Channel video of this afternoon’s council meeting; domestic-workers item is at one hour in)

Passed today by the City Council: What’s described as the nation’s first city laws “that specifically protect nannies, caretakers, house cleaners, gardeners, and other domestic workers,” according to the announcement from the bill’s sponsor, citywide Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. Her announcement says the new protections for domestic workers include:

*Hiring entities must pay domestic workers the minimum hourly wage;

*Domestic workers must receive proper rest and meal breaks, including a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break if they work more than five consecutive hours for the same hiring entity, and a 10-minute rest break if they work more than four consecutive hours, or pay in lieu;

*A domestic worker who resides or sleeps at their place of employment will not be required to work more than six consecutive days without an unpaid 24-hour period of consecutive rest;

*Hiring entities will not be allowed to retain a domestic worker’s personal effects and documents; and,

*The legislation establishes a Domestic Workers Standards Board, which will be made up of workers, hiring entities, worker organizations and community members. The board will convene during the first quarter of 2019, and will be tasked with recommending how to implement new labor standards, such as retirement benefits, worker’s compensation and sick leave.

The new laws take effect July 1st of next year. You can read the full announcement here; the full text of the legislation is here.

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UPDATE: Box blocks lane on 16th SW
July 23, 2018 6:30 pm
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: Box blocks lane on 16th SW
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:30 PM: Thanks for the texted photo and tip. The texter says the storage box in the SB lane of 16th SW came off a truck and efforts to get it back onto the truck have yet to succeed.

6:40 PM: We just arrived in the area (16th/Holden, east of the 7-11). The police car in the texted photo is gone; the box is still there, in the left turn lane, with a flyer on the back identifying it as a ZippyShell unit. Its owner, standing nearby, told us a flatbed is on the way to pick it up and should arrive within half an hour. A broken strap caused the fall, he said.

7:18 PM: Our original texter says the box has been removed and the intersection’s clear.

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