Another new stairway on the way for West Seattle, plus an update on others

| Delridge | Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Thanks to Scott Amick for spotting the posted notice that work is about to start on a new stairway at SW Myrtle between Sylvan and 25th. This wasn’t on the list of scheduled West Seattle stairway projects that we published earlier this year, nor could we find it on the city website, so we checked in with SDOT‘s Greg Funk. He explained that funding found to replace a 50-foot-long dirt path here is coming from the Safe Routes to School program. Grading work is scheduled to start “as soon as” this week; then the stairway itself will be built in October. He also provided an update on other projects, following up on our March check-in:

*SW Director (between upper and lower Fauntleroy Way across from the ferry terminal) is complete

*SW Willow and pathway (at California) are complete

*SW Hill (between 42nd and California) is under construction, 1 more month or sooner

(SDOT photo)

*SW Hill (another one across from that one), added because of savings on “a couple projects”

*SW Holly (at Beveridge) is under construction, closed for 2 months. Funk adds: “This will be a stairway we are going to reset and will be one of our historic streetcar slab stairways – one of 5 we will be doing in the future.”

junctioneer August 7, 2018 (5:04 pm)

bummer, I was hoping there would be a pedestrian bridge at 42nd and California like in former days. I guess that would be wildly expensive nowadays.

John August 7, 2018 (8:45 pm)

How about a sidewalk on 20th Ave Sw between Holden and Webster. People drive way to fast on this section to not have them.

Tammy August 8, 2018 (10:00 pm)

Yes! That was my daughter’s “safe walking zone” in elementary school. When I contacted the city a couple years ago I was told it was a tier 3 priority project and not likely to ever happen.

Delridger August 7, 2018 (10:13 pm)

Wow, what a nice surprise! Thank you, sdot!!

Mike in Delridge August 8, 2018 (5:28 am)

Yay!! So, I live right by this hill — I emailed SDOT earlier in the year, and lo and behold, they found a way to make it happen. Wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t seen WSB’s post earlier this year about stairways! Thank you WSB and SDOT!!

Delridger August 8, 2018 (7:28 am)

Nice work, mike! Engaged citizens like you make a huge difference.

justme August 8, 2018 (6:43 am)

Outdoor stairways are scary. I never use them anymore.

ScottAmick August 9, 2018 (7:38 am)

Thanks for finding out more info on this. I’ll appreciate the new stair as the route is a great shortcut to the 120 on Delridge from my home. If you talk to the SDOT rep again could you ask what if any school this is related to? Seems like most SRTS projects have a certain school in mind. I’m trying to figure out the overall strategy for walking routes along Myrtle and Sylvan since Sylvan is not safe to begin with. There are school age children in Sylvan Heights townhomes where I live but they can’t really safely cross Sylvan to get to this stairway. If a marked crosswalk (with RRFB lights) were installed at Sylvan Heights Drive they could get to the path that connects to this stair. The beautiful sidewalk along the south side of Sylvan (built with townhome development) just ends at a dangerous blind corner so that’s not good (I run across there). See my recent tweet about this before I knew of stair project:https://twitter.com/ScottA_SEA/status/1024650307223973888

Carol Thomte August 25, 2018 (9:16 am)

I, too vote for a marked crosswalk at Sylvan Heights Drive. I take the 128 bus several times a week and get off there to walk downhill to the Myrtle path (Hopefully soon to be a staircase!) Crossing Sylvan requires great care. I would not attempt it with my granddaughter in tow.