West Seattle, Washington
15 Tuesday
As we received the end-of-week update on what’s next for the Avalon/35th/Alaska project, we also asked SDOT about related problems reported to us this past week. First, the update:
Here are the main things happening this weekend and next week:
We are wrapping up zone B demolition on the east half SW Avalon Way! This Saturday, May 4 and Monday, May 6, we are planning to pave the road base on the east side of SW Avalon Way from SW Genesee St to SW Yancy (Zone B). Please note that paving is weather dependent and may be postponed if the weather is wetter than anticipated. Once paving is complete, we plan to grind the sections of remaining existing pavement on Tuesday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 8. We will then move traffic to the east side of SW Avalon Way as we shift work to the west side of the street as early as Friday, May 10.
From Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5, we will be closing the east side of the intersection of SW Avalon Way and SW Genesee St to demolish existing pavement, grade, and pave the intersection. Crews will need to work across multiple lanes of traffic in the intersection. We plan to reopen this intersection as early as Monday, May 6.
Work on 35th Ave SW from SW Avalon Way to SW Alaska St (Zone E) will begin as soon as Tuesday, May 7. We will maintain one lane of traffic in each direction on 35th Ave SW between Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Alaska St. See below for more information about what to expect.
Current and upcoming side street closures:
-SW Genesee St will be closed through May 5 on the east side of SW Avalon Way. People driving west on SW Genesee St will not be able to access SW Avalon Way and will need to use alternate routes to access SW Genesee St east of the intersection. We plan to reopen the intersection as soon as Monday, May 6.
-30th Ave SW will be temporarily closed for construction staging. You will not be able to access SW Avalon Way from 30th Ave SW. 30th Ave SW will be permanently closed at the completion of this project.
-SW Snoqualmie St will be closed to 35th Ave SW for construction staging. Local access will be maintained from 36th Ave SW.
The full update is here (PDF).
Meantime, the project team also tells us, “We’ve received reports of people driving following people biking too closely through construction areas. Safety is our priority, and we want to ensure everyone can safely get around work areas.” This matches some reports we’ve received, too. Asked whether there’s anything more they can or will do for multi-modal safety, the project team told us:
Regarding safety for people riding bikes, we are continuing to assess and address the concerns raised. We have designed our work in smaller zones to minimize impacts to the current bike paths throughout the project corridor. To date we continue to advised people riding bikes to look for alternative routes through our work zones. We met with the West Seattle Bike Connections group to talk through alternative routes, and we understand this is a challenging geography. We have as much signage that is allowed in our work zone about bicycles merging with traffic and the bicycle lane ending. We also have Uniformed Police Officers to assist traffic in our work zone.
To complete each of the project phases, we have to maintain 11′ lanes and have to request that all modes of transportation share the road through the construction zones. We are adding a radar speed sign to advocate for cars to slow down when heading northbound.
Another issue that’s been brought to our attention: Side-street traffic trouble, like the 28th/Dakota truck problems Laura caught in these clips:
The project team also was sent those clips. Their response:
To access SW Avalon Way, people driving should be using the posted detour route by heading north on Delridge Way SW, turning left onto SW Andover, turning left onto 28th Ave SW and turning right onto SW Yancy St before they get to SW Dakota St.
We have witnessed many people driving bypassing the “road closed” signs in the neighborhoods which can get them into situations like the one shown in your video, making it difficult to make tight turns. To ensure that the “road closed” signs are as visible as possible to drivers, we have adjusted their location at 26th Ave SW and SW Genesee St to discourage people driving from traveling west towards 31st Ave SW.
Last but not least, we noted multiple reports of very late-night and early-morning work in the area earlier this week. That response:
There was unanticipated late-night work this week. Seattle Public Utilities is working along the corridor to renew water services as we have the roadway base demolished. Last night, emergency work took place to secure a leaking pipe. SPU had a noise variance for their emergency work. Unfortunately, due to the urgent nature of the work, they were not able to notify us about this work, otherwise we would have let the public know right away. Additionally, as we work throughout the corridor, private developers may do additional utility connections when we are not working. Our goal is to coordinate with them about work hours to pass information to the public; however, we don’t always get the information in a timely manner.
The project hotline for complaints/questions: 206-900-8734.
6:45 PM: Announced by City Councilmember Lisa Herbold in her weekly update, posted tonight:
Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) will have their first meeting with the Junction Neighborhood Origination to discuss community planning around ST3 and updating the neighborhood plan to reflect the final route and location of the light rail station. As I wrote about in a previous MHA update, the community has expressed a desire for additional zoning capacity, but informed by community planning efforts and with understanding of the likely location of a future light rail station. OPCD committed to beginning to scope out this process in 2019, with planning starting in earnest in 2020. This is the first meeting.
When:
MayJune 6, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pmWhere: Senior Center of West Seattle, 4217 SW Oregon
10:09 PM: JuNO director Amanda Sawyer tells WSB the councilmember’s announcement is one month off – the meeting is actually set for *JUNE* 6th. We have updated above.
Two thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch today:
STOLEN BICYCLE: Kathleen hopes you will watch for this stolen bicycle:
She left the garage open for a little while around noon today in North Delridge – and a thief quickly made off with the bike, a white Univega. We are waiting to hear back on the police-report #, so in the meantime, let us know if you see it and we will connect you.
STOLEN VEHICLE TENT: Nick reports from Seaview, “I had a Cascade Vehicle Tent (CVT) Mt Shasta tent stolen off my truck last night. My truck was parked in front of my house. If anyone sees one for sale, please let me know.” SPD incident # is 19-157402.
A Harbor Island worker emailed us wondering why the “low bridge” was opening and closing relatively frequently at midday a few days earlier this week without vessels going through. We checked the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed and found verification of the multiple closures, each lasting about 10 minutes. Testing? Trouble? Or? We asked SDOT, whose spokesperson Ethan Bergerson checked it out and replied: “They were training a new bridge operator. In order to ensure that all staff have a thorough understanding of how to operate the bridge safely, all new (ones) spend three days of training opening the bridge 12 times per day. Yesterday was the final day.”
Last fall, when the West Seattle Transportation Coalition got briefed on a possible WS location for a public electric-vehicle “fast-charging” location (WSB coverage here), the city was looking at Don Armeni Boat Ramp. Now, there’s an official proposal, and the location has changed: City Light is proposing a site in The Junction, alongside West Seattle Bowl.
Here’s a ground-level rendering of where it would be:
From the City Light one-sheet (PDF) about the proposal:
If built, the location will include two 50-kilowatt (kW) fast chargers located along the curb. Two existing street parking spaces would be converted to “EV charging only” spaces, and drivers would be limited to one hour of parking while charging at these spaces. These 50kW fast chargers can provide a typical EV with about three miles of range for every minute of charging. Average charging sessions are expected to last for 15 to 30 minutes. The chargers are anticipated to have a useful life of ten years.
The one-sheet also explains why this location is proposed, and why others were ruled out, including Don Armeni; that explanation – “(Seattle Parks) identified Don Armeni Boat Ramp as a potential charging station site in West Seattle. However, the site development costs were too high.”
The charging station would cost the city almost $200,000 (users pay for charging, in case you’re not familiar with how these work); regarding a timeline, City Light says it would “begin the engineering and design process in the second/third quarter of 2019. Construction is scheduled to follow.”
If you have feedback about this proposal, the city has set up an online survey that’ll remain open until the end of the month – see it here. The SCL program has already opened one station on Beacon Hill – here’s a city-provided photo:
The city has five others on the drawing board (also listed on the one-sheet) in addition to, potentially, this one. Questions? The City Light Public EV Charging Team is at 206-684-3800 or SCL_ElectricVehicles@seattle.gov.
(Male Black-headed Grosbeak, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)
Before we get any further into Friday, half a dozen highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you’ll find even more):
BASEBALL: Chief Sealth IHS has a must-win Metro League playoff game vs. Bainbridge, 4 pm at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center. (1321 SW 102nd)
WEST SEATTLE SPRING NIGHT MARKET: 5-9 pm at Duos Lounge in Luna Park:
Join Flock Collective for our seasonal curated pop-up market featuring 18 local artists, makers, and bakers. Grab a beverage and browse handmade jewelry, candles, handbags, prints and much more. This event is FREE & all are welcome!
(2940 SW Avalon Way)
CORNER BAR: The monthly pop-up bar/community gathering at Highland Park Improvement Club – info here. Doors open at 6 pm. (1116 SW Holden)
‘HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL’: Madison Middle School production at the West Seattle HS Theater, 7 pm – get a discount for buying your ticket(s) online! (3000 California SW)
‘OFFICE HOUR’: Second night for ArtsWest‘s new play, 7:30 pm. Tickets available online. (4711 California SW)
AT PARLIAMENT TAVERN: 9 pm, it’s time to rock, with Sonic Medicine, Mercury, 1st Saint Street. $6 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
Thanks to Eric at West Seattle Computers for forwarding this notice circulated in the area:
It’s an announcement that the only tower crane currently operating in West Seattle – at the Luna Apartments/PCC Community Markets (WSB sponsor) project site – is set for removal one week from tomorrow. As was the case the day it went up in April 2018, that means California will be closed at SW Stevens that day, May 11th (which also happens to be West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, so we’ll include detour info in the map packet).
9:49 AM: Every spring we get many inquiries about whether anyone’s scheduling a free shredding event in West Seattle. We always promise to publish something as soon as we hear of one. The West Seattle Junction Association‘s email newsletter brings this announcement:
THE MOTHER OF ALL SHRED EVENTS!
Sponsored By: Re/Max Junction and Urban Key.SATURDAY, MAY 11TH | 10 AM TO 12 PM
4400 SW ALASKAWells Fargo Parking Lot @ 44th/AlaskaBring your paper items and we will shred them for free!
Questions: Call 206-766-8400 or 206-932-1090
2:30 PM: We checked with the sponsors regarding logistics and they tell us the location has been changed to “the Wells Fargo parking lot across the street,” so we have made that change above.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning! No traffic incidents or traffic alerts for our area so far.
AVALON PROJECT TREE TRIMMING: Scheduled for today – here’s our previous alert.
It was an intense game from the early going and turned out to be a long night for the West Seattle High School Wildcats in their third game of the Metro League playoffs.
Their game at Southwest Athletic Complex against Ballard HS ran 14 innings and the Beavers went home with the win, 8-7.
Head coach Bryan Tupper‘s Wildcats play again Saturday, taking the field at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center (1321 SW 102nd) at 10 am against Eastside Catholic.
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