WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE NOW: Community coalition launches website, video

The advocacy group West Seattle Bridge Now – which we first told you about in April – has expanded its online presence. It now has a website at wsbridgenow.com, and it’s produced a short video to emphasize the bridge’s importance to the community:

The announcement is from WSBN’s Kevin Broveleit:

West Seattle Bridge Now is launching a website to keep the community connected to the latest information on solutions to the closure of the bridge. The group plans to grow the website into a comprehensive resource with project updates, event calendars and most importantly how to get involved and make your voice heard in the planning process. On the site you can sign up for email updates, and follow West Seattle Bridge Now on social media.

Broveleit tells WSB that among other things, the group is getting weekly briefings from SDOT’s bridge-project leader Heather Marx. WSBN also has representation on the city’s new Community Task Force, which will meet for the first time next Wednesday.

P.S. In case you’ve lost track with everything else that’s been happening, the most-recent major development is the city’s search for a design team in case the bridge needs to be replaced – here’s our report from Tuesday.

j June 5, 2020 (3:46 pm)

I think the links to West Seattle Bridge Now might not be working. Thanks.

WSB June 5, 2020 (4:01 pm)

Yes, their site is working, I tested before publishing and just tested again.

VBD June 5, 2020 (4:15 pm)

I just got back from a dog walk through my Fauntleroy neighborhood, and saw what was we all knew would obviously happen: A line of cars nearly gridlocked exiting the boat, all the way down the dock, onto Fauntleroy Way, up around the corner to Barton, and slowly proceeding through the 4 way stop at Endolyne. And also, as any fool could have predicted, there are many more cars heading northbound on Fauntleroy, needing to get into the line forming in the other direction. Since there is no easy way to turn around, many just randomly U-turn, creating a significant hazard. The blaring horns of ferry-rage are back. And also obvious, now is a time when the traffic is at a fraction of what it was prior to the shelter. With today’s announcement of business opening, and the associated patron and employee traffic, the ferry crisis is going to explode. Soon. Has the city/state devised any significant plan do deal with these easily foreseen problems at the ferry?

Jon Wright June 5, 2020 (6:57 pm)

Maybe the city is/was waiting until ferry volume was high enough to do something? Or maybe they were waiting to see what sort of traffic patterns to/from the ferry developed? In any event, lack of action to proactively address what VBD accurately describes as easily foreseen problems is frustrating. SDOT got high marks for being proactive at HP Way and Holden and with the 5-way intersection. Now it feels like they lost whatever momentum they had and are squandering goodwill in the process.
bill June 5, 2020 (11:02 pm)

@VBD: How is any of that different from before times? What is the problem here? I thought everyone wanted to get back to normal.
- VBD June 6, 2020 (9:10 am)
  
  Bill, I think you are aware enough know that the primary route for cars leaving the ferry has been north down Fauntleroy and towards the WS Bridge. That route has much better capacity and traffic handling than the route south from the dock, which is basically neighborhood streets. But now nearly ALL traffic from the boats is being directed southbound, right up to a 4 way stop. Add to that, the traffic from the northern half of WS is also going that way to get around the closed bridge. There just isn’t capacity for that. Something will have to give.

chemist June 5, 2020 (4:43 pm)

Weekly updates? I guess that’s good, since the last update SDOT put on the publicly-facing project website was on May 18th.https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/bridges-stairs-and-other-structures/bridges/west-seattle-high-rise-bridge-safety-project

WSB June 5, 2020 (5:15 pm)

Don’t know why they haven’t updated the website but they’ve had three posts of note on SDOT Blog since then.
https://sdotblog.seattle.gov/
Plus they’ve participated in other community meetings (much of which we’ve covered).
CM Herbold also has tidbits in her Friday newsletter; this one’s just out (scroll WAY down):
https://herbold.seattle.gov/murder-of-george-floyd-and-demonstrations-in-seattle-west-seattle-bridge-update-june-5-covid-response-funds-available-for-community-based-organizations-apply-by-tuesday-6-9-new-covid-te/
- chemist June 5, 2020 (10:28 pm)
  
  Yeah, there’s certainly other developments that could be added to the project page and some things have been posted via other means. Still no word on a council meeting or press event for what has been learned from data from the bridge monitoring equipment posted about on 5/13 though. They should have 3.5 weeks of data (plus original sensors).
  
  Here’s what happens next, after we collect a few weeks’ worth of data. Analytic modeling will interpret the data to gain a baseline understanding of the bridge’s behavior. If we observe stable behavior, the bridge will continue to be monitored during and after the temporary crack arrest measure installation and the Pier 18 restrained lateral bearings’ release, to see how the bridge reacts. Observations will help us decide on longer-term plans like Phase 2, which includes temporary shoring design and installation as well as strengthening and repairs, and Phase 3, determining whether we need a full replacement.
  - WSB June 5, 2020 (10:48 pm)
    
    Timelines seem to slip – what Heather Marx told me would be out in “a few days” back on Tuesday did not emerge by week’s end.
    https://westseattleblog.com/2020/06/west-seattle-bridge-closure-city-starts-process-of-seeking-replacement-design/
    The next big event is likely the Community Task Force’s first meeting next Wednesday.

skeeter June 5, 2020 (5:35 pm)

My office has a view of both the high and low bridge. I saw about 8,000 cars drive over the low bridge today. There is no enforcement of the freight/transit restriction. If we simply fined each car driver $100 or so we’d have the bridge repairs or replacement paid for in a few months!

BBILL June 5, 2020 (9:10 pm)

$8,000 times 100 = $800,000/day. Let’s assume 5 days a week, so $4M a week. The design work is estimated to cost between $50M and $150M, so it would take, assuming people are willing to pay $100 per trip, $200 round trip, 13 weeks minimum, or possibly up to 39 weeks, just to pay for the design work.

CarDriver June 5, 2020 (7:11 pm)

skeeter. I’ve watched spd traffic units in action while I’ve been waiting at the light. SPD has a VERY liberal policy. I’ve watched all sorts of marked vehicles from all sorts of companies-plumbers, construction companies etc. driving everything from large trucks to mini vans. They get waved through. I’ve watched independent guy’s with unmarked vans or pick ups that have ladders or other “work stuff” on them get waved past. I bet sdot wouldn’t tell us what they consider “freight”. On a funny note I’ve watched car’s going onto the low bridge in front of patrol unit’s. They didn’t pay any attention. Guess it’s just the traffic unit that cares.