day : 28/08/2020 9 results

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Though the West Seattle Transportation Coalition‘s August meeting featured four segments and four sets of guests, it was all about one topic: The five-months-closed West Seattle Bridge.

About 50 people attended Thursday night’s online meeting, including guest speakers and WSTC board members. Coalition chair Michael Taylor-Judd facilitated with assistance from board member Kate Wells. Here’s the group’s recording of the meeting:

REP. PRAMILA JAYAPAL: The last guest was the headliner.

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CORONAVIRUS: Friday 8/28 roundup

August 28, 2020 9:00 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Six months ago tonight, King County announced its first case of COVID-19. Here’s what’s new:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:

*19,361 people have tested positive, 184 more than yesterday

*719 people have died, 2 more than yesterday

*2,223 people have been hospitalized, 1 more than yesterday

*354,713 people have been tested, 5,422 more than yesterday

One week ago, those totals were 18,418/708/2,147/336,589.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 24.6 million cases, 835,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.

WE’RE PLATEAUING: So say state health authorities:

Today the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report, which reflects an overall plateau and slight decline in COVID-19 cases in some areas.

Report findings include:

*The reproductive number (how many new people each COVID-19 patient will infect) remained close to one as of mid-August. The best estimate of the reproductive number at that time was 0.86 in western Washington and 0.91 in eastern Washington. The goal is a number well below one, which would mean COVID-19 transmission is declining.

*We’re seeing a mix of disease activity across the state. Some counties (including Clark and King) are seeing plateaus, while others experience decreases (including Benton, Franklin, Pierce and Yakima) or increases (including Grant, Lewis and Walla Walla). The report includes a comparison of case, hospitalization and mortality data in these three counties to illustrate how much trends are varying in different areas.

See the report here.

ALSO FROM THE STATE: Less info on weekends:

The Washington State Department of Health will end the publication of COVID-19 death counts over the weekends starting the weekend of August 28-30. Regular publishing of COVID-19 death counts will occur Monday through Friday.

While all deaths will continue to be reported, DOH will now add the counts generated from the weekend to the following Monday and Tuesday reports, as part of the regular reporting process for those days.

We don’t know yet how/if that’s going to affect the King County reports from which we pull info nightly.

TESTING SITE OPENS Mondays-Saturdays, you can now get tested on the south side of the Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) parking lot.

Go here to make an appointment.

GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!

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DELRIDGE WAY: 2 chokepoints this weekend

August 28, 2020 6:58 pm

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| Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Along with the south Delridge Way closure we’ve been talking about, the intersection of Delridge and Orchard is also going to be a chokepoint this weekend, SDOT warns in the newest update on the project paving the way for the RapidRide H Line:

o We will be working through the weekend to install a catch basin near the middle of the intersection

o There will be flaggers helping to redirect traffic around the work zone. Please plan accordingly and expect heavy traffic and delays.

Catch-basin work is also the reason for this weekend’s closure of part of Delridge:

We will be closing all lanes of Delridge Way SW from SW Barton St to 18th Ave SW beginning tomorrow, August 29. The work will continue through August 30 to allow time for Seattle Public Utilities to complete additional work in the area. Please expect:

• Delridge Way SW to be fully closed from SW Barton St to 18th Ave SW

• Local access only to be allowed from SW Henderson St to SW Barton St and 18th Ave to SW Roxbury St

• Restricted turns from side streets onto Delridge Way SW while the closure is in place

• Access to businesses to be maintained at all times

As for the rest of the project zone along Delridge, here’s the plan for the week ahead.

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WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE CLOSURE: Wondering ‘what ARE they doing up there?’ Here’s the answer

August 28, 2020 4:44 pm

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| West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

(SDOT photo: Small “syringes” placed into affected areas, used to channel epoxy into cracks)

You’ve heard that stabilization work is under way on the five-months-closed West Seattle Bridge. So what EXACTLY is being done? SDOT just launched a new weekly email update. From the first one:

Kraemer North America, our contractor for the stabilization work, is on the bridge every Monday through Saturday from 6 AM to 4:30 PM to stabilize the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge. The stabilization work, which includes wrapping weakened areas of the bridge in carbon fiber, adding post-tensioning inside the girders, and epoxy-injecting cracks wider than 0.3mm, is expected to continue at a safe but expedited pace over the course of the next several months.

Next week, the contractor is planning to:

Continue to inspect cracks
Fill cracks with epoxy
Place carbon fiber wrap around recently filled cracks
Begin to install the post tensioning system

During this work, you will see some crews working on top and underneath the bridge. You will also see scaffolding and crews working on platforms suspended under the bridge. There is additional work taking place inside the bridge – including monitoring cracks and preparing for the installation of the additional post-tensioning strands – that you will not be able to see. We do not anticipate any additional traffic impacts from the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge construction work over the next couple weeks.

More bridge-related info is coming up this evening in our report on last night’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting. Meantime, if you want to be on SDOT’s bridge-related mailing list, the subscription link is on this page.

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E-RECYCLING: Reminder – nearby drive-up event on Saturday

August 28, 2020 3:29 pm

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| Environment | Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle news

If you can’t wait until The Junction’s big reuse/recycle/shred event next month, 3R Technology in nearby Georgetown invites you to its free event tomorrow:

10 am-2 pm Saturday, 8/29/2020 in Georgetown at 3R Technology

5511 1st Ave South [map]

Finish up that house-cleaning you started during the lockdown. Bring those old household electronics you haven’t laid hands on in years, and the bundles of power adapters to things you don’t own anymore…

Almost all electronics will be accepted: TVs, computers, laptops, printers, cell phones, pretty much anything with a power switch! We will also provide free, confidential data destruction, battery disposal, media shredding, and office furniture disposal.

A few guidelines to keep us all safe:

-Please have all the materials you wish to recycle in your trunk or backseat.

-Please wear your face covering while materials are being retrieved from your vehicle.

-Please stay in your vehicle, unless otherwise instructed to do so.

-Please do not attend if you are sick.

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CRIME WATCH: Park robbery; motorcycle theft; building break-ins; package taken

August 28, 2020 1:03 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Four Crime Watch reports:

PARK ROBBERY: We have two reports that a man was attacked and robbed of his wallet and phone while at Lincoln Park Thursday evening – one from a friend the victim contacted afterward, the other from a nearby resident who says suspects were seen running through her neighborhood shortly afterward and dropped items from the victim’s wallet. The victim described the robbers as five “Somali or Ethiopian males in their late teens (who) wore hoodies and masks”; neighbors’ description of who they saw, “wearing sweatpants, hoodies, sneakers, and protective face masks … light brown skin (and) lean.” We are still working to get the police report for additional details.

MOTORCYCLE STOLEN: This happened in Top Hat, but stolen vehicles from one side of the city-county line often turn up on the other:

My husband’s motorcycle (was taken) last night or early this morning from Southside by Vintage apartment complex on SW 112th St.

Call 911 if you see it.

BUILDING BREAK-INS: An Alki resident in the 2300 block of Bonair reports, “In 5 years living here,-nothing. Now in one night, 3 cars broken into, a storage room was broken into and several tenants’ stuff taken, and a bunch of packages. This was reported yesterday morning. I think people in this area need to be aware this is happening. It’s never been an issue before.”

PACKAGE THEFT: From Joseph – “Unfortunately, we were victims of a package theft at our house near Hanford and 37th Ave SW last night at 11:26 pm. Here is a link to the video from our security camera. It looks like the woman walked right up to our front door. The image is not great, but hopefully someone recognizes this individual.”

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LOWMAN BEACH: Tennis court’s replacement could host more than racket sports

August 28, 2020 11:21 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS & Sports

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

When the crumbling seawall is removed at Lowman Beach Park, the tennis court that’s a few steps east of it will be taken out too.

But a community effort to replace it elsewhere in the park is proceeding – and the big question, as discussed at an online meeting Wednesday night, is what exactly that replacement could/should offer – maybe more than racket sports.

More than 40 people attended.

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TODAY/TONIGHT: 2 Friday notes

August 28, 2020 9:54 am

| Comments Off on TODAY/TONIGHT: 2 Friday notes

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Two notes for today:

NEW WEST SEATTLE TESTING SITE: As noted in our nightly virus-crisis roundups, today is the first day for the city’s new COVID-19 testing site, which is at Southwest Athletic Complex (despite the city calling it “Chief Sealth High School,” it’s not at the school, it’s across the street, 2801 SW Thistle). Appointments can be booked online here.

DEMONSTRATION: Organizer Nancy‘s weekly announcement:

Please join us to show support for Black and Brown friends, family, and neighbors, to #SayTheirNames, and to remember that people are still suffering injustice. Sadly we have a new name to add to the rolls, that of Jacob Blake. We welcome people to come and discuss why we support Black Lives Matter, and to discuss what defunding the police means and what it might look like.

What: BLM and #SayTheirNames
When: Friday, August 28th, from 5:30-6:30 pm
Where: Pedestrian overpass on Delridge at the Delridge Community Center/Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.

Please remember to wear your masks!

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TRAFFIC WATCH: Friday notes + weekend Delridge Way closure reminder

August 28, 2020 6:12 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:12 AM: It’s Friday, the 158th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.

CLOSURES

*Again today, we’re reminding you about this weekend’s closure on Delridge Way as work continues on the RapidRide H Line prep project, From SDOT:

We will be working in the roadway to install a catch basin between SW Barton St and 18th Ave SW on Delridge Way SW. This work will require us to operate very large equipment in this area. Considering the area where this work will be done is a narrow stretch of Delridge Way SW with just two lanes of traffic, this work will include a full closure of Delridge Way SW from SW Barton St to 18th Ave SW. This closure will take place the weekend of 8/29/2020 and will last up to 2 days.

During this work, SW Roxbury St to SW Henderson St will be local access only, except for a full closure at the work zone between SW Barton St and 18th Ave SW. People driving between SW Henderson St and SW Roxbury St will need to detour to 16th Ave SW to get around this work.

It’s important to note that businesses in the area will remain open during this work. If people plan on visiting a business in or around the work area during this time, they will still be able to access Delridge Way SW in areas where local access in maintained. However, there will be no access between SW Barton St and 18th Ave SW, local or otherwise.