FOLLOWUP: No mayoral response yet, so West Seattle Bridge NOW will try a video petition, potentially starring you

(SDOT photo)

Last nonth, we reported on the community coalition West Seattle Bridge NOW sending Mayor Durkan a letter imploring her to proceed with bridge repairs ASAP. No response yet, says the group, so it’s now inviting you to be part of what you might call a video petition:

About three weeks ago, we sent a petition with more than 3,600 signatures on it asking the Mayor for immediate action to repair our Bridge. To date we haven’t heard back, so we wanted to follow up with her, but this time in a personal way.

The West Seattle Bridge NOW citizens coalition has a new ask. Our goal is to highlight everyday West Seattleites in a short video telling their story, in their own words, as to how the closure of the West Seattle Bridge as affected them. We need your smart phone selfie testimonials to make this happen!

To participate, please visit: wsbnpetition.com/share-your-story

Your story will be hosted on the WSBN website and shown to the mayor as part of the group’s commitment to driving urgent action on behalf of our community.

SDOT said again at last week’s West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force meeting that it’s expecting to decide in October between “repair now/replace later” and “replace now.” Meantime, stabilization work continues (here’s an update SDOT published Monday).

35 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: No mayoral response yet, so West Seattle Bridge NOW will try a video petition, potentially starring you"

  • Jon Wright September 15, 2020 (12:27 pm)

    Be sure to stamp your feet when you make your recording!

    • Jeff September 15, 2020 (1:03 pm)

      And be sure to convey the all caps in “UNACCEPTABLE!!”

    • smittytheclown September 15, 2020 (1:41 pm)

      Maybe we should find out where she lives – gather 50 people –  and beat drums outside her house at midnight?  

      • KM September 15, 2020 (8:35 pm)

        Already happened, but it was for a very important issue. (She lives in Windermere, I believe).

  • WS Native September 15, 2020 (12:32 pm)

    Mayor who?  She is so done here…bye bye and thanks for nothing.

  • pemfir September 15, 2020 (12:59 pm)

    i feel they are waiting for a miracle , an oracle that will tell them definitively to repair or replace , what are they doing now that helps with the determination ? what additional information that they have not been able to collect after these many months ? most rental houses around me have gone vacant.

    • jacks September 15, 2020 (6:58 pm)

      Rental homes gone vacant… yes I am packing to leave as well, the mayor and city council have failed this city in the worst ways possible, why stick around for it to get a lot worse…

  • Sam H September 15, 2020 (1:04 pm)

    Also wave your arms with your tiny, clenched fists a lot. That always speeds up major infrastructure construction timelines.

  • Paul September 15, 2020 (1:20 pm)

    Geez, why don’t we just order a new bridge from Amazon? We could get it tomorrow if we pay extra for shipping.  

    • George September 15, 2020 (1:45 pm)

      It would have to ship from Bellevue.  No prime delivery available unfortunately. 

    • Azimuth September 15, 2020 (1:57 pm)

      I searched for “new West Seattle bridge” and the results were unfortunately pretty underwhelming. Mostly books, thought the Lego Model of the Golden Gate Bridge was compelling and probably about as sturdy.  Amusingly it gave a high-ranked result for a mood and stress support supplement so that may be the best use of our money!

    • T Rex September 15, 2020 (2:03 pm)

      Not if you are a prime member!  Great post Paul!

    • wsperson September 15, 2020 (2:43 pm)

      Yeah but it would probably be counterfeit…

    • West Seattle Lurker September 15, 2020 (2:49 pm)

      I’m sure if they wanted to PAY for a new bridge, they could get one in a decade or so. But they don’t have any funds. For the bridge, and a lot of other things. Sitting in traffic is cheap. 

    • Bill September 15, 2020 (3:03 pm)

      Get Amazon Prime!

    • The King September 15, 2020 (4:10 pm)

      I’m sure sawant believes the bridge is falling apart because Amazon exists. The governor will blame the bridge’s issue on climate change and the mayor has jinxed everything with her summer of love data. 

  • sgs September 15, 2020 (1:32 pm)

    That really doesn’t sit right that the mayor has not at least sent a response acknowledging receipt of the letter.  An assistant could easily do that, and in any office I’ve ever worked in, that would have been done. I wonder what they’re doing in that building?  Hopefully not overcome by all of the challenges.

  • skeeter September 15, 2020 (1:34 pm)

    No need to folluw up with Mayor Durkan.  I saw her out on the bridge this morning.  She had a wrench in one hand and a blowtorch in the other.  

  • Rick September 15, 2020 (2:21 pm)

    The video will most likely fall on deaf eyes.

  • Jason here September 15, 2020 (2:30 pm)

    A short video from each of us that she can ignore? I think it’s time for a march over to Jenny’s house one night to show our solidarity and how important this is. We, of course, will have to take the long route to get there however becasue WE DON’T HAVE A BRIDGE!

    • Kalo September 15, 2020 (3:45 pm)

      Go anytime after 9pm and you can use the low bridge!

      • Rick September 15, 2020 (6:23 pm)

        Past my bed time!

  • East Coast Cynic September 15, 2020 (2:49 pm)

    I believe the mayor is waiting for all the necessary dollars to be put in place for whatever is decided on (repair or replace).  The politics of getting those dollars, no doubt, will be much more challenging than the diagnosis of the structural problems causing the closure of the bridge.

  • Heartless? September 15, 2020 (5:39 pm)

    Social programs or infrastructure? Seattle cannot afford both.

    • KBear September 15, 2020 (7:23 pm)

      Why is that, Heartless?Because you’re heartless?

  • LAM September 15, 2020 (5:48 pm)

    I for one won’t be contributing towards this foolish demand. I value having all the information before making a decision that’s going to impact us for years/decades to come. What happens if West Seattle Bridge NOW gets their way and we’re all stuck with a bridge that only lasts another 5 or 10 years and has reduced lanes/capacity? It’s a possibility that I don’t think is worth the risk because we’re too impatient to wait another month.

    • Delridge September 15, 2020 (7:16 pm)

      Wouldn’t a bridge that lasts another 5-10 years with reduced capacity be better than our current situation…..? We aren’t using the bridge we have right now and have no additional access to the mainland with our current options. I’m stating the obvious here, of course. That’s there point. What do you propose?

  • Colonel Mustard's Wrench September 15, 2020 (8:19 pm)

    Congresswoman Jayapal has pointed out that the clock is ticking to get applications submitted by the January deadline for the Federal INFRA grant and the February-May deadline for the BUILD grant. 
    She stated that there is stiff competition for these grants.  She also mentioned the BRIC grant.
    So our applications need to be thorough and on time.

    Port Commission President Peter Steinbrueck emphasized very passionately what a disaster this bridge closure is for the Port.  He stated that the continuing bridge closure is jeopardizing the half billion dollar Terminal 5 project and thousands of jobs.

    Let’s hope that Mayor Durkan can make a decision quickly to go forward with repairs, and that she shepherd SDOT to get the necessary grant applications competently filled out and submitted by the deadlines.

    And for those of you that would prefer to live on an island, I suggest that you move to Vashon – rather than to continue to insult those of us that expect this bridge to be treated as a priority.

    • JenT September 16, 2020 (8:16 am)

      Good points, and agree, I did not sign up to live on an island.  Maybe some have the luxury to never leave, but many of us can’t afford to sit in 40 mins of traffic just to get to 1-5.  

  • Millie September 15, 2020 (8:28 pm)

    It is disappointing an acknowledgement of receipt of the petition (with 3,600 VOTER signatures) was not sent.  There are probably a myriad of excuses, however, this does show a lack of respect for peninsula residents.   Actually, the Mayor and City Council are probably “praying” nothing else collapses on their watch, i.e., West Seattle Bridge closed, Pier 58 collapses, audit of SDOT shows lack of bridge maintenance, etc., etc.  Our experiment with “District” representation is not working!   Councilmembers have their own agendas and, unfortunately, they do not include addressing constituent needs/interests.Amazon could be just the answer for a new bridge.

    • The King September 15, 2020 (9:22 pm)

      I’m with you, call it the Amazon Jeff Bezos Bridge in big neon lights. I could care less who pays for it or fixes it. 

  • wetone September 16, 2020 (10:36 am)

    City is broke $$$. I see no new bridge in near future. I do see high-rise getting patched back together (post tension, Kevlar, epoxy work) and reopened to some traffic with-in a year. City infrastructure is in sad shape with mostly lipstick on pig type work for last 15+yrs due to poor leadership.  Most all elevated structures need major work. Spokane St viaduct,  4th ave overpass by Costco,  Magnolia Bridge, and so much more as seen in recent SDOT audit. Most bridges, structures and roadways are 75yrs old +.  City has allowed build of new very large apartment complexes in most areas of city with zero improvements to infrastructure causing much damage to old roadways from increased heavy traffic and vehicles ( garbage trucks, delivery trucks, buses, service trucks).  Playing catch up is going to have huge impacts to our pocketbooks. 

    • Jon Wright September 16, 2020 (8:33 pm)

      I don’t think the problem is poor leadership, it is poor citizenry. What have people been demanding? Maintain infrastructure or lower taxes? The electorate doesn’t have the stomach to pay to properly maintain the city so “leaders” are delivering exactly what the public wants.

  • run_dmc September 16, 2020 (11:50 am)

    “Imploring?” Why not send a letter with a list of “Demands.” That seems to get responses and the quickest responses from city “leaders” these days.

  • Ws lifer September 21, 2020 (11:34 am)

    Why don’t we look at this as an opportunity instead of a negative lived in Hollywood for the last 3 year’s just returned to where I love. This is a very unique neighbor hood not like anything I’ve ever seen. This is a chance of a lifetime for al lot of us. Look at the view point at the end of cal. Ave. In admiral imagine a spiral like staircase from alki up to cal.ave the admiral theater a concert hall. The park is a disgrace it has a billion dollar view. High school jazz bands concerts Shakespeare plays with the Seattle skyline in the background we need to find a different way to get a bridge with a light rail and more relevant business along cal. Ave

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