West Seattle, Washington
26 Tuesday
Saturday’s the final day for WestSide Baby‘s annual “Stuff the Bus” diaper drive. You can get them to their goal in multiple ways – best way is a monthly monetary donation, because WS Baby can make your dollars go further by buying diapers at a discount rate. Other ways to help are listed here. WestSide Baby works with thousands of families every year – so whatever you can give makes a big difference for little kids. P.S. A reminder of another way to support WS Baby:
Dream Dinners – Supporting WestSide Baby this August!
Order dinner for your family through Dream Dinners West Seattle – pick up August 19, 20, or 21, benefitting WestSide Baby!
Order online using the links below, choose a pick-up time and select three medium size meals for your family to enjoy for just $50 (each meal serves three people). We will donate $10 from each order back to WESTSIDE BABY.
Enjoy your meals at home with your family! Place a full-size order within two weeks of your pickup & we will DONATE an EXTRA $20!! to Westside Baby !!
Thursday, August 19th, 6:30 pm-7:30 pm https://dreamdinners.com/session/892144
Friday, August 20th, 12 pm-1 pm dreamdinners.com/session/892154
Saturday, August 21st, 10:30-11:30 am – dreamdinners.com/session/892145
About Dream Dinners: “We are a local meal prep business that takes care of the menu planning, grocery shopping, prep, and clean up, so you can enjoy stress-free dinners with your family. Stock your freezer from a menu of 20 chef-crafted meals each month and you’ll spend less time worrying about what to make for dinner and more time doing what you love.”
(Dream Dinners is also a longtime WSB sponsor.)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Much of what was presented during the second meeting of the Community Advisory Group for the Fauntleroy ferry terminal replacement project was procedural – more about how information would/should be presented to them, than about the information itself.
One big exception: Group members got their first look at the Preliminary Purpose and Need Statement for the project – Washington State Ferries‘ rationale for why it believes this project is necessary. Here are the six slides laying that out:
5:21 PM: Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
PICKUP TRUCK STOLEN: From Emma:
My gray 2000 GMC Sierra was stolen while parked on 41st SW and SW Alaska, presumably two nights ago. Plates – C62009W. Passenger side has numerous dents, and it did have a hitch when it was stolen.
Call 911 if you see it.(UPDATE: It’s been found.)
TOOLS TAKEN: From Max:
July 28th at 11:10 AM, I was working on a house remodel at SW Dawson & 42nd Ave SW. My pickup was parked on this quiet residential street with my tool boxes in the bed that I was accessing back and forth. At one point, I heard a diesel truck idling out front and by the time I ran outside, they were gone with three Milwaukee Packout storage boxes full of Milwaukee battery power tools. I believe the vehicle headed north on 42nd SW. I was only seconds behind them and tried to follow in my truck, but never saw the vehicle. I’m hoping someone in the neighborhood saw something or has a camera that might have caught a view of their truck at the noted time. Attached is a photo example of the boxes.
REPEAT CAR VANDALISM: Three weeks ago, we published a report of five cars with windows broken, along Beach Drive by Constellation Park. Khody says one of those cars was hit again Wednesday night in the same spot.
ADDED 6:54 PM – PARKING LOT CAR PROWLS: One more incident to add – we got a tip (after publishing this roundup) of multiple smash-and-grab car prowls at the West Seattle Golf Course/Stadium parking lot. We went over and indeed found people inspecting the damage.
We didn’t get a full count but one person guessed more than a dozen.
Another road-work alert for the week ahead. This is part of the preparations for converting Metro Route 120 to the RapidRide H Line next year, but it’s not part of the project on Delridge Way itself – that one is being done by a city-hired contractor, and this involves a county-hired contractor. After a reader tip that 26th SW work was beginning, we asked Metro for info, and here it is – repaving 26th SW south of Westwood Village, where buses are blamed for myriad paving woes:
Metro’s contractors, Walsh Construction, have already begun upgrades for RapidRide H Line at 25th Avenue SW and SW Barton Street (bus stop improvements) and at the intersection of 15th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury Street (road and pedestrian improvements) in the Westwood Village area. Starting as early as Wednesday, Aug. 4, Walsh will begin demolishing road panels in the northbound lanes of 26th Avenue SW between SW Barton Street and SW Roxbury Street.
This will start several months of work on 26th Avenue SW. The work will occur in phases moving from northbound to southbound over the remainder of the year. Paving of 26th Avenue SW has long been a request from community and Metro and the Seattle Department of Transportation are excited to bring this improvement as part of RapidRide H Line. Improving the condition of the road will benefit all users and strengthen the roadway for future frequent future RapidRide H Line service.
As early as Aug. 4, northbound drivers will be detoured off of 26th Avenue SW between SW Roxbury Street and SW Barton Street. The turn from SW Cambridge Street to 26th Avenue SW also will be closed during work. The northbound closure is expected to last two to three months. Once the northbound demolition and repaving are complete, crews will move to work on the southbound lanes, reopening northbound traffic on the improved northbound lanes and detouring southbound drivers. Transit will also be rerouted off of 26th Avenue SW to 35th Avenue SW and the northbound bus stop located at the intersection of 26th Avenue SW and SW Barton Street will also be temporarily relocated to SW Barton Street.
Metro notes, “Typical work hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with some nighttime and weekend work.”
When we published this morning’s traffic (etc.) watch, we were awaiting SDOT‘s update on this weekend’s plan for the West Marginal/Highland Park Way intersection. We’ve since heard back, and here’s both the plan and a few toplines of what crews have done so far:
We recognize the traffic impacts caused by construction and lane closures on the detour route for the West Seattle Bridge closure. Thus, we are only performing construction work on Saturday and Sunday between 3 am and 1 pm. We also have four Uniformed Police Officers onsite to help alleviate traffic congestion by “flushing” congestion peaks while we work.
Here is the progress that we have made:
July 17 – July 18: saw-cutting the concrete/asphalt, removing the north curb islands, excavation for new curb ramps at the northwest corner
July 24 – July 25: excavating, pouring three new concrete panels, pouring new curb ramp on the northwest corner, removing and reinstalling new Pedestrian Signal Pole / vehicle detection system(Next two weekends’ plan)
July 31 – August 1: forming new concrete island on the northwest corner, removing the west and east curb islands
August 7 – August 8: tentatively planning to excavate, form and pour new curb ramps on the northeast corner
Avoid the area during the work hours if you can. Until 8 am both days, for example, the low bridge is unrestricted. Otherwise, the Roxbury corridor is a good way to get to/from the 1st Avenue South Bridge (or the South Park Bridge) without using West Marginal.
As they say, what was old is new again. Above is a photo we took this morning of the nautically themed Benbow Room, in the back of the west side of the building at 4210 SW Admiral Way, once upon a time the legendary Admiral Benbow Inn, more recently the Heartland Café, then the Admiral Benbow again, followed by Vidiot (which closed in late 2019). Now, it appears the Benbow name will be back. We went to the building to research a new plan for the ex-Parliament Tavern next door (more on that to come) and discovered something else – we found West Seattle restaurant/bar entrepreneur Mark Fuller, who told us he’s taking over the Benbow space and bringing it back under that name. It needs lots of work, he told us, so this will likely take months – not just the work, but getting the permits. Fuller’s other enterprises include Ma’ono, Supreme, and (reopening soon) New Luck Toy.
It’s the number one business-reopening question we’ve been getting for months – when will – or, will – New Luck Toy reopen? The bar/restaurant at 5905 California SW closed last November, announcing it planned to be closed for about six months “so we can make it out of this” (pandemic). Eight months have now passed and no word. We’ve made periodic inquiries. No reply. Then today while researching something unrelated, we encountered NLT co-proprietor Mark Fuller, so of course we asked. He told us yes, they intend to reopen, but need to rehire their staff, so that’s what’s taking a while – no projected date yet. (He’s working on a new West Seattle enterprise, too – separate story on that, next.)
It was a beautiful Thursday evening for one of West Seattle’s newest businesses to celebrate with an open house. Lake Washington Physical Therapy (WSB sponsor) hosted visitors both in its 1309 Harbor Avenue SW clinic and on the building’s rooftop deck – that’s where we photographed clinic owners Mark Bouma & Laura Bouma (center) with (left-right) LWPT founders Sara Wobker & Ben Wobker and LWPT’s Houghton clinic owners Matt Sato & Kelli Sato. LWPT’s state-of-the-art West Seattle clinic is the first business in the newly constructed Denali building across from the Don Armeni Boat Ramp park.
(Thursday sunset, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
As we head into the weekend, here are highlights of what’s happening today/tonight:
TODAY’S AQUATIC SCHEDULE: Open today, Highland Park spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale, 11 am-8 pm), Lincoln Park wading pool (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, noon-7 pm), and Colman Pool (at Lincoln Park, noon-7 pm).
HEALTH OFFICER’S BRIEFING: 11 am, King County Public Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin‘s almost-weekly pandemic briefing, streamed here or watch later at publichealthinsider.com.
(added) LEMONADE STAND: Just got the announcement:
Hello West Seattle!
The girls will be back this weekend with more lemonade, ice tea, ice coffee and their homemade baked goods to sell! They will be volunteering on a sea turtle reserve in Costa Rica with Outward Bound in 2022 and they are trying to earn their way there. They’ll be at 42nd Ave SW and Charlestown and would love to serve you some ice cold lemonade or other treats!
Here are their hours this weekend:
7/30 Friday 11-5 pm
7/31 Saturday 10-4 pm
8/1 Sunday TBDHere is Friday’s menu:
Lemonade, ice tea, ice coffee
Lemon Blueberry Bread, Peach muffins, Rice Krispie Treats
Homemade treats for the pups< Cash, Venmo, and PayPal are accepted/blockquote>SYLVIA O’STAYFORMORE @ SENIOR CENTER: This week’s performer during “Fun and Festive Fridays” at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon) is Sylvia O’Stayformore, 3-4 pm indoors.
(Photo provided by Senior Center of WS)
The center’s also offering outdoor refreshments 11 am-1 pm, and the café is open 9 am-1:30 pm – more info in our calendar listing.
THE ALLEY’S ANNIVERSARY: Second of four nights for The Alley (4509 California SW) celebrating its third anniversary with live music, 8 pm-10 pm.
AT THE SKYLARK: Tripleheader at 8 pm (3803 Delridge Way SW) – Foul Blooded, Sageseer, Sun Mother. $8 cover.
Something to add, for tonight, tomorrow, beyond? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
6:06 AM: Good morning, Another very warm day on tap. Thursday’s high was 91.
ROAD WORK
Delridge project – As announced at midday yesterday, there’s a change – NO weekend closure of Delridge between Cambridge and Henderson after all. That section will be closed to NB traffic for a few days starting August 6th, but nothing this weekend. Southbound Delridge remains closed between Thistle and Trenton. East of Delridge, Trenton is now closed, while Thistle and Henderson are open again.
26th SW – Thanks for the tip. Awaiting county details on the RapidRide-related work south of Roxbury.
Utility work – The crews doing sewer re-lining for the city were working on 35th SW near Thistle early Thursday evening. Don’t know where we’ll see them next, but if you see big trucks for Michels, that’s what it’s about.
Highland Park Way/West Marginal – We haven’t received an alert about plans for work this weekend, so we’re checking with SDOT. (9:45 AM UPDATE: Yes, they’re planning to work again Saturday-Sunday, 3 am-1 pm.)
TRANSIT
Buses are on regular schedules – except for the South Delridge rerouting. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of bus cancellations.
(Thursday night WSB photo from Harbor Avenue rooftop)
For ferries and water taxis, all should be normal. Watch @wsferries for updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
494th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are the views of other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:
Are draw/swing bridges opening for boats or barges? See the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed. (1st Ave. South Bridge openings also are tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.)
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also on this WSB page.
Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
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