West Seattle, Washington
24 Saturday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The plan to extend 7-day-a-week West Seattle Water Taxi service through the fall and winter – reported separately here – was the biggest news from today’s West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force meeting, but not the only news. You can watch the entire meeting above, and/or read the toplines below:
BRIDGE UPDATES: Bridge program director Heather Marx said they’re reviewing the 90 percent repair design and also have received approval for “early work” that’ll start in October.
Here’s what the “early work” will involve:
Another Avalon Way project has a date with the Southwest Design Review Board. We first reported two years ago about a proposed 8-story apartment building at 3010 SW Avalon Way [map]; then last month, we reported that the project was moving forward. At that time, it was described as going through Administrative Design Review, which would mean no public meetings, but now, a board hearing is planned for 5 pm Thursday, October 21st. The proposal is for 87 apartments and four offstreet-parking spaces. Links to attend the online meeting – which will include a public-comment period – will be here when it gets closer. (Here’s the draft design packet by Studio 19 Architects.)
FRIDAY UPDATE: The tentative date for this hearing has been moved on the city schedule to November 4th.
(WSB photos. Above, Amanda Lee at The Heron’s Nest)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Off Puget Way – one of the few streets that connect to busier-than-ever West Marginal Way – a parcel of land is in the process of healing from decades of serving as a dumping ground.
A group of passionate volunteers are working not only to heal the land, but to use it to help heal injustices done to the area’s First People.
(WSB photo from Don Armeni during 2018 Orca Half)
Heads up for this weekend: The annual Orca Half half-marathon is happening in West Seattle, and hundreds of runners plan to participate. To be specific, organizers tell us, about 600 on Saturday, and about 350 on Sunday..The Orca Half course starts at Lincoln Park and ends at Don Armeni Boat Ramp. We confirmed with race organizers that no road or lane closures are planned – runners are supposed to stay on the sidewalk/trail. Runners will start in waves at 7:30 am; the course will close at 1 pm.
12:42 PM: Speaking of the West Seattle Water Taxi, just announced at the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force meeting – it will stay on a 7-day-a-week schedule throughout the upcoming bridgeless winter after all. Until now, plans had been in place to switch the service back to a 5-day-a-week schedule in mid-October. The topic came up at last month’s CTF meeting; city reps said at the time that it would be costly. How costly? We asked Metro afterward; they said it would cost at least a million dollars. We’re still pursuing more specifics but apparently the city found the cash to pay the county to keep the 7-day-a-week service going through the winter.
1:32 PM: SDOT has since sent a news release that has this added information:
Thanks to SDOT funding, Water Taxi service this fall and winter will remain similar to the summer daytime schedule:
*Seven day a week service between Seacrest Park in West Seattle and Pier 50 downtown from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
*Ships will leave the dock every 35 minutes during weekday peak commute hours and every hour mid-day, evenings, and weekends. 
*The expanded service will not include late night Friday and Saturday sailings after 7:00 p.m.
According to information we had previously obtained from Metro, the estimated cost of keeping the late-night sailings would have been about a third higher:
From the King County Water Taxi:
Maintenance is being completed on the Seacrest passenger boarding ramp, causing us to cancel the 1:00 pm departure from West Seattle. We hope to resume regularly scheduled service beginning with the 1:30 pm departure from downtown. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Just got word of this:
Seattle Public Schools is offering 20 fall community Flu vaccine clinics (through Seattle Visiting Nurse Association) and 6 Moderna/Pfizer COVID vaccine clinics (through Safeway Albertsons) from September 18-October 21. All community members are welcome to sign up. Insurance information is required for flu shots (most insurance accepted). COVID vaccinations are free for ages 12 and up.
LOCAL CLINICS:
Madison Middle School – 3429 45th Ave SW
Sunday, September 19, 2021 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.Louisa Boren STEM K-8 – 5950 Delridge Way SW
Sunday, September 26, 2021 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.Chief Sealth International High School – 2600 SW Thistle St,
Saturday, October 2, 2021 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. & COVID-19 vaccines 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
(Added note from the Visiting Nurses’ Association: These are indoor clinics.)
(Tuesday night photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor @ Lincoln Park)
from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:
PANDEMIC BRIEFING: If you see this close to when it’s published, you can go here to watch a briefing by state health officials that was scheduled to start at 9:30 am (it’ll be available archived later at that same link).
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE: The monthly meeting is at noon online, The agenda and viewing link are both available via our preview.
MIZUNO GROUP RUN: 6:15 pm, join the weekly group run at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) and try out Mizunos, as explained in our calendar listing.
OPEN MIC: Weekly open mic night at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), starting with signups at 7:30 pm.
(Collage of photos featuring artists who participated in 2018)
It’s an art show open to everyone – no judging, just showing. The Southwest Artist Showcase returns to the Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) this year, and you have two weeks until it’s time to take your creations to the library for the monthlong show. Here’s the announcement:
Calling all West Seattle artists! It’s time for the Southwest Library‘s 29th annual Artist Showcase. Artists may submit up to two unique works of art for this non-juried exhibition to celebrate West Seattle’s creative talent. Entries may be submitted at the Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) from Thursday, September 30th through Saturday, October 2nd. Art will be on display at the library through the month of October starting on Sunday, October 3rd. Please call 206-684-7455 for more details.
6:05 AM: Good morning! Even cooler today – might not even get to 60 degrees. And remember, serious rain is predicted for Friday.
ROAD WORK
26th SW & beyond – The northbound 26th SW closure continues between Roxbury and Barton.
Delridge project – Signals and signs are major tasks this week.
TRANSIT
Buses are on regular schedules today – except for the rerouting in RapidRise H Line work zones. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of canceled trips.
For ferries and water taxis, regular schedule today. Watch @wsferries for ferry updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
540th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are 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 camera’s back, now pointed west:
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? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed will tell you. (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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