West Seattle, Washington
03 Tuesday
(WSB file photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Fauntleroy ferry-dock/terminal-replacement project is “where the Viaduct was in 2005,” suggested Washington State Ferries‘ David Sowers at last night’s online community meeting – lots of alternatives, early stages of planning.
He should know, having led the Viaduct-replacing tunnel project in its late stages.
Sowers now oversees terminal projects (among other things) for WSF, and he did much of the talking at the meeting. Attendance wasn’t shown or announced but when doing an early attendee poll, facilitator Lauren Foster showed a result with a 6%, which she described as “one of you,” so that would suggest fewer than 20 in attendance at the start. This was the second of two meetings meant to recap where the project is now – still a relatively early stage of planning. No new information was presented, but 45 minutes were spent on Q&A, which might be of interest even to those who’ve been following the project closely. First:
Anne Czelder celebrated her 100th birthday at Daystar Retirement Village (WSB sponsor) today, and the folks at Daystar asked her about her advice for living to the century mark. Her reply – just four words – is in the short clip above. Happy birthday, Anne!
Just announced by SDOT, paving work this weekend that might lead to delays at and near the 5-way intersection east of the low bridge:
This Saturday and Sunday, we’re paving SW Spokane St between the Chelan 5-way intersection and the Terminal 5 access bridge. This is the eastbound entrance to the low bridge and the access bridge to Terminals 5 and 7. The pavement at this location has been rapidly deteriorating due to the increase of heavier vehicles since the closure of the West Seattle Bridge.
We’ll start this paving around 4 AM and expect to be done by 6 PM each day. During this work, we’ll need to reduce the two travel lanes to a single lane. We’ll have someone directing traffic at the work location to keep traffic moving efficiently.
If you plan to drive on the low bridge this weekend, please leave early and expect delays. As always, drive slowly and carefully in work zones and follow directions from signs and flaggers.
(SDOT photo: Structural-concrete work inside the bridge)
As first reported here on Tuesday, SDOT said the last two structural-concrete pours for the West Seattle Bridge repairs were scheduled for yesterday and today – and they’ve just announced that indeed, the last one did happen today. Here’s the announcement:
Today, our construction contractor finished pouring structural concrete inside the bridge, forming the structures that will hold new steel cables essential to strengthening the bridge. Completing this crucial project milestone marks the end of a challenging process that affected our reopening schedule.
We still expect to reopen the bridge in mid-2022 and can now work with our construction contractor to finalize the sequence of the remaining work.
Concrete work was originally scheduled to begin in February and was delayed by a concrete strike that affected practically every transportation and construction project in the Puget Sound region. We appreciate and thank the concrete suppliers and drivers who came together for the community to enable projects like the West Seattle Bridge to move forward again.
We never stopped working on the bridge, despite the concrete strike. We adjusted the sequence of work activities so that we could complete other strengthening measures like sealing cracks with epoxy and wrapping the bridge walls with carbon fiber.
This week’s deliveries involved concrete trucks making back-to-back pours. Our construction contractor poured 15 truckloads of concrete in two days, more than half of the 245 cubic yards of structural concrete needed for the entire project.
The concrete was piped into the hollow bridge interior through a hole in the deck and was used to create massive blocks that form the foundations of the bridge’s additional post-tensioning system. Once the concrete structures have cured after 28 days, they’ll be capable of holding more than 20 million pounds of force.
The next step in the post-tensioning process is to install ducts in the new concrete blocks so that we can thread steel cables through the length of the bridge. After the concrete has fully cured, we will tighten these cables to strengthen the bridge and prevent future cracking.
SDOT also confirmed earlier this week that it expects to present a reopening-timeframe update when the Community Task Force meets on June 9th.
(WSB photos)
Thanks to the parents who let us know about Pathfinder K-8 students’ walkout/demonstration today. Students left the Pigeon Point campus around 11:30 am and walked to the pedestrian/bicycle overpass at Delridge/Oregon for sign-waving.
The banner in the foreground was the work of someone else (we saw it there a few hours earlier) but gun violence is one of the two issues about which the Pathfinder students were demonstrating, along with reproductive rights:
This was one of many walkouts across the country today.
You have 2 1/2 more hours to stop by for snacks, sips, and stories as Illusions Hair Design gets ready to close its doors forever. Owner Sue Lindblom and her longtime team are retiring from the salon business.
Lindblom announced the closure three months ago so clients had plenty of time to prepare; we talked with her then about the salon’s 44 years and trailblazing business practices. (She has also sold the building at 5619 California SW, so its future is in somebody else’s hands.) P.S. – we want to thank her for 14 years of sponsoring WSB!
We’ve received several questions about a King County Water Taxi vessel off Alki, interacting with emergency responders. Water Taxi spokesperson Al Sanders says it’s just a drill, in conjunction with the King County Sheriff’s Office.
1:28 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip: She says two humpback whales have been milling off Cormorant Cove (3700 block of Beach Drive). Humpbacks have grown more common in Puget Sound. Let us know if you see them!
2:10 PM: Texted photo added. Kersti says in a comment below that it might just be one humpback.
(SDOT cam overview of past West Seattle Summer Fest)
The return of West Seattle Summer Fest is less than two months away! July 15-16-17, The Junction’s three-day street party is back. Today, we have a sneak peek at the music schedule – two days/nights this year, as on the third day, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market will be on the block north of SW Oregon (rather than in the parking lot behind KeyBank as in years past). Since it’s early, there’s a chance of schedule changes, but this is the lineup now:
FRIDAY
3:00 PM – Appaloosa
4:00 PM – Chris King & The Gutterballs
5:00 PM – Caitlin Sherman
6:00 PM – Smoker Dad
7:00 PM – Acapulco Lips
8:00 PM – Spirit Award
9:00 PM – Naked Giants
(DJ Kurt Bloch)SATURDAY
12:00 PM – School of Rock
1:00 PM – Mode Music
2:00 PM – THEM
3:00 PM – Emily Stranger
4:00 PM – Johnny Nails
5:00 PM – Mark Pickerel & The Peyote 3
6:00 PM – Mala Suerte
7:00 PM – Chong the Nomad
8:00 PM – Battlestar Kalakala
9:00 PM – True Loves
(DJ Yo! Adrian)
Toward the south end of the festival, music is also planned on an Elliott Bay Brewing Company-sponsored stage Friday and Saturday nights, 7 pm each night – the Urban Achievers on Friday, Eldridge Gravy and The Court Supreme on Saturday. More Summer Fest previews to come!
(Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary)
Weekly tours of Alki Point Lighthouse are returning, as just announced by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary! Last year, two tours were given, in September, after a tour-less 2020, so this is the first full season since 2019. Here’s the announcement:
The tours of Alki Point Lighthouse will be back this year! First day of the season is this Sunday, May 29th. First visitors enter the site at 1 p.m. Last tour begins at 3:45. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary plans to provide tours every Sunday afternoon during the summer season through Labor Day weekend, pending availability of sufficient volunteer staffing. Tour updates will be published on Friday each week.
This year, in order to enhance safety and reduce crowding, the tour team is piloting a new system to manage the number of visitors in the lighthouse, in the tower and on site. No reservations are needed but there will be a sign up sheet at the gate on the day of the tour for visitors to sign up for a tour time slot for that afternoon. They may also be assigned a specific time to go up to the tower’s lantern room.
Visitors age six and up may climb to the lantern room at the top of the tower. All children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult while on the lighthouse site. Service animals are welcome, but no pets are allowed. For more information about the site and other visitor guidelines, go here.
Questions can be emailed to: alkilighthouseteam@gmail.com
The lighthouse is at 3201 Alki SW and has a long history you can read about here.
(Recent sunset photographed in Fauntleroy by Gabby, age 11)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
ILLUSIONS’ GOODBYE OPEN HOUSE: As previewed here, you can stop in to wish the Illusions Hair Design team farewell on their last day before permanent retirement closure. (5619 California SW)
SOUND TRANSIT BOARD: Monthly meeting, 1:30-5 pm online. The agenda explains how to watch and how to comment (live or in writing).
NEED HELP WITH MEDICARE? Consultant Patrice Lewis is taking appointments for consultations 2-3:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon) – our calendar listing explains how to check for availability.
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: 6:30 pm online, with topics including Vision Zero, WS Bike Connections, and board openings – our calendar listing has more info including how to attend.
CANDIDATES’ DEBATE: As previewed here, the two Democrats in the race for the open 34th District State House District 1 – Leah Griffin and Emily Alvarado – are facing off for the first time, 6:30 pm online. Here’s the link for registering to attend.
BOARD GAME NIGHT: Come try something new at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), 6:30-10 pm.
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS: No WS venue yet, so their free spring concert is at 7 pm at Foster High School Performing Arts Center (4242 S. 144th St, Tukwila).
COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Abby K and Friends perform Americana/folk. Free; all ages.
Have an event to list on our calendar/in our daily lists? We’re adding more daily – email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Around this time Wednesday, we were telling you about a community campaign to help fund Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School music students. This morning, we have word some of those students are headed to a prestigious festival. From Dawn Pomeroy of Denny-Sealth Performing Arts:
Eleven music students from Chief Sealth IHS were selected to participate in the Music in May Honor Festival this weekend at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. They will be representing orchestra, band, and choir at one of the longest running high-school music festivals in the Pacific Northwest. These students were nominated by their music directors and selected from a large pool of applicants to participate in the festival. They will work with distinguished guest conductors alongside their peers from all over the region during the 3-day festival ending with a concert on Saturday afternoon. Congratulations to all of you!
6:00 AM: Good morning; welcome to Thursday, May 26th.
WEATHER
Another mostly cloudy forecast, with a chance of rain later, and seasonable temperatures – possibly around 70.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro is on its regular weekday schedule; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule. (Note that it’ll run a special schedule on Memorial Day.)
Ferries: WSF continues on the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates. No extra boat for the holiday weekend; Memorial Day will be on the Sunday schedule.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
794th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
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.)
1st Avenue South Bridge:
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way (one of four new cameras!):
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan – might still be experiencing difficulty):
Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.
All city traffic cams can be seen here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
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