West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(WSB photo, West Seattle Bridge work platform, late July)
When SDOT announced last week that the West Seattle Bridge is expected to reopen Sunday, September 18th, WSB commenters had some follow-up questions. Among them: Will there be a weight restriction on the bridge? We asked, and today we got the answer: No. SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson says, “We are not planning any weight restrictions for vehicles on the bridge. Vehicles would still need to follow the statewide laws governing maximum weight limits to drive on public roads.” (Find those here.) There are weight-limit signs on the bridge now, as we noticed when visiting last Tuesday, but Bergerson explains that they “were placed for construction crews before the post-tensioning work was completed. Now that that work is done, the bridge is much stronger and those signs will be removed by the time the bridge opens.” He also reiterated the plan – noted again in our report last week – for load testing before the bridge reopens, “in which we will drive heavy equipment over the bridge to simulate traffic and let engineers monitor the structure’s response in real-time and confirm that the repairs are working as expected.” If the closure ends on September 18th as currently planned, that’ll be just five days short of 2 1/2 years since its sudden closure on March 23, 2020.
7:10 PM: We don’t have full details on this but several people have asked about it so we’re making note of what we do know – police have been searching near 26th/Juneau for what was reported as a suspect in a sexual assault. No info yet on circumstances nor even victim description but police have been using at least one K-9 team to search (that’s why you’ve heard short siren bursts – those are part of the warning that a search dog is out). We’ll add anything more we find out.
7:55 PM: SPD spokesperson Valerie Carson says the only information they’re releasing tonight is that they searched the area but so far have not arrested anyone.
TUESDAY NOTE: Still awaiting information from SPD; hoping to have a followup whenever we get it.
4:18 PM: We’ve just heard from several people in Gatewood and Sunrise Heights who are suddenly without water. Nothing’s on the Seattle Public Utilities outage map so far. We’re checking with SPU; in the meantime, here’s the number to call if it’s happened to you – 206-386-1800 (although we’re being told people are having trouble getting through).
(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand unless otherwise credited)
4:34 PM: Highland Park is affected too. Our crew has just confirmed there’s a broken line at 24th/Kenyon – and describes the water going up from it as a “geyser.” Photo added.
4:40 PM: Another angle:
(Video added:)
There’s also word of some nearby apartments being flooded. This is the same area where “natural drainage system” work has been under way, as reported here in June.
4:55 PM: Yet another view added above. We’re waiting to hear from SPU on how long it’s expected to take to get water service back. So far this is believed to be a 24″-wide water main.
5:06 PM: From SPU spokesperson Sabrina Register: “Crews are on the scene to shut down water at the site of the break (SW Kenyon and 24th Ave SW) with the goal of restoring service to customers who are temporarily without water, but I don’t yet have a estimate of when service will be restored.”
5:31 PM: Per commenters, at least some water is back, and the geyser’s been shut off. (added) Here’s a texted photo – thank you!
6:08 PM: We’ve just confirmed at the scene that what’s ruptured is indeed a 24″ line:
No word yet on exactly how this happened. The outage is now shown on the SPU map but the information is incomplete – it doesn’t show the full area affected, and it attributes the problem to “planned outage,” with a restoration estimate of 10 pm (though as you know if you’ve been with us for power-outage coverage, those estimates seldom bear any resemblance to what eventually happens – sometimes much earlier, sometimes much later).
6:41 PM: No further updates from SPU so far. Some commenters are reporting that they have water but it’s brown – disruptions of even much smaller size tend to cause that, stirring up “sediment” (mostly rust) in the lines. Here’s some SPU advice on how to handle that.
7:30 PM: As noted by SFD, residents of at least six apartments were forced out by flooding. This video by Ben Rupp of MKH.MFG shows how the water battered the apartments like waves in a winter storm:
Also received: This photo from a texter showing how Longfellow Creek’s water level rose because of all the spewed water:
8:32 PM: Update from SPU:
SPU has restored service to most if not all of the customers in West Seattle who were without water late Monday afternoon. A 24-inch water main break at SW Kenyon and 24th Ave SW caused hundreds of customers to temporarily lose service.
If customers experience temporary water discoloration as their service is restored, we recommend they wait until it clears before drinking it. They can run the cold water for a few minutes to see if it clears. More tips can be found on our website.
SPU is working on a plan to repair the 24-inch water main. We don’t know what caused the break but are looking into it.
9:13 PM: Revised estimate from SPU: They now believe about 2,000 customers (homes/businesses/etc.) were without water during the peak of the outage.
(WSB photo, July 27)
Tomorrow morning’s City Council Transportation and Public Utilities Committee meeting begins with the formal introduction of Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s nominee for SDOT director, Greg Spotts. We covered the announcement three weeks ago. This is only the first discussion, with other meetings/hearings leading up to an expected confirmation vote in early September, around the time he is expected to start the job. The packet attached to the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting includes more information about Spotts, who’s been working in the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services. His resume says he’s been in that department for almost 10 years, after three years in the L.A. Mayor’s Office, two years with the consulting firm McKinsey & Company, and 17 years as founder and president of what his resumé describes as an “entertainment company managing the careers of record producers and engineers.” In his past 10 years at the city, his projects are listed as:
• Founding member of citywide Vision Zero Executive Steering Committee. Launched pedestrian refuge island program constructing 10-20 islands per year
• Launched Great Streets, Biodiversity Medians + Streets Along Park Edges programs
• Launched bikeway inspection, cleaning, maintenance and repaving program
• Launched Street Tree Inventory project including public-facing online tree map
• Launched Cool Pavement initiative + obtained $30M Cooling and Mobility Grant
• Tech & Innovation:
o Purchased agency’s first Plug-In Vehicles including an all-electric sweeper for zero-carbon sweeping of downtown’s protected bike lanes. Led agency’s deployment of GPS vehicle locators and GIS mapping of sweeping routes.
o Optimized completion times for pothole repairs and tree emergencies by deploying tablets to crews and supervisors. Member of winning team for 2015 GovTech.com “Outstanding IT Project” award (for MyLA311 launch)
The packet notes that his starting salary will be $252,000. Tomorrow’s meeting is at 9:30 am; the agenda explains how to attend/comment, online or in-person.
Thanks for the tips! The renowned breakfast/lunch/brunch restaurant mini-chain Portage Bay Café is expanding to West Seattle. In the past few days, we’ve heard from multiple readers who were dining at one of their existing locations (Ballard, South Lake Union, on Roosevelt, on 65th) and saw printed evidence (one example above) of the plan to come here. However, nothing indicated where in West Seattle they’d be opening. So this morning we reached Portage Bay Café president/co-founder John Gunnar by phone. He confirmed the West Seattle plan and said they’re not ready to announce the location – though he had a hint: The Junction area. They could go public with the location in a week or so, and if all goes well, they could be open in October. Gunnar said customers have long been suggesting they expand to West Seattle, and with the bridge expected to reopen soon, the time is right. If you haven’t been to Portage Bay Café, here’s the current menu. Their motto is “Eat like you give a damn” and they opened their first location (Roosevelt) 25 years ago.
One more gunfire incident to report from last night – this time from the SPD report summaries: Around 11:30 pm in the 7500 block of 35th SW, 911 callers reported “hearing 4 shots and a vehicle speeding away,” according to the summary. Police found a driver who told them he was heading southbound on 35th SW when a black Mercedes came up to pass them in the turn lane, and shot at them while doing so. No injuries but, the report says, the “victim’s vehicle was struck one time, incapacitating the vehicle.” Officers found evidence of gunfire and also a Metro bus driver who saw what happened; investigators were checking to see if the bus camera(s) recorded anything related.
(Cooper’s Hawk, photographed in Arbor Heights by Mark)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:
BLOCK DROP: Today’s Block Drop spot to pick up and return equipment for a DIY community cleanup is the north play area at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), until 6 pm.
WADING POOLS: Three local city-run wading pools will open today, EC Hughes at 2805 SW Holden noon-7 pm; same hours for South Park at 8319 8th Ave. S. And Lincoln Park at 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, noon-7 too. (The Highland Park spraypark continues its daily schedule, 11 am-8 pm, 1100 SW Cloverdale.)
COLMAN POOL: Colman Pool on the Lincoln Park shore is also open noon-7 pm.
(added) COMMUNITY SUP PADDLE: 6-8 pm with Alki Kayak Tours (1660 Harbor SW) – details here.
CRAFTING AND CREATIVITY NIGHT: 6-10 pm at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), explained in our calendar listing.
CHIEF SEALTH ALL-SPORTS OPEN HOUSE: All incoming Chief Sealth International High School students interested in playing one or more sports this school year are invited to an open house tonight at the school’s galleria, 6:30-7:30 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)
COMEDY: Get your laughs tonight at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way), 7 pm, with Susan Rich headlining. Past comedy shows at OOTR have sold out – so hurry to see if tickets remain. Link’s in our calendar listing.
MEDITATION: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation event at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm.
PLAY PINBALL, FREE! The Admiral Pub‘s 16 pinball machines are open for free play 7-10 pm Mondays. (2306 California SW)
PLAY TRIVIA! Three scheduled options tonight for trivia players – 7 pm at Best of Hands (35th/Webster), 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7:30 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Have something to add to our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
A little over three weeks till the new school year, and some are looking ahead to starting school for the very first time. One mom is hoping to start connecting with other families in advance, and asked us to help get the word out:
Hi neighbors! We have a soon-to-be kindergartener at West Seattle Elementary School and would love to meet some more students and make connections before the school year starts. To start us off, I’d like to invite families with soon-to-be kindergarteners at West Seattle Elementary School to come play with us at Walt Hundley Playground on Sunday, August 21st from 10 am-12 pm. If you can’t make this time but are interested in getting together at a different time, please contact me. lisaharper918@gmail.com
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, August 15th.
WEATHER
Sunny and warm again today, with a high around 80 (Sunday’s high was 82).
FERRIES, BUSES, WATER TAXI
Ferries: WSF remains on the 2-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
Metro buses are on their regular weekday schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule.
ROAD WORK
Spot repaving on California SW north of Admiral Way could start this week.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
876th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. 34 days until the day SDOT expects to reopen it, September 18th.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use until the high bridge reopens; 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 (camera’s back!):
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way (camera’s back!):
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
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, many with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
(Added: SFD photo)
2:17 AM: Seattle Fire is at the scene of another “full response” – this time a house fire in the 4000 block of 35th SW [vicinity map]. Updates to come.
2:20 AM: Firefighters told dispatch this apparently started as an electrical fire and they think they have it pretty close to handled.
2:25 AM: Or not. They’re telling dispatch that the fire has spread to the attic.
2:32 AM: They’ve declared the fire to be under control.
2:39 AM: No injuries reported so far.
2:57 AM: The Red Cross, which assists fire/disaster victims on request, is being summoned. Meantime, several of the support and medical units sent to the fire are being dismissed.
3:11 AM: Firefighters are still working toward fully extinguishing the fire.
3:31 AM: From the original 20 units at the scene, they’re down to five – two engines, one ladder truck, a battalion chief, and investigator.
ADDED TUESDAY NIGHT: Finally got the cause from SFD: “Ruled as ‘accidental,’ caused by a charcoal grill on the deck that had been in use earlier that evening. Total estimated loss is $195,000.”
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