West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
Every holiday season, The Christmas People prepare and serve meals to people in need. To make those meals just a bit sweeter and more festive, they send out a call for people to bake and donate homemade cookies. As mentioned here and in our Holiday Guide, the dropoff spot for your home-baked-cookie contributions this year is West Seattle Coworking‘s south location, 9030 35th SW. But Ross from WSC tells us there’s a change in the dropoff dates from what we were originally given, so we wanted to let you know: Now it’s Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (December 22-24), 9 am-3 pm. Again, homemade cookies only, not store-bought. The Christmas People thank you! (Image from Pixabay)
With icy streets and sidewalks, you might not want to go out looking at lights until things warm up in a few days, but we’ll keep showing them. What’s special about this display is what you can’t see – music! It’s in the 8600 block of 31st SW [vicinity map], and was recommended by Dianna.
Scroll through past spotlights here, and send suggestions (with or without photos) to westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(Preferred ‘massing’ – size and shape – for project, from draft design packet)
With far fewer major projects in the pipeline these days, the Southwest Design Review Board‘s meetings are few and far between – just three this year. The first meeting for next year has just been scheduled. The board will get an “early design guidance” look at what will be Aegis Living‘s second West Seattle senior-living complex on January 19th. We first told you in July about this new plan for the long-vacant, often-vandalized ex-strip-mall and ex-restaurant properties in the 5200 block of California SW, formerly proposed for townhouses. The project will go to the board with the address 5252 California SW. The project file includes this description given to people living near the site during a September-October outreach period:
A six-story*, 100 sft building, offering 100+ assisted living and memory care apartments.
The ground level will include a variety of amenities and gathering spaces for residents and visitors such as a grand living room, activity room, dining, a movie theater, retail and more.
The second floor will include 45+ parking spaces for visitors and staff.
Floors 3-6 will include residential apartments for assisted living and memory care. The sixth floor will also host a sky lounge for residents to enjoy.
This West Seattle community will be built to meet the rigorous standards of the Living Building Challenge Petal Certification through the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). The Living Building Challenge defines itself as the world’s most ambitious and advanced performance standard for green, resilient, and healthy buildings.
*A sixth level will be granted as part of participation in the Living Building Challenge and meeting the sustainable design criteria set forth.
Aegis says it’s already developed one project to Living Building Challenge standards, in Lake Union. (In West Seattle, the PCC Community Markets [WSB sponsor] rebuild was also an LBC project.) Also, when we last asked Aegis about the plan, we were told that “existing street trees would be preserved.” You can see the draft design packet here – remember that the “early design guidance” phase focuses on the size and shape of the building, so this (and the image atop this story) is not the fully detailed proposal. Find out more at the 5 pm meeting on Thursday, January 19th, which will be online (watch this page for the link).
JANUARY 1 UPDATE: The meeting’s been moved to 7 pm February 2nd.
(WSB photos)
Not only can you get a pic with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus at the Menashe Family Lights tonight – you can meet real reindeer too.
As featured in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, they’re visiting until about 9 pm at the 5605 Beach Drive SW house famous for thousands of Christmas lights. The two reindeer are from Rainier Reindeer Ranch, which is based in Buckley (near Mount Rainier), part of a herd of 40 reindeer.
By the way, if you’re thinking about going tonight, Beach Drive road conditions were good – the most challenging spot we drove – using arterials to get there – was California SW just south of Admiral Way, crunchy thanks to frozen snow.
1:49 PM: The snow has stopped – or at least paused – but temperatures are dropping, so what we have is likely to linger. Here’s our previous coverage; now we’re launching an afternoon report for weather-related info/updates. General advice remains, if you have to go out, avoid hilly streets – that’s where most of the trouble has been reported.
WEATHER/TRAFFIC RESOURCES (updated 4:13 pm)
National Weather Service (current alert expires at 2 pm)
SDOT Winter Weather Response map (where streets have been plowed/sanded/salted and how recently)
West Seattle traffic cams
Citywide traffic cams
King County traffic cams (choose “south” tab for White Center)
Metro on snow routes and has as of late afternoon suspended routes 55, 56, 57, 125
OTHER CLOSURES/CHANGES (updated 3:36 pm)
Residential trash/recycling collection delayed one day
Senior Center of West Seattle closed
Community School of West Seattle closed
South Park Library closed
SPL update: All neighborhood library branches closing at 5 pm
If you have anything to add, from a road report to a business/event change, westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you! Updates to come.
2 PM: Deep puddle reported in the southbound lanes of the 1900 block of Harbor SW; city crews have been notified.
2:58 PM: No further snow, but the temperature’s below freezing. … One note from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – we’ve reconfirmed that the reindeer and Santa/Mrs. Claus appearance at Menashe Family Lights (5605 Beach Drive SW) 5-9 pm tonight IS still on.
4:11 PM: We’re continuing to add updates to the lists above but wanted to note this here too: Metro has just officially suspended routes including West Seattle’s 55, 56, 57, and 125 for the PM commute period.
5:15 PM: No traffic problems reported in the area, and no new snow, but it’s icy. Tonight’s low is expected to be in the 20s; tomorrow’s high might not even make it to 30; and the Wednesday night low could drop into the teens. But by Christmas Eve – rain and almost 50.
With trucks getting stuck on hills as mentioned in our weather coverage, it’s no surprise that this was just announced by Seattle Public Utilities:
Due to winter weather conditions, there will be delayed residential garbage, recycling, and food/yard waste pickup in Seattle for customers in Seattle today, Tuesday, Dec. 20 through the rest of the week. SPU’s Haz Waste sites and stations are closed to customers today, Tuesday Dec. 20 and will attempt to reopen tomorrow, weather permitting.
Weather and road conditions permitting, garbage, recycling, and food/yard waste service will resume Wednesday, December 21, 2022 on a revised schedule — with customers scheduled for pickup today, Tuesday, collected tomorrow. All remaining residential services will be delayed one day this week. For example, if your regular collection day is Friday, your garbage, recycling, and food/yard waste will be collected on Saturday this week. Customers should be sure to have their containers out by 7 am to ensure collection.
If your materials are not picked up by the end of the following day, please put them out on your next regularly scheduled pickup day. Customers missed this week will be allowed to set out double their normal amount of garbage, recycling, and yard waste at no additional charge, on their next scheduled collection day.
(We’re updating this story through the noon hour and will switch over to afternoon coverage after that – scroll down for updates)
9:44 AM: Thanks to Debra Salazar Herbst for the tip and photo from Alki – it’s snowing in north West Seattle.
Here’s the “live” image from the California/Admiral traffic cam:
9:59 AM: And now it’s turning to mostly snow here on the Gatewood/Upper Fauntleroy line.
10:19 AM: Metro says all buses are now on snow routing.
10:32 AM: SDOT is out – we’ve heard a plow truck just around our corner, and the SDOT Winter Weather Response map verifies where they’ve been most recently. Reminder if you’re new, they don’t plow side streets – just pre-designated main routes (also outlined on the map, as well as here). Meantime, Caity Gerhardt sent this photo from Highland Park:
Photos always welcome – westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you! … Traffic report: 35th/Hudson treacherous, per SPD dispatch saying SFD is asking SDOT for plow attention there.
11:01 AM: Thanks for the photos from Sylvan Way, where things are bollixed right now, with a stuck trash/recycling truck among other problems. The photo above is from Sam, who’s trying to get to her Junction shop Fleurt to open it for the day but is stuck on Sylvan. … Where we are, the snow has stopped for now, so perhaps SDOT will be able to catch up with trouble spots soon.
11:17 AM: Texter reports that “Highland Park hill is super-icy and several cars pulled over, having to turn around. Several cars are stalled on the hill as well.” … Update from Sam on Sylvan Way: “The truck driver stuck in the ditch has been directing traffic. Sylvan Way is down to 1 lane, somewhat passable right now when people drive on the curb,” though it’s still “really backed up.”
11:29 AM: Update from Sam – SDOT sanded Sylvan and pushed the dump truck out – both lanes now open. … Weather update: NWS has now shortened the Winter Weather Advisory to expire at 2 pm, so they’re not expecting much more snow. … Our Highland Park Way tipster says the hill’s just been closed and that a solid-waste truck’s stuck there.
12 PM: Kersti Muul reports a truck vs. pole crash at 47th/Admiral.
12:25 PM: As published separately, SPU has now announced solid-waste pickup is a day delayed this week. Also: Community School of West Seattle is closing and asking families to pick up their kids. In The Junction, Fleurt is now open, and reporting that Menashe & Sons Jewelers and CAPERS also are open, if you can get out to shop safely – shop local! … The traffic camera at the bottom of Highland Park Way hill shows it’s at least partly reopened.
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Earlier:
6:02 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, December 20th. The weather alert was downgraded overnight to a Winter Weather Advisory – not so snowy after all, at least in Seattle.
WEATHER
Today’s forecast as a result: Rain/snow mix more likely than outright snow, high in the upper 30s.
TODAY’S TRANSIT STATUS
–Metro is still down buses for repairs and is suspending some routes again today, but as was the case Monday, no West Seattle routes were on the initial list. Keep watching notification channels such as @kcmetroalerts for trip cancellations and route suspensions. (Also, no snow routing anywhere in the county. 10 AM UPDATE: Some reroutes in all areas – follow that same link to see if your bus is affected.)
-The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule.
-WSF’s Triangle Route remains on its two-boat schedule- check here for alerts/updates.
STREETS & SPOTLIGHT CAMERAS
(Just for reference, here’s the SDOT Winter Weather Response map – nothing going on this past hour.)
New Delridge cameras: As reported here, three have been added; four more are on the way. Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also up at Delridge/Oregon and Delridge/Orchard.
High Bridge – here’s the camera at the top.
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way).
Low Bridge: Or nearby, depending on where SDOT points the camera.
1st Ave. S. Bridge: The south route.
Highway 99: Here’s the northbound side at Lander.
All functional city traffic cams can be seen here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page … Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.
If you see a problem on the roads/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
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