West Seattle, Washington
27 Thursday
11:54 PM: A crash on the westbound West Seattle Bridge is blocking most lanes near the Admiral Way exit. No injuries, according to SFD, so its units are clearing quickly, but police remain on scene and are arranging for at least one tow truck.
12:33 AM: Haven’t heard or seen an all-clear, but the live camera shows the bridge traffic flow moving normally.
12:49 AM: Not clear yet. Officers just told dispatch they’re temporarily diverting all WB traffic off the bridge at Admiral.
1:02 AM: Reopened, police just informed dispatch.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Community-group meeting seldom have surprise endings. Wednesday night’s District 1 Community Network meeting did, as a scheduled discussion about logistics quickly pivoted into a disbandment decision.
More on that later. First, here’s what else happened:
HIGHLAND PARK WAY HILL PROJECT: James Le from SDOT, who led the project presentation and discussion at HPAC last month (WSB coverage here), did the same at the D1CN meeting. He was joined by project teammate Willow Russell. We’ve written about this project several times since it emerged four weeks ago – four years after SDOT decided to shelve a possible uphill bike lane for the stretch. Le recapped the three options – all of which would replace the current outside downhill vehicle lane: A protected bike lane, a multi-use path, or eventually both. This was the last scheduled public presentation during the feedback period, which is scheduled to close in a week.
After a relatively short presentation, the SDOT reps fielded questions.
If you’re interested in taking your little ones to organized storytimes, take note of these additions to the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
READ-ALOUDS AT SEOLA POND: Isabelle, a teacher who lives in Arbor Heights, is hosting “community read-alouds” for kids and their chaperones at Seola Pond three times a month through August. The first one is tomorrow (Saturday, June 8) at 10 am. “All ages and family members are welcome – I recommend bringing a blanket to sit on and be ready to make lots of friends with other kiddos.” Other dates are June 15, 29; July 2, 16, 27; August 10, 14, 24 – all at 10 am. If you haven’t been to Seola Pond before, here’s where to find it.
PRIDE STORYTIMES: Miss Lacey, a local nanny, is hosting Pride storytimes this month and has set the first date – 4:30 pm tomorrow at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond). She says all ages are welcome; dates and times for two more Pride storytimes later this month are yet to be announced.
STORIES AND MORE WITH THE REAL PURRDIE BURRDIE: Storytelling is part of four family-fun events that West Seattle artist and author Danitra Hunter – creator of the Purrdie Burrdie character – will be presenting at local parks, four consecutive Saturdays, 1-5 pm, starting June 22. We’ll take a closer look at her plan as this gets closer but you can set your calendar, for starters.
(added 10:49 pm) STORYTIMES AT THE BEE GARDEN: Thanks to Lisa for sending this after seeing our original mention of the three above! Per this announcement, Seattle Public Library librarians will be at the West Seattle Bee Garden (Lanham/Graham) at 10:30 am Saturday mornings in June for outdoor storytimes.
Congratulations to eight more headed-for-college student-athletes! The report and photo are from West Seattle High School athletic director Corey Sorenson:
We had our Spring Senior Signing Day for West Seattle High School the other day. In photo, left to right:
Marisela Giomi – Competitive Cheer: Northern Arizona University
Carmen Cruz – Women’s Basketball: University of Puget Sound
Aleister Alfstad – Men’s Soccer: Lewis & Clark College
Devon Ghali – Men’s Soccer: Lakeland University
Nate Schiavo – Men’s Basketball: Grays Harbor College
Milo Stover – Men’s Golf: Bellevue College
Sabin Tomlinson – Men’s Baseball: Long Beach City College
John Langen – Men’s Baseball: Wenatchee Valley College
(WSB photo, 2023 Loop the ‘Lupe)
If you were waiting to make weekend activity decisions – one last reminder that tomorrow (Saturday, June 8) brings Seattle’s only obstacle-course 5K, right here on the peninsula – Loop the ‘Lupe. It’s actually five events – your choice of which one to be part of – with start times staggered over two hours (11 am to 1 pm) at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle): Elite Wave of the obstacle-course 5K at 11 am, Family Wave of the obstacle-course 5K at 11:40 am, fun-run (obstacle-free) 5K at noon, Senior Saunter walk at 12:15 pm, Youth Dash at 1 pm. You can still register online – the prices and individual event signup links are here. You can also go to the field to cheer the runners/walkers and join the celebration, with live music plus food and beverages available for purchase. Loop the ‘Lupe (for which WSB is media sponsor again this year) raises money for Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s community-outreach work (as explained here).
(Photos courtesy Duwamish Rowing Club)
The Duwamish Rowing Club wants you to know it’s relaunching its program for high-school students this summer! From the announcement:
Duwamish Rowing Club is a volunteer-led organization dedicated to providing affordable rowing opportunities on Seattle’s only river. Our organization operates on a site generously donated by a neighbor to introduce rowing to the youth in our community and cultivate a space that fosters discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and enhances personal growth and self-confidence. Our adult rowers support our youth programs by donating time and subsidizing program costs.
During the pandemic, our youth rowing program was temporarily halted. In February 2024, our volunteers relaunched our youth rowing team through a partnership with Rainier Prep Middle School, a charter school a few minutes from our boat house. Throughout winter and spring, a sixteen-week rowing program introduced 16 students to rowing, first through an eight-week on-land coached program utilizing rowing machines at their middle school, followed by another eight-week on-water coached program. Financial support from the George Pocock Rowing Foundation allowed us to hire our new coaches, Lead Youth Coach McKenna Niemer and assistant youth coach Jay Olson. The Washington State Parks Boater Program donated 24 life vests to help us meet our safety requirements to welcome students to not only the Duwamish River, but also to the greater rowing community.
This June, we are shifting our focus to high school athletes, offering a new introductory summer program to get new rowers ready for our fall rowing season.
You can read more of what they’ve done so far and what’s ahead by going here. This flyer has information on two sessions for teens this summer, including dates and costs.
1:30 PM: “All opinions are welcome.” That declaration is part of the invitation on the flyer for Rethink the Link‘s “route walk” of the proposed Delridge light-rail station vicinity (and beyond) on Sunday. They’re looking ahead to a community forum requested by King County Executive and Sound Transit Board of Directors chair Dow Constantine (we checked with ST this week and there’s no date set for that yet). They’ll be gathering at the West Seattle Health Club (28th/Andover) at 10 am Sunday (June 9). The map is on the group’s website in case you can’t join the walk or prefer to explore on your own. The group in general contends there are better alternatives for moving more West Seattleites across the Duwamish River, such as improving existing transit service. The Sound Transit Board is on a track to finalize a light rail route later this year, but first the agency has to release the Final Environmental Impact Statement, expected in the next few months. This is the second major public “route walk” that Rethink the Link has offered since it formed last year.
3:04 PM: This afternoon, Sound Transit sent its email list a note reiterating what we noted above – no date yet for the West Seattle light-rail final EIS to be published. From that email:
… We expect to publish the Final EIS later this year, which will include responses to comments received on the Draft EIS. While we’re getting close, we do not have a date set for publication yet. We will share more information about specific timing for the availability of the Final EIS when we can.
After the Final EIS is published, the Sound Transit Board will select the project to be built. Their decision will consider the years of technical study and public engagement since 2018. In the past, we gathered your feedback through station planning and neighborhood forum events, scoping and Draft EIS comment periods, community briefings, and one-on-one meetings. Following the Board’s decision and the Record of Decision by the Federal Transit Administration, the project will move into the design phase.
What is the design phase? The design phase will focus on advancing detailed design of the guideway and stations and preparing for construction. This includes refining what the facilities will look like, how the stations fit within neighborhoods, and how people will move through the station. We look forward to engaging with you as the design advances. …
Unusual sight on the seawall in the Alki area this morning – a possum! Thanks to Stewart L. for the photo. Nicola also told us about it this morning, and then we heard from local wildlife helper Kersti Muul, who says she’s been to the shore to assess it but it’s moved down to the rocks, has “normal gait” and “is preening,” so it doesn’t seem to be in need of help and will be left alone. Don’t know much about possums (aka opossums)? Here’s the WDFW infopage.
(Seen at low-low tide Thursday – photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead – from the WSB inbox and Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE DISCOVERY SHOP SALE: 50 percent off everything in the store today and tomorrow, 10 am-4:30 pm, raising money for the American Cancer Society. (4535 California SW)
SSC GARDEN CENTER: Plants await you at the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus, until 3 pm.
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open 11 am-8 pm. Free! (1100 SW Cloverdale)
LOW-LOW TIDE: Out to -3.3 feet at 12:02 pm (here’s the monthly tide table). Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are at Constellation and Lincoln Parks, 9:30 am-1:30 pm.
VISCON CELLARS: The tasting room/wine bar is open tonight for wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm – at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
AT THE SKYLARK: Eve’s Black Heart, Hypno-techs, Mutual Stoke, Pink Steam. 7 pm, $15 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Gary Benson & Ellen Reed at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW), 7 pm, no cover.
SHOWCASE AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.
‘CLYDE’S’ AT ARTSWEST: 7:30 pm performance for the new play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) – “In this 2022 Tony Award®-Nominated Best Play, creating the perfect sandwich is the shared quest of the formerly incarcerated kitchen staff of Clyde’s, a truck-stop cafe.” Find the ticket link and more info in our calendar listing.
DJ AT REVELRY ROOM: DJ Jules Esquire, 9 pm-1 am! (4547 California SW)
ROCK-N-ROLLER SKATE: “Make It Loud!” returns at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), roller skating to live bands, featuring Thrones, DEAD (all the way from Australia), Von Wildenhaus. $18 cover, $5 skate.
LATE-NIGHT SINGING: 10 pm karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
REMINDER – EARLY CLOSING TIME CONTINUES AT ALKI: Through late September, the park officially closes at 10:30 pm.
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Recent ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ production, photo by Kent Cohen)
Before we get to today’s happenings, in case you haven’t already seen this one in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, it’s your next chance to support student theater. With budget cuts, Chief Sealth International High School Drama has to raise money to carry on, so a fun(draiser)’s coming up a week from tomorrow:
SUPPORT CHIEF SEALTH HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA!
Saturday, June 15, 2024 – 2:00-5:00 pm – “Behind the Curtain” theatre tour, performances, food, and art-sale fundraiser
Featuring over 90 pieces of art (paintings, drawings and collages on paper) for sale by noted California artist Barbara Embree
Full theater tour including backstage, Little Theater, and tech/costume room (where YOU can sign The Wall that students have been signing since the ’60s!), no-extra-charge raffle of art piece and gift certificate to local restaurants, live music AND a performance of Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s (Hamilton) wonderful and provocative 15-minute musical “21 Chump Street” in the Little Theater at 3:30 pm
Come and support Sealth Drama and let us take you on a dramatic journey you won’t forget!
$20 Sealth Family Members (current students and family members) $35 Everyone Elsebayfestsealththeatrecompany.ludus.com
If you can’t attend but would like to donate, you can use the same website! Just click the “Donate” tab on the green menu bar at the top of the page. And Thank You!
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, June 7.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Sunny, high in the low 70s.. Today’s sunrise was at 5:12 am; sunset will be at 9:04 pm.
(Thursday sunrise, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
WEEKEND ALERT & ONGOING ROAD WORK
*The Highway 99 tunnel is closing both ways from 10 pm tonight until 6 am Saturday.
*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon:
*Beach Drive: Gas-pipeline work.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check for advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Later-night runs tonight and Saturday. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route; check WSF alerts for last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Low bridge: Here’s the main view:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are open for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
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