New signs at Don Armeni Boat Ramp

Thanks to Stewart L. for the tip and the photo above. Part of the city effort to rein in problems along Alki/Harbor Avenues has been signage, and here’s more. He says these signs were installed Friday or early Saturday at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, which has become more of a hotspot for trouble from stunt driving all the way to murder (two unsolved shooting deaths at or near the park in 13 months).

(WSB photo)

Police have been stationed at the park on some nights as well.

P.S. Our archives remind us that this isn’t the first time signage has been added in hopes of tamping down on some problems at the boat-ramp park.

CarDriver July 15, 2024 (1:32 pm)

Unfortunately this won’t stop anyone from engaging in questionable/illegal activities. They’ll simply find another place in WS. Whackamole continues.

Brian July 15, 2024 (1:50 pm)

The note at the bottom is confusing. It implies the gate will magically open if you have a trailer and a boat permit?

Peterman July 15, 2024 (4:26 pm)

If you have a permit you can leave your truck and trailer overnight, I think for up to four days.

Duffy July 15, 2024 (2:41 pm)

Wow, a sign. And it’s orange. Wow.

anonyme July 15, 2024 (4:37 pm)

Yeah, that’ll scare ’em.

TAnderson July 15, 2024 (3:51 pm)

I am afraid this is only slightly better than doing nothing. There are many many signs in this area: speed limit, noise ordinance, no cruising, no parking, etc. that are commonly ignored. Law-abiding citizens who don’t cause the trouble to begin with will probably be the only ones heeding the new signs. I wish that was not the case.

Kyle July 15, 2024 (10:08 pm)

Hear hear. The neighbors keep going along with all these signage and SDOT crime solutions that don’t work and only penalize law abiding citizens who want to visit the area. The real solution is more active engagement from law enforcement of already on the books laws. But that solution takes time and actual follow through from officials. Car stunts, drinking in public, noise complaints, encampments there for months are already illegal. The problem is not me parking my car overnight because I caught the water taxi to meet a friend downtown.

Racer July 15, 2024 (4:34 pm)

This is great! Now those meddling street racers will have to go somewhere without signs!

My two cents July 15, 2024 (6:55 pm)

Let me get this straight – an incident occurred, local community outraged and demand action … one step completed, additional signage … community reaction? Based on the tone of the comments so far …

Roddy3 July 15, 2024 (10:20 pm)

Woo-hoo, a sign! I’m SO excited!

L July 15, 2024 (9:28 pm)

The new sign is very confusing! Don Armeni boat ramp is a lot for vehicles with boat trailers and is not now and never has been intended for car parking. Cars park there every day and night and it has turned into a party park with loud racing cars , burning tires and blasting music. The police are cracking down now and are now giving parking violations for car parking there so beware if you park here and you do not have a boat trailer. The gate is closed around 10 pm or sooner if it gets too rowdy and many cars have been locked in. Time to enforce the rules that have been in place for years!

Confused July 15, 2024 (10:54 pm)

I thought that parking lot was for vehicles with trailers only, so any vehicle without a boat trailer gets ticketed or towed. I think that was the original rules since the lot was created? I might even have even been alittle mad about that back in the day?

TM July 16, 2024 (4:14 am)

The 6am gate opening creates is with regards to the primary function of the site, as a boat launch. Many users who are fiahing want to be on the water up to an hour ahead of sunrise (current sunrise is at 529am). Stacking up boats and trailers at 6am is going to create a mess on Harbor Ave, and cuts out a key window for fishing. And the chinook season opens in 2 days, on Thursday.Beyond that I am happy to see the closure. There have been major issues at both of Seattle’s primary launches (Don Armeni and Eddy Vine/Shilshole) with non-boat traffic and parking, as well as the more serious issues at Alki in the evening. But a 6am/post-sunrise start, in the middle of the summer, two days before the chinook opener is a real fail. Expecting real issues there this week when folks who haven’t caught wind of this change show up starting at 430am.

Silas Elwood July 16, 2024 (5:02 am)

Wonder what their solution will be tomorrow and the next two months when Salmon fishing opens and the gate is locked until 6am. This ramp is the only access with a dock from shilshole to redondo. All these boats and trailers will be stagging and blocking all lanes of traffic if that gate isn’t open by 0400.

Dwg July 16, 2024 (7:50 am)

That sucks. Any respectable fisherman is going to need access to the ramp before sunrise.

Wes Sea Commuter July 16, 2024 (8:56 am)

I’ve often seen them drive over the sidewalk into the lot to get access before sunrise (during my early bike commutes). Perhaps those are the less respectable ones.

TM July 16, 2024 (9:45 am)

Yeah following on DWG’s note- this is a dedicated boat ramp, one of only two major ones in Seattle, and it’s primarily utilized by fishermen/people. This year there is a 3 day chinook season (possibly more dates added), it starts this Thursday. Current sunrise is 529am, most folks will be aiming to launch at 430am +/-.

I am going to assume that the majority of those fishing folks from across our region don’t read the WSB and/or haven’t been made aware of this sudden change through any other channels. So I’d expect a real pre-dawn cluster all along Harbor Ave Thursday, Friday and Saturday minimum.

I’m happy to see attention to the non-boat use problem- I and others purchase yearly boat launch permits for $150+, and have gotten to ramps before where spots are filled with regular cars with no ticketing/regulation, or there are other shenanigans (car photo ops right in front of the ramps for example) and folks giving you the stink eye when you are trying to use the site for it’s intended use. Not to mention the madness in the evenings. But I am also stricken by the utter lack of planning/consideration around the rollout of this plan. Short-notice, literally a couple of days before one of the highest use phases, with a time restriction that would sound reasonable to a layperson but is out of alignment with the primary, paying users. As a start, hopefully they have a plan for the backups that are going to occur this week.

WSB July 16, 2024 (9:57 am)

I’m asking Parks about the “what about early fishing” concerns.
- Silas Elwood July 16, 2024 (11:41 am)
  
  Already spoke with SP&R. They stated that a separate security company is handling the detail of opening and closing the gate and he is going to try to figure out how to get it open earlier. I told him chinook retention opens Thursday and salmon id open into October. Its hard enough with a line of trailers on low tide but if that gate isn’t open by 0330 the line will begin and stretch past saltys. I think they made a decision without forethought.

wetone July 16, 2024 (10:53 am)

TM, well said and agree 100%….City and SDOT continue to penalize law-abiding citizens instead of those causing the issues. This will have impacts for many in the boating community, especially those going fishing and recreational boaters. Many leave before sunrise and or return after sunset….. not well thought out…….

chuck morrisey July 17, 2024 (7:21 pm)

The best fishing is first light. Who ever thought of this should be fired. We pay good money for are licenses. Go ahead and close it until 4am. But once again in this city they punish the law abiding citizens. There already short one section of dock space,but they still want you’re money. Maybe they need a shake up down there.

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