West Seattle, Washington
06 Thursday
11:08 PM: Yet another street-blocking crash of note. This time, police and fire are in the 4200 block of Beach Drive, where it’s reported that the driver of a Subaru Crosstrek hit a parked Ford Bronco, after which the Crosstrek caught fire. No report of injuries so far but Beach Drive is reported to be blocked both ways.
11:29 PM: Thanks to the readers who’ve sent video from the scene. The clip above was texted by Janna.
11:36 PM: Officers just told dispatch that the street is open again.
Three Little Birds proprietor Jennifer Young sent that photo to show that her shop’s new location at 3270 California SW is ready to go, and it’ll be open to shoppers tomorrow (Saturday, February 1) – 10 am to 5:30 pm. “Grand Opening Event coming soon!” At the new location, Three Little Birds will be in the same building as Young’s other shops, Alair and Dylan. She announced the new location about a month ago. Meantime, the spot that Three Little Birds vacated at 4736 California SW is now listed as available for lease.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
SDOT is out with the plan for what it’s going to do with funding from the first year of the $1.55 billion Transportation Levy that Seattle voters passed in November.
After releasing the plan (read it here) this afternoon, SDOT managers – including director Greg Spotts, on his second-to-last day on the job – hosted a media briefing online. They gave an overview you can peruse in this slide deck; we went through the plan itself for every West Seattle reference we could find.
First, you should note that what’s in the plan is NOT everything SDOT will be doing this year. There are many projects that use non-levy funding. For example, District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s proposal to change the configuration of Delridge Way near a RapidRide H Line stop by the Refugee and Immigrant Family Center Preschool is not in it – but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. We’ve been asking SDOT and Metro about that project’s status, and what they tell us is what SDOT managers said during today’s briefing – the two agencies are talking about what’s possible, although SDOT still believes that what’s there now – which includes a hardened raised median – is safe, because that’s what it was designed to be. Because they’re in early conversations, there’s no specific plan nor timeline yet, and they expect to consider “a universe of solutions.”
Now, back to what IS in the 2025 levy-spending plan for West Seattle – no details yet beyond these basic descriptions:
-The SW Brandon sidewalk, also something Councilmember Saka has mentioned repeatedly, from 26th to 30th, is mentioned as an “anticipated initial project”
-“Alki Traffic Calming,” described as planned for 60th, 61st, and 62nd between Admiral Way and Alki Avenue, with construction expected to start in 2025
-Two other “traffic calming” projects listed as expected to “start planning” in 2025 – 49th Ave SW and SW Graham St (scene of a deadly crash last year) and SW Henderson at Westcrest Park
-Sylvan Way SW (High Point Dr to Sylvan Heights Dr Mid-Block, noted as a “high-collision safety project”
-16th Ave SW–SW Brandon St (Trailhead) to SW Henderson St, noted as a “traffic-calming project”
-26th Ave SW–SW Barton St to SW Roxbury St, noted as a “traffic-calming project”
-SW Trenton St–35th Ave SW to Delridge Way SW, noted as a “traffic-calming project”
-“Safe Routes to School” projects for Highland Park, Lafayette, and West Seattle Elementaries, plus Madison Middle School and Pathfinder K-8
-Evaluation of potential paving projects (as previously reported) for 35th SW between SW Alaska and SW Morgan, Olson Pl SW/1st Ave S: 2nd Ave SW to SW Cloverdale, and/or Fauntleroy Way in The Triangle
-Asphalt spot paving for 35th Ave SW between SW 106th and SW 108th, SW Orchard between Delridge and Dumar
-Concrete spot paving for 16th SW between Myrtle and Holly, Delridge Way between Genesee and Dakota, SW Alaska between Fauntleroy Way and 38th
-“Transit spot improvements” including asphalt paving on SW Oregon between California and 44th (Routes 50 and 128)
-“Advance key connections to future Link light rail stations in coordination with partner agencies” on SW Alaska
-Start sidewalk design for SW Hudson St between Delridge and 26th
-Sidewalk repairs at California/Edmunds
-Curb ramps on 16th SW at South Seattle College, Brandon, Holden; at 36th/Andover; at 39th/Genesee; at 49th/Raymond; at 47th/Frontenac; at 55th/Manning; at 60th/Admiral
-Stairway repairs at 21st/Dakota
-Crossing improvements at Delridge/Alaska, 29th/Brandon, 9th/Henderson, 28th/Thistle; start designing improvements for Delridge/Cloverdale
-“Major signal maintenance” at 26th/Roxbury and California/Erskine/Edmunds (which is also slated for a pedestrian-accessibility improvement)
-Signal timing at 47th/Admiral (described as fiber-network expansion)
-Neighborhood greenway listed as “Alki Point Phase 2”
-Protected bike lane on Highland Park Way between West Marginal and Holden (“start design” this year – this is the “lane conversion” project that’s undergone much community discussion)
-Protected bike lane “upgrades” on Admiral Way between Spokane and Olga (the hill just north of the West Seattle Bridge) and on Andover between Delridge and Avalon
We asked about plans for communicating details of each project; SDOT says web info about projects will be available when they’re further along the path to construction. Meantime, this plan is scheduled to be discussed with the council’s Transportation Committee, which Councilmember Saka chairs, on February 18th. SDOT says it’ll have a spending plan to present at the start of each year of the levy’s eight-year life, and that an oversight committee will be appointed for this levy, as has been the case for others.
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For the second time this afternoon, a crash is under investigation involving a car and school bus. This time it’s at (updated) 4th/Roxbury and we’re told traffic is “a mess” as a result. This one’s being investigated by King County Sheriff’s Deputies so we don’t have as much info as we would if it were in the city limits, but Metro has issued a bus reroute alert.
Though the bowling business has had its challenges, it’s a growth industry for the owners of West Seattle Bowl. They’re about to add another bowling facility to the family – co-owner Mike Gubsch told WSB that they close tomorrow on the purchase of Secoma Lanes in Federal Way. We learned about this while photographing Mike at HomeStreet Bank-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) this morning for the prize drawing ending WS Bowl’s spotlight this month at the bank:
(WSB photos. Above, WS Bowl co-owner Mike Gubsch at center, with HomeStreet’s Sharon Lingbloom and Andrew Tento)
As we’ve noted before, HomeStreet spotlights a local business/organization customer every month, and bank visitors can enter a prize drawing held at month’s end. (Today’s drawing was for a $100 WS Bowl gift card!) So we asked Mike what’s new, and he told us about the Federal Way deal. Secoma Lanes will keep its name, he said – it has almost as much history in its community (more than 60 years!) as WS Bowl has here (more than 75 years, as noted on this T-shirt displayed during the HomeStreet showcase!).
P.S. West Seattle Bowl is hosting a big tournament this weekend, the Espresso Cup.
3:35 PM: A collision reported to involve a car and school bus is blocking the intersection at 28th/Holden. No word yet about injuries, if any.
3:42 PM: The one SFD unit sent to the scene has already cleared, which means no serious injuries, if any (we’ll be following up). They’re also getting some traffic through – Metro buses, at least – after telling dispatch the bus was able to move to the side of the street.
5:33 PM: SFD says no injuries were reported.
Reported to us via text, a stolen trailer to watch for:
STOLEN on 7300 Block of 35th Ave SW.
*2025 Black 5×8 enclosed with drop door ramp and side doors
*WA plate…. A8120132
*Police report # 25-28848
The trailer is brand new, the owner tells us. Call 911 if you find it.
The report and photos are from Evan at Lady Jaye in The Junction, burglarized just before 5:30 this morning:
A couple of guys broke into Lady Jaye last night at 5:30 am. They broke through the back door, busted into the office and stole staff tips, cash, checkbooks and booze.
Thankfully they didn’t totally trash the place and we will be open tonight with a little cleanup … There seems to be a lot of activity on California Ave these last few days.
Lady Jaye is on the west side of the 4500 block of California SW; on Thursday, we reported on incidents targeting HVAC equipment outside two buildings on the same side of the 4400 block.
UPDATE: Police report # for the Lady Jaye break-in is 25-028731.
West Seattle families and students are back from their trip to Olympia for Thursday’s Day of Advocacy for education funding, part of the “Billion-Dollar Bake Sale” campaign. We asked a local leader, Gatewood Elementary parent/advocate Megan Fisher, how it went and whether she could share photos – here’s her report:
The Billion Dollar Bake Sale in Olympia was a huge success. We had about 400 people down at the Tivoli Fountain on the Capitol Campus rallying for public education funding, we heard from many speakers at the rally, including State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, who reminded the crowd that it is the Legislature’s constitutional duty to fully fund public schools and we are underfunding K-12 education each year by $4 Billion. We heard from educators, students, school board directors, city council people, and the president of the WEA (Washington Education Association).
We had representation from many West Seattle Schools including an incredible amount of Gatewood Elementary parents and students and parents and students from Genesee Hill Elementary School, Pathfinder K-8, Lafayette Elementary, and West Seattle Elementary were represented from West Seattle.
Gatewood Elementary also sent their 5th graders down on a field trip with Principal Kyna Hogg and it was an incredibly invigorating day for advocacy. The students on the field trip and the parents and students who came down from Gatewood got to meet with Representative Joe Fitzgibbon and Representative Brianna Thomas in the rotunda of the capitol building – the “Gatewood Gator Chant” could be heard echoing through the rotunda of the capitol building – it was a really magical moment! “We’re Gatewood Gators through and through, we’re safe and kind in all we do, we’re responsible, you know it’s true, we’re Gatewood Gators through and through, CHOMP, CHOMP CHOMP!!” in addition to chanting “no more crumbs, fund our schools!” ]
The Senate passed three bills yesterday related to funding education that are on their way to the Ways and Means Committee for approval now and it seems like public support for education funding is proving to be successful!
The organizers of the statewide Billion-Dollar Bake Sale campaign were impressed with the incredible showing of support from the West Seattle community.
With the weekend in view, here are notes for today/tonight, mostly from the West Seattle Event Calendar:
DONATION DRIVE’S FINAL DAY: Dave Newman State Farm Insurance Agency (3425 California SW) is accepting warm clothes and nonperishable food through today. The agency, a longtime WSB sponsor, is open until 5 pm.
OPENING DAY: Today is the official opening day for Happy Lemon‘s second West Seattle shop (2718 Alki SW), after several days of soft-opening.
STAY ‘N’ PLAY: 10 am-11:30 am free drop-in indoor play at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd): “Stay ‘N’ Play is our Friday morning open gym for infants and preschool kids. We open up our lower level with games, toys, a bouncy house and more for kids to run and play.”
BABY STORY TIME: Noon at Delridge Library, for little ones up to 2 years old, and their parents/caregivers. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
QI GONG AT VIVA ARTS: Fridays at 12:15 pm – info in our calendar listing. (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW)
AT THE CLAY CAULDRON: Make handbuilt animals with Kirsten, 6-9 pm. Our calendar listing explains how to sign up. (5214 Delridge Way SW)
SKI FILM: “Enjoying the Up” screens (update) at 8 pm at the VFW Hall (3601 SW Alaska), across from event organizer Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) – ticket link is in our calendar listing.
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: Apology Wars, Energy Pyramid, Garden of Agony perform at 8 pm (doors at 7) at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
BASKETBALL: No home games on the schedule tonight.
AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.
REVELRY ROOM DJ: 9 pm, DJ Supreme La Rock tonight! (4547 California SW)
MAKE IT LOUD: Skating to live music at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), doors at 9 pm, $18 cover, $5 skates, 21+. Tonight’s slate: Latin soul night – The Pazific with special guest DJ Sharisse.
If you have something to showcase on our event lists or calendar, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Before we get to our list of what’s happening today, a reminder about one of tomorrow’s events – noprofit Leaps and Bounds Children’s Therapy is hosting a women’s-clothing (and accessories) swap-and-shop event, from 11 AM to 3 PM at 7141 California Ave SW (Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation). To streamline the swap, you can drop off gently used items 10:30 am-4:30 pm today at the WSUU parking lot (look for the designated bin by the sunflower wall). Then on Saturday, here’s how to participate:
Entry on swap day is $20, and proceeds go directly to supporting Leaps and Bounds’ and our West Seattle families. You can purchase tickets in advance as well as a raffle ticket for a chance at early entry to get first pick at the fabulous finds at leapsandboundswa.org/swap
Participants are encouraged to bring gently used women’s clothing (clothes, shoes, purses/accessories) that are clean, in good condition, and free from stains. Be sure to label your donations with your name and contact information in case of any mix-ups. No personal undergarments please.
Leaps and Bounds has been sponsoring WSB this week to get word out even-more widely about the swap.
6:00 AM: Good morning – it’s Friday, January 31, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Rainy and breezy today, high in the upper 40s, possible snow showers tonight. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 7:36 am and 5:09 pm.
TRANSIT
Metro buses – Regular schedule. If we do see snow, check metrowinter.com!
Water Taxi – Also on a regular schedule today.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Salish as the “bonus boat.”
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
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