West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
5:56 PM: Thanks for the tip! Seattle City Light says 319 customers in the Brace Point area lost power just before 5:30 pm. That’s the same area where SCL has been working for months on a long-delayed project to replace equipment including buried cables that have factored into past outages. No word yet what’s to blame this time.
1:25 AM MONDAY: Still out, per SCL’s map.
(Diana Spence explained how volunteers use net traps to count coho smolts leaving the creek for saltwater)
It’s the time of spring when students participating in Salmon in the Schools release their school-raised baby salmon into local creeks. One school was joined this week by an elected official. The report is from Judy Pickens of the Fauntleroy Watershed Council, with photos by Dave Gershgorn:
On Wednesday (5/13) 49 kids from the Fauntleroy Children’s Center came in waves to lower Fauntleroy Creek to release 160 coho fry they had been rearing since late December. City Councilmember Rob Saka joined them in putting fish in the water and exploring creek habitat.
(City Councilmember Rob Saka named the coho fry Dennis Hinton dipped for him after his children)
(Volunteers briefed Councilmember Saka about culverts and current concerns in the watershed)
Because culvert construction will be starting soon in the middle reach of the creek, West Seattle schools are not able to release fry as usual this spring and next in Fauntleroy Park.
(Julia Stavnitski pointed out stonefly exoskeletons left behind on a tree near the water
Instead, volunteers with the Fauntleroy Watershed Council are hosting nearly 300 children and teens in the lower creek. Another 450+ students from nine schools are releasing in Longfellow Creek.
We covered one of those release events last month.
By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The Fauntleroy Community Association board met on Tuesday night for their May meeting at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, chaired by FCA president Frank Immel.
Meeting summary below:
SPD UPDATE: Crime prevention specialist Matt Brown and community service officer Jamie Heslin from the Southwest Precinct were in attendance to give an update. Brown started with some year-to-date statistics for 2026, compared to 2025: City-wide crime is down 2 percent, and crime in SW Precinct (West Seattle and South Park) is down 9 percent. For Fauntleroy in particular, Brown said crime is up 34% but the relative numbers are not large (42 incidents YTD compared to 33 last year), with the majority of those incidents being property crimes (only 2 reports of violent crime). Similar to last month’s update, Brown advised neighbors to stay vigilant with securing homes, garages etc to minimize opportunistic theft. For “shots fired” incidents, calls are down 12 percent precinct-wide, with 30 total, 2 of which were in Fauntleroy.
FCA’s Dave Follis noted that on his block, a car was recently stolen (likely with a “Flipper Zero” electronic device) and still hasn’t been recovered, but video evidence has been submitted to SPD. FCA’s Alan Grainger said that he and his neighbors have noticed a significant increase in door-to-door soliciting, to which Brown suggested that although it’s tempting to ignore such visitors and not answer the door, it’s actually preferable to safely acknowledge (through the door or via electronic doorbell speaker) that you’re home, to deter rare instances of “casing.”
Heslin noted that although an SPD “resource fair” had been planned in the near future for the Westside Neighbors Shelter location, it’s being postponed to the fall because the shelter is still closed for renovations. She also said that their staff has been working on encampment outreach in areas such as 18th and Delridge.
Both officers said that SPD and other city agencies will be “all hands on-deck” preparing for and supporting the FIFA World Cup matches and associated events in Seattle in June and July. Finally, Brown noted that SPD’s Jennifer Satterwhite has returned from maternity leave, and Brown is helping with that transition.
FAUNTLEROY/ROSE CROSSING: As we reported last week, representatives from SDOT met with community members (including several from FCA) at Southwest Library to discuss plans for a new crossing near Lincoln Park and the ferry dock at Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Rose Street [map].
FCA members noted that there were mixed views discussed at the meeting, with some in favor of the design but with many attendees raising concerns about a proposed “raised median” as well as unique local considerations (notably U-turn behavior and neighborhood cut-throughs). There were also some concerns about the validity of SDOT’s traffic volume data because of the timing during which it was collected (three mid-day weekdays in October) which could result in the average number of cars being too low to accommodate for peak traffic (such as busy commute times, and Friday afternoons in the summer).
Immel noted that SDOT has indicated that this is a “fast track” project, with the plan being finalized this summer and construction likely beginning by the end of the year, which would likely coincide with another project in the area that involved new traffic signals at the ferry dock (details were discussed in FCA’s April meeting). He said that plans to ask SDOT’s Ching Chan (who was in attendance for last week’s meeting at the library) for an update regarding next-steps and details. He added that Chan had said that SDOT does want to move ahead, but that community input and feedback will factor into the final decisions and plans.
FERRY & TERMINAL: Immel said there wasn’t much new to report in this area, aside from what was already discussed regarding the ferry traffic. He said there had been some recent maintenance completed, with a road plate on a ramp that was wobbling, but was fixed last week. For the traffic signal, work could likely still begin after September 8 to add required underground power connections so the new light can be installed later this year. Dock expansion construction itself likely won’t begin earlier than 2028. One attendee noted that they had heard that a house adjacent to the ferry dock was surveyed by Washington State Ferries staff this week, but the intent of that action was unclear (acquisition? environmental or right-of-way analysis?)
FCA BUSINESS: A sizable portion of the meeting was spent discussing FCA board business and operations, including:
The meeting adjourned a few minutes early, with most members planning to trek around the corner to take part in the final hour of the Fauntleroy Fall Festival fundraiser (which we previewed here) at Endolyne Joe’s.
The FCA Board meets ten times per year on the second Tuesday of each month, at 6 pm in the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse board room. Meetings are open to the public.
Now until 8:15 pm, you can take your chances on fun gift baskets as part of the Fauntleroy Fall Festival fundraiser at Endolyne Joe’s (9261 45th SW) – including a Mariners-themed Game Day basket:
And baskets for beer fans:
Just look for Ben, Reed, and their young assistant:
You can get in on the drawing until 8:15, and you can dine at the restaurant until 9, with part of the proceeds benefiting the festival, which is set for October 18 this year.
(WSB photo, 2025 Fauntleroy Fall Festival)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack … if you dine at Endolyne Joe’s tomorrow (Tuesday, May 12), you’ll be supporting the Fauntleroy Fall Festival.The restaurant at 9261 45th SW is open 8 am to 9 pm; if you go at dinner time (5 pm or later), look for the festival organizers auctioning gift baskets as part of the fundraiser. The festival is happening on Sunday, October 18, and runs entirely on donations and volunteer power, so this helps the free fall fun continue.
(WSB photo, April 25)
Imagine if we had some way to weigh the tonnage of items involved in West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day! Currently we don’t … but we do have the total today from the most recent Fauntleroy Church Recycle Roundup, courtesy of Judy Pickens:
Recyclables collected during the spring Recycle Roundup hosted by Fauntleroy Church pushed total tonnage since these free community events began in 2010 to 400. During the April 25 event, just over 550 households and businesses brought 14.58 tons to be returned to the resource stream by zero-waste recycler 1 Green Planet. The fall roundup is set for Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 am-3 pm in the church parking lot (9140 California Ave. SW).
The roundup is a free dropoff event and the list of what they will and won’t accept will be out weeks in advance so you can plan.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
About 30 people gathered at Southwest Library Wednesday night to talk about SDOT‘s plan for a new crossing at Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Rose Street [map].
Most expressed the opinion that SDOT’s concept for the crossing – at the spot where the city removed a painted crosswalk 19 years ago – is overkill.
Most of the concerns centered on the raised median that is planned between the ferry holding lane alongside Lincoln Park and the southbound travel lane of Fauntleroy Way, though there was not a universal agreement on what might be better.
SDOT reps, including chief safety officer Venu Nemani, explained that this is a Transit Spot Improvement project, since the RapidRide C Line stops north of the intersection on the northbound side. They didn’t make a presentation, but rather talked to attendees, seated around the periphery of the room, until breaking into two groups to stand around tables with the sketched-out design, same one unveiled last fall:
At the start, Frank Immel of the Fauntleroy Community Association – which joined the Morgan Community Association in organizing the meeting – implored attendees not to “beat up” the SDOT reps, pointing out that while government is often criticized for “not doing anything,” this is a situation in which they responded to community concerns by “doing something.”
SDOT’s Ching Chan noted that this is a rare RapidRide stop without crossing improvements, and described this as a fairly simple project, “quick and low-cost,” and saying there hadn’t been “heavy engagement” with the community because this is about safety “and for SDOT safety is non-negotiable.”
Nemani said traffic data to help with decisionmaking about the intersection was gathered in fall of 2024. That became a point of criticism for some, saying that wouldn’t have been an accurate sampling of how busy the area can get with summertime ferry usage, park usage, etc.
Regardless of traffic-volume accuracy, Nemani noted that many drivers were going well over the 25 mph speed limit. Some area residents seized on that as a concern, worrying that some will zip right through what’s meant to be the holding lane when it’s not full, endangering the pedestrians on the new median, waiting to cross. “Ferry people” rushing to get to the dock were cited numerous times as a source of concern.
And that, Immel observed, is what makes this location different from other places in the city with raised-median crossings – this is the only residential neighborhood in the city with ferry traffic.
Some advocated for the other options Nemani said had been considered – a traffic signal activated by pedestrians, like the one a few blocks south on Fauntleroy, or flashing beacons without a median. He said analysis of the situation in light of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control suggested it didn’t rise to the need for one of those other options. Then why did other intersections on Fauntleroy have pedestrian-activated signals? he was asked. He said repeatedly that he couldn’t speak for why past SDOT employees made the decisions they did.
Another thing about the median, he noted – it’ll enable more poles to be mounted with the flashing beacons, so the intersection will have more of them. (And if you’re wondering about parking, he said it will lead to the loss of eight spots along Fauntleroy.) For those worried that some drivers would use side streets to avoid this area, Nemani said they could add traffic-calming features to side streets to dissuade or at least mitigate that.
The concerns kept coming: What about the ferry-bound drivers who approach from the south and make U-turns to get into the line? What if a broken-down vehicle blocks the lane between the curb and the median? One person insisted, “The median is not necessary at all.” The meeting ended without a summary, but those on hand had received an hour and a half – 50 percent longer than the meeting’s expected length – to air their fears.
WHAT’S NEXT? Chan told us the feedback will be considered in their final decisionmaking. As for who has the final say, she said Nemani’s input would certainly carry weight. The plan would likely be finalized by midsummer and they hope to start construction by year’s end. We also asked about the project budget; though the cost wouldn’t be clear until they know exactly what they’re building, SDOT’s Aidan Bernal told us that right now the budget is ~$250,000.
In 2007, SDOT removed a marked crosswalk on Fauntleroy Way at SW Rose Street, mid-Lincoln Park.
Community members long lobbied to bring back a safer crossing, and SDOT long said they couldn’t/wouldn’t.
Then the department relented, and last year unveiled a design that was far more complex than a crosswalk, including a raised median between the ferry holding (outside southbound) lane and travel lanes. Here’s what they showed at the time:
(SDOT-provided 2025 renderings above and below; see PDF versions here)
The Fauntleroy Community Association and Morgan Community Association have voiced concerns about the design, a regular discussion topic at recent meetings, and want to know what you think, so they have just announced a community forum with SDOT for this Wednesday (May 6), 5:30 pm at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW).
Washington State Ferries has been saying it expected the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run to return to three-boat service in “late April.” It’s missing that by just a couple days; WSF announced today that full service will resume on the route this Saturday, May 2.
Work on the trestle of the Fauntleroy ferry dock was scheduled for just this week, but Washington State Ferries sent word today that it’ll go through next week:
Thanks for your patience as we carry out the repair work on the transfer span at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. The repair work is going well, but it is expected to take a bit longer. Crews expect to wrap up on Friday, May 8. Work hours remain the same.
WSF says the work does not require a barge or crane.
Three Washington State Ferries notes:
TECH TROUBLE TODAY: WSF reports a “network outage” affecting ticket sales right now:
A network outage is affecting point-of-sale systems and the online ticket store. Fares are being processed offline at terminals. This may cause longer transaction times and delays through the tollbooths. Customers are encouraged to allow extra travel time.
2:59 PM UPDATE: WSF says this is fixed.
FARE, PASS CHANGES FRIDAY: Speaking of tickets, on Friday, May 1, WSF will implement these three changes:
-Passenger and vehicle ticket prices will increase by an average of 3%. The Washington State Transportation Commission approved these changes last summer.
-A 35% peak season surcharge for single-ride vehicle and motorcycle fares will begin May 1 and last through Sept. 30. It does not apply to passenger and multi-ride tickets.
-We’ll start a pilot to extend the expiration date for multi-ride passes. For multi-ride passes purchased on or after May 1, they will be valid for 120 days, up from the current 90 days.
PET POLICY UPDATE AND MORE AT SPRING ONLINE COMMUNITY MEETINGS: We’ve been tracking the pilot program to loosen pet policies aboard ferries, and WSF announced today it’ll update that policy at its spring community meetings, which are scheduled online at noon and 6 pm on Tuesday, May 26. You can register now for whichever time spot you prefer; both meetings routinely have lots of time for Q&A, submitted either in advance or during the meeting. Registration links are in our calendar listing.
(WSB photos)
Though volunteers tell us drivers were lined up down the street when the spring Fauntleroy Church Recycle Roundup began at 9 am today, there’s no waiting now, and traffic is expected to be steady through the duration of the dropoff event, until 3 pm (don’t wait until the last minute, though, unless you can’t get there any sooner).
That’s just some of what people have brought – here’s the official list of what they’re accepting, and not accepting, this time.
1 Green Planet is the longtime recycling partner with the church, which is at 9040 California SW. Dropoffs are free but volunteers are happy to accept monetary donations if you can chip in to support this twice-yearly event (next one, by the way, is set for [corrected date] Saturday, October 3).
(Volunteer Ann Dunbar helped students measure a torso in centimeters)
Story by Judy Pickens
Photos by Tom Trulin
Special to West Seattle Blog
Students from the Urban Nature Preschool got a taste of scientific research on Thursday when they did the annual survey of stonefly exoskeletons in lower Fauntleroy Creek.
As nymphs, stoneflies are a major food source for juvenile coho. Mature stoneflies crawl out of the water in the spring and leave their exoskeletons behind as they take flight, and students have been counting and measuring them since 2000. Their findings are a way to track both quantity of food available to the fish and how clean the water is.
(Finding exoskeletons on bridges required close examination)
With the school’s outdoor focus, the four-year-olds already knew a lot about the creek and, with support from teachers and volunteers, they were up to the challenge of following study protocol. Three teams closely examined trees and bridges while a fourth measured torsos as adults recorded the numbers.
(Volunteer Ann Dunbar helped students measure a torso in centimeters)
After teams reported their findings, volunteer Alana Khayat added the numbers to line graphs so students could see how they compared to findings since 2015.
Washington State Ferries sent this alert for work starting on the dock (trestle) Monday:
A Washington State Ferries maintenance crew will be onsite at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal starting Monday, April 27, to carry out much-needed repairs on the vehicle transfer span (the overwater bridge linking the ferry with the slip).
A transition plate on the span is the source of the noise you’ve been hearing. Unfortunately, the repair itself will be loud. Work hours for the crew will be limited to 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. They will not work on the weekend. Work is expected to take about a week.
This is not a safety issue with the transfer span but is a necessary repair. The timing was chosen to minimize disruptions to ferry service during the busy morning and evening commutes. There could be delays during the work as only one lane will be available for vehicle loading and unloading.
Thank you for your patience as we work to fix the cause of the noise.
We asked if this work will involve a barge/mobile crane as is sometimes the case with dock repairs; WSF says no, this will be done entirely with shore-based equipment/crew.
(WSB photo, April 2023 Recycle Roundup)
Another reminder that one week from today – on Saturday, April 25 – it’s the spring Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW). Drive up, ride up, walk up with your items that are recyclable but not routinely picked up on curbside. But before you load up, check to be sure that your items are on the list of what the church’s partner 1 Green Planet is accepting this time – see the will-and-won’t-accept list here. The event starts at 9 am and continues until 3 pm – organizers ask that you not show up at the last minute unless you absolutely can’t get there sooner, so they don’t have a line still waiting at 3 pm; they usually have multiple trucks to fill so you don’t have to rush to be there right at the start, either. (And if you miss this one – they usually do it again in fall!)
(Vashon sailing approaching the Fauntleroy terminal, Tuesday)
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Ferry service for all riders could see some temporary improvements under Washington State Ferries’ plans to adjust while the FIFA World Cup soccer matches and events are held in locations around the Seattle area this summer.
WSF released the annual Service Contingency Plan, as they have for the last several years, outlining progress, challenges, and a framework for how to provide service when something goes wrong. This year’s plan includes a temporary increase to staffing and decrease to response times to breakdowns when they happen during FIFA. One of the keys to making this happen is that maintenance is being scheduled to minimize the number of boats out of service at the same time.
Seattle is a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Six matches will take place in Seattle, and the region will see significant visitation associated with the event. There are nine “Fan Zones” in Washington state, including one in Bremerton, where fans can gather to watch matches and celebrate. In addition, seven matches will occur in Vancouver, British Columbia, and significant travel between Seattle and Vancouver is expected. We will make several adjustments to our normal contingency framework during the World Cup:
1. Relief vessels. We will have 20 of our 21 vessels available for service during the six weeks of the tournament. With 18 vessels needed to maintain full summer service, this means we will have two vessels available in relief in case a vessel must be removed from service. This will provide us with the flexibility to deploy an appropriate relief vessel if needed. These vessels will be docked at our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility.
2. Additional vessel crew. We will have additional crew on standby at Eagle Harbor, where our relief vessels will be positioned, allowing quick response to any vessel-related issue in Central Puget Sound.
3. Additional terminal staff. We will have additional staff at terminals to assist passengers and manage crowds.
4. Relaxing of the “24-hour rule.” Because we will have relief vessels available, and to maintain service on Central Puget Sound routes where the heaviest event-related ridership is likely to occur, we may respond to issues more quickly by deploying a relief vessel. This includes the Seattle/Bremerton, Seattle/Bainbridge Island, and Edmonds/Kingston routes.
The “24-hour rule” usually means a replacement vessel is not assigned until a route is missing a boat for that time frame. The change may mean faster resumption of schedules on routes closest to Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge that have maintenance issues, though response time to the San Juan Islands is still about 6 hours.
This year’s plan pointed to an increase in ridership on the Triangle Route (Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth) of 4.7% over the previous year, and included a graph of average loading numbers from a single week in last November when the route had 2 vessels instead of the regular 3. The report said this is the type of data WSF uses to make service decisions. The system overall reached 20.1 million riders in 2025 for the first time at that level since 2019, and 5% more than in 2024. That was accomplished in part by an increase in hiring that made it possible for an additional 7,000 sailings, while cancelling 400 fewer than the previous year.
(Average number of vehicles loaded per sailing, week of Nov. 3, 2025)
Another new feature of the contingency plan this year is the “Terminal Contingency Framework,” which outlines most likely steps in the event that a terminal is out of service—either briefly or longer-term—while something is fixed. For the Fauntleroy dock, that is, “No service until repaired or consider moving service to Seattle.” For Southworth, it’s the same with a possibility of moving service to Bremerton. Vashon, with 2 slips and a spot on the dock where a boat is tied up overnight, has more complicated solutions: “If a vehicle slip fails, use other vehicle slip but there will be delays when vessels conflict. Will need alternate for overnight tie-up if one slip is not available.”
The service plan also provided an update on the hybrid-electric ferries that WSF has contracted to have built at Eastern Shipbuilding Group on the Gulf Coast of Florida. They are expecting steel to start being cut for the first boat this summer, with completion in 2030. The plan notes, “With limited vessel availability, we will be unable to operate full service on every route until new vessels are constructed and delivered.”
By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The Fauntleroy Community Association board met on Tuesday night at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse for their April meeting, chaired by FCA president Frank Immel and featuring several updates in addition to special guests from Washington State Ferries talking about plans for the new traffic signal scheduled for installation starting this fall at the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal.
Meeting summary below:
SPD UPDATE: Crime prevention specialist Matt Brown and community service officer Jamie Heslin from the Southwest Precinct were in attendance to give an update, starting with some statistics:
Brown also noted that he followed up on the FCA’s board’s request from their March meeting to see if SPD can provide neighborhood support to help ease the potential “traffic nightmare” from the “dueling construction projects” planned for the area in a similar timeframe, including:
Brown said that requests for traffic support have been filed and that the SW Precinct captain (Krista Bair) is “definitely taking this seriously.” As Brown and Heslin departed the meeting for their next commitment, board members expressed gratitude for the support and action.
FERRY TERMINAL TRAFFIC SIGNAL: Next up was an update from WA State Ferries external relations director Hadley Rodero (who also lives in West Seattle) and Charlie Torres who serves as the project manager overseeing the design of the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal. The team provided an update on the new ferry dock intersection signal installation planned for fall 2026, and they explained the design, safety features, and how it will be maintained by SDOT with the timing of the signals adjusted based on performance data.
The team brought some updated visuals and renderings to share, including an overhead view of the new signals:
From Fauntleroy Way SW looking south:
From the ferry dock, looking east:
As well as the view from the bluff across the street, which has a lookout area known as Captain’s Park:
The team expects to award the construction contract in June, and construction work is scheduled to begin after September 8th to avoid the summertime “high season” rush as well as a construction moratorium related to the World Cup. The project will involve 3-4 months of construction work (which puts likely completion in late 2026 or early 2027). The signal will have sophisticated light controls designed to manage vehicle flow in different directions, with pedestrian safety being a key consideration. Rodero said there are plans to do extensive outreach to ferry customers and neighbors to provide information about the new system before it goes live. Torres said the signal is necessary due primarily to too many “close call accidents” in the area, as well as needing to improve overall traffic flow and efficiency with loading/unloading the boats.
FCA board members generally expressed support for the initiative but asked again about the aforementioned “dueling construction projects” in Fauntleroy, of which the new signal is one of them. The team acknowledged the challenges and agreed to have WSF representatives in attendance at FCA’s September board meeting (by that time, a contractor for the signal installation will have been selected and will likely be getting started), and again at the Fauntleroy Fall Festival in October to answer questions from the general public. The group also explored options for community engagement around the multiple related projects, including potential collaboration with the Rose Street crossing project, and potentially developing a community advisory group for the next environmental review phase.
Other points of Q&A:
FOOD FEST RECAP: FCA’s David Haggerty and Reed Haggerty, along with other FCA board members, talked about the group’s successful annual meeting and Food Fest event last month (WSB coverage here). There were over 175 people in attendance, and 21 vendors. There were 40 renewals of annual FCA dues, and 12 new households joining FCA. Feedback about the event was positive from vendors and attendees alike. Board members discussed strategies and ideas for future Food Fests and events.
FCA FINANCES: Treasurer Alan Grainger presented the group’s financial report, noting that dues and contributions from the annual meeting and Food Fest exceeded expectations, and highlighted the progress toward business member support goals. As of the beginning of April, the group is 46% of the way toward its annual goal for incoming contributions, thanks to the bump from last month’s Food Fest and egg hunt.
FALL FESTIVAL PREPARATION: Related to finances, the group also discussed fundraising for the group’s other big annual event, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival (scheduled for Sunday October 18). To raise funds between now and then, there are several events planned, including:
ROSE ST CROSSING: Immel noted that he had talked again with SDOT’s Ching Chan about the Rose St crossing project (involving pedestrian-operated flashing signals and a bus stop design with an island), and said that she wants to put together a joint community meeting with FCA and MoCA (Morgan Community Association) about the project, as a next-step. Details about that meeting are TBD.
OTHER FCA BUSINESS:
The FCA Board meets ten times per year on the second Tuesday of each month, at 6 pm in the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse board room. Meetings are open to the public.
(WSB photo, September 2025 Recycle Roundup)
If the return of the rain has you spending some time indoors today and wondering what to do – sort your recyclables for West Seattle’s next big free-dropoff recycling event. We’re now exactly two weeks away from the spring Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), 9 am-3 pm Saturday, April 25 – here’s the list of what will and won’t be accepted. Twice a year, the church partners with 1 Green Planet to offer this free service to the community; since it’s a six-hour window, they request that you come earlier rather than later, to avoid a last-minute backup.
If you live in the Fauntleroy-area neighborhood where Seattle City Light is working on long-needed underground repairs and updates, Brace Point, you’ve probably closely followed their progress. For those who haven’t, here’s the latest of SCL’s periodic updates:
Seattle City Light contractors continue to work on the underground electrical infrastructure serving the Brace Point neighborhood. They are installing new duct banks, conduits, cables, vaults, and streetlights. The new infrastructure will help reduce the risk of outages and improve service for residents.
Underground civil construction is approximately 32% complete. Our crews have installed 3,470 linear feet of conduit and 13 underground electrical vaults. We expect to finish most civil construction by the end of 2026. After that, crews will focus on cleaning staging areas and restoring the project area to the same, if not better, condition.
You can reach our team at bracepointcable@stephersonassociates.com or 206-312-0021.
If you would like to talk to a member of the project team in person, you can find us in the upstairs meeting room at the Southwest Branch of the Seattle Public Library on Wednesday, April 8 from 12-1 PM.
Current work areas:
Southwest Brace Point Drive: Crews are working near the intersection of 46th Ave. SW and SW Brace Point Drive.
47th Ave. Southwest: Crews are working north along 47th Ave. SW near the intersection of 46th Ave. SW and SW Roxbury St. Please drive carefully through this intersection and expect changing traffic patterns as the work progresses.
Longer than usual delays: Concrete pours are scheduled to occur on Wednesdays from 8 AM – 2 PM for the remainder of the project. Due to the narrow streets, trucks may have to park in the right-of-way. Please plan for longer than normal delays during these times.
Pedestrian trail: Crews are running new conduit and replacing the streetlight on the trail between 47th Ave.
Southwest to 48th Ave. Southwest. The trail is closed and expected to reopen in mid-April, once crews have finished the foundation for the new light pole. They will restore any areas disturbed by the project to City standards.Upcoming work areas
46th Ave. Southwest: After crews complete work on Brace Point Drive, they will start utility work on the segment of 46th Ave SW between Brace Point Drive and the intersection of SW Roxbury St and 47th Ave SW.
47th Ave. Southwest: This spring, crews will start working near the south end of 47th Ave. SW and work north towards the intersection of SW 98th St.
The work finally started last fall, five years after the originally projected start date.
West Seattle’s first egg hunts of the season happened this afternoon, including the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s volunteer-powered hunt behind the historic schoolhouse. This one happened in two waves – video above shows the littlest hunters getting a head start after the countdown led by organizer Candace Blue; below, ages 5 and up followed.
The FCA made some changes this year, to ensure everybody would leave happy, increasing the number of eggs and setting a limit for how many each hunter could amass, to avoid depletion before all the older kids had a chance to find some. Also of note: The FCA uses plastic eggs that hunters are asked to recycle after extracting the treats (which are non-candy items).
OTHER EGG HUNTS: Here’s the list we published recently; we’ll add any more of the Easter-service hunts we hear about too.
Thanks to Lisa for the photo! Her garage door in Upper Fauntleroy now holds a mural by artist Henry, just completed this afternoon. She explains, “It’s a continuation of the 1000 Sasquatch Heads project he started last fall.” And, she adds, “I’m hoping it will put a smile on people’s faces when they see it … we can use some joy these days!” The mural’s on SW Barton near 39th SW.
Washington State Ferries has announced a milestone for the Fauntleroy ferry terminal replacement project. The next step is construction of the traffic signal where the dock meets Fauntleroy Way SW – above is a rendering of the intersection with the signal – but here’s what else is happening, as announced by system leader Steve Nevey:
Our Fauntleroy terminal replacement project has completed its planning phase. The Federal Highway Administration recently approved the final Planning and Environmental Linkages study, closing a five-year process of exploring options for replacing the terminal. Based on community feedback, we are moving forward with a design that adds more dock space and increases capacity from about 80 to 124-155 vehicles. This option also avoids impacts to nearby Cove Park, and we will continue refining the design to reduce effects on other sensitive areas. Later this year, the project will enter the National and State Environmental Policy Act phase. This is when we’ll begin preliminary design, complete environmental review and permitting, and continue seeking funding. Major construction is expected to begin in 2028. The new terminal is expected to open around 2031.
WSF says the signal construction, meantime, is expected now to start this fall. Also happening right now, the state is in the permit process to convert the beach house immediately north of Cove Park into an office for the project, among other potential uses.
6:34 PM: The Hall at Fauntleroy is abuzz with people snacking and learning. Local food purveyors and nonprofit community groups/agencies are ringing the big room at the south end of the historic schoolhouse for the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s annual meeting, which has evolved into more of a mini-festival known as the Food Fest. If you live, work, play, or study in Fauntleroy, this is the time and place to learn about community contributions not only by the FCA but by everyone else who’s here, while enjoying bites from local food purveyors (including Endolyne Joe’s, Wildwood Market, Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering – whose parent company DSquared operates The Hall – Village Green West Seattle, The Birdhouse, and The Unsweetened Tooth. We are based here at a table by the entrance and. took a quick spin around the room to see who’s here – participants include Washington State Ferries, the Fauntleroy Watershed Council, Nature Alliance, The Whale Trail, Fauntleroy Fall Festival, Seal Sitters, Seattle Emergency Hubs, A Cleaner Alki, Fauntleroy Children’s Center, Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, photographer Jamison Johnson, and Seattle Police. In addition to learning and snacking, this is also about supporting – the FCA is happy to sign up new members at the entrance table (or renew existing memberships, both business and individual. They also will conduct some business a bit later – the vote for next year’s. board. Updates to come!
6:53 PM: Gotta show you the food at Food Fest. Above, Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering’s jojo poutine; below, Wildwood Market proprietor Lonjina with tomato, basil, and housemade croutons:
Caprese from Village Green West Seattle (WSB sponsor):
Endolyne Joe brought fried chicken and mac and cheese:
The Birdhouse (whose Amber Heinemann is on the FCA board) brought desserts:
And The Unsweetened Tooth had chocolate/peanut-butter treats without sugar:
Fronting on the water, Fauntleroy is a place to see sea life, which is why you can talk to Seal Sitters reps here …
And Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail …
Among others!
7:37 PM: The event is wrapping up – the FCA board election is in the books; more on that when we get back to HQ.
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