(WSB photo from fall 2008)>
What just might be the most teeth-rattling stretch of road in West Seattle, on 16th SW north of South Seattle Community College, is now back on the SDOT schedule for repaving. This was supposed to happen last year – then, as reported here in November, it was put on hold. But now it’s officially set for repaving and widening between Findlay and Brandon (map) this summer – this SDOT webpage has details, including:

Work includes:

* pavement removal and replacement
* drainage improvements
* curb ramp construction
* sidewalk repaving

Construction work is scheduled to begin in mid June and continue for approximately six weeks.

Note that the city’s page also says that while southbound traffic will continue during the project, northbound traffic will be detoured “via Dumar Way SW/SW Orchard St and Delridge Way SW.”

Thanks to several WSB’ers for e-mailing us in the past day and a half or so to point out that those speed bumps have just gone in on 16th SW north of South Seattle Community College. The ironic and head-scratch-inducing aspect of the installation, however, is that they are very close to the massively pitted stretch of 16th SW that was supposed to be repaved this year (but as we reported last month is now on hold till 2009). So what’s up with that? we were asked. We in turn relayed the question to SDOT, whose communications chief Rick Sheridan managed to track down the vacationing project engineer to retrieve this explanation:

The speed cushions installed by SDOT on 16th Avenue SW are part of a series requested and approved as a small Neighborhood Street Fund (NSF) project. After the community requested them through the NSF process, SDOT studied vehicle speeds in the area and determined that speeding could be controlled with these devices. Speed cushions will be installed on 16th Avenue SW, SW Dawson Street and 21st Avenue SW.

When the work is complete, 16th Avenue SW will have two sets to help address speeding. The first set, reported by your readers, was installed in an area that is not scheduled for repaving. The second set will be installed in an area of 16th Avenue SW that, funds permitting, will be repaved and so we are waiting until that work is accomplished.

Got questions? We do our best to get answers, so we’re always glad to get notes about sightings like this … we don’t say “thanks” often enough. Any time: editor@westseattleblog.com (or if you’re on Twitter, @westseattleblog)

Just picked up this tidbit at City Hall downtown after Pigeon Point residents’ train-noise meeting with Councilmember Tom Rasmussen and reps from SDOT and the Port of Seattle — the report on that is coming up in a bit, but first, on an unrelated note, chatted for a moment afterward with SDOT’s Charlie Bookman, who said that relief is getting close for two miserable blocks of 16th SW around South Seattle Community College (near SW Brandon) – he says the street in that area literally has to be reconstructed, and the work should start within two months.