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City ‘closely monitoring’ SW Trenton RV encampment
August 22, 2024 9:23 pm
|      91 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

RVs have parked along SW Trenton, northwest of Westwood Village, for years. We noted usually one or two earlier this year. But readers have been pointing out a larger number lately – we’ve counted five in recent weeks – and pointing out that some of the associated activity is blocking the sidewalk. With this on the route students travel to and from the center, we’ve been asked if the city plans any action. So we took the question to the mayor’s office, which convenes the multi-department Unified Care Team, in charge of encampment “resolution.” Here’s the reply we reeived from spokesperson Callie Craighead:

The Unified Care Team (UCT) is closely monitoring this site and coordinating with Parking Enforcement teams to address RVs and other lived-in vehicles that are in violation of the City’s 72-hour parking rules along SW Trenton. The UCT prioritizes encampments for resolution based on public safety data, mobility and accessibility impacts, impact on the environment, and proximity to schools and other spaces where children are present.

A resolution date for this site is pending; in the lead-up to site resolution planning, the UCT will continue coordinating with Parking Enforcement teams as well as providing ongoing trash removal and the mitigation of public health and safety hazards such as propane tanks. Residents should continue to report public safety concerns, criminal activity, or other emergency situations by calling 9-1-1 …

For non-emergency situations, other city reps have advised reporting encampments via Find It Fix It.

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INTERSECTION CHANGE: 39th/Oregon now ‘daylighted’
August 22, 2024 1:30 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

Street changes usually are announced with notices to nearby homes and businesses, but those don’t reach the many other people who also will be affected as they travel through or visit the area, and such is the case for the new features at 39th/Oregon, shown above. Susan emailed us Wednesday after being caught by surprise by the new paint-and-post curb bulbs. We checked in with SDOT, whose spokesperson Ethan Bergerson explained it’s part of ongoing work to “daylight” intersections:

The recently completed project painted new crosswalk markings on the eastern side of the SW Oregon St & 39th Ave SW intersection. It also included new signage indicating that this is a legal crossing, and painted curb bulbs to make it clearer to drivers where parking is not allowed near the intersection. This is called “intersection daylighting” and helps enhance safety by preventing cars from parking illegally in a way that blocks other drivers’ view of oncoming traffic and people crossing the street.

(Here’s the notice nearby homes and businesses received.) Our archives show that community members were seeking safety improvements for this intersection at least as far back as 2016.

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FOLLOWUP: See where SW Kenyon and Trenton’s new traffic-calming additions will be
August 20, 2024 5:17 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Back on Friday, we reported on SDOT‘s announcement of impending traffic-calming additions to West Seattle streets as part of the Safe Routes to School program. Some readers wanted more specifics, especially on locations, so here’s what we’ve found out:

DENNY’S NEW CROSSWALK: SDOT’s announcement mentioned a community-designed decorative crosswalk by the entrance of Denny International Middle School. With a traffic circle right at the entrance, readers wondered, where will the new crosswalk go? The image above answers that question – across SW Kenyon on the west side of the intersection; the east side already has a conventionally painted crosswalk.

TRENTON’S NEW SPEED CUSHIONS: We asked SDOT how many speed cushions are planned for SW Trenton. We’re told they plan four sets, between 25th and 29th.

We asked one more question … is there a date for construction to start? SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson says, “We’re still working to schedule construction sometime later this year.”

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More speed cushions and other Safe Routes to School plans for West Seattle
August 16, 2024 6:37 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

More speed cushions are in the works for West Seattle, and this time they’re not at the beach. SDOT sent us a list of projects they plan to build by year’s end as part of the Safe Routes to School program, aimed at making it “easier for students to walk and bike to school.” The descriptions are from SDOT:

SW TRENTON TRAFFIC CALMING

To support Chief Sealth International High School and Denny International Middle School students, we’ll install traffic calming on SW Trenton St between 25th and 29th. It will include “speed cushions” and “paint and post” bulbs to improve the visibility of the crossing at Trenton/26th – next to Westwood Village.

Last year, SDOT installed an all-way stop at 25th/Trenton, followed by speed cushions in the CSIHS vicinity on SW Thistle.

DECORATIVE CROSSWALK AND ALL-WAY STOP AT DENNY IMS

Denny students held a design contest for a decorative Community Crosswalk in front of their school on Kenyon.

The crosswalk marks the central entrance to the school and will be installed with an all-way stop.

PERMANENT ‘SCHOOL STREET’ ON GENESEE HILL

We’re making the Genesee Hill Elementary School Street permanent. Both entrances to the School Street will feature more durable signage, painted curb bulbs, and art. Genesee Hill students designed the pavement art that crews will install on SW Dakota St to support a safe and welcoming school environment.

23RD SW WALKWAY

Connecting between Louisa Boren STEM K-8 and the newly redeveloped Delridge Wetland Park, we’re installing a walkway with a planter strip and trees on the west side of 23rd Ave SW.

SDOT’s website lists a few other Safe Routes to School plans for West Seattle but notes they’re “paused pending funding.”

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PHOTOS, VIDEO: Night Out 2024 around West Seattle
August 6, 2024 6:16 pm
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | Safety | West Seattle news

6:16 PM: Some neighborhoods have Night Out block parties year after year after year. Our first stop tonight is one of them – an Arbor Heights block near Westside School (WSB sponsor).

Thanks to JoDean for again this year being the first to invite us to stop by for a photo! We’ll be making a few other stops, heading south to north as the evening goes. We welcome your Night Out party photos too – westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you! And if you’re not spending the evening at your own block/building party, please be extra-careful in traveling around, with many neighborhood streets closed to traffic for the evening.

6:28 PM: Above is a photo from our second stop, the senior-living complex Village Green West Seattle (WSB sponsor) in Westwood, where it’s a parking-lot party, with live music by Rob Sturza and friends:

Plus hot dogs.

6:55 PM: Stop #3 was Eileen‘s neighborhood on one of east Highland Park’s hidden-away hillside streets. Photo above!

7:20 PM: Now we’re in Admiral, where Rosalie invited us to stop by her neighborhood’s block party east of West Seattle High School. One of the neighbors here is a beekeeper and has an educational exhibit at the party:

7:45 PM: Now we’re on Genesee Hill. We discovered two adjacent blocks were having parties – Laurie invited us to hers, but first we accidentally wandered in the other direction, so we photographed that group too.

Above, Laurie and neighbors at their very scenic dead-end overlook; below, the block north of theirs:

8:01 PM: Night Out usually collides with Election Night, and we have to head back to check out returns shortly, so our last stop is on Gatewood Hill, where Jennifer sent word of her block party, enjoying live music again this year – the band is Head Cheese, featuring the ever-popular Tom Hutyler.

Thanks to everybody who sent invitations!

ADDED 9:25 PM: Above are our neighbors in Upper Fauntleroy; their party was still going strong when we returned home, so we gathered them for a photo. We’ve also received a few from readers – first, here’s “a small but mighty group in Arbor Heights”:

Lilly the dog was among attendees at Gabe‘s party west of The Junction:

P.S. If you want to keep the community-safety vibe going, note that the Southwest Precinct is hosting its next Crime Prevention Council (a “group” basically consisting of whoever shows up) meeting on September 11, 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), all welcome.

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Having a Night Out party Tuesday in West Seattle/South Park? Get your swag (update) Monday
August 2, 2024 1:27 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(Photo sent by Cindi Barker)

Four days until this year’s Night Out, celebrating community collaboration and safety coast-to-coast. If you’ve registered your Night Out party, Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite has swag for you, available for pickup (updated) 9:30-11:30 am and 2:30 to 4:30 pm Monday (August 5) at the precinct (2300 SW Webster). She’s at right in the photo, with Seattle U interns Rafail Markodimitrakis and Kierra Lee, as they got ready this morning.

(Added: Photo sent by Jennifer Satterwhite)

They’re offering crime-prevention info handouts and goodie bags for kids. If you didn’t get signed up by last Sunday’s deadline, but you’re still having a Night Out party, they might have some extra materials available Monday too.

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FOLLOWUP: Installation begins for new speed cushions/humps on Harbor and Alki Avenues
July 28, 2024 6:47 pm
|      45 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Thanks for the tip! SDOT crews were out today working on some of the 10 new speed cushion/hump sets promised for the Alki/Harbor Avenue area. We found three now in place on Harbor – near Jack Block Park‘s main entrance (photo above), near Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), and near the West Bay Coffee drive-thru. We reported last Monday on the locations where the new speed humps/cushions are planned, shown on this map:

The ones now in place on Harbor are the easternmost ones shown on that map. The new Alki Avenue locations have been marked off; construction wasn’t supposed to start before tomorrow but impending rainy weather may have factored into the change of plan. The city hopes the added humps/cushions will reduce racing and other aggressive-driving problems; as per City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s Monday announcement, SDOT also is still planning some lane narrowing, and is considering whether anything can be done with the Duwamish Head angle-parking zone, which nearby residents want to see changed to reduce its appeal as a gathering spot.

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Another West Seattle bridge project is about to start
July 26, 2024 7:12 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Safety | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo)

Back in February, we mentioned that work was ahead for the “salmon bone bridge” across Longfellow Creek in North Delridge. Now Seattle Public Utilities has announced that work is about to begin. As explained on the project page:

The Salmon Bone Bridge was designed by renowned Seattle-based artist Lorna Jordan and was installed in 1999 as part of the Longfellow Creek Habitat Improvement Project. The bridge was designed to invoke the skeletal structure of a fish and the deck was made from recycled cedar timbers arranged in a herringbone pattern. The Bridge is also known as the Adams Fish Bridge.

Since then, the timber deck has deteriorated and has become unsafe. As a result … SPU covered the deck with plywood and an anti-slip surface, which altered the bridge’s aesthetic. This project aims to honor the artist’s original vision while improving pedestrian safety by replacing the deck with materials designed for slip resistance and long service life.

After exploring several materials for deck replacement, SPU selected Cordeck Dots decking material. This weathering steel product is a long-lasting option that will mimic the visual appearance of the original deck.

SPU will replace the deck … The restored bridge will preserve the artist’s original design, but will be more durable and accessible, and safer, while requiring less maintenance.

The work will start in early August and will close the bridge for up to three months, according to this notice that SPU says will be circulated to neighbors starting next week.

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COUNTDOWN: Two weeks until neighborhood Night Out block parties
July 23, 2024 6:30 pm
|    Comments Off on COUNTDOWN: Two weeks until neighborhood Night Out block parties
 |   Neighborhoods | Safety | West Seattle news

Some of the problems mentioned in our previous story are beyond individual residents’ ability to fix – but there’s one simple-yet-mighty action anyone can take: Neighborhood solidarity and collaboration. That’s what the annual Night Out block parties are about, and we’re reminding you tonight that this year’s Night Out is now two weeks away: Tuesday, August 6. You can have a “block party” in many places – schools, apartment buildings’ community rooms, condo courtyards – but if you want to sign up to close your (non-arterial) street to vehicle traffic that night, SPD has a registration link here. Registration will offer you the opportunity to have yours on the citywide Night Out map. Deadline to register for street-closure permission is this Sunday, July 28.

P.S. We’ll be out taking photos on Night Out as usual – if we’d be welcome to stop by your block party for a photo, let us know where and when, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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‘I want my money back!’ City Council committee hears about jail-booking crunch and other ‘significant obstacles’ in public-safety ‘ecosystem’; mayor tries to fix one
July 23, 2024 4:07 pm
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Moments before Mayor Harrell announced at noontime today that the city is working on getting 20 spaces at the regional SCORE misdemeanor jail, the City Council’s Public Safety Committee had heard about – among other things – the inability to book many misdemeanor suspects into the King County Jail. This, despite an 18-year contract with the county costing $22 million this year alone, which led to Council President Sara Nelson exclaiming, “I want my money back!”

That was toward the end of an information-packed committee meeting with an agenda also including Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr‘s report on her first two months on the job, plus the confirmation of Amy Smith as permanent Chief of CARE (the department that includes the city’s 911 center as well as a team of crisis responders). Here’s the video:

The meeting lasted two and a half hours, starting with public comment and Chief Smith’s confirmation (which committee members voted 4-0 to recommend to the full Council, which might vote as soon as next Tuesday), until an hour and 20 minutes in. That’s when Chief Rahr began her update (see the slide deck here).

Rahr said she’s been focused on four areas – staffing, technology, accountability, and the department’s “criminal justice partners.” The first, she said, is still “a crisis” – hiring remains “behind where we’d hoped to be”:

She presented an overview of a recent overnight shift citywide to show how those numbers translate operationally (note that the Southwest Precinct, West Seattle and South Park, had six officers that shift, four below what it should have):

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FOLLOWUP: Here’s where SDOT plans 10 new speed cushions/humps in Alki area
July 22, 2024 4:12 pm
|      40 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

Since the Alki-area public-safety meeting convened by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka last month (WSB coverage here), we’ve been asking SDOT about where specifically they’re planning speed cushions and other traffic calming, as promised at the meeting. They told us last week they were still working on it. Then Councilmember Saka said at this afternoon’s City Council briefing meeting that he would have an announcement later in the day – and it’s just in, with this SDOT map:

Here’s the SDOT elaboration that Saka included:

We now have a final design, and work scheduled, for the concrete speed cushion installations on Harbor, Alki and 56th Ave SW.  The map shows the speed hump locations and it is at 90% design. Taking a design from 90-100% is essentially completed in the field.

The work orders are all [in] and field layout is tentatively scheduled … with the actual construction beginning July 29. “Field layout” means people will see temporary markings outlining the locations of the speed cushions, while construction itself shouldn’t take more than 2-3 days.

NOTE: To avoid confusion, speed cushions, humps, and bumps are often used interchangeably. However, speed cushions are done with cut-outs on non-arterial streets which are generally more narrow so to allow for fire truck access. The speed ‘humps’ are more shallow than speed ‘bumps’ to allow for fire truck access but steep enough to slow vehicles down on the arterial streets.

The speed cushion implementation is essentially a Phase 1 of potential improvements. SDOT will also be looking at narrowing the roadway outside the Duwamish Head area, where the lane width is already relatively narrow, and this work will be done likely in September.

The angle parking at Duwamish Head, however, will stay the same for now, though nearby residents have asked for it either to be blocked off or converted to parallel parking. Saka’s announcement continues:

As a longer-term option, SDOT may look at some outreach on alternative options for reconfiguring the Duwamish Head parking.  My understanding is that SDOT have significant concerns with reconfiguring the Duwamish Head parking as it would actually create significant more space in the right of way for aggressive driving/passing of vehicles.  At the very least, SDOT believes that a parking reconfiguration would require some significant outreach as the impacts could also exacerbate parking concerns in the broader neighborhood.

Here’s the official construction notice circulating to people in the area.

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FOLLOWUP: Big changes for part of 16th SW in White Center are progressing. See plans Wednesday
July 22, 2024 12:13 pm
|      43 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news | White Center

We first reported two years ago on King County Road Services‘ plan to narrow 16th Avenue SW between SW 100th and SW 107th to improve safety on a stretch notorious for pedestrian deaths and injuries. The project is of interest to West Seattleites too, particularly with 107th connecting westward to Arbor Heights. Planning on the project has continued, and the county now plans on construction next year (one year later than originally announced). County spokesperson Brent Champaco summarizes where it’s at now:

To reduce speeds and calm traffic, which makes the area safer for pedestrians, the project narrows the road from four lanes to two and includes a two-way center turning lane. It adds many pedestrian safety features like bumped out sloped curbs at corners and traffic crossing lights with flashing beacons.

The project does not remove the total number of parking spots in the project corridor. Currently there are 43 existing on-street parking spots between SW 100th and SW 107th streets. The design option with bike lanes on both sides adds a total of three spaces to bring the total number of on-street parking spaces to 46. It also moves parking spots around, depending on the block, to accommodate travel lanes and bike lanes.

The design option with no bike lanes brings the total number of parking spots to 67, again, up from 43. It also moves parking spots around, depending on the block, to accommodate travel lanes.

We did community surveys and outreach in 2022 and got to a 30-50% design. It was during the peak of COVID so in-person outreach was difficult. We are holding another meeting, at the community’s request, on July 24 to share updated information about the two options.

If you are interested in seeing the latest plans and asking questions, that meeting is happening this Wednesday (July 24), 6:30 pm, at the White Center Food Bank headquarters, which is in the future project zone – 10016 16th SW. The meeting will also be accessible online; the link is on this page. The project cost is just under $2 million, funded by a federal grant.

P.S. The latest online survey for the project is open, too – find it here.

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WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: The ‘famous fowl’ still wandering
July 16, 2024 1:58 pm
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | Safety | West Seattle news

Two weeks after our previous update on West Seattle’s wandering guinea fowl, we’ve received two new photos today – and since they’re still meandering into streets, we’re warning you again to be mindful. Above, a texter saw them early this morning northeast of The Junction, reporting, “The two famous fowls slowed down my morning commute”; below, Spenser saw them later near West Seattle Bowl, a favorite spot of theirs:

If you’ve missed previous reports, they’re not lost, they are reported to have a home from which they roam. We first mentioned them last September (when they numbered at least four).

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FOLLOWUP: SDOT sets date for Fairmount Avenue closure as part of Admiral Way Bridge project
July 1, 2024 6:47 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WSB photo)

Thanks for the tips! SDOT has placed signage at both ends of Fairmount Ravine – Fairmount and Harbor, and Fairmount and Forest – with the dates that Fairmount Avenue will be fully closed as part of the Admiral Way Bridge seismic-strengthening project: Starting next Monday (July 8) and potentially continuing into late February. (When SDOT announced last week that work would start “as soon as” today, they told us they still didn’t have detour plans ready to announce but that “traffic control” wouldn’t be needed immediately.) The project will also include some lane closures and two full weekend closures of the bridge itself, but we checked after verifying the Fairmount signage tonight, and there’s no signage up top – on or near the bridge – yet. We’ll circle back with SDOT tomorrow.

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VIDEO: Promises made, concerns voiced at Alki/Harbor community-safety meeting, four days after deadly shooting
June 26, 2024 10:57 pm
|      65 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | Safety | West Seattle news

(WSB video and photos)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The Alki-area community advocates who co-hosted tonight’s public-safety meeting with District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka have long been pushing for as much action against street disorder as the city can muster. Last weekend’s shootings at Duwamish Head were just the latest flashpoint.

Perhaps that’s why the first actions promised tonight by city reps – but, they insisted, not the last – had to do with street design: Lane-narrowing and more speed cushions are on the way, per SDOT managers. The action most requested by attendees, installing speed cameras, isn’t so easy, panelists explained. Same with the matter of “holding people accountable.”

Above is our video from the nearly-two-hour meeting inside the sanctuary at Alki UCC; below, our recap:

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Mayor says CARE responders will expand to West Seattle later this year
June 26, 2024 7:57 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

When we first introduced you to the CARE response team – part of the city’s “third public-safety department” – we noted that their small size limited their response area downtown, but CARE Chief Amy Smith vowed they would make it to West Seattle. Now there’s a commitment, from Mayor Bruce Harrell, who formally announced the CARE RespponseTeam’s planned expansion today. From the announcement:

The expansion plan calls for hiring an additional 18 responders and three supervisors in the coming months and will immediately extend the current service area from Downtown, SODO, and the Chinatown-International District to additional neighborhoods including Capitol Hill, Central Area, First Hill, Judkins Park, Madison Park, Montlake, and upper Pike/Pine. This coverage will align with the Seattle Police Department (SPD) West and East precincts. The phased expansion – based on an analysis of 9-1-1 call volume and requests – targets this fall for expansion into North Seattle, followed by South and Southwest Seattle by the end of 2024.

The proposal for an additional 21 positions will be included in Mayor Harrell’s Mid-Year Supplemental Budget request, with 2024 costs fully funded through $1.9 million in federal funding due to Congressman Adam Smith and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal’s support. The mayor also announced that he will nominate CARE Acting Chief Amy Smith to serve as the department’s permanent Chief, which is subject to City Council approval.

The CARE department includes both the responders and the city’s 911 center. (Here’s more about what the response team does.)

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SCHOOL SAFETY: Clear backpacks? Closed campuses? Superintendent ponders policy changes
June 25, 2024 9:21 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

When Seattle Public Schools superintendent Dr. Brent Jones announced earlier today that he would delay the release of a potential school-closure plan until September, that information was the second half of a message to the community. The first half involved another major proposal – possible policies to address school violence. Dr. Jones’s message began with a reference to the recent shooting death of a Garfield High School student; he did not mention January’s shooting death of 15-year-old Chief Sealth International HS student Mobarak Adam, at the Southwest Center/Pool across the street from the school, but that still weighs heavily on hearts and minds here. The superintendent’s message promises “concrete steps to enhance the safety of our school environments.” He promises “to include gun violence prevention in high schools and increased mental health support for all grades” and says he has “allocated over $2 million for staff to improve school building exteriors and campus security.”

Beyond that, he lists possible policy changes that “may include”:

-Increasing SPS security and neighborhood safety organization patrols around our buildings.
-Wearing identification badges on campus.
-Requiring clear backpacks.
-Closing campuses for lunch.

Dr. Jones says he will be talking with “regional and building leaders about the needs of their school communities” before any decisions are made. He also mentioned the SPS Safe Schools Hotline 206-252-0510 that “can be used 24/7 to report any threats to our schools.” Chief Sealth IHS administration said some safety changes were made there after Mobarak Adam’s death, as detailed at a lightly attended safety forum in April.

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SCHOOL’S OUT: Lafayette Elementary celebrates street safety
June 21, 2024 7:26 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Another after-school celebration on this last day of the school year – on SW Lander in the block on the south side of Lafayette Elementary, volunteers and local businesses teamed up to help kids learn about street safety. That included a giveaway of 25 bicycle helmets:

Volunteers helped fit them:

The businesses who partnered in the event included Alki Bike and Board, whose proprietor Stu Hennessey was there to help:

While school safety is important everywhere, Lafayette is the only elementary school in West Seattle that’s on a major street in the middle of a business district.

P.S. Other Admiral businesses contributing to the celebration included Bebop Waffle Shop, Menchie’s Admiral, and Good Society.

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City Attorney proposes new fine for street racing, ‘takeovers’
June 18, 2024 3:26 pm
|      42 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

Would a new city-imposed $500 fine discourage street racing and “takeovers” like the one caught on video in The Junction earlier this month? This announcement is from City Attorney Ann Davison‘s office:

Today, Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison introduced legislation to the Seattle City Council to address the growing incidence of illegal street racing and “street takeover” events in Seattle.

The legislation, which would adopt new state law expanding the definition of street racing to include drifting and street takeover events, also establishes a $500 civil infraction against the registered owner of a vehicle participating in these activities.

“This legislation responds to the recent rise in large street racing takeover events that pose a safety hazard to the public — pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers,” said City Attorney Davison. “The new civil infraction will give police a tool to hold vehicle owners accountable when their cars are used at these events.”

Over the past several years, Seattle has seen an increase in street racing events comprised of large numbers of vehicles and observers. The participants and spectators literally take over city intersections for drifting, “donuts,” and other dangerous driving techniques. In July 2023, a woman was shot at one of these events, and in May 2024, dozens of drivers continued to participate in a takeover, despite police presence and repeated warnings from officers.

In 2023, state legislators adopted a new state law expanding the definition of street racing. That law went into effect on January 1, 2024.

The $500 infraction proposed by City Attorney Davison is an additional measure which is not in state law.

The proposal will first go to the council’s Public Safety Committee for consideration.

P.S. Police said today that the crash on Alki Avenue early Saturday was preceded by this type of driving – donuts and high speed.

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WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: Potter Construction’s Rampathon result
June 16, 2024 6:05 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Thanks to Karl at Potter Construction (WSB sponsor) for sending the photo. On Saturday, Potter Construction again participated in the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties‘ annual Rampathon, during which volunteer labor and donated materials result in access ramps for residents in need. This year, Laurie at Potter Construction tells us, the recipients are “a local West Seattle retired couple, in need of a permanent ramp due to mobility issues.” The builders’ association takes applications from prospective ramp recipients each winter. Potter has been participating since the early 2000s.

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LAST CALL: Final day for SDOT survey on Highland Park Way hill lane-change proposal
June 15, 2024 5:05 pm
|      47 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

SDOT wants to replace the outside downhill lane of the Highland Park Way hill with a protected bicycle lane (1st rendering above), an expanded multi-use path (2nd rendering above), or both (bike lane first, expanded path later). Today’s the final day for this survey asking what you think. SDOT says it’s received almost 2,000 responses as of Thursday. We first reported on the proposal a month ago; back in 2020, SDOT proposed an uphill bicycle lane on the hill, then tabled that. Funding for a protected bike lane on HP Way is mentioned in one of the project lists in the proposed transportation levy currently under City Council review.

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FOLLOWUP: Metro bus crash blamed on unoccupied scooter
June 10, 2024 4:49 pm
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

We followed up with Metro today to ask what they could tell us about the crash reported here early Sunday, with a coach reported to have veered off SW Roxbury and through a fence. We took several questions to Metro spokesperson Jeff Switzer, who incorporated the replies into this response:

Based on preliminary information, about 3:06 a.m. early Sunday morning a RapidRide H Line bus traveling westbound on Southwest Roxbury Street left the roadway at 22nd Avenue Southwest to avoid striking a Lime scooter that was lying in the roadway that was mistaken for either an animal or a person. The bus went through a fenced driveway and partially into a backyard.

Seattle Fire Department responded to assist. The bus driver is doing OK and was not injured. One passenger was (treated for) what initially was reported to be a leg injury. Two other passengers remained on board for a period of time due in part to a customer mobility issue. They later boarded another bus. A Metro truck arrived about 3:56 a.m. to tow the bus back to base for inspection and repairs.

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Traffic enforcement returning, police tell District 1 Community Network
June 6, 2024 1:12 pm
|      87 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(Traffic enforcement on Sylvan Way, 2021 reader photo from Sam)

First of two reports from last night’s District 1 Community Network meeting: Traffic enforcement is returning to West Seattle. Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Nathan Shopay said they’ve been talking with SPD’s Traffic Unit and they were going to get some spot enforcement efforts, as schedules allow. No dates/times/locations yet, but don’t be surprised if you happen to see a motorcycle officer with a radar gun in one of the local hotspots sometime soon. Years ago, SPD had regular traffic-enforcement operations, and SPD Blotter even used to regularly publish lists of where they’d been and what the fastest speeds detected had been (example: this 2011 story mentioning 55 mph on Admiral Way). Our story on the rest of the D1CN meeting – including the group’s decision to disband – is in the works for later, likely tonight Friday.

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