West Seattle, Washington
22 Saturday
We’ve been talking about it a lot lately, and right now there’s a traffic alert about it: A caller told us the South Park Bridge is closed because of a crash, and indeed, KIRO 7’s chopper is showing the scene, with a vehicle on its side. No word on injuries, but that route’s likely to be blocked a while. 6:36 AM: Last aerial showed a tow truck there, so it should be cleared soon. Tipster Tony B sent this photo showing the pickup on its side:
More developments today as the South Park Bridge – a lifeline not just for its namesake community, but also for many people in south West Seattle and White Center who use it – nears the county’s planned June 30th shutdown date:
For one, more than two dozen representatives of government agencies gathered this morning in South Park for the first of at least two sessions to strategize the closure plan. Also, we’ve gathered some updates on the quest for money to build a new bridge.
Those first: After the closure meeting this morning, county rep Andrew Glass Hastings spoke with WSB about what’s being done to find money for a new bridge. He said a “stakeholders’ meeting” is being assembled for mid-April and said the project will certainly require a “different level of partnership” from entities including the city of Seattle – in other words, some monetary contribution.
But will the cash-strapped city even consider chipping in money toward the project’s $100 million-plus cost, money the county has been unable to find for years? Shortly after the South Park meeting, we put the question to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, as he hosted media reps in his conference room for one of his periodic roundtable chats:
(If you can’t take two minutes to watch the clip – or are unable to – his answer boiled down to: The city doesn’t HAVE money to chip in, but maybe we should all look at our regional priorities, considering, for example, the Port of Seattle is getting ready to raise $300 million to chip in on the “proposed bored tunnel.”)
Given what the mayor said – will the port consider a contribution? Port commissioner Gael Tarleton was visible and vocal at both South Park Bridge community meetings two weeks ago (WSB coverage here and here). We’ll be checking with her. Meantime, read on for toplines — and maps — from the multi-agency closure-plan meeting this morning:Read More
We’re at the South Portal Working Group meeting looking at what’s ahead for the Alaskan Way Viaduct – an ongoing process – 
and one group member, Marty Oppenheimer from South Park, brought up the issue of the South Park Bridge‘s impending June 30th closure. For those following the issue – of interest to many in south West Seattle and White Center, too – there were a few interesting replies from various city, state and port reps who are here. Ron Paananen from WSDOT noted the situation is “starting to get the attention of people in Olympia.” Ron Judd, also from WSDOT, said Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond asked him to “sit down with various folks to see if there’s a way in which we could provide some sort of assistance or help in solving this problem” – especially regarding putting together a “competitive” package to seek money for the bridge project. He added, “Pressure solves problems – and pressure is beginning to build.” Mike Merritt from the Port said, “We’re all engaged – we need to find a path that the project hasn’t had in the past.” He noted there’s a “big meeting” regarding the South Park Bridge situation tomorrow with multiple agencies/jurisdictions involved; we’re checking to find out more about that. Meantime, we’ll have a full report later on the main subject of this working-group meeting: What it’ll be like as Viaduct/South End construction is staged over the next five years – what closes when, who detours where and when, what’s getting built when, etc. Lots and lots of changes, twists and turns – we’ll try to help you make some sense of it.
(Tuesday photo by Bruce Trotter)
That’s the word from Chris Arkills in King County Executive Dow Constantine‘s office. We checked in with him as part of a series of followups to last week’s intense South Park community meetings (WSB coverage here and here) on the county’s plan to close the deteriorating South Park Bridge as of June 30. He says the Executive “has tasked a budget office team with developing a concrete funding proposal,” that a “stakeholders’ group of interested parties” is forming “to help lobby for funding,” and also that meetings with multiple agencies affected by the bridge situation (including the fire and police departments) will start next week. Wednesday night, we talked briefly with City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who had gone to South Park last week to offer help; as reported here, she told us she’s exploring an idea to see if boats downstream from the SP Bridge could be moved upstream temporarily so that it could refrain from opening and closing, and remain in service for vehicles and pedestrians. Meantime, for those interested in the bridge situation, a Facebook page (citizen-run, not government) has been set up – find it here.
(Photo courtesy Dale Brayden, from the “Captain Dave river tour” last weekend)
Wednesday night of last week, City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw was at the second of two consecutive-night meetings in South Park (WSB coverage here), talking with – and listening to – community members regarding the county’s scheduled shutdown of the deteriorating South Park Bridge. She promised them, “I’ll be here with you.” One week later, after she wrapped up an appearance last night at the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting, we caught up with her to ask what’s happened since then. She mentioned meetings with other key elected officials – but most notably, a new idea she’s exploring: Since the bridge’s biggest safety issues come from the wear and tear of repeated openings and closures for marine traffic, she’s trying to find out if there are vessels based south of the SP Bridge that could be moved upstream (north) for a year or so – till a new bridge could be built. If the bridge didn’t have to open for marine traffic, Bagshaw says, it could have an extended life of availability for vehicle and pedestrian traffic. She emphasizes that a lot of research has to be done to see if this would be feasible, including conversations with the Port of Seattle and the Coast Guard.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One thing is clear, after two nights of standing-room-only meetings about the South Park Bridge‘s scheduled June 30 closure – if the residents and businesspeople of South Park could build the unfunded replacement bridge themselves, they would.
The second meeting, organized by South Park Action Agenda at the SP Community Center last night, ended with an attendee pleading with County Councilmember Jan Drago, “Tell us what to do.”
Drago was one of three elected officials in attendance last night – triple that turnout from the night before, at the official county-publicized briefing during the South Park Neighborhood Association‘s regular monthly meeting (WSB coverage here).
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
More than 100 people filled, and spilled out from, tonight’s South Park Neighborhood Association meeting, facing a county rep who came to confirm the South Park Bridge – their “lifeline,” many called it – is virtually certain to close June 30. (The time is even set – 7 pm.)
The fury: “If this was the University or Fremont or Montlake Bridge … would you be doing this? You come here so casually to tell us you’re closing it!”
The fear: “If you shut that bridge, you’re going to be cutting my arm off, and I’m going to bleed to death.”
The frustration: “It’s very clear that you all know what’s at stake. I know what’s at stake. The captain of the port knows what’s at stake. But somehow that voice, that story has not penetrated the powers-that-be that make the decision (regarding funding).”
The fighting spirit: “Who do we need to contact NOW to get the money we need for the bridge? We can’t undo the last 13 or 40 years, but we need to get the money NOW.”
The voice of frustration was that of Gael Tarleton, Seattle Port Commissioner, the only elected official present at the meeting, though representatives were there on behalf of King County Executive Dow Constantine, County Councilmember Jan Drago, and City Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw and Mike O’Brien. Tarleton was not a scheduled speaker, but finally spoke up from the sidelines, where she was one of several dozen standing against the walls when the South Park Neighborhood Center‘s chairs were all gone.
For those closely watching the future of the South Park Bridge, particularly whether it will have to shut down this summer if the county can’t find money to replace it, three notes: First, an update from our citywide-news partners at the Seattle Times – while that story’s topline is “the bridge might have to close in June,” the real news in the story appears to be that the county’s awaiting study results which might show the bridge COULD be kept open. Meantime, we’ve learned of two meetings next week for those interested in the bridge’s future – both have been publicized in South Park, but apparently not in West Seattle: First one is Tuesday (March 9), 7 pm, during the regular meeting of the South Park Neighborhood Association. The county has sent out a mailer – see it here. Then on Wednesday (March 10), community advocates are organizing a meeting about the bridge; here’s info about that, from the South Park Yahoo! group.
King County Executive Dow Constantine says he’ll keep pushing for federal help to replace the South Park Bridge – which the county has said will have to close, , potentially as soon as this summer, if money can’t be found to keep it open. This, as word comes that the county did NOT get the “TIGER” grant (explained here) it was seeking (here’s a national overview on what DID get funded – locally, it included the city’s “Mercer Mess” $30 million request). We’re pursuing other details on this, but for starters, read on for Constantine’s statement (followed by, added 3:19 pm, Councilmember Jan Drago‘s statement):Read More
Starting tomorrow, for four days, the South Park Bridge (seen above during a Duwamish River tour last week) will be closed to vehicle traffic, and will not be opening for marine traffic, 7 am-7 pm daily. Here’s the official advisory; this is the round of closures postponed from a week and a half ago. The county says engineers will be doing testing to gather data that’ll be used when they finally have the money to build a replacement bridge.
Mentioned here on Thursday that the South Park Bridge closures had been rescheduled, and that nighttime work was planned on the West Seattle Bridge next week. New details are in on both plans – read on:Read More
From a big construction roundup just sent around by Delridge Neighborhoods District Coordinator Ron Angeles – these two notes of specific interest – including the rescheduling of the South Park Bridge closures called off last weekend:
– Crews will be working nights on the West Seattle Bridge Feb 8-11 in both directions.
– South Park Bridge to be closed Feb 10-13, 7am-7pm daily
The full roundup, including some previously announced SODO closures, is available online here.
ORIGINAL 8:49 PM REPORT: Just got that photo via Twitter from @sntxrr who says it’s his view of the house burning right now in South Park, 500 block of South Trenton. If you are in eastern West Seattle, you might have heard the sirens – and another engine from central West Seattle (E32 from The Junction) was just called out to join the fight too (some of the responding engines/trucks on the 911 listing are from here too). Scanner hasn’t indicated any injuries so far, but the house was reported “fully involved,” from its garage to its attic. (Looks like this is the Google Street View angle closest to the one the photo shows.)
9:04 PM: At the fire scene is photojournalist Cliff DesPeaux – check his Twitter feed at @despeaux for photo/video links.
9:38 PM: Seattle Fire spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen says they don’t know the fire’s cause yet, but it’s out, adding that six people got out of the house safely, no injuries. She says the fire, which started in the garage, was first noticed by someone walking a dog.
1:08 AM: Just checked back with the SFD media hotline and there’s been a major development: Vander Houwen now says they found a body in the burned garage where the fire started. No word on identity or even gender; they also aren’t saying yet how the fire started – more information expected later today.
UPDATE: SFD has not announced a cause yet. Damage totaled $310,000. The victim was a teenage boy.
From King County Department of Transportation:
The King County Road Service Division is advising motorists that the previously scheduled closure of the South Park Bridge has been postponed due to a delay in obtaining a permit for the work. The bridge had originally been scheduled to close for a four-day period for testing beginning Sat. Jan 30. The testing will be rescheduled for a later date.
11:34 AM UPDATE – The South Park Bridge closures are POSTPONED till a future date.
One more reminder about three closures this weekend that might affect your travels to and from West Seattle:
10 PM TONIGHT THROUGH 5 AM MONDAY: That’s the schedule again this weekend for closures of the northbound I-5 ramp and the westbound Columbian Way ramp to the West Seattle Bridge, both related to the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project. (Last weekend the work finished fast and both reopened Saturday night.) Details here.
7 AM-7 PM DAILY, SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY: The South Park Bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic, and will not open for marine traffic, all four days. Crews plan to do tests related to future construction of a replacement bridge; details here.
Thanks to Jillian for sharing that view of this year’s Space Needle fireworks from West Seattle – one more look as the holiday season winds down this weekend with tasks like taking down the Christmas tree. Since this weekend is prime time for many to, shall we say, de-decorate, we wanted to mention this once more: The city has two ways for you to recycle trees. If you don’t mind some chopping and bundling, there’s curbside pickup; if you’d like to just recycle it in one piece, your tree is more likely to fit the guidelines of what’s acceptable for dropoff at the South Recycling and Disposal Station over in South Park. See the guidelines here; here’s a map to the disposal station (open 8 am-5:30 pm daily).
(King County rendering of what replacement South Park Bridge would look like)
The South Park Bridge replacement project is now officially “shovel-ready” if it can just get the federal money sought for construction, says King County. Here’s today’s announcement with the latest on the project (which is needed if that route is to remain open):Read More
For the first time since the horrifying attack in South Park that killed 39-year-old Teresa Butz five months ago, the murder victim’s 37-year-old partner – who survived despite serious wounds – has broken her silence. She spoke, anonymously, with Seattle Times (WSB partner) reporter Jennifer Sullivan, not commenting on the attack itself, but about how she is getting on with her life, telling the Times, “Survival is about being part of the world, not getting lost in the fear …” She also has moved away from South Park, to Capitol Hill. The story was published tonight; you can read it here, including how she is about to help launch a new self-defense program for women.
The Alaskan Way Viaduct gets all the attention, but the South Park Bridge poses an even-more-urgent problem, with no guaranteed solution – yet. Here’s where things stand now.
By Jack Mayne
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The bridge carries almost 20,000 passenger vehicles and 3,000 trucks a day across the river from an unincorporated King County sliver in South Park to the City of Tukwila and beyond.
The bridge’s closure would mean traffic would have to be diverted to the already crowded First Avenue South Bridge across the river.
County Council Chair Dow Constantine, a candidate for county executive, says he is pushing particularly hard for the $99 million TIGER grant, or Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, a federal bailout program Congress approved to help states with shovel-ready construction projects. The decision on that grant is expected by mid-February.
Just east of West Seattle – but part of the Seattle Public Schools‘ West Seattle “region” – Concord International School held its first assembly today under its new designation, one day after a similar assembly at Denny International Middle School (WSB coverage here), whose principal Jeff Clark was on hand (not only to visit with potential future Denny students, but also because he’s a Concord dad). The Concord assembly also featured cultural performances – and new Concord principal Dr. Norma Zavala explaining why multiculturalism matters, after talking about growing up bilingual/bicultural in a small Eastern Washington town:
Concord social-studies teacher Robin Kanev (a West Seattle resident) told us she’s excited – she’s been at Concord for nine years and specifically wanted to work at a school with a dual-language program. Meantime, district Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson also noted the significance of Concord’s new status:
And of course, there were performances – African-Cuban drummers to open the assembly, and shortly afterward, these dancers:
Concord has more than 300 students speaking 15 languages, and, as described in a Seattle Public Schools news release, “two classes of Spanish/English dual immersion program as well as an English cohort in kindergarten and 1st grade, (adding) 2nd grade this year, continuing to expand to additional grades each year.” Never been to Concord? Here’s a map.
Lashanna sent that photo just as “Crank It Up” was about to get going in South Park’s Cesar Chavez Park (7th So. and So. Cloverdale; map). She’s there doing facepainting – as she’s done at lots of West Seattle events too! “Crank It Up” continues till 6 pm and is just a short hop from West Seattle – here’s the list of what’s happening, starting with a bike ride that’s under way now and then moving on to live music starting at 3 with The Not-Its (who played the Alki community picnic recently) – There’s Full Tilt Ice Cream at “Crank It Up” too! UPDATE: Another photo from Lashanna – Ambulance is one of the bands that played – she says they’re all middle- and high-school students from Ballard:
(Thursday night photo by Christopher Boffoli)
KENNEY SALE: West Seattle’s newest official city landmark, The Kenney‘s cupola-topped Seaview Building, marks the site of one of today’s many sales – Household goods, treasures, more, 9 am-4 pm, with this sale at The Kenney benefiting its fund taking care of residents who “outlive their financial resources.” 7125 Fauntleroy (map).
LOTS OF OTHER SALES: Other fundraising sales (like one for PAWS) and garage/yard sales happening TODAY are listed in the WSB Forums’ Freebies/Deals/Sales section – any time you have a sale, whether yard or business, you’re welcome to post there for free too.
HOLY FAMILY STREET FAIR: Holy Family School is on the line between West Seattle and White Center and inviting everybody in both communities – and beyond – to its El Carnaval street fair today and tomorrow, 10 am start both days. 20th SW will be blocked off just south of Roxbury for the fun (map).
MORE EVENTS/ACTIVITIES/ATTRACTIONS! … listed in the latest West Seattle Weekend Lineup.
AND A TRAFFIC REMINDER … The South Park Bridge is scheduled to be closed 7 am-7 pm today for repair work.
Just in from the King County Department of Transportation:
The King County Road Services Division will close the South Park Bridge over the Duwamish River on 14th/16th Avenue South this Saturday, Aug. 29 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for repairs. The bridge will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic over the bridge and to large marine vessels on the water.
The repairs involve drawbridge alignment – more details here.
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