West Seattle, Washington
30 Tuesday
You hope it never happens – but need to be ready in case it does. Last Sunday, our calendar and event list included a Disaster Resilience Ride organized by West Seattle Bike Connections, whose Kate Wells sent a report and photos:
We had great weather, great attendance (including a couple of kids) and great speakers! Riders learned about the Seattle Emergency Hubs system, assembling a go-bag, food and water resilience, building community, and dealing with utilities.
We also stopped by the Delridge Tool Library as a possible resource after a disaster. There was interest in doing a similar ride again in the future.
To find out what else West Seattle Bike Connections is up to, go here.
Another city project is out with an update just before the holiday weekend. We first reported March 31 about the Barton repaving plan in the bus-layover zone alongside the north edge of Roxhill Park, after spotting a mention in a land-use bulletin; now SDOT is ready to have a community meeting about it – here’s the update they sent today:
We have completed designing the SW Barton St Layover Repaving project and plan to begin construction in Fall 2025!
Before then, join us for a public meeting on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm, at the former site of the Bed Bath & Beyond in Westwood Village (2600 SW Barton St, Suite A1).
We will be discussing:
-Bus detours
-Bus stop relocations
-Construction impacts to area businesses
-Answers to your questionsYou can also sign up for email updates or visit the project website where we will regularly share news of the project.
Why are we doing this work?
We’re partnering with King County Metro to repave the bus layover zone and street on SW Barton St.
The street’s concrete is old, cracked, and damaged from the heavy buses. Here’s what we’ll do:
-Replace the underlying soil with lightweight concrete
-Repave the road with stronger concreteThese improvements will:
-Reduce repair costs for SW Barton St
-Lower bus maintenance costs
-Make driving smootherDuring repaving, bus routes and layover zones will change. We’ll work with Metro to find the best new locations for bus stops and the layover area. We aim to minimize inconvenience and will provide updates on alternate arrangements. To contact our project team, email SWBartonLayover@seattle.gov.
If you live in the area, SDOT says to watch your mailbox for an information postcard next week.
(WSF photo via X)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The sight of M/V Wenatchee out on Elliott Bay today was one reason why Washington State Ferries boss Steve Nevey opened today’s online systemwide community meeting with optimism: “I’m really positive about the direction the ferry system is heading in. … We’re not just trying to get better, we are getting better.”
M/V Wenatchee is getting close to the end of its longer-than-planned hybrid-conversion work at Vigor on Harbor Island, and its return to service will help return the fleet to enough of a size that, among other things, the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route will be able to return to a three-boat schedule June 30 (as first announced last month). “I’m really proud that almost-full service (systemwide) will be restored this summer.”
That also was partly enabled by Governor Bob Ferguson‘s order to delay the hybrid conversion of other ferries, but Nevey insisted WSF was not wavering in its commitment to electrification. A major next step, for example, is to build infrastructure so ferries will be able to recharge at terminals and run entirely on battery power; until that infrastructure is available, for example, Wenatchee will be running in hybrid mode “for a couple years,” Nevey noted.
He also showed the system “by the numbers” for this year’s first four months:
The most important numbers – like fleet size – played into remarks from the next speaker, John Vezina. Though, he warned, the system will have only 21 boats when it should have 26, service restoration will be possible:
For Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth, Vezina also said, there’ll be a few weeks this spring where it’s back to “two boats plus the ‘bonus boat’.” And what happens if unexpected circumstances bring the fleet strength down further? He showed the WSF decisionmaking matrix:
His final key point was that ferries have been added to the list of transit types aboard which various types of “unlawful transit conduct” can get you in trouble, thanks to SB 5716.
Next up from the WSF executive team was Todd Lamphere, who had the most numbers of anyone in the lineup, because it fell to him to explain how the state allocates funding to WSF and what happened in the just-concluded legislative session. Among the many notable numbers was $4 million for continued supplemental foot-ferry service provided by Metro‘s Vashon Island Water Taxi and Kitsap Transit. WSF is also now “directed” by legislators – without a dollar amount attached – to get back to exploring what it would take to provide reliable wi-fi service on ferries and in terminals. He also explained how ferry fares are decided, and during the meeting, participants got the chance to participate in two fare-related polls. (79 percent supported extending expiration time of prepurchased ticket books, from 90 days to 120 days; 65 percent supported a five percent “peak season surcharge.”
For more input into the process of setting the next round of fares, an online open house starts soon:
44 minutes into the meeting, they launched into a full hour of questions and answers (the asking was done via a Zoom feature – no live speaking by attendees). We took notes only on the ones of potential local interested, such as an early question about staffing; Beth Stowell said they’d just had four classes of 16 new employees, with two more soon, so they’re “fully staffed up with new folks for summer.” Other questions included how would WSF measure electrification success, once it’s actually happening; the answer – the amount of time the boats are running on battery power. Someone else was perturbed over people “skipping the line” if they have a medical exemption; Vezina noted there are three groups of people that can skip the line – those with medical exemptions, those on motorcycles, and those on bicycles. The medical exemption requires a note from a doctor – they don’t just take your word for it.
Got a question? A second session of the same meeting, ostensibly also featuring an hour for Q&A, starts at 6 pm Thursday; you can get the link by registering here.
Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route is running for the rest of today/tonight with two boats, because WSF has moved the current unscheduled “bonus boat,” M/V Salish, to the Bremerton/Seattle run. That’s to cover for the regular Bremerton boat, M/V Walla Walla, which is undergoing “urgent restroom repairs.” Walla Walla is expected to be back in service by tomorrow morning, so Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth will be getting its third boat back.
(File photo)
What used to be Bike to Work Day is now Bike Everywhere Day, and it’s coming up this Wednesday (May 14) – that’s a change too, since in past years it’s been on Fridays. One thing that isn’t changing: Morning riders are invited to stop at the west end of the path beneath the West Seattle Bridge, where West Seattle Bike Connections and friends will await you. From their announcement:
Homemade baked goods, coffee, and information on bicycling routes and planned improvements will be available, and local enthusiasts can answer questions about commuting, recreational cycling, and other biking issues. Local bike repair shops will provide simple, on-the-spot bike repairs.
That’s happening 6-9 am Wednesday. Then next Sunday (May 18), WSBC is co-sponsoring a Disaster Resilience Ride from South Delridge to demonstrate the role bicycles will have in case of catastrophe. From the announcement:
Sunday, May 18th is the 45th anniversary of the Mount St. Helens eruption. This is an opportunity to remind ourselves to be prepared. With West Seattle Bike Connections and Seattle Emergency Hubs, we are demonstrating that day the connection between emergency hubs and the use of bicycles for navigating broken streets.
What: Disaster Resilience Ride
Where: Salvation Army, 9050 16th Ave SW
When: May 18th starting at 1 pm
Why: To show the need for bicycle response in the case of disaster that can leave roads impassable and automobiles restricted in movement as well as fuel sources.Using a network of Seattle Neighborhood Greenway bike routes, the 8-mile round-trip ride will visit several West Seattle emergency hubs and learn what their function is in case of a disaster. This is a family friendly ride.
No advance registration required for either of these events – just show up.
(WSB photo, April 23)
When we covered SDOT‘s South Delridge/Westwood walking tour last month, looking at routes where the Transportation Levy might fund new sidewalks/walkways, a plan was mentioned for a May 21 walking tour in Highland Park. Now SDOT has asked us to share the official announcement:
Building Sidewalk and Walkway Connections
Want to see new safe places to walk in the Highland Park neighborhood? Thanks to the Seattle Transportation Levy we can build at least 10 blocks of new sidewalk or walkway in Highland Park. Please join us for a neighborhood walk and share with us where you would like to see new walkways and/or sidewalks.
Date: Wednesday May 21st, 2025
Time: 5:00-6:30 pm
Location: Gather at Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trenton St) in the covered area of the playground, and then walk the neighborhood with us!
Kids are welcome!
Rain or Shine
Here’s the announcement flyer.
From the “in case you wondered too” file: Dave emailed to ask what happened to the on-street bike rack on the northwest corner of California/Oregon, by Dumplings of Fury and its north neighbors. He used it to park on Sunday, April 27, but found the rack missing this past Sunday. Our photo from yesterday shows the bicycle marking on the street but the rack (and other infrastructure) missing; here’s what it looked like in a 2023 Google Street View image:
First we asked the West Seattle Junction Association if they were aware of the removal. They weren’t. So we then asked SDOT, which is accountable for installing and maintaining these racks; spokesperson Mariam Ali checked around and then replied to us Tuesday, “Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We didn’t remove the bike rack at the northwest corner of SW Oregon and California SW, and we’re not sure what happened to it. Our crews will install a replacement.”
However, when we took a closer look at the scene Wednesday before writing the story, we thought there had to be more to it – couldn’t have been a metal theft, as the wheel stops and bollard were gone too. So we asked SDOT about it again, wondering if they had cross-referenced all the permit filings in the area, etc. That turned out to be the key, said spokesperson Ali:
After receiving your follow-up question, I connected with another team we hadn’t checked with earlier and confirmed that the bike rack was removed as part of the construction project at 4448 California Ave SW to accommodate traffic rerouting in their traffic control plan. Once construction is complete and they’ve completed any restoration work, they’ll reinstall the bike rack at the same location.
Concurrent with that update from SDOT, WSJA told us they’d just received the same explanation. So bottom line: The bike rack on the northwest corner of California/Oregon was removed as part of the mixed-use project on the northeast corner (background is in our coverage of its groundbreaking), but will be reinstalled when construction is complete (expected next year).
(SDOT photo)
SDOT is still saying the Admiral Way Bridge seismic-strengthening work will continue into summer. But in the meantime, in case you’re wondering what crews are doing now, they offered an update today:
-Painting steel bridge components.
-Fixing sections of the bridge with cracked or broken concrete.
-Repairing corrosion damage on support structures under the bridge.
-Removing scaffolding on the north side of the bridge, and around support columns.In the coming weeks, crews will remove leftover concrete debris from recent repairs and place large rocks at the base of the bridge and along nearby slopes for added protection. They’ll also install drainage near the support columns to help manage rainwater.
SDOT says the work zone – determining which lanes are closed – could change “from time to time” on the bridge deck, but Fairmount beneath the bridge will remain fully closed until the project is complete. They say the timeline for completion stretched out because they decided to fully paint the bridge (which technically is two bridges).
For those who wondered how a walking tour starting at Westwood Village would address pedestrian safety in South Delridge, here’s how:
(Digital image from SDOT substituted Thursday for previous photo of paper map)
That was the planned route for tonight’s SDOT-coordinated tour, meant to give people a chance to suggest how/where to build “at least 10 blocks” of sidewalks and/or walkways in the area, with money from the billion-and-a-half-dollars-plus Seattle Transportation levy that voters approved last year. The longest stretch of the road, uphill on Barton toward Delridge, actually had sidewalks, but a northward turn, west of Delridge, put participants on a street that did not.
About half of the ~20 people who participated were city employees. SDOT project leaders stressed that the walking route was by no means predetermined as the future-sidewalk route. The community members who participated had some specific suggestions about making walking safer – including the small children they brought along. Participants got to experience a variety of walking conditions.
That included the Barton Place hill where an encampment sprawls across the sidewalk close to the top of the stairway down to 22nd (which has a foil-wrapped railing):
(One walker recalled a Find It Fix It Walk in the area nine years ago, and the goat deployment that followed.) The block north of there was again without sidewalks, and the participating families had a lot to say about that since that was their neighborhood. (They expressed interest in upgrading the 22nd/Trenton crossing, too.)
We left the tour on 22nd to get to HPAC‘s 6:30 meeting; it didn’t appear to be resulting in any particular to-do list- the SDOT reps promised a report would be forthcoming; whatever project area(s) they settle on, they expect to get to “10% design” before year’s end, and construction could start as soon as next year – or as late as 2029. If you have suggestions – crosswalks, lights, and other safety measures, not just sidewalk sites, you can email this team at levysidewalks@seattle.gov.
OTHER AREAS: They’ve already done a tour in North Delridge, and said tonight they’ll be announcing one for Highland Park on May 21.
Washington State Ferries says it’s expecting to restore regular three-boat service on Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth (the Triangle Route) June 30. When it does, the 2-boat schedule it’s been running these past few years will become a backup schedule – and WSF is revising it. So they’re asking for comments right now via an online open house you’ll find here, open through this Friday, April 18. (If you want to cut right to the proposed schedule changes before commenting, find them here.)
Part of the money from the voter-approved Seattle Transportation Levy is intended to make a dent in the huge number of blocks around the city that need sidewalks/walkways. Ten or more blocks will be built in South Delridge in the next few years, and SDOT has just announced a walking tour to get your thoughts about where:
Want to see new safe places to walk in the South Delridge neighborhood? Thanks to the Seattle Transportation Levy we can build at least 10 blocks of new sidewalk or walkway in South Delridge. Please join us for a neighborhood walk and share with us where you would like to see new walkways and/or sidewalks.
Date: Wednesday April 23rd, 2025
Time: 5:00-6:30 pm
Location: Gather at Westwood Village at vacant storefront near Daiso (used to be Lauren’s Jewelry – 2600 SW Barton St, Suite #E4) and then walk the neighborhood with us!Kids are welcome!
Rain or Shine
Here’s a flyer further explaining the plan. A similar walking tour was held last month in North Delridge.
Heads-up to expect more bicyclists on West Seattle and White Center streets tomorrow (Sunday, April 13) – Cascade Bicycle Club‘s annual Ride for Major Taylor starts on the White Center Bicycle Playground 7 am-8:30 am and will take hundreds of riders on one of two courses – either circumnavigating our peninsula via its waterfront streets (with an Alki rest stop), or (updated) a White Center/Tacoma/Vashon/West Seattle route. You can see the route maps (26 miles or 62 miles) by going here. If you’re not registered, unfortunately, it’s too late – no same-day signups, according to Cascade, which explains that the ride honors “the legacy of Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor, the Black World Cycling Champion … as a fundraiser for Cascade Bicycle Club’s education and advocacy programs, including funding for snacks at after-school Major Taylor Project Clubs as well as support for Major Taylor Project students’ participation in the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic.”
(REAL ID reminder that arrived with a car-tab-renewal notice)
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
With just a month left, the scramble is on for appointments to get enhanced driver licenses and other IDs that meet REAL ID requirements. Starting May 7, you’ll need identification that meets those federal standards if you want to board a domestic commercial flight or visit some federal facilities. US Passports will be accepted, as will Washington State-issued Enhanced Driver Licenses (EDL) and Enhanced IDs, as well as Tribal IDs and other documents (see the list here), but a regular driver’s license or state ID will no longer be enough.
We checked around, and found that West Seattle’s semi-new driver-licensing location at 2420 SW Dakota is booked up for the next two months worth of appointments for enhanced documents. A few other locations in the metro area have some earlier appointment dates, but still well after the deadline. The enhanced cards take a couple of weeks to process after the appointment, in any case. There are some occasional cancelled appointments that become available day-of, so if you can’t wait until summer for your updated documents, checking the site regularly may yield an earlier appointment. The Department of Licensing website allows you to check by location on availability, but does not show the West Seattle office on its default map. You have to put in your zip code to see available appointments there: dol.wa.gov/id-cards/real-id
REAL ID’s goal is to make sure all states use the same kinds of standards to confirm identity and citizenship before issuing ID cards, in much the way US passport standards work. The Act, which was a Congressional response to security concerns after 9/11, was originally planned to take effect in 2008, but that deadline has been pushed back time and again, for a total of 20 years. The most recent delays in 2021 and 2023 were blamed in part on state licensing backlogs created by the pandemic. The Transportation Security Administration is sticking with the deadline this time, but is planning a “phased enforcement approach,” giving it some flexibility if passengers arrive at the airport with a regular ID instead of an enhanced one. Just how they will handle those situations when they happen is not yet clear, but they do expect it to be an issue because so many Americans have yet to upgrade their identification to meet the standards. While US passports are another option, only a little more than half of Americans — 170 million people — have those.
Despite the standardization the act is aiming for, some states, including Washington, are putting their own mark on the IDs–literally. To denote a compliant ID, the majority of states have added a star in the upper right corner of their IDs, but some are black, others gold, and California has their star on a grizzly bear. Washington state has eschewed the star in favor of an American flag that overlaps the photo on the ID.
(SDOT photo)
SDOT has a short update on the Admiral Way Bridge seismic-strengthening project:
Here’s What Crews Are Working On:
-Concrete repairs on damaged sections of the bridge.
-Wrapping parts of the bridge in carbon fiber to make it stronger.
-Painting piers and setting up scaffolding to prepare for retrofits under the deck.Traffic Reminders
Admiral Way SW (on top of the bridge):
-Both sidewalks are open for people walking, biking, and using mobility devices.
-The work zone will change from time to time over the next several months, but we’re keeping at least one lane of Admiral Way SW open in each direction.Fairmount Ave SW Closure Reminder (below the bridge):
-Fairmount Ave SW under the bridge is closed to all travelers during construction. This closure keeps everyone safe while work happens on the bridge above, and helps our crews work efficiently.We expect to finish construction in summer 2025. The schedule could change due to weather, crew availability, or materials — we’ll keep you posted!
As reported in this previous update, the painting is a big part of why SDOT says the completion date is later than originally projected.
(WSB file photo)
Another new date for completion of the Morgan Junction EV-charging lot between Fauntleroy Way and SW Morgan, north of 42nd. This time it comes from District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka, who says City Light is now projecting the long-planned eight-charger lot will be open for use in April of next year – still a year away. While his newsletter – and the City Light memo it links to – describe this as an “acceleration,” it is not; the last update from City Light, just a few months ago at the Morgan Community Association‘s January 2025 meeting, said the lot was expected to be ready to go in fall of this year. And that of course was just the latest of multiple delays; we’ve been reporting on this project since its inception, and when the proposal first came to light in early 2022, SCL said construction could start as soon as fall of that year.
Back on Monday, we reported on plans to repave SW Barton between Roxhill Park and Westwood Village, 26th SW to 29th SW, because of damage done by buses. SDOT told us they planned to distribute a flyer soon to nearby homes and businesses. Today we’ve received the flyer, and if you’re in the area, SDOT says, it should be in your mail. It doesn’t appear to include any new info of note; it does say that there’ll be a temporary bus-layover spot while the work is under way this fall, and that they’ll “let you know where soon.” See the flyer here.
While adding new types of enforcement/safety cameras has been under discussion in recent years, the city already deploys several types, including school-zone speed-enforcement cameras, red-light cameras, and transit-lane cameras. Are they making a difference? That’s one of the issues set for discussion when SDOT talks about cameras at 9:30 am tomorrow with the City Council’s Transportation Committee, chaired by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka. You can watch the meeting here and/or get the basics by looking at the slide decks and memo already linked to the agenda. (Info you’ll find includes the fact the city hasn’t installed a new red-light camera since 2013 – West Seattle has two – and new school-zone cameras on the way include California SW near West Seattle HS and SW Admiral Way near the permanent site of Alki Elementary.) This meeting includes a public-comment period, and the agenda has info on that too.
Today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin brings word of a repaving project planned for SW Barton between 26th and 29th, to fix road damage blamed on buses. The bulletin specifically notes that a two-week comment period is now open regarding the determination that the project doesn’t need a full environmental-impact study; it has a “checklist,” from which we extracted this:
King County Metro buses on the RapidRide C route have a layover location on SW Barton Street between 26th Ave SW and 29th Ave SW in Seattle, WA. The layover location is within peat settlement prone and liquefaction prone environmentally critical areas (ECAs). Due to the heavy loads imposed by routine bus use over an inadequate roadbase, the roadway has experienced settling, resulting in dislocated concrete panels. To address this issue, SDOT proposes to repair the roadbed by removing existing peat deposits and filling the subgrade with lightweight cellular concrete, then installing new concrete panels on the roadway surface. An existing wastewater main is located below the roadway, within the area to be filled with stabilizing material. The wastewater main will be relocated to a position approximately one foot below and slightly north of its current location. This will move the pipe out of the area to be filled with concrete and align it with the post-construction road grade.
To support the project goals described above and meet City of Seattle construction standards, the project will also repair or improve the surrounding drainage infrastructure, curb lines, curb ramps, and sidewalks.
We contacted SDOT to find out more; they pointed us to this project page which says the work is expected to happen this fall. They also told us that official notification of nearby residents and businesses is expected to start with a mailer going out next week. Meantime, if you want to comment on the aforementioned environmental aspect, this notice explains how. There’s been a longrunning project aimed at saving the peat bog in adjacent Roxhill Park, so we’ll be looking into how/whether this might affect that, too.
Metro has just announced the changes coming with its next semi-annual “service change” on March 29. For West Seattle, Route 56 and RapidRide C Line lose trips, while RapidRide H Line gains trips. Here are the route-by-route links and explanations:
Route 56 (map/schedule here)
This route will see a reduction in trips that are currently funded by the Seattle Transit Measure. This route will have 1 fewer trip each weekday during the morning commute hours. These service hours will be re-invested in other routes to better meet the City’s policy goals and equity commitments.RapidRide C Line (map/schedule here)
This route will have fewer trips during afternoon commute hours. This includes a reduction in trips that were funded by the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure. Buses will still come about every 10 minutes or more frequently on this route. This change is to support Seattle’s equity goals, better align with transit need and demand, and be consistent with Metro’s RapidRide policies.RapidRide H Line (map/schedule here)
5 trips will be added on weekdays and 3 trips will be added on Saturday and Sunday. These additional trips are funded by the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure.
The full systemwide list of changes is here.
P.S. There’s no mention again this service change of some unresolved West Seattle issues – two suspended routes (37 and 55) and proposed stop changes for Route 125. We are checking with Metro.
(WSB file photo)
Leadership of HPAC discovered this week that SDOT had posted significant otherwise-unannounced updates online regarding the Highland Park Way hill project. It’s been in planning for a while and was a named project in the Seattle Transportation Levy; the most controversial component was the proposal to rechannelize the hill with one downhill lane plus either a protected bicycle lane, or a protected multi-use path, or both. HPAC leaders contacted SDOT’s James Le to clarify, and via email today, he confirmed they’re going ahead with the plan to remove the downhill driving lane:
… The project team is continuing to develop a proposed design. Based on what we heard from community members, we have updated our concept to maintain all lanes on Highland Park Way SW at the W Marginal Way SW intersection. The updated concept will still include removing a downhill driving lane from SW Holden St to Pioneer Industries (about 600 feet from the intersection). We anticipate having the updated concept to share this spring.
The new online updates include long and short reports about community feedback on the proposal. The top “key theme” was summarized as “Many worry that removing a driving lane may increase congestion and make driving through the area more difficult.” HPAC has invited SDOT to present the plan at one of its upcoming meetings (usually the fourth Wednesday).
Today was going to be the deadline for applying to be on the advisory committee overseeing the Transportation Levy approved by voters in November. The city is looking for more applicants and has extended the deadline to Monday morning. Here’s the announcement:
We are recruiting members for the new Seattle Transportation Levy Oversight Committee (LOC). Apply by 8 am on Monday, March 3, 2025!
Apply here.
Serving on the LOC is a unique opportunity to contribute to the future of Seattle’s transportation system and to ensure transparency and accountability as SDOT builds and delivers on levy commitments. As a committee member, you’ll help keep Seattle moving by overseeing how levy funds are spent. Your role is to monitor budgets, track progress on projects, and make sure the funds are used as promised to Seattle voters. You’ll work with the Mayor’s Office, City Council, and SDOT staff to ensure transparency and accountability. Join us in being a steward of this public investment and help make a real difference in Seattle’s transportation future.
Read more about it on this SDOT website. (Previous transportation levies have had committees like this too.)
(SDOT photos)
With unplanned closures yesterday and today, the West Seattle low bridge’s status is in the spotlight again. We asked SDOT for updates – here are two we’ve just received:
Recent unplanned bridge closures
The recent unplanned closures of the Spokane St Swing Bridge have been due to a damaged sensor in the barrier gate on the western side of the bridge as well as unrelated electrical damage from the recent windstorms.
The motion sensor is one of the safeguards used to verify that the barrier gate is correctly locked into place so that the bridge can be safely opened to vehicles. The sensor appears to have worn out earlier this month leading to multiple short-term disruptions to bridge operations. It took us some time to diagnose the root cause of the problem, but this morning technicians were able to confirm the location of the damaged sensor and replace it.
Meanwhile, there have also been unplanned closures resulting from the storm this past weekend. During the storm, power surges and water seeping into some of the enclosures caused short circuits in the terminal blocks, wiring, and connectors. Maintenance staff have been troubleshooting and repairing this damage as it comes to light, but it is still possible that there could be additional damage which we have not discovered yet.
Update on lift cylinder repairs
Earlier this month, SDOT crews installed a newly repaired hydraulic lift cylinder inside the east pier of the Spokane St Swing Bridge. The work was completed over weekend of February 8-10, and did not require any bridge closures for land travel.
The bridge relies on two lift cylinders (one on each side of the Duwamish Waterway). There is also a third spare lift cylinder which has been used when one of the others is being repaired. SDOT has now finished repairing both of the active lift cylinders.
The pair of 30,000 pound hydraulic lift cylinders are the largest mechanical part in the complex system used to lift and turn the 14-million-pound bridge span so it can be opened for passing ships. Each of the large lift cylinders is connected to a pair of smaller turn cylinders which rotate the bridge (four turn cylinders total).
We are still working on the repairs to the last of these smaller hydraulic turn cylinders which was removed in October 2024. We expect to reinstall this turn cylinder and continue to repair and upgrade other cylinders and electrical components throughout this year.
SDOT also completed a bridge strengthening project in 2022, earthquake safety project in 2024, and upgrades to the bridge control and communications system in 2024. This work was made possible thanks to local funding sources including the 2015 Levy to Move Seattle.
(Overview of proposed footprint of new dock/terminal)
Today’s the day Washington State Ferries promised it would launch an online “open house” for the Fauntleroy ferry-dock replacement project, and its announcement has arrived:
Washington State Ferries is nearing the end of the Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) process. WSF recently completed Level 3 screening and selected an alternative to replace the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. We’re moving forward with a longer dock concept to provide more space to load and unload passengers—holding between 124 and 155 vehicles on the dock, compared to 80 vehicles today. This footprint also avoids nearby Cove Park. WSF will refine the design to minimize impacts to other environmentally sensitive areas.
Participate in upcoming engagement opportunities
Join our virtual information session or participate in the online open house to learn more about the Level 3 screening process and results. The virtual information session and online open house will cover the same information, so choose the one that works best for your schedule.Visit the online open house now
The online open house is open now through Friday, March 21.
Register for upcoming information session
Join us for the upcoming project information session hosted by the project team.
Tuesday, March 11, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Register here: bit.ly/FauntleroyMarch11
The online “open house” contains information that’s been presented to the Community Advisory Group for the project and offers commenting opportunities. Construction, for which almost $100 million has been budgeted so far, is expected by the end of the decade.
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