West Seattle, Washington
27 Monday
One week from tomorrow, you are invited to the 75th anniversary celebration for Camp Long, “the most unique city park in the country.” 11 am-5 pm on Saturday, September 10th, the big party will be held at the 68-acre park along with Mountain Fest. You can join in activities including rock climbing, ropes course, orienteering, nature exploration, outdoor skills, historical exhibit, falconry, crafts, and art. And don’t miss the flag ceremony at 1:30 pm. The park is at 5200 35th SW [map]. (It’s been six years since the last really big party there – the 2010 celebration of the Camp Long Lodge’s million-dollar renovations.)
Labor Day weekend means last-minute back-to-school shopping for many families. But you don’t have to take a trip to the mall – West Seattle’s independent retail stores have a lot to offer – including My Three Little Birds (WSB sponsor) in south Morgan Junction. Kids’ clothes, shoes, and backpacks are plentiful right now. And the shop’s unique features, proprietor Jennifer Young points out, is the “Mom-Made” section, with locally made items. “As a store we also focus on supporting local business by selling the goods of 13 local vendors, the majority of which are West Seattle-based artisans,” Young says.
“As a mom who started her own business to support her family, I love to pay it forward and support other talented moms by giving them a great place to sell their own creations,” Young adds. Lunch containers, water bottles, and books are in stock at My Three Little Birds too. The shop is at 6959 California SW and open 10 am-5 pm tomorrow, 11 am-4 pm on Sunday.
If you were seeing/hearing the helicopter hovering in the Arbor Heights/Fauntleroy vicinity – no, nothing going on, just TV checking on the ferry traffic as the holiday weekend gets under way. Most recent report from Washington State Ferries was that Fauntleroy had a one-hour wait, not unusual for a summer Friday. You can see the “live” cameras at and near the terminal by going here.
(July aerial of West Seattle with Terminal 5 at left, shared by David)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The news of shipping line Hanjin, a major Port of Seattle customer, filing for the equivalent of bankruptcy in its home country, South Korea, has sparked renewed discussion about the nine-digit-price-tag plan to modernize West Seattle’s Terminal 5.
Is the project really necessary, amid the turmoil in the shipping industry, with the port operating without T-5 for more than two years now? We put that question to the Northwest Seaport Alliance, the entity formed a year ago by the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma.
First, the latest on how Hanjin’s receivership filing on Wednesday is affecting the Port of Seattle: Read More
1:21 PM: Thanks to the resident who texted to report a water outage in the 8100 block of 27th SW. We advised a call to the Seattle Public Utilities hotline (206-386-1800), and the resident reported back that SPU is working on a water-line break in the 27th SW/SW Kenyon vicinity. We’re checking with SPU to find out more.
2:07 PM: SPU spokesperson Ingrid Goodwin tells WSB that the break is on an 8-inch pipe at the location mentioned above [map]. “SPU crews have throttled the main, which means some customers are experiencing a reduction in pressure and while others may be out of water. This break is impacting about 25 homes and businesses in the area. At this time, I don’t have an estimated time when the repair will be complete and water restored.”
3:17 PM: Update from Goodwin: Repairs will take several hours, so the water will likely be back on between 7 and 9 pm.
11:32 AM: A sizable Seattle Fire “heavy rescue” response is headed to the 9400 block of 37th SW [map]. It’s a report of a car crashing into a garage.
11:46 AM: Our crew is at the scene and has been told no one is hurt. All SFD units are leaving except Engine 11. We’re waiting to talk with SPD to get details.
12:03 PM: Here’s what happened, according to police: The driver came down the Roxbury dead-end at 37th and veered off through the trees, onto residential property, clipping one structure and coming to a stop after crashing into a freestanding garage. They’re talking with the driver, who is unhurt.
High-school football season starts tonight:
CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL HOME GAME: The Chief Sealth IHS Seahawks start their season with a home game vs. Washington HS (Pierce County), 7 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle)
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL ON THE ROAD: At 7 pm, the West Seattle HS Wildcats will be in Clark County to play Washougal.
SEATTLE LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL ON THE ROAD: At 7 pm, the SLHS Saints will be in Whatcom County to play Lummi Nation.
AT WEST SEATTLE STADIUM: O’Dea plays five home games at WS Stadium this season, and hosts Lincoln HS at 7 tonight. (4435 35th SW)
(WSB photo: Architect presentation during 2749 California SW project meeting)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Madison Development Group‘s mixed-use project at 2749 California SW in Admiral has the go-ahead to move to the second and final phase of Design Review.
That approval came last night from the Southwest Design Review Board after the second Early Design Guidance session for the project, which proposes 112 apartments and a new 25,000-square-foot PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) store at the site that’s been home to the current one for more than a quarter-century.
Two SWDRB members – Matt Zinski, chairing, and T. Frick McNamara – and one substitute, former board member Robin Murphy, were in attendance, along with planner Josh Johnson from the Department of Construction and Inspections, filling in for the project’s assigned planner Crystal Torres. The gallery, including neighbors, observers, and project-team members, peaked at about 20.
Here’s how the meeting unfolded along the way: Read More
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:22 AM: After-the-fact bus cancellation tweet/text just sent by Metro:
Transit Alert – Route 57 to downtown Seattle due to leave the Alaska Junction at 7:06 AM did not operate this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) September 2, 2016
LABOR DAY REMINDERS: Metro, the West Seattle Water Taxi, and Washington State Ferries’ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route are all on Sunday schedules for the Monday Labor Day holiday.
1:21 AM: If you’re heading out on this rainy early morning – the one route you are NOT going to want to take is the eastbound West Seattle Bridge to southbound I-5. In the past hour or so, we’ve been monitoring scanner traffic about two crashes – currently, one that is reported to involve a jack-knifed semi-truck, blocking all lanes of SB I-5 just south of the WS Bridge. No major injuries reported in either one so far, and we don’t have full details, but we’ve heard enough to publish this alert.
2:04 AM: Some lanes of SB I-5 have reopened, per WSDOT, but the ramp from the EB WS Bridge is still blocked.
(A proposed window sign/button design by Hate-Free Delridge’s Rob Becker, held by Susan Lebow)
By Linda Ball
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
What started out four weeks ago with a meeting of concerned neighbors reacting to a hate crime in Pigeon Point has developed into a cohesive grass-roots group, determined to bring people together with the message of tolerance, inclusion, and community.
The core group met again, this time at Lisa Kauffman’s Puget Ridge home. Present were Rob Becker, Dave Gamrath, Stu Hennessey, Susan Lebow, Steve Richmond, and Pavan Vangipuram, all of whom have been with the group from the start (along with Rachel Glass, who was unable to attend).
Hennessey said he has spoken with the victim, Stephanie Endres. She wasn’t able to attend the meeting but said she’s aware of what’s being done by the group, called Hate-Free Delridge, as first reported here last month. Now, details for its official introduction and mission-kickoff event later this month have been firmed up: Read More
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:35 PM THURSDAY: Thanks for the tips: SDOT crews have started marking the roadway for upcoming lane changes as part of the final design of the SW Admiral Way Safety Project. Our photo shows what we found in the 61st SW-62nd SW area when we went by this afternoon. SDOT project reps did not respond to our subsequent request for an update on the construction schedule; during the August 20th walk-and-talk meetings (WSB coverage here), they had promised to get that information out “soon.” The project page says only that work will be done in “late summer/early fall.” The final design was announced via e-mail on July 21st.
The first version of the plan was unveiled in April 2015 at an Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting. Much neighborhood criticism ensued, especially concern over the city underestimating how much Admiral Way parking is needed for residents and visitors; the city re-evaluated and then held a second and final community meeting in July of last year.
At the walking tours last month, the focus was on the possibility of added pedestrian improvements along the route, and the project webpage says tomorrow (September 2nd) is the deadline to make suggestions along that line – go there to see how.
ADDED 11:43 AM FRIDAY: Finally heard back from SDOT. This “preparatory work” will continue into next week, says spokesperson Norm Mah: “We are looking to start construction toward the end of the month and will provide a 3-week notice prior to beginning construction.”
Reader report, just received this afternoon:
I was out for a run early this morning and at around 6:15 AM a man ran up behind me really fast and grabbed my butt with both his hands. When I started to turn around he ran away in the opposite direction. I never saw his face but he was about 5’9 to 5’10 and was wearing a dark blue hoodie with the hood up and black jeans. This happened as I was running north on 44th Ave SW right before the Charlestown Ave SW intersection. I just want to get the word out to other women who may be out running or walking in the early morning.
This is the first incident of this type we recall hearing about in some time.
SIDE NOTES: First, before you ask: Yes, the man convicted in similar attacks (and more) early this decade is still in prison.
Second: The description, scant as it is, is reminiscent of this 2013 incident south of The Junction which, to our knowledge, has never been solved.
(WSB photo from massive SFD response on January 26th)
Seven months ago, at a jobsite in West Seattle, 36-year-old Harold Felton became the first person killed in a trenching-related incident in our state in seven years. Today, the state Department of Labor and Industries announced it has cited the contractor for whom he was working, and is seeking $51,500 in fines. Here’s the announcement:
A Seattle contractor is facing more than $50,000 in fines for safety violations that led to the death of a construction worker last January. Harold Felton was killed when the dirt walls of the trench he was working in collapsed and buried him. Rescuers were unable to dig him out in time to save his life.
The state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has cited Alki Construction LLC for one willful violation, five serious and one general in connection with the incident last January. The fines total $51,500.
The company had dug trenches next to a Seattle home to replace a sewer line. The trench where the worker died was seven-feet deep and just under two-feet wide. There was no system in place to prevent all sides from caving in.
Excavation and trenching are among the most hazardous construction jobs. Cave-ins on these jobs kill two dozen or more workers each year in the U.S. One cubic yard of soil can weigh as much as a car and dirt walls can collapse suddenly without any warning, burying the victims instantly.
Cave-ins are far from rare. On May 3 in Boise, Idaho, two workers were killed in a trench collapse while working on a sewer project. On May 5 in Portland, Ore., a worker was killed while installing a sewer line in an 11-foot trench. There have been similar incidents in other states this summer.
Employers must ensure that adequate protections are in place to prevent cave-ins, and workers should never enter an unprotected trench, even for a quick task.
Alki Construction was cited for a “willful” violation with a penalty of $35,000 for not ensuring that trenches and excavations four-feet deep or more had a protective system in place to prevent the dirt sides from caving in.
The company was also cited for five serious violations:
*Alki Construction did not have a formal accident prevention program tailored to the needs of the operation and the type of hazards involved in trenching and excavation work ($3,500).
*There was no ladder, ramp or other safe means of exiting the excavated trench ($3,500).
*Sidewalks and structures that were undermined were not supported to protect employees from possible collapse ($3,000).
*Excavated dirt and other materials were placed less than two feet from the edge of the unprotected trench, where they could fall into the trench where employees were working ($3,000).
*There were no daily inspections of the excavations to monitor changing soil conditions ($3,500).
One general violation was cited for not ensuring walk-around safety inspections were documented.
A willful violation is one where L&I finds evidence of plain indifference or an intentional disregard to a hazard or rule. A serious violation is one where there is a substantial probability that worker death or serious physical harm could result from a hazardous condition.
As a result of the violations, Alki Construction LLC has been identified as a severe violator and is subject to follow-up inspections to determine if the conditions still exist.
The employer has 15 working days to appeal. Penalty money paid in connection with a citation is placed in the workers’ compensation supplemental pension fund, helping workers and families of those who have died on the job.
Visit L&I’s Trenching & Excavation topic page to learn more about trenching safety.
As reported here on January 26th, a major rescue response was called to the scene in the 3000 block of 36th SW before 11 am that day. By 11:30, though, it had shifted from a rescue attempt to a recovery operation. As we reported at the time, the contractor had no previous record of violations.
P.S. Following up with L&I, we’ve learned that although the news release about the citation was published (and is dated) today, the department actually issued the citation in July and delivered it August 20th, so the deadline for an appeal is September 12th.
(WSB file photo)
Summer-ish fun isn’t all over yet – some big events are yet to come, and today brings the official announcement of one of them: WestFest, 6-10 pm Friday, September 16th, and 10 am-10 pm Saturday, September 17th:
Please be a part of West Seattle’s ‘Carnival of Community’, brought to you by Holy Rosary School! Come experience great local music, eat delicious food, race up, around, or down the in atable rides, climb the rock wall, or spin until you’re dizzy! There is so much to do and see, including bingo, a cake walk with scrumptious prizes, a kids’ talent show and carnival-style games galore. There’s a beer garden for adults too — there is truly something for everyone at WestFest!
BLOW-OUT FUN WRISTBANDS
Take unlimited turns on our wide selection of rollicking rides on Friday (9/16) and Saturday (9/17) with an activity wristband.
Back by demand… Toddler Time from 10 am-12 pm on Saturday (9/17), where kids 4 and under get exclusive access to 3 rides for a reduced price, when purchasing a wristband.
Discount-priced wristbands will be available in advance at Holy Rosary’s Pancake Breakfast starting at 8 am on Sunday, September 11th. The prices (advance and day-of) are on the festival flyer. The festival is held on the school grounds, on 42nd SW north of SW Genesee.
(Photo courtesy Northwest Open Water Swimming Association)
Meet Erika Norris. The accomplished Seattle-residing swimmer is going to try this Sunday to become the second person to swim from Bremerton to Alki Point Lighthouse. Word of her plan comes from another area open-water swimmer, Andrew Malinak, who says the first person to do it was Amy Hiland in 1959. Erika, like Andrew, is a regular Alki Beach swimmer, “and is very familiar with the challenges posed by the cold water, weather, and currents in this part of Puget Sound,” he says, adding in his announcement that the plan for her attempt at the 10.4-mile crossing should go like this:
Erika will begin in Bremerton around 10 am, and expects to land at the low tide near 2 pm. She will be supported by two boats and a crew of four as she traverses the ferry lanes in Rich Passage and the main shipping channel off Alki Point. The swim will be sanctioned and recorded by the Northwest Open Water Swimming Association (NOWSA), a 501c3 non-profit promoting the sport of marathon swim in the Northwest.
NOWSA plans to track the swim here on Sunday. You can see the route here.
9:21 AM: We’re at South Park Community Center, where Mayor Ed Murray and Seattle Parks Superintendent Jesús Aguirre are about to announce what’s billed as “new investments to reduce barriers and increase access for residents to the City’s community center system … part of Mayor Murray’s proposed 2017 budget.”
It’s been five years now since Murray’s predecessor, Mike McGinn, came to High Point Community Center (WSB coverage here) to deliver news of big cuts and changes that left the community-center system reeling. Then in March 2014, Murray visited Hiawatha Community Center (WSB coverage here) to announce the Park District proposal, subsequently passed by voters. It included promises of funding for “Community Center rehabilitation and development.”
He begins, “I’m here to announce a series of proposals and changes that we will send to the City Council (as part of the budget process),” with funding from the Park District levy, “stabilizing our ability to fund our park system.” He says the proposals will add staff and/or hours to nine community centers, focused on “underserved” areas. Free programs and elimination of drop-in fees at certain centers will be part of the proposals. Here at South Park CC, “we propose to expand operating hour and explore innovative partnerships with the community … to develop culturally relevant programming … In the long term, Parks and Recreation will undertake a long-term planning process in 2017-2018 for the (entire system)” to find out how to “better serve” the people in the city. He also mentions performance measurement “so people can go online and be sure we are meeting the goals in the process.”
9:27 AM: The mayor then goes on to attack the “divisive rhetoric” heard from presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday and says that Trump’s proposals “would bring our state’s economy to a halt,” among other things, “if we turn away immigrants.” He then turns the podium over to Parks Superintendent Aguirre, who mentions that he himself is an immigrant. He says he has seen the need for what the mayor is proposing. And he has warm words for the 100+ employees who work in the community centers around the city each day. “This plan at its core is about equity,” Aguirre adds. He says the elimination of fees for some drop-in programs may not seem big to some, but for many families, it will be a huge improvement in accessibility. He talks about scholarships provided for the first time this year for adults as well as children, and about the importance of partnerships. “We know that every community in Seattle is going to be excited when they see this plan.” (We’re still awaiting the document with details.) He next introduces South Park community advocate Paulina Lopez, who expresses gratitude about what a difference this will make for the community.
In media Q/A, we asked about what this means in the context of the cuts made five years ago. The mayor’s reply: “Our hope is to get back to a level of service that we saw prior to the Great Recession – but that doesn’t mean the exact same programs – the question is what are the programs that this (fast-changing city) needs? We’re seeing two things that are different from a generation ago – an increasein children, and in people who are choosing to retire her. So given that we have stabilized funding, what is the best place to invest that funding? Superintendent Aguirre has spent a year evaluating how we need to reorganize our department and is now going to evaluate how we spend this additional new money.”
Superintendent Aguirre, asked what this change means for South Park CC, said “standardizing hours … (which will become) 10-8 daily Monday-Fridays, representing an increase from 40 to 65 hours that the center will be open weekly. “We’re also adding more staff – making some that’s part time, full time, and we’ve added an additional staff member.” And he said that staff will be working more closely with community members to be tuned in to their needs.
9:43 AM: The event has wrapped up. Though citywide media is here too, there’s no hard-copy news release so far, and the full list but we’ve obtained the full document to see which West Seattle-area centers are involved. No West Seattle centers are proposed for increased hours, but both Alki and Delridge are proposed for increased staffing. We’ll have a few more details as we go through the document.
10:14 AM: Here’s the full document titled “Community Center Strategic Plan.” We’re searching it for other references to West Seattle’s community centers. For one, it explains that while High Point CC might have been eligible for the equity pilot program that is proposed for South Park and four other (non-WS) centers, it wasn’t chosen because HPCC “is currently piloting other promising equity-focused initiatives, with partners such as the Seattle Housing Authority and the UW School of Public Health.” Another mention of note is Hiawatha Community Center, proposed for $1.2 million in maintenance/renovation work, following its previously announced evaluation (along with seven other centers around the city).
(Black-headed Grosbeak, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)
Though you might not feel ready for fall until after next Monday’s holiday – the new month starts right out of the box with a return to some routines, including community meetings. Here are highlights for today and tonight:
FAMILY STORY TIME: 1 pm at High Point Library, bring the preschoolers and toddlers for stories, songs, and rhymes. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
DELRIDGE GROCERY FARMSTAND: Continuing through the end of September, it’s the 4-7 pm farmstand featuring fresh-grown produce and volunteers from the Delridge Grocery Coop, next to the Delridge P-Patch.
WEST SEATTLE POKEMON GO MEETUP: Seattle App Academy (WSB sponsor) “will be hosting a Pokemon Go meetup, in everyone’s favorite place to hunt Pokemon, Lincoln Park! We will throw down lures, and host a variety of activities, so bring your Pokemon cards and your phones! We will meet by Colman Pool, on the north side of the building. Today, 4-6 pm, open to grades 3-12. Feel free to drop in! Please Note: This is a family friendly meet up in a public park. Participants may come and go as they please. SAA volunteers will be available to lead free activities, however, children that require adult supervision must attend with a parent/guardian or responsible sibling.”
2ND DESIGN REVIEW FOR PCC-SITE PROJECT: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building in The Junction, the mixed-use project for the PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) site in Admiral, 2749 California SW, goes back before the Southwest Design Review Board. The proposal is for 112 apartments over a new PCC store. As previewed here last Sunday, you can see the new “design packet” here; our coverage of the first review in July is here. The meeting includes a public-comment period. (SW Oregon/California SW)
NORTH HIGHLINE UNINCORPORATED COUNCIL: If you are among our unincorporated-area readers in White Center, North Shorewood, Top Hat, and vicinity, your all-volunteer community council meets tonight at 7 pm at the North Highline Fire Station in WC. The North Highline UAC‘s agenda – including a discussion of what’s in the King County “comprehensive plan” – is on the group’s website. (1243 SW 112th)
DLO3: Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio brings a “unique ’60s and ’70s vintage-soul sound” to Parliament Tavern at 9 tonight. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:06 AM: Good morning!
BACK-TO-SCHOOL REMINDERS: Today is the first day for Our Lady of Guadalupe, and also for Highline Public Schools in White Center and other points south. Already in session: Hope Lutheran School (42nd/Oregon), Holy Rosary, and Seattle Lutheran. Our full list of the “early” wave of school reopenings is here. … Seattle Public Schools start classes next Wednesday; school bus drivers are out this week rehearsing their routes.
LABOR DAY PREVIEW: Announced for next Monday – West Seattle Water Taxi will be on a Sunday schedule … Washington State Ferries’ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route will be on a Sunday schedule … Metro buses will be on Sunday schedules.
8:11 AM: In comments, Trickycoolj points out that the Highland Park Way SW repaving project was NOT done by day’s end yesterday as projected by SDOT, so be aware that it’s still a factor today. We’ll be checking the area around midmorning.
8:30 AM: Trouble on the 1st Avenue South Bridge, tweets SDOT:
A crash is blocking the center lane on the NB 1st Ave S Bridge @wsdot_traffic pic.twitter.com/XfjAospASc
— seattledot (@seattledot) September 1, 2016
9:17 AM: The 1st Avenue S. Bridge crash is clear, per SDOT.
Two incidents to report in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
GUNFIRE CONFIRMED: Police confirm that what sounded like gunshots along Marine View Drive early this morning *were* gunshots, even though the incident was only logged as a “disturbance.” Casings – we don’t yet know how many or what type – were recovered in the 10600 block of Marine View Drive (map), SPD confirmed to WSB, adding that no injuries or damage were reported.
BURGLARY ATTEMPT: From Joshua:
I just wanted to get the word out of an attempted burglary in the 46th Ave & Spokane St area. [map] My wife and I weren’t home at the time and it happened sometime between this past Saturday and yesterday morning. They tried getting into the back door of the house by prying the locks and then tried the same thing on the garage door and did a lot of damage to those locks. Luckily, they weren’t successful.
Thanks again for the Crime Watch reports – 206-293-6302 text or voice if it’s urgent (after you’ve called 911), editor@westseattleblog.com if it’s not.
(Photos courtesy Jane Taylor)
After 10 years and five tons of donated food, this is the last year that Jane Taylor and Kristen Parsons are able to lead the Lettuce Pray program. They’re looking for volunteer(s) to take it over so it doesn’t die on the vine, so to speak, at the end of this season. Here’s what’s involved, as explained by Jane:
Lettuce Pray is a summer food-bank collection program set up informally through many of the churches of West Seattle.
Five churches — Alki UCC, St. John the Baptist Episcopal, West Seattle Unitarian Universalist, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, and St. Bernadette’s Parish — are participating this year; in some years that has been as many as nine, depending on what other priorities the churches have. The churches mobilize their home gardeners to bring spare home-grown produce to church every Sunday morning during the harvest season (this year July 3 – October 2) and put it in specially marked Lettuce Pray boxes or baskets. We make the rounds, collect the produce, and put it in cold storage at the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks.
We have been doing this for ten years and have collected over 10,000 pounds of fresh produce. It can be done by one person, but we find it’s more fun when two people do it. It’s the easiest possible volunteer gig and allows so many people to make numerous small contributions that make a big, big impact.
Anyone who is interested is welcome to reach out to Jane Taylor – janeatay@msn.com. Our final collection will be October 2, and it would be great to bring a new volunteer on before we finish up so they can see what we do.
What you see in the top photo is what the average week’s haul takes – about 120 pounds of food, and it all fit into Jane’s Honda Insight hatchback. That’s Jane and Kristen in the second photo, by the way, with part of this week’s Lettuce Pray haul – “fresh corn and juicy plums.”
(UPDATED 9:36 PM WITH PHOTOS FROM TOUR TODAY)
(WSDOT image)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 4:26 PM: Since its last maintenance stop ended in mid-July, the Highway 99 tunneling machine has dug 1,000 feet. Another 500, and it will be at the official halfway mark. But right now, WSDOT says, the machine is stopped down “to inspect and replace some of the larger cutterhead tools on the front end … STP chose to check the tools – and change them as needed – because Bertha has moved from clay into a mixture of sand and gravel that will more quickly wear them down. Replacing the tools now will preserve the machine and ensure it continues to function well as it mines toward STP’s next planned maintenance stop.” You can read the full update here, and you can go here to see where the machine is now – that’s also the page that tracks its progress, currently listed as 4,135 feet along the planned 9,270-foot tunneling route.
ADDED 9:36 PM: A West Seattleite who has long represented our area on Viaduct/Tunnel advisory groups, Vlad Oustimovitch, is sharing photos tonight from a tunnel-project tour earlier today. First photo shows a used drilling tooth that was replaced today, as part of the work mentioned above:
Next, you’re looking at “giant rollers” that hold up the tunnel-building part of the machine:
Here are the pistons that push the machine forward once rings are in place:
Another view from inside the tunneling machine:
Here’s the control room:
And “the tail end” of the machine:
Back outside the machine, in the already-built 4,135 feet of tunnel, here’s a look at the upper deck:
Oustimovitch was one of “about eight” people on today’s tour.
Seven weeks have passed since the mayor’s abrupt announcement that the city would lurch away from the longstanding District Council system and look for new ways of “engagement.” As part of that, the Department of Neighborhoods has been running an online survey (with promotion including paid ads here on WSB and other places). The District Councils, including the two in West Seattle, are in the meantime about to resume their meetings after the traditional August break. And Delridge Neighborhoods District Council chair Mat McBride, who turned the group’s last meeting into a rally of sorts with reps from DCs around the city, has just issued an invitation in this open letter to City Councilmembers Lisa Herbold, Lorena González, Tim Burgess, and Rob Johnson, which we’re publishing with permission:
Esteemed City Council members (representing D1, At-Large, and Neighborhoods Committee),
I am requesting your presence at the September meeting of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting on Wednesday, September 21. The DNDC is very interested in having a conversation with you regarding community, engagement, and the future of the District Council system within DoN (we’ll also be ranking NSF grants that evening, in case you wanted to observe a DC in action).
District Coordinator Kerry Wade will follow up with an agenda, including specific time and location once it’s finalized. Your RSVP is appreciated.
In Community,
Mat McBride
Chair, Delridge Neighborhoods District CouncilPS, in case you haven’t been following DoN’s Engage Seattle poll, it’s a good read. All responses and comments (predominantly by white middle-aged homeowners, which I suppose raises some ironic existential questions) are published. Recommended reading, and if you haven’t taken the poll, I suggest doing so.
Quite a few comments have been made in support of the District Council System (side note – good on you for making all responses transparent, even those that highlight flaws in this latest proposed revision of DoN). And they’re right to do so, the District Council System (DoN’s, not City Council’s) is vital.
Democracy has to be public. Not solely, and there’s a lot of good suggestions about how to enhance the process and increase engagement. But it’s the District Councils, through a relationship officially observed by the City, that provide this function. It is vital to have public discussion with City representatives and elected officials. It is vital to challenge assumptions. It is vital to provide a forum in which the public can champion or object to issues, initiatives, or proposals within a specific geography. Because at the end of the day, it comes down to people doing things. Not taking a poll, not reading a newsletter, not submitting a comment to a blog, but actual honest-to-goodness engagement. Communities are made of people that come together and unite over a common goal. Where technology can enhance and assist this process, it absolutely should. But without an established network and designated place for that to manifest, it’s meaningless. Community is local, friends, and you have to make local work.
So, how to accomplish this? The best solution is also the easiest – restore the DoN District Coordinator staff to pre-2008 levels.
When the cuts first came, and again when they continued, community leaders predicted the exact circumstance we find ourselves in today – the fraying of the social network to the extent that it struggles to provide its most basic functions. The District Coordinators served as the glue within each District, themselves clusters of communities. It’s a big job, and staffed appropriately, it works great – an individual with a comprehensive knowledge of the individuals and organizations operating within the District is able to coordinate and direct active and emerging civic engagement to promote or fulfill the goal of serving the community. The act of networking people is the single most successful way to disseminate information – we have never been able to improve on talking to each other (not that we should). Humans can consume a huge amount of data, and most of it is not registered as important. This is especially true of communication by local government to citizens. If you want your message communicated, you need peer-level discussions within the community. Since most City correspondence is dry and boring (on the surface, anyway), you need citizens who will consume it regardless, translate salient points as necessary to make it accessible, and explain why it’s important to care about. And then, you really need them to talk about it.
Good news! You’ve had that model in place for the last 28 years. By most assessments, it’s past the “Proof of Concept” phase. Success is built upon the enhancement and improvement of existing infrastructure. The dismantling of an established and proven institution, which is to be replaced by an untested concept, is – well, it’s a singularly terrible idea. Restore the District Councils, and commit to enhancing them through all the excellent suggestions for improvement that I’ve read from other respondents to this survey.
If you haven’t taken the survey yet – here’s the link. (And after you answer it – as mentioned above, the results so far can be seen here.)
As for the upcoming District Council meetings – everyone, as always, is invited. The Southwest District Council is expecting Parks Superintendent Jesús Aguirre at 6:30 pm Wednesday, September 7th, at the Sisson Building/Senior Center in The Junction (California/Oregon).
The Delridge Neighborhoods District Council mentioned above will be on Wednesday, September 21st – as Mat McBride wrote, time and location to be finalized, and we’ll publish an update when that happens.
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