July 2014

By Gwen Davis

SDOT finally came out with its highly anticipated safety improvement plans for the SW Roxbury Street Road Corridor during the design alternatives meeting Thurs. night. A packed room in the southwest library of largely Roxbury residents provided feedback and comments.

SDOT's project manager Jim Curtin facilitated the meeting.

Background: Last summer residents teamed up to insist that the city do a safety study and fix the problems on SW Roxbury, one of the most dangerous arterials in the city, according to activists. They sent a letter to the mayor and the city council, and SDOT agreed to take up the issue. Now, approximately one year later, SDOT owns a package of both short and long-term safety improvement plans.

Here are the plan takeaways:

--> Short-term projects SDOT is engaged in and/or committed to: There are now photo enforcements installed for Holy Family and Roxhill. Curve warning and advisory speed limit signs were installed on Roxbury/Olson Place curve. Installation is pending for a left turn yield (green ball) signage at Roxbury/Olson SW.

From the Seattle Police Blotter

SPD Arson/Bomb Squad detective are searching for a group of young men seen running from a burning home in the Delridge neighborhood in West Seattle Thursday afternoon

Police are still working to piece together the strange incident, but officers initially received reports of gunfire in the 7300 block of 16th Avenue SW just before 4 pm, and then received information that a house on the street was engulfed in flames.

At then scene, firefighters extinguished the blaze as police spoke with a man who lives in a very small shack behind the burning home.

The arson investigating took a strange turn when the resident of the shack told officers he had heard sawing sounds on the roof of his shack shortly before the fire.

The shack resident told officers he walked outside the shack and found a man—described as a white male in his 20s, with long hair—standing on the shack roof.

The shack resident then heard two loud pops—which may have been fireworks—and saw flames climbing the side of the house adjacent to the shack.

Information from King County

Following the King County Council’s approval of bus cuts proposed for this fall, Metro will delete 28 routes and reduce or revise service on 13 routes starting Sept. 27.
The reductions are necessary to help bring Metro’s service levels in line with available funding. Using objective service guidelines, Metro identified the least productive routes and trips to cut first.

28 deleted routes: 7X, 19, 47, 48X, 61, 62, 139, 152, 161, 173, 202, 203, 205X, 209, 210, 211X, 213, 215, 243, 250, 260, 265, 280, 306X, and DART routes 909, 919, 927, and 935.
13 revised routes: 27, 30, 200, 204, 208, 212, 236, 238, 249, 312X, 331, and DART routes 903 and 931.
At the same time, Metro will adjust six routes that were not part of the service reduction ordinance. These routes are 24, 48, 49, 122, 178, and 201.

Three routes that were proposed for elimination will continue under funding provided by the City of Seattle. These are night owl routes 82, 83, and 84.

Visit Metro’s updated service cuts page for details about the changes, including alternative options for riders.

On July 24 a train with 102 cars pulling 100 loads of crude oil -- 27,000 gallons of oil -- derailed under the Magnolia Bridge in southern Interbay.

The train was moving at five miles per hour as it pulled out of a BNSF rail yard when the wheels of the second locomotive derailed. The third car, loaded with sand, went off the rails disrupting the next three cars that carried crude.

Because the cars were the new fortified safety models, no crude spilled. No one was injured.

“It is a huge relief that this oil train derailment in the heart of Ballard-Interbay's maritime industrial center did not hurt anyone or spill oil. We were lucky this time. We shouldn't have to wait for people to get hurt to make the right decision that protects our kids and our kids' futures,” said 36th District Rep. Gael Tarleton.

The 100 cars were loaded with Bakken (North Dakota) crude and were headed to an Anacortes refinery.

On July 24 a train with 102 cars pulling 100 loads of crude oil -- 27,000 gallons of oil -- derailed under the Magnolia Bridge in southern Interbay.

The train was moving at five miles per hour as it pulled out of a BNSF rail yard when the wheels of the second locomotive derailed. The third car, loaded with sand, went off the rails disrupting the next three cars that carried crude.

Because the cars were the new fortified safety models, no crude spilled. No one was injured.

“It is a huge relief that this oil train derailment in the heart of Ballard-Interbay's maritime industrial center did not hurt anyone or spill oil. We were lucky this time. We shouldn't have to wait for people to get hurt to make the right decision that protects our kids and our kids' futures,” said 36th District Rep. Gael Tarleton.

The 100 cars were loaded with Bakken (North Dakota) crude and were headed to an Anacortes refinery.

By Tim Clifford

“This all begs the question of who runs this town? The elected officials of the city of Seattle, or the corporate interests of a property developer.”

This is the ending to a press release issued by Standing Against Foreclosures & Evictions (S.A.F.E.) in response to the recent filing of a writ of mandamus by Triangle Properties Development. In it S.A.F.E. organizer Josh Farris describes Triangle’s filing as a “strong arm legal tactic”. The Barton Family is currently in court disputing the legality of the foreclosure and auction of their home by JP Morgan Chase and Quality Loan Service Corporation.

The press release goes on to say “Triangle is a relatively new company who has already threatened to sue the King County Sheriff’s Department for contempt of court for being hesitant to carry out the Barton eviction and now they are telling the duly elected mayor of Seattle how the law should be carried out.”

By Dave Boyd

Having worked on parks levies and levy-funding projects for over 20 years, I strongly support the Park District proposal in Prop. 1. I take issue with many of the arguments by those who oppose it, preferring to continue the periodic levy process. For those who may still be on the fence, here are a few of my reasons.

First, as a parks advocate I would prefer to spend my energies working on actual parks plans and projects, not spending a year or more every 4-8 years formulating and campaigning on another parks levy. The uncertainty of ongoing funding also has an impact on parks staff, causing key staffers to look for other options as a levy nears its end, then staffing up again when a new levy passes - no way to run a department. A parks district will provide a sustainable funding source.

The Parade of Ships kicked off for Seafair's Fleet Week around Elliott Bay on Wednesday, July 30, 2014. The parade started at approximately 1:45 p.m. The parade included military ships such as the USS Essex, USS Chancellorsville, USS Howard, HMCS Brandon, HMCS Edmonton, USCGC Mellon, as well as military aircraft that flew overhead.

The three Navy ships, along with two Royal Canadian Navy ships, and one U.S. Coast Guard vessel, are in Seattle to celebrate Seafair Fleet Week, a summer tradition in the Pacific Northwest since 1950.

The Seattle visit offers the public an opportunity to tour aboard the ships and meet Sailors as they showcase the ships' capabilities. It also gives citizens a chance to gain a better understanding of how the sea services support the Maritime Strategy and national defense of the United States.

Fleet Week ships will be open for public tours on piers 66, 69 and 90 from Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3. Times for tours will vary by ship from day-to-day.

Here are the times and locations of the different ships you can tour:

Pier 66:

USS Chancellorsville
USS Howard

The annual summer concert series at Providence Mt. St. Vincent returnsAugust 1 with the very popular Illusion of Elvis performed by Danny Vernon. The concerts continue every Friday through August.

Bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Free popcorn and snow cones. Great food, beer and wine available for purchase. Special activities just for kids such as face painting.

Dinner: 5:30 to 7:00 pm
Live music: 6:00 to 7:30 pm

August 1st—Danny Vernon, The Illusion of Elvis
He’s back by popular demand! Internationally known for his tribute to the King.

August 8th—Alma y Azucar
Saucy music ensemble providing a wide range of exquisite and passionate selections of Latin styles and flavors.

August 15th—The Spyrographs
Playing the best of spy, pop, surf and Bossa Nova hits of the 1960s.

August 22nd—The 85th Street Big Band
Lively 20-piece big band featuring swing favorites from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s including classic songs by Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington.

Questions? Contact Anna Cronin anna.cronin@providence.org

information from WSDOT

In late August, crews building the future north portal of the SR 99 tunnel will close SR 99/Aurora Avenue North near South Lake Union for four days. During this closure, crews will demolish and replace the section of SR 99 that crosses above Broad Street.

To minimize the need for additional closures, separate crews will complete the following work elsewhere along the SR 99 corridor during this time:
· Utility work at Harrison Street
· Concrete panel replacement in SODO
· Expansion joint repairs on the Alaskan Way Viaduct near the Seneca Street off-ramp
· Ivy removal from the viaduct

Closure information