October 2020

Mayor Jenny Durkan,

An Immersed Tube Tunnel (ITT) is the fastest (3-4 years), least expensive, most environmentally sensitive, earthquake resistant, and only light rail accommodating solution to reconnect West Seattle.

information from the Seattle Department of Transportation

We expect stabilization work on the West Seattle Bridge will be complete by the end of the year. The work includes carbon fiber wrapping weakened areas of the bridge, adding post-tensioning inside the girders, and injecting epoxy into cracks that are wider than 0.3mm. The epoxy injections don’t stabilize the bridge; they help prevent further deterioration by protecting the post-tensioning steel inside from corrosion. Monitoring and inspection activities will continue even after stabilization work is complete.

This coming week, the contractor is planning to continue installing the post-tensioning system. The Pier 18 release may happen as soon as the week of October 19. 

A timely new documentary film titled “There Is A Field” tells the story of Asel Asleh, a 17-year-old Palestinian peace activist who was murdered by Israeli police, through the lens of Black Lives Matter activists in the United States. 

The U.S. premiere of the film is on Sunday, October 18, at 3:00pm EST and will take place online. The film screening will be followed by a discussion on Black-Palestinian solidarity featuring Baraa Aslih, brother of Asel Asleh; Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner; Margaret Kwateng, Black Lives Matter activist who performs in the film; Jen Marlowe, West Seattle-based filmmaker; and Raya Naamneh, activist and cousin of Asel Asleh.

By Jerry Robinson

Publisher Emeritus 1920-2014

Way back in the 60s we lived at the end of a stubby dead end street on Southwest 124th.

Archie Pompeo had a small acreage on the corner where it meets Ambaum and number one son Mike, age 16 worked there during the summer as a pickle slicer or something.

Buddy Alexander lived on across the street from Pompeo's pickle factory. He and his brother, Monty, had  horses and talked their friend Ken Robinson, then 14 into talking me into letting him buy a horse. Ken  had no place to ride  t but the Alexanders had a big field and said Ken could keep it there. I knew next to  nothing about horses but figured  they were likely less dangerous  and trouble than girls so we worked a deal where he paid for it  with  his paper  route money.

We found a handsome Welsh Quarter horse advertised for $300 .

The West Seattle Bridge Now group that has been campaigning for the adoption of a swift repair of the bridge was unhappy with the most recent presentation offered by the Seattle Department of Transportation during the West Seattle Bridge community Task Force meeting Oct. 7, held online.

Here is their official statement:

The Community Task Force held its tenth meeting today, and SDOT’s presentation confirmed what we already knew: Its cost-benefit analysis is incomplete, ignores the significant and irreparable harm to West Seattle of continuing the bridge closure longer than necessary, and stacks the deck in favor of a lengthy replacement option. In other words, we learned nothing new today.