On July 19, a number of secondary streets heading up to the Admiral District of West Seattle were chip sealed creating a hazardous situation to what was previously a safer alternative to a cycling route up the main arterial, Admiral Way. Specifically, Fairmount Canyon, an asphalt street free of potholes and fissuring, now has a 3- to 6-inch layer of unsecured gravel, which eliminates the efficacy of the speed bumps, and obliterates the striping for the speed bumps and the bicycle lanes.

Last year the Department of Neighborhoods awarded a matching fund grant to the Friends of Fairmount Canyon of $2,008 to install the speed bumps and the striping. As a 10-year resident of the area that regularly uses this road for bike commuting and running, I was glad a solution had been found to discourage speeding through this residential setting. The situation is now far worse from my perspective, with no safety striping, a layer of gravel my wheels sink into, and greater chances for flat tires.

Oddly the road surface was perfectly fine beforehand. Although the process isn't completed and will include removal of excess gravel at a future date, one wonders whether the stripping will be replaced. This a street with very limited street lighting. Did Seattle Department of Transportation even visit the site in the field to ensure that this contract work was necessary? The alternative secondary roads up north Admiral: Hinds, City View, etc. were also chip sealed leaving me with Admiral Way, which is notorious for speeding vehicular traffic.

As a former board president of a local non profit with a mission of community stewardship, I know how important neighborhood participation can be, and now how easily it can be thwarted.

David M. Whiting

Admiral