The final portion of the blue sound wall surrounding the light rail station construction has come down. BeHi Bonsai was there and recorded some video of the process.
The opening is getting closer!
Thanks, B.B.!
(Edited to add: Jason was slightly misled. There is a tiny bit of the blue wall remaining. Most of the site, however, has been freed of its blue prison. Now the chain-link just needs to go away. — Wendi)
Starting as soon as Monday, June 15 , 17th Avenue South will be closed at the intersection of South Lander Street for repaving. The closure will remain in place for 24 hours a day/7 days a week, and is anticipated to last for approximately 10-14 days.
Local access will be maintained at all times and all sidewalks will remain open. Flaggers will be available on site to allow local traffic through the work zone.
Sound Transit sends information on the recommended detours during the closure:
The recommended detours are as follows:
Traveling southbound on 17th Ave:
(Option 1) Traffic will be detoured left on S. College Street,
Right on 23rd Ave S,
Right on S. McClellan Street to return to 17th Ave S.(Option 2), Traffic will be detoured right on S. College Street
Left on 15th Ave S
Left on S. McClellan Street to return to 17th Ave S.Traveling northbound on 17th Ave:
(Option 1) Traffic will be detoured right on S. McClellan Street
Left on S. 23rd Ave S
Left on S. College Street(Option 2) Traffic will be detoured left on S. McClellan Street
Right on 15th Ave S
Right on College Ave S to return to 17th Ave SIf you have any construction-related concerns, please call Sound Transit’s construction hotline at
(888) 298-2395.
This part of 15th tends to have drivers who drive excessively fast. Cyclists, remember the bike lane doesn’t guarantee your safety, so please be careful out there; drivers, please watch out for cyclists both here on 15th and elsewhere on the hill, and remember that it is illegal to drive in the bike lane.
View Larger Map
(The dedicated bike lane does run only a few blocks before going back to “sharrows”, but it’s a start! — Jason)
We reported a couple of days ago that 15th Avenue South would be closed between South Atlantic Street and South College Street for repair this Saturday.
However, Marybeth Turner from SDOT reports that the plan was changed, and if you live in that area, you might already have noticed:
The plan for performing the paving work on 15th Avenue South this weekend fell through. When the crew chief found that he had the crews and equipment available today, he seized the opportunity and went ahead with the work. They expect to have the street completely open by 5:00 p.m. I apologize for the lack of warning about the schedule change.
In further street construction news, paving crews will work in the 5300 block of Beacon Avenue South on Saturday, starting at 8:00 a.m. The street will be closed to southbound traffic between South Bennett Street and South Brandon Street until 8:00 a.m on Sunday. A detour will be provided. The crews will repair pavement that was previously excavated for work on underground utilities.
Thanks for the updates, Marybeth!
If you are going to be driving off the Hill on Saturday, be prepared for some congestion both east and west. On the east side, SDOT crews will be repairing roadway pavement at two locations on Rainer Avenue South, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. One location is between South Juneau and South Mead Street, and the other is between South Cloverdale and South Henderson Street. Traffic lanes will remain open but drivers should plan for congestion.
West of the hill, Sounders FC are playing a match against the Columbus Crew at Qwest Field, 7:30 pm on Saturday night. There will be traffic, so be prepared.
Sound Transit, Seattle Police and Fire, and King County Metro will conduct an emergency response drill at the Beacon Hill light rail station (Beacon Ave S. and S. Lander St.) on Wednesday May 27 through Saturday May 30. Please do not dial 911 about the drill activities; it’s only a drill.
Temporary parking restrictions will be imposed on those dates between South McClellan and South Bayview streets on 17th Avenue South from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. This restriction will enable the Fire Department to stage response vehicles during the drill.
Thanks to Steve Louie for forwarding the info to the mailing list!
View Parking restrictions for Sound Transit Drill in a larger map
The Seattle Post Globe fills us in on the filling of an eighth “void” along the tunnel excavation route at 18th and Lander. Another potential void is also being examined at 17th as well. Crews are expected to complete investigation and repairs by May 22nd.
After the initial report of the sinkhole that rose all the way to the surface, subsequent voids were identified by reviewing records of excavation spoils for abnormally high readings originally attributed to mismeasurement, accuracy, or instrument calibration issues.
BHB reader Heidi wrote this morning about having seen crews working at these repair sites (and being a bit hesitant about answering questions) and pointed out the crumbling retaining wall nearby. Interestingly, in the Post Globe report Sound Transit spokesman Bruce Gray states no structural damage has been reported from these voids and that only a quarter-inch of settling has been measured, and none of that near the void sites.
Thanks Heidi!
I-5 Reduced to One Lane for Re-striping
On Saturday, May 16 at 9:30 p.m. crews working for Sound Transit will begin reducing northbound lanes on I-5 between S. Spokane Street and Olive Way. Drivers should plan ahead and expect delays. This work is being done in preparation for the University Link Light Rail construction which includes closing the Olive Way off-ramp on Monday, May 18.
Drivers should expect to see the first lane closure on northbound I-5 at 9:30 p.m., the second at 10:30 p.m., the third lane closure at 11:30 p.m., with all traffic shifted to the far right lane by midnight. All northbound lanes of I-5 will reopen by 6 a.m. on Sunday, May 17.
Crews will also close ramps to and from downtown Seattle on northbound I-5. The University Street on-ramp will close at 9:00 p.m., the Cherry Street on-ramp at 10:00 p.m and the Seneca and 4th Ave off-ramps at midnight. All ramps will reopen by 6 a.m. the following morning. Drivers should follow the signed detour during the closure.
For more information about this project, contact Erin Hunter at (888) 298-2395 or erin.hunter@soundtransit.org.
Project information online: http://www.soundtransit.org/i5undercrossing
S. Spokane Street Viaduct Project
There is currently a temporary closure (approximately seven weeks) between Airport Way South and 6th Avenue South on South Spokane Street, to allow placement of a water quality vault underneath the Spokane Street Viaduct. This surface closure does not affect vehicles approaching Spokane Street from northbound I-5 (via exit 163) or from Beacon Hill (via S Columbian Way). Vehicles from these directions will make a slight jog to the left as they proceed west through the intersection at Sixth Avenue South.
Eastbound lower Spokane Street remains closed between First and Sixth Avenues, with a detour route north on First or Fourth to Lander. This eastbound closure will continue into mid-2010, although the section between the E-3 Busway and Sixth Avenue S will reopen this summer.
SR 519 Intermodal Access Project
In this WSDOT project, crews are building a bridge over the railroad tracks on Royal Brougham Way and connecting a new off-ramp from I-90 and I-5 to the Edgar Martinez Way overpass near Safeco Field. Crews have completed widening of First Avenue S and S Atlantic Street. These improvements will enhance safety and traffic flow for people heading to and from the Port of Seattle, the waterfront, sports stadiums and destinations in the SODO neighborhood.
S. Royal Brougham Way will be open with one lane in each direction at least two hours before all Mariners games between Occidental Avenue S. and Fourth Avenue S. Left turns from northbound Fourth Avenue S. to westbound S. Royal Brougham Way will be prohibited. When S. Royal Brougham Way is closed, access to the Qwest Field Events Center garage will be provided from First Avenue S. and Occidental Avenue S. Pedestrian access will be provided at all times on the north sidewalk of S. Royal Brougham Way.
Thanks to Sound Transit, Steve Louie, and WSDOT for the information.
Thanks to Joel Lee for the photo and the tip!
In addition to the one that came all the way to the surface, the Seattle Post Globe reports Sound Transit has found an additional six underground voids above the bored tunnel on the East side of the hill. Six of the seven total found voids have now been filled with concrete at a cost so far of about $1 million. Keep an eye out for more shifting soil!
Update: KOMO reporter (and Beacon Hill resident) Travis Mayfield has a video report on this story.