Category Archives: Getting Around

Getting Around, Local Events

Celebs, prizes, and a train at Boys & Girls Club celebration Saturday

You have another chance for an early look inside of one of these trains. Photo by The Lebers -- thanks!
You have another chance for an early look inside of one of these trains. Photo by The Lebers -- thanks!
Still psyched about the new light rail trains and can’t wait until next summer when you can ride them? This Saturday you can at board a Link Light Rail train, although it won’t be going anywhere. A train will be parked at the Columbia City Station during the Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club Grand Opening celebration.

The celebration of the club’s new 40,000 square foot teen center is from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. VIPs including Ron Sims and Greg Nickels will be there to speak between 10:30 am and 11:30 am. Other activities at the celebration include free-throws with Sheryl Swoopes of the Seattle Storm, a performance by the Dangerettes drill team, football with Bobby Engram and Blitz from the Seattle Seahawks, and giveaways for kids and teens. The Club is at 4520 MLK Jr. Way South; the Columbia City rail station is one block south.

Thanks, Seattle Transit Blog!

Getting Around

17th and Beacon intersection reopened

We noticed recently that the work on the east side of the 17th and Beacon intersection has reopened to traffic. The planters and pedestrian-scale lighting don’t appear to be there yet, though. With luck this will be a safer intersection for pedestrians crossing 17th at this spot. It doesn’t seem to affect those crossing Beacon to the library, however.

Does the “left turn only” sign mean that drivers can no longer cross Beacon and continue southward on 17th?

17th and Beacon intersection, across from the library. Photo by Jason.
17th and Beacon intersection, across from the library. Photo by Jason.
Getting Around, Urban Planning

Light rail = increased home values on North Beacon?

Will this train soon bring higher housing values to the Hill? Photo by The Lebers.
Will this train soon bring higher housing values to the Hill? Photo by The Lebers.
According to the Denver Post, homes near light rail stations on the new Southeast line there have increased in value by nearly 4 percent since the line opened, even while homes in the rest of the Denver market declined by an average of 7.5 percent. The closer the home is to the station, the more the value increased, with those less than half a mile from the station increasing by an average of 17.6 percent.

The article mentions a similar effect in other markets, with single-family home values showing increases ranging from 2 percent in San Diego to a blistering 32 percent in St. Louis. The article also suggests that it is not just station location that causes the biggest increases, but transit-oriented development (TOD) that adds to the attractiveness of the area. North Beacon and Mount Baker (Rainier and McClellan) will have their stations soon, but will the TOD follow? Will we see a similar increase in housing value here on Beacon Hill? The Othello and Columbia City stations are already seeing some development, but there hasn’t been much up on top of the Hill or at the foot of McClellan.

Thanks to Seattlest!

Getting Around, Local Events

Metro meeting to discuss transit changes tonight

We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Metro is surveying Southeast Seattle residents on potential changes to the bus routes in our area. We should have mentioned that there is a meeting scheduled to discuss the changes — tonight. (Apologies; I thought we had.) The meeting is tonight, October 28, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, at Jefferson Community Center (Hasselberg Hall), 3801 Beacon Avenue South. Details are here. Thanks to the North Beacon Hill Council for the reminder!

Getting Around

17th and Beacon intersection work status

If you are like us, you’ve been wondering what the heck is going on with the intersection at 17th/Beacon/Forest, across from the library, that’s been closed since September. Allison Delong took the initiative to call SDOT to find out.

Apparently, the hold-up is that they need to grind some asphalt to finish the work, and the grinder is in the shop! They hope to have the intersection open again in the next few weeks, one way or another.

Thanks, Allison, for posting to the Beacon Hill list!

Getting Around, Urban Planning

Concerned about where train riders will park?

2 Comments

The Rainier Valley Post notes that the city wants neighborhood input on parking issues around the soon*-to-be-opening light rail stations in South Seattle.

Regarding Beacon Hill:

The ¼ mile area around the Beacon Hill Station involves both commercial and residential areas. Common parking tools used here may include time-limit signs and a residential parking zone. Community concerns to date include several areas of the neighborhood where parking conditions are already pretty congested at different times of the day. 

When: Wednesday, November 5th at 7 pm
Where: St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 6020 Beacon Avenue South

You can also submit your comments by email. Full details in the article at RVP.

* soon as in next summer! W00t!

Getting Around, Local Events

Transit measure discussion forum, 10/26

Grown Folks Coffee are hosting a community forum to discuss the Proposition 1 mass transit expansion measure, this Sunday afternoon from 1:00-3:00 pm. Lara Fowler is organizing this, and says “We’re working to see if there might be people available from the
campaigns, but regardless, there will be people in attendance who can address the issues.”

Grown Folks is at 4878 Beacon Avenue South, and there is parking available. If you are planning to attend or have specific questions, please let Lara know at lfowler AT gth-law DOT com.

Thanks to Lara, who posted this to the Beacon Hill mailing list!

Beacon Bits, Getting Around

Beacon Bits: Buses, speeding tickets, cheap(er) gas

Will bus service changes cause some SE Seattle folks to be passed by? Photo from the Seattle Municipal Archives.
Will bus service changes cause some SE Seattle folks to be passed by? Photo from the Seattle Municipal Archives.
Beacon Bits are collections of useful or interesting links or other tidbits that we’ll post periodically.

Getting Around, Local Events, Urban Planning

Discuss the bus over pancakes

Metro bus in West Seattle -- thanks Seattle Municipal Archives!
Metro bus in West Seattle -- thanks Seattle Municipal Archives!
We posted earlier about this Saturday’s pancake breakfast, and about potential bus service changes in Southeast Seattle. Today, Jodie Vice of Beacon Hill Pedestrians posted some further information to the mailing list that allows us to combine both topics:

There has been quite a bit of discussion about bus service changes when light rail comes on board. It would be great to have a discussion about this and fill out our surveys as a neighborhood! I’ve contacted Metro and they are sending me about 50 surveys (in multiple languages) to hand out at the Pancake Breakfast THIS Saturday at El Centro – 9:30AM.

A bus service and light rail discussion will go hand-in-hand at our forum on creating a town center, because you can not create a “town center” without adequate access by ALL modes. We have an amazing opportunity with the light rail to be more connected to southend neighborhoods and downtown, but bus service is still crucial for local trips.

The current Metro plans include a potential crosstown route that will connect the Hill with West Seattle, possible changes to the 38 to eliminate redundant service once the light rail opens, and more.

Thanks Jodie and BHP!

Getting Around

Let Metro know!

King County Metro is conducting a survey concerning potential changes to a number of routes that service Beacon Hill and the surrounding area. Service changes are being considered for many routes, including the 36. Potential cancellation is being considered for routes 7X, 32, 34, 35, 38, 39 , 42, 42X, 126, 194, and 195.

Take the survey online or mail in the printed form if you received one. Completed questionnaires are due by Nov. 6, 2008.

Thanks to Willie Weir for bringing this up on the list.