Tag Archives: sdot

Getting Around

Dynamic signs coming to Columbian Way next week


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Expect construction delays at this location next week as new dynamic signs are installed.

The Seattle Department of Transportation will be installing new dynamic (electronic) messaging signs at several locations in the city next week, including South Columbian Way/14th Avenue South near the freeway ramps. The new electronic signs will provide improved traffic information to travelers.

The signs will be installed during the daytime next week, March 8 to 12. The work will start in Crown Hill and progress down the list to Columbian Way, which is last, so we can probably expect lane closures and construction slowdowns at Columbian and 14th from the middle to end of next week. Expect some delay and congestion during this time.

The other locations that will receive the new signs are in Crown Hill at 14th Avenue NW and Holman Road NW, 15th Avenue NW just south of Ballard High School, and on 15th Avenue West near the Magnolia Bridge.

We are not sure exactly what the signs will look like, but they may be similar to other dynamic messaging signs SDOT has previously installed in SODO. Here’s an interesting PDF from 2005 about the use of dynamic messaging signs by WSDOT on Washington highways.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Cupcakes and buses and health inspections

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Cupcakes from Wink
A sample of Wink's wares. Photo by Rachel from Cupcakes Take the Cake.

Cupcakes coming to Victrola — Wink Cupcakes will be available through three Victrola coffee houses, including our own at 3215 Beacon Ave S.

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Health inspections — Asa Mercer Middle School, Dearborn Park Elementary, Maple Elementary School, Cleveland High School, Fiesta-Mex Video, Beacon Avenue Shell, Beacon Hill 76, Inay’s, Java Love, and Lucky Seafood.
Congratulations to Asa Mercer, Dearborn Park, Maple, and Cleveland for perfect 0-point inspections!

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SDOT wants your opinion on Metro’s electric buses that get their power from Seattle City Light. They’ve been pondering retiring electric trolley buses for a while, replacing them with diesel coaches. (And everyone knows that diesel is always reasonably priced.)

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Frank Nam spotted this topically-amended sign in the restroom at the Beacon Hill Library.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Getting Around edition

With luck, this weekend's closures won't cause traffic like this. Photo by Oran Viriyincy.
More closures are scheduled this weekend for Spokane Street Viaduct work. Two ramps leading to West Seattle will be closed: the northbound I-5 off-ramp leading to the West Seattle Bridge, and the ramp from Columbian Way on Beacon Hill, leading to the West Seattle Bridge.

The ramps will be closed from 10:00 pm, Friday, January 29, until 5:00 am, Monday, February 1. In case of rain, crews may reschedule some of the work for the following weekend. Additionally, remember that the existing westbound Spokane Street Viaduct off-ramp to Fourth Avenue South is now closed permanently.

Further info from SDOT here.

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The Cascade Bicycle Club is conducting a survey on bicycling in Southeast Seattle, including your thoughts on cycling safety, bike trails and routes, and riding your bike to Link Light Rail.

(Thanks to Jodie Vice on the Beacon Hill Mailing List.)

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Speaking of bike trails, the Chief Sealth Trail will be extended west of Beacon Avenue South this year. An artist is being sought by the city’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs along with SDOT to create a three-dimensional, permanent outdoor artwork “to mark the trail extension and enliven the streetscape” where the trail crosses Beacon Avenue South at South Dawson Street.

The total project budget is $50,000 and includes design, fabrication and installation costs. The application deadline is Tuesday, March 16. More information is available here.

(Thanks to Heather Dwyer.)

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The SDOT blog recently posted some photos of new sidewalk projects that were completed in 2009, including sidewalks on 37th Avenue South between South Thistle Street and South Rose Street, near Wing Luke Elementary School on South Beacon Hill.

Local Events, Neighborhood Pride

Festival Street to open this weekend

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Festival Street, nearly ready to open. Photo by Jason.
Festival Street, nearly ready to open. Photo by Jason.
A reminder: Saturday, Dec. 5, at 10:00 AM, Festival Street (South Lander Street between Beacon Avenue South and 17th Avenue South, next to Beacon Hill Station) will open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Coffee, donuts, and city leaders will all be there.

This long-awaited project extends the plaza north of Beacon Hill Station, giving the community a space for festivals and events. Workers from the Seattle Department of Transportation have been onsite since October, working on this improvement to Lander Street.

Photo from SDOT.
Photo from SDOT.

See more SDOT photos of the Festival Street project on Flickr.


View Lander Festival Street in a larger map

Urban Planning

SDOT improvements coming to Columbian Way

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From the SDOT blog:

A new paving project is planned for South Columbian Way between Beacon Ave S and 15th Ave S in 2010. The project will benefit the multiple users of the street by:

  • Repaving the street
  • Installing new curbs
  • Improving drainage
  • Constructing new curb ramps at intersections to improve pedestrian access

In addition to the above, this portion of Columbian Way S will be restriped as part of this project. Restriping would help improve motor vehicle safety and access, pedestrian access, and bicycle usage. Proposed changes include:

  • one lane of motor vehicle traffic in each direction
  • a new two-way center turn lane
  • new bike lanes
  • a new dedicated right-turn lane at VA Hospital Drive to improve access to the medical center

This project is a part of the voter approved “Bridging the Gap” transportation levy. Click here for more information on the project.

These improvements will tie in with improvements slated for 15th Ave S.

Crime, Health and Safety, Local Events, Meetings, Urban Planning

NBHC meeting agenda for Thursday

The NBHC meeting this Thursday brings a couple of guests with presentations in addition to regular business. Remember: if you live in the neighborhood and you’ve been to even one NBHC meeting before, you’ve got a vote.

North Beacon Hill Council Agenda
Thursday, October 1, 2009, 7:00 PM
Beacon Hill Library Community Room

Please join us in making decisions that affect our community. All are welcome!

  • 7:00 Introductions and hellos
  • 7:10 Superintendent Jorge Carrasco, Seattle City Light; presentation on placement of sight-line obstructive poles on West Beacon Hill in 12th Ave. neighborhood with Q&A afterward
  • 7:25 Brian Dougherty, Seattle Department of Transportation; presentation on proposed parking changes for 15th Ave. S.; presentation with Q&A afterward
  • 7:55 Community reports and council business:
    • Seattle Police Department
    • Neighborhood Planning Ad Hoc Committee (vote needed, quorum required); if motion is passed, formation of committee to draft a grant for ongoing neighborhood planning work
    • Other: Matthew Stubbs as NBHC representative to GDDC – vote required; announcements from Steve Louie, Neighborhood Coordinator; other announcements and any concerns from the community
  • 8:30 Closure

Thanks Judith!

Urban Planning

SDOT plans 15th Avenue South improvements

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At the July North Beacon Hill Council meeting, Judith Edwards invited Brian Dougherty of the Seattle Department of Transportation to present SDOT’s possible improvements to the 15th Avenue South corridor from Beacon Avenue south to Spokane Street and on to Columbian Way. Neighbors along this corridor were specially invited to attend and share their views and opinions about what’s wrong and what’s right about traffic there, and to weigh-in on the potential improvements.

Q: What’s the difference between a bike lane and a sharrow?
A: Sharrows for wider areas of roadway that are not wide enough for a dedicated lane, or for downhill stretches where bikes are expected to maintain vehicle speed.

The changes are largely driven by the bicycle master plan which prioritzed routes along 15th Avenue South & 12th Avenue South from Jose Rizal Park to Columbian Way. The changes for bike facilities are planned for this year. Markings and traffic changes can be installed with relative ease with current configuration from Jose Rizal Park to Beacon Avenue. At Beacon, peak parking restrictions (7-9am, 4-6pm) cause problems for bike facilities. Neither bike lanes or sharrows work in current configuration.

Slide1

Almost unanimously, the neighbors along 15th felt that traffic runs too fast for the street, and when combined with the parking situation and lack of well-marked and signalled crossings makes it very dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.

The slides of the presentation are below. If you’d like to share your thoughts with SDOT on possible traffic flow or parking improvements, you can email Brian at brian.dougherty@seattle.gov.

Slide2

Click for the rest of the slideshow.
Continue reading SDOT plans 15th Avenue South improvements →

Getting Around

15th Ave S closed, will reopen by 5:00 pm; Beacon Ave partially closed on Saturday

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!

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Street repair, home values, and the Great Seattle Fire

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Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives
Courtesy of Seattle Municipal Archives
  • The Seattle Department of Transportation will be working on 15th Avenue South this Saturday, June 6, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, repairing pavement. The street will be closed to all traffic except for local access, pedestrians, and bicyclists, between South Atlantic Street (on the north) and South College Street (on the south). 14th Avenue south is the detour route. The street will open to northbound traffic at 3:00 pm, and for both directions at 6:00.
  • June 6 is also the 120th anniversary of the Great Seattle Fire. Commemorate it by checking your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
  • While housing in the rest of King County lost value last year, Beacon Hill and Rainier Valley home prices went up, perhaps a result of the soon-to-be-open light rail line. This news gives at least one Beacon Hill resident reason to smile.
  • Art On Airport, an artists’ open studio event, is happening just down the hill in Georgetown on Saturday, June 13, from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm. Artists in the Sunny Arms Artists Cooperative, the Old Rainier Brewery and the 4810 Building will welcome visitors into their studios to see painting, sculpture, photography, and printmaking, as well as performing arts. It’s free and open to the public.
  • Following up on a post from December 12: the elderly woman found in her home on 26th Avenue South covered in maggots and filth, is now being cared for in a nursing home. Her daughter, Margaret A. George, has been charged with criminal mistreatment and theft. She is scheduled to be arraigned June 9 in King County Superior Court.
  • Don’t forget to check our events calendar to see what’s going in the next few days, including the SNAP Disaster Preparedness workshop on Thursday and the Beacon Hill Festival on Saturday!