Seattle Transit Blog currently has a post up analyzing patterns of transit ridership on Beacon Hill’s Route 36. The post includes a chart that shows the average daily number of boardings and deboardings by stop. As one might expect, the stops at each end of the route are heavily used, as are the stops at Beacon Hill Station and the VA hospital. Stops in the International District along S. Jackson see a huge amount of traffic.
The author, Bruce Nourish asks that Beacon Hill neighbors comment on the STB post: “please let us know in the comments what else you see in this data that I’ve missed.”
The City of Seattle is currently conducting an online survey on the topics of public safety and the Seattle Police Department, with the help of graduate students from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs. The project will gather Seattleites’ views about public safety concerns in their own neighborhoods and on public transportation. The resulting data will be used to help police and city officials improve police services.
Can you identify this landmark? If so, you should enter our contest. Photo by Wendi.You can still win a NAMSAYIN #36 bus t-shirt and a $50 gift card to The Station coffee shop (and, folks, that’s a lot of potential caffeine!) if you’re the first person to identify the 16 locations pictured in our contest post from earlier this week. Better work fast, though — we already have some guessers who are very close to getting all of them.
* * *
The Seattle Department of Transportation wants to know “what you think about transit in Seattle and how it could be better.” You can tell them by taking their survey. It’s fairly short.
You might have noticed sheep baa-ing somewhere on Beacon Hill lately.
* * *
Dylan Ahearn mentioned it the other day, but here’s a reminder: Tomorrow (Saturday) is the Walk & Bike Beacon Hill Neighborhood Transportation Summit. It’s a neighborhood meeting to discuss ways to improve safety and mobility while walking and biking on Beacon Hill. The event is from 10:00 am to noon at Beacon Hill International School, 2025 14th Avenue South. Activities will include designing safe walking and biking routes, learning about bike safety for children, and more. Refreshments will be served. All ages are welcome. For more information, please contact Frederica Merrell, frmerrel@seattleschools.org.
* * *
If you’re already thinking ahead to Christmas, you might want to get your Christmas tree right here in the neighborhood. No, don’t chop one down in the Cheasty Greenbelt, please. Instead, you can get one from El Centro de la Raza. Trees will be available at their lot Wednesday through Sunday, starting November 26 and running through December 19. Order before the 26th and there will be a discount. There will be 2′-7′ Grand and Noble Firs, live trees, and 20″ and 30″ wreaths. Purchases will support El Centro’s many programs. El Centro is located at 2524 16th Avenue South.
Mayor Mike McGinn will be on Beacon Hill this coming Tuesday, May 11, at 2:00 pm for the announcement of the “Walk Bike Ride” Initiative supporting improved pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities and services “to make walking, biking, and riding transit the easiest ways to get around in Seattle.”
The Bartell Drug Store at Rainier Avenue South and South College Street has applied for a new “Grocery Store – Beer/Wine” liquor license. If you wish to comment on the application, you can email your comments about license number 406481 to customerservice@liq.wa.gov.
Maple Elementary School is working on a mural project. Students, parents, and community members of all races will work together to create a mural for the school gym exterior that reflects the significance of The Maple Creed: “I know that our country was built by people of all races and I know that people of all races keep our country great.”
Community tile creation and tile glazing sessions will be held on the following Mondays from 3:30 – 8:30 pm: May 3, 10, 17, 24; June 7, 14. There will also be sessions on the following Saturdays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm: May 1, 22.
RSVPs are requested. To find out more about the project and RSVP, contact Terry Virdell at 206-898-5679, or email terryvirdell@gmail.com.
* * *
L to R: Representatives Bob Hasegawa and Zack Hudgins.Local state Representatives Zack Hudgins and Bob Hasegawa invite residents of the 11th Legislative District to join them for a telephone town hall tonight, April 27, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Hudgins and Hasegawa will discuss the 2010 legislative session, creating jobs, their priorities for the 2010 state budget, and the budget’s impact on local communities. Residents will be invited to stay on the line and join in on the conversation. You can also phone in directly between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. by dialing (toll-free) 877-229-8493, code 15512.
* * *
Last week, Cienna Madrid at the Stranger wrote about the new Streets for All Seattle Coalition, a group fighting to fund projects for bicycle, transit, and pedestrian improvements. In the article, SASC spokesman David Hiller specifically discusses how a transportation crisis in South Seattle has drawn organizations such as El Centro de la Raza into the coalition.
* * *
Gardeners take note — @VictrolaCoffee posted on Twitter: “Free bags of coffee grounds everyday at Victrola Beacon Hill – 3215 Beacon Ave So. – make your gardens grow!”
Asian Express, Dim Sum House, and Jefferson Community Center all received recent inspection visits from the Health Department. (Click each establishment’s name to see the results.) Congratulations to Jefferson Community Center for a perfect score of zero!
* * *
The Seattle City Council and Mayor will host a joint public meeting about the City’s budget here on Beacon Hill at the New Holly Gathering Hall, tomorrow, April 28, at 5:00 pm. The New Holly Gathering Hall is located at 7054 32nd Avenue South.
Will we see a sign like this more often at the Beacon Hill library? Photo by Jasoon.Travis at KOMO reports that the Beacon Hill library branch could see a fairly drastic reduction of hours under the mayor’s 2010 budget proposal, including closing entirely on Fridays and Sundays. The proposal would also include another week-long closure like the one this summer. If you have concerns about this, now is the time to contact your city council representatives.
Also via KOMO, a story about Jay Park, who grew up attending a Beacon Hill church, then gained fame in a Korean boy band, then resigned from his band to return to Seattle, where his fans have been sending supportive gifts and letters — even spending money to hire an airplane to tow a sign to let him know how they feel. Unfortunately, the KOMO blog story seems to have offended fans of the band, who have left 171 comments so far expressing their anger. (Update: and over 1000 more comments on the same article spread among the KOMO sites it appeared on, like the Edmonds KOMO site. Yikes!)
***
The Girl Scouts of Western Washington have two information nights coming up in Southeast Seattle for girls and adults interested in learning more about Girl Scouts. The meetings are Monday, October 5, 6:30 pm-7:30 pm at the Beacon Hill library, and Tuesday, October 6, 6:30pm-7:30pm at the Columbia City library. Potential members and volunteers are welcome. No registration is required; if you have questions, contact JoinUs@girlscoutsww.org or call 800-767-6845.
***
Martin H. Duke has an editorial in Seattle Transit Blog discussing tonight’s County Council Town Hall meeting at the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club and responses to residents’ concerns about Southeast Seattle transit cuts.
He writes,
“There are sins on all sides in Metro debates, but let’s not conflate the addition of a transfer, especially when one route runs every 8 minutes, with a total loss of service.”
Georgetown’s classic Mercedes repair shop Benz Friends is packing up and moving to Burien — Blogging Georgetown
Route 38: “Slightly ridiculous” what with the light rail opening — Seattle Transit Blog
Time is running out on the city’s parking and traffic ticket penalty and interest amnesty program. Get paid-up by June 30th!
Free screenings (donations expected) of Mad City Chickens, a documentary about raising urban poultry, will be held this Friday in Wallingford and Monday in West Seattle. Friday’s showing is presented by Wallingford Neighbors for Peace and Justice, Monday’s by Sustainable West Seattle. Follow those links for full details about show times and locations. — Lynn Tucker on the mailing list
Metro has released their proposed service revisions. These changes will be discussed at the special joint meeting of the King County Council’s Physical Environment Committee and the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee meeting April 28th.
At 6:00pm on April 28th, in the Bertha Knight Landes room at city hall (600 4th Ave.), the Seattle Planning Commission and councilmember Sally Clark are bringing in Helle Søholt from Copenhagen-based Gehl Architects to speak on the topic of creating walkable and bike-able neighborhoods, especially around transit sites.
From the announcement:
How do we transform auto-oriented communities to make pedestrian-friendly communities? Helle Soholt of Gehl Architects will discuss the vibrant mix needed for creating successful communities. Copenhagen-based Gehl Architects is a world leader in urban design.
For more info please contact Barbara Wilson, Executive Director with the Seattle Planning Commision: 206.684.0431 or barb.wilson@seattle.gov
SEEDArts is offering a public art workshop for youth (fifth grade and up) to create a glass tile mosaic for a the entrance of the new Rainier Vista Boys & Girls Club on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South. Workshops will meet on Thursdays from 4:30 – 5:15 (seventh grade and up) and 5:15 – 6:15 (fifth and sixth grade) until June 4. For information, contact Abbey Norris, Public Art Manager, (206) 760-4289.
