West Duwamish TRAIL FAIL

When several of us sent requests to SDOT to fix the notorious B.I.G tree root problem on the West Duwamish Trail at the north end of South Park, we thought maybe the SDOT Bike Program would be able to fix the problem, now that we helped pass the Move Seattle Levy to fund the program.

Instead, it looks like it got punted to the city’s lawyers and sign shop, who might justifiably be taking seriously about our complaints regarding the danger of falling into high speed traffic here.

So, the bike route is cut off at this mud puddle that we could wade through on foot. This sign is thtree%20root%20with%20signs[3]e only response to our requests so far.

Would rather have it go to the arborists and paving crew.

WSBC Feb 2 meeting invitation

Our monthly meeting is this Tuesday,
6:30 to 8:00 pm
HomeStreet Bank
41st Ave SW & SW Alaska St.

Come if you can, to participate. plan. propose.  Agenda includes:

  • Delridge-Highland Park Greenway – report from SBAB & SDOT mtgs. Next?
  • Chelan 5-way intersection – report from SBAB & SDOT mtgs
  • Seattle Neighborhood Greenways 20/25 campaign and other news (Paul)
  • Advocacy Ride with Kelli Refer – report (Bob W, Al, Kathy, Paul, Don)
  • NPSF Grant appl – Juneau & Croft (Mike and Kathy)
  • West Marginal / Duwamish Trail – South Park tree root campaign (Al , Bill G)
  • Fauntleroy Boulevard Project – take position on underground wiring $ + delay?
  • your item here

Delridge-Highland Park Greenway follow up

We love the Delridge-Highland Park Greenway!  We pushed to include it in the Bicycle Master Plan update, and to give it high priority for funding, so it is great to see it happening.  Lots of good things about it will make it a safer, more pleasant route for people walking and on bikes doing everything from going to elementary school to commuting to work in SODO and downtown.  We do have concerns about safety, connectivity and effectiveness of two sections currently under construction. Brenda Mix, Mike Hendrix and David Geoffreon, members of West Seattle Bike Connections who live and commute year round along the route gave public comments at the January 6 meeting of the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board. CJ Holt from SDOT  gave a presentation on design and status, and SBAB member and WSBC member Don Brubeck presented our observations and concerns.

DSC02037SBAB followed up with a letter (here) to SDOT Director Scott Kubly with recommendations for improvements on this route, and to address construction safety on this and all such projects.  Thank you, SBAB!

Kelli Refer from Cascade Bicycle Club’s advocacy program came out and rode the route with several of us on January 18. Thank you, Kelli, for Cascade’s support.

We had a follow up meeting with SDOT staff and SBAB Chair Kristi Rennebohm Franz, to discuss the concerns and improvements that are still possible at this late stage of construction, and appreciate the time and effort taken by Dawn Schellenberg and CJ Holt to address the issues.  Takeaways:

Arterial stretch of 21st SW from angled 22nd SW to SW Dawson:  The traffic lanes will be narrowed. The sidewalk on west will be widened from 4 feet to at least 6 feet, but retaining steep slopes would make a wider path costly and grading at steep driveways would be difficult.  The east side shoulder will be paved. This 900 foot length on an arterial is sub-standard for an “all ages and abilities” route. It does not meet the Bike Master Plan intent for an off-street path along this portion of the route.  A mixed-use two way sidewalk path should be at least 10 feet wide to allow safe passing, especially when there is no planting strip between the sidewalk and traffic lanes. Mitigation to slow vehicle traffic will include speed humps, 20 mph speed limit signs and a painted fog line.  We suggested addition of flashing warning beacons triggered by bike riders with warning sign “bikes on roadway”, as are used at narrow tunnels and mountain roads. We requested monitoring of actual speeds over the next year and futher improvements if these measures do not result in 20mph vehicle speeds.

Route jog from 17th SW to 15th SW between SW Webster and SW Kenyon:  SDOT says traffic counts did not pass the threshold that warrants a signal or flashing beacon at crossings of 16th. We don’t believe the crossings are safe for children with just a marked crosswalk. We would not let our children use this route to get to Stanislo school or Highland Park school. We favor a one-block protected bike lane on 16th SW from Kenyon to Holden, closing off the sweeping free-right lane at Dumar, and a bike crossing at the traffic signal at Holden. SDOT will add speed humps on 16th at these intersections. That should make a difference!  We asked SDOT to monitor actual use by people on foot and on bikes on 15th and on 16th in roadway and on sidewalk, to see if the “jog” is actually used, and to look again at the crossing safety at Webster and Kenyon. Monitoring is planned.

This was the first time this greenway was reviewed by SBAB, which seems telling for a project of such significance to the under-served West Seattle neighborhoods of Pigeon Point, Puget Ridge, Highland Park and White Center.  The issues raised now are the issues we and others brought up in the 2013 public workshops.  We are hopeful from SDOT’s response now that the next Greenway for West Seattle — along 34th Ave SW from Roxbury to High Point and (improbably) on 30th Ave’s  “Snake Hill” to SW Brandon — will receive more timely and careful review, with revisions to design in response to community input and advance test rides and walks.

Bridge Break with Brad

DSC02065Thank you to Brad Loetel for being there where the trails meet under the bridge every dark, wet. and chilly Thursday morning, with hot coffee, breakfast treats, quick mechanical checks and conversation on the morning commute. Fixed two flats for people in the couple of minutes this rider stopped this week.

Support your local bike shop (maybe buy some better winter tires?)

2015 Bridge Bike Counts ^ UP ^

Screen Shot 2016-01-04 at 9.20.46 PMWe hear that some bike traffic counts declined in the region in 2015, but not here!

Spokane Street Bridge count went up by 5.8 percent over 2014, despite low, low gas prices and added bus transit capacity.

Some nice dry months, but 2nd wettest December on record and a stormy November, and as dark as ever in January. As you might figure, weekdays are way higher than weekends on this commute route to jobs in SODO and downtown. These are workin’ people’s bikes.

299,506 trips across the bridge in 2015
941 average weekday count
1,719 highest day, May 15. June had highest week and month.
75 for lowest day, Sunday December 27.
SDOT data, our graph.

WSBC meeting Tuesday January 5

WSBC is meeting Tuesday, January 5

6:30 to 8:00 pm
at HomeStreet Bank, 41st SW & SW Alaska

Please come if you can. On our agenda:
– Input to SDOT & SBAB on Delridge-Highland Park Greenway and the incomplete Chelan 5-way intersection

– Safe Routes to Schools and the next WS greenways

– rides, advocacy, whatever you want to do in 2016 for enjoyable, safe, efficient riding in West Seattle

Delridge-Highland Park Greenway – almost finished?

It was scheduled to be completed in 2015. Now SDOT says January 2016. Seems a bit optimistic from  ground level, and looks like some of it needs reworking to be safe and convenient to use, according to riders who use the route daily.    Here are some photos of a ride on Monday this week mid day, and one from a daily commute in the dark. Click any to enlarge.  But the best way to find out about it is to go walk or ride and decide for yourself. We invite you to give feedback here or to SDOT directly.

SDOT website for the project is here, including maps and drawings.

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The good:  lots of new ADA curb ramps on 21st SW at north end. This at SW Genesee, the route to Pathfinder K-8 school, with intersection painted by the community. Speed humps, most old, some new, along this stretch.

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The bad and the ugly:   The stretch on 21st Ave SW between 22nd Ave SW and Dumar,  It’s a busy arterial. Really scary with high speed traffic in the dark and wet and a tiny gravel shoulder east side, and rough gravel 4′ sidewalk on west.

 

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The good: a flashing beacon convenient for pedestrians.   Not for bike riders.

 

 

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hmmm…

 

 

 

 

Large Pothole on 21st Ave SW Southbound

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bad:  sidewalk only on one side, and only 4 feet wide.  Bike riders use this who want to avoid riding in the arterial traffic without bike lanes or shoulder.

The ugly:  no temporary safety measures during construction while the sidewalk is torn up,

 

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Approaching SW Dumar.

Does this look “safe for all ages and abilities”?

 

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The grand old speed hump and semi-permanent potholes and cones, at Stanislo Elementary School.

 

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Nice new smooth asphalt on SW Myrtle from 21st to 17th. Except for a half block on north side.

 

 

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Work has not started on the switchback ramp to link two cul-de-sacs on 17th SW

 

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Crossing 16th SW on SW Webster to go from 17th to 15th, then 2 blocks to Kenyon, then back again to 17th!

Would you do this? Would you let your pre-teen use this route instead of crossing at the light at Holden?

No stop sign, no flashing beacon, no traffic signal = no greenway!

 

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On 15th SW.  Work started at curb bulbs at SW Holden.

 

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From 15th & Holden you can see the light at 16th.  Will car drivers stop for people on foot or on bikes or in wheelchairs at 15th?

 

SDOT ignored WSBC and other community input on route choice, especially regarding the zig zag from 17th on Webster to  15th and then two blocks south crossing Holden on 15th to Kenyon, and two blocks west back to 17th.  Who in their right mind will go 4 blocks out of the way, crossing busy arterials three times without stoplights or even flashing beacons, to avoid crossing at a light at Holden? Prediction: the lumpy narrow sidewalk on 16th will be the route of choice. Should be changed.

 

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Crossing 16th SW again at Kenyon.  Signs and curb ramps. No stop sign or traffic signal, no flashing beacon.

 

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Green stormwater work started by SPU on 17th.

 

 

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Crossings at the south end of the route between Holden and Roxbury at busy streets are likewise unprotected.

At this point, no curb ramps, no re-aligned stop signs, no traffic calming, no signs.

 

 

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South end of the route, just short of Roxbury and White Center. No work evident at this end yet.

Alki Christmas Ships Ride – Sat Dec 12

DSC05917Decorate and light up your bikes and come join West Seattle Bike Connections for a fun all ages, all abilities, all faiths, family-friendly ride from Seacrest Marina to Alki Bathhouse to the see Christmas ShipsDSC05903, and to hear and join the carolers. Seattle Parks will have hot cider and cookies at the bathhouse and a bonfire on the beach to keep us warm.
Please arrive by 4:15 to sign in. We’ll roll at 4:30 in fading light, and arrive as it is getting dark. The Christmas Ships are due to be at Alki from 5:10 to 5:30.
2.2 perfectly flat miles on the Alki Trail. Return trip is on your own, because it is hard to regroup at this event, but the ride leader will be happy to accompany riders on request for the return trip at 5:30. This will be a Cascade Bicycle Club free daily ride, with waiver form to sign.
Bike rack parking is available at Seacrest and Bathhouse. Car parking is available on the street at Seacrest, or just west at Don Armeni boat launch public lot. Sorry, the Water Taxi and #37 bus are NOT running on weekends at this time of year. The #21 bus is the nearest, running from downtown to stop #15460 at SW Spokane St & 26th Ave SW (WB) along the Alki Trail, 1.5 miles from Seacrest.
Restrooms are available at start, at Alki Bathhouse, and points between.
The Christmas Ships will be off Lowman Beach Park at 4:20-4:40 pm. Optional to start there on your own, and join us at ~5 pm at Alki.

WSBC Meeting – Tuesday Dec 1

6:30 to 8:00 pm
HomeStreet Bank at WS Junction
41st Ave SW & SW Alaska St
Please come if you can, to plan our next projects and events.
At our last meeting, these rose to the top for 2016. We can do these things only to the extent that we have active participation:
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  • Safe Routes to Schools, and finding ways to get schools engaged in walking and riding to school.
  • Celebration for the work at Chelan 5-way intersection, and monitoring and working for the long term plans there to connect the Alki, WS Bridge and Duwamish trail routes.
  • East Marginal Way S Multi-Modal Corridor planning, to make it a really excellent high-bike-volume corridor to SODO and downtown.
  • Advocacy for more greenway street implementation on the N-S spine of West Seattle from Admiral to Westwood, parallel to California and 35th Avenues, for destinations in West Seattle and for low-stress through routes. [this with Seattle Neighborhood Greenways]
  • Continue events for kids: bike rodeos, mini STP, family rides.
  • Duwamish Trail improvements and completion of missing links.
  • Neighborhood Parks & Streets Fund grants for spot improvements.
  • Engage politically with our new Councilmember whoever she may be; SDOT; neighborhood associations and district councils.
  • Social rides!
We also can really use a dedicated webmaster/social media person, and have other roles to fill. Many things do not require attending evening meetings, so email if you are inspired.