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Join our November online construction meeting

Another Montlake Project construction meeting is just around the corner. Join us Wednesday, Nov. 4, to learn more about what you can expect in Montlake and along SR 520.

When: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4

Register: http://bit.ly/SR520_Nov4_Meeting

Crews improve signage in mid-October along East Lake Washington Boulevard in Montlake.

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Upcoming construction work in Montlake

Stay up to date on construction activities and effects to travelers. Here’s a highlight of what you can expect in the days and weeks to come:

• Oct. 23: Single-lane closure with flagged through-traffic on Roanoke Street, along with a pedestrian detour
• Oct. 26 – Nov. 6: Closure of East North Street east of Montlake Boulevard
• Nov. 3 and Nov. 5: Early-morning closures of East Lake Washington Boulevard on-ramp to eastbound SR 520
• Sept. 21 – Nov. 27: Brief, temporary closures of SR 520 Trail over Lake Washington

Crews prepare the work area for construction of the south support wall for a Montlake freeway lid in this Oct. 14 photo.

As always, construction schedules are dynamic and subject to change. Always check the Construction Corner map for the latest updates.

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New Fritz Hedges Waterway Park open on Portage Bay!

We’re excited to say that last week Seattle Parks and Recreation opened Fritz Hedges Waterway Park, a new community resource on Portage Bay, funded as part of SR 520’s construction mitigation efforts. The new park features a pier, kayak launch, a small beach, open lawn space, picnic areas, and more. The project also included extensive shoreline restoration and enhancement to support native species, such as juvenile salmon. Interpretive elements will be added later this year that include information about the use of the Portage Bay Trail by Native Americans and more recent maritime history.

The new Fritz Hedges Waterway Park on Portage Bay.

The SR 520 Program provided funds to the University of Washington to help transfer the property to Seattle Parks and Recreation as part of mitigation for SR 520 construction impacts to the Washington Park Arboretum and East Montlake Park. We also provided funds for construction of the park.

You can learn more in the Fritz Hedges Waterway Park opening announcement, published by Seattle Parks and Recreation. We hope you’re able to enjoy this great new community open space!

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How to reach us and stay informed about SR 520 construction:

• Call the 24-hour construction hotline (206-775-8885) with pressing Montlake Project questions or concerns.
• Call the SR 520 Program information line (206-770-3554, M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) with general SR 520 inquiries.
• Email SR 520 staff with your questions about the project or construction activities.
• Visit the SR 520 Construction Corner for the most up-to-date information on closures and construction impacts.
• Visit the SR 520 Program website to find general information about the project..
• Stop by in-person at the Montlake Project Information Center (2209 E. North St.). (Please note: The Information Center is currently closed until further notice due to the COVID-19 outbreak)
• Follow us on Twitter @wsdot_520 to get key news and updates about the SR 520 program.
• View current Montlake Project construction photos, taken continuously day and night, by mounted construction cameras

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From WSDOT:

When: Between 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21 and 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24

Where: SR 520 will be closed in both directions between Montlake Boulevard in Seattle and 92nd Avenue Northeast on the Eastside

What to expect:

• Crews will shift lanes to create two new work zones for construction of the Montlake lid.
• Drivers traveling east on SR 520 from I-5 will be able to exit at Montlake Boulevard.
• The westbound on-ramp and westbound lanes between Montlake Boulevard and I-5 will be closed.
• Montlake Boulevard will remain open.
• On Monday morning, SR 520 traffic lanes in both directions will have shifted toward the highway’s median and the center pier wall that will support the future Montlake lid.
• Drivers should slow down as they navigate this new alignment (the speed limit is still temporarily reduced to 40 mph throughout the construction zone)..

SR 520 trail open during weekend work

• Cyclists and pedestrians will be able to use the SR 520 Trail across Lake Washington all weekend. The temporary path under SR 520 that connects to the Arboretum and East Lake Washington Boulevard will be open during the daytime, with flaggers present, so please use caution. This path will close at night to give crews the space to move materials and work on the traffic shift this weekend.

Noisy weekend work

• Neighbors in Montlake should expect a noisy weekend of work. Crews will work around the clock to consolidate a number of necessary tasks into a single weekend, resulting in fewer noisy nights for neighbors and fewer nightly lane closures for the traveling public. Working during periods of less traffic increases safety both for drivers and for our workers.
• We expect noisy work throughout the weekend. From the start of the closure on Friday night into Saturday evening, crews will break concrete with hoe rams near the Montlake Boulevard overpass. The overnight demolition will be performed under a Temporary Noise Variance (TNV). The TNV allows nighttime work to exceed the noise limits granted under the project’s Major Public Projects Construction Noise Variance. Regardless, crews will strive to reduce overnight noise by using sound-dampening techniques on equipment and limiting nighttime hauling.
• Neighbors should expect noise and vibration throughout the weekend, but the noisiest work will start Friday night and last through Saturday evening as crews break concrete with hoe rams near the Montlake Boulevard overpass.

Our homes, streets, sidewalks, and trails will undergo a decade of SR 520 Portage Bay Viaduct construction impacts from this regionally critical but highly disruptive project. Now is the time for neighborhoods to clarify our demands to mitigate noise, vibration, traffic, walking, and recreation impacts. The support and involvement of concerned residents are critical to:

• define measures to preserve and enhance the livability of our neighborhoods
• clarify the need for fair mitigation on project construction impacts
• provide productive input on the upcoming shoreline, street use, and noise variance permits 

Please read the issues paper and interest/survey form.  Your response and involvement are needed to shape a unified approach for construction impacts and WSDOT’s permit applications.

Please complete this survey to provide your contact information for the SR 520 Portage Bay Bridge Project.  It can be completed by typing in the boxes.

You must next save this form on your desktop or MS Word and then attach it to an E-mail to:

Ron Melnikoff at melngar@mindspring.com  or Carl Stixrood at Stixrood@comcast.net

Dear Food Bank Supporters,

Our fundraising committee, led by Board Vice President Joseph Smith and including Eliza Dornbush, Nina Gerber, Emily Kim, Nausheen Sadiq, Chris Mefford, and Paul Yunker, is organizing a virtual garden party for Wednesday, August 5, at 6:30 p.m. Please save the date! The party venue is our 2,000 square foot rooftop farm, Rooftop Roots!

The event will feature:

• Welcome by Executive Director Joe Gruber.
• Garden tour led by Rooftop Farmer Hannah Duffany.
• Cooking demonstration by Chef Danny of The London Plane.
• Live musical performance by “Birch Pereira & the Gin Joints”.
• Food Bank update and donation ask by Board Member Ben Spruch

The Rooftop Roots registration page is active. Zoom meeting link will be sent the day of the event.

As always thank you for your support! 

Hello Montlake Community,
The Montlake Elementary school started a monthly paper this year that is run by a number of students with help and oversight by the librarian. 
We had hoped to print copies this month and deliver to your door to show the Montlake community that we are all one. With the restrictions that we are currently under, we’ve moved this to an electronic copy. 
Our hope is that this entertains, informs, and brings a smile to your face today. 
Please enjoy and stay safe.  – Lisa and Kerri (Parents)

We are excited to announce that Cafe Lago is reopening this Friday! Place your order for take-out and get reunited with your favorite salads, pizzas, and pasta.

The Montlake Community Club is proposing updating our Bylaws. All changes are to reflect current practices and overall modernization of the MCC Bylaws. Please direct any questions or feedback to Heather at president@montlake.net.

Thanks to the almost 100 people who have attended our online construction update meetings these past two months. We’re excited to continue bringing you the latest construction information on the SR 520 Montlake Project while providing a regular opportunity for you to ask questions and receive project updates.

Our May monthly construction update meeting will again be online, with a short presentation and Q&A to follow.

Date/time: May 6, presentation starts at 5:30 p.m.
Registration: https://bit.ly/onlineSR520 You’ll be sent confirmation and reminder emails as we approach the event.

You can join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device. Access to the Internet will be required to view the presentation and your device speakers must be enabled.

Missed last month’s meeting? A video recording of the meeting as well as the presentation slides (pdf 2.64 mb) are now available.

We continue to wish you and your family and friends good health during this time.

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How to reach us and stay informed about SR 520 construction:

• Call the 24-hour construction hotline (206-775-8885) with pressing Montlake Project questions or concerns.
• Call the SR 520 Program information line (206-770-3554, M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) with general SR 520 inquiries.
• Email SR 520 staff with your questions about the project or construction activities.
• Visit the SR 520 Construction Corner for the most up-to-date information on closures and construction impacts.
• Visit the SR 520 Program website to find general information about the project.
• Follow us on Twitter @wsdot_520 to get key news and updates about the SR 520 program.
• (Please note: The Information Center is currently closed because of the Governor’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order.) Stop by in-person at the Montlake Project Information Center (2209 E. North St.), open Mondays and Wednesdays noon to 6 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays 8 a.m. to noon, and the third Saturday of the month, 9 a.m. to noon.
• View current Montlake Project construction photos, taken continuously day and night, by mounted construction cameras