Montlake Community Club

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April 6th – SR 520 Construction Noise Meeting

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noiseThere is another important process & deadline upon us this week with regards to the Montlake Phase of SR 520 Construction. WSDOT has applied for a Noise Variance during construction (click to review application) and they will be holding the only public meeting this Thursday, April 6th. You may read the bulletin here: http://web6.seattle.gov/DPD/ LUIB/Notice.aspx?BID=1222&NID= 24653

Many neighbors are concerned about this and are opposing any noise variance allowing for construction prior to 8 AM and later than 7 PM Monday through Friday.

Please take advantage of the public comment period which ends Thursday, April 6th Thursday, April 20th by sending an email with your comments concerning construction noise and hours of operations here:

  • prc@seattle.gov
    Reference Project # 3027364
  • Or By Mail: SDCI, PRC, P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA  98124-4019

Finally, please attend the ONLY PUBLIC MEETING on the noise variance issue:

Thursday, April 6th
4:00 to 6:30 PM
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

If you prefer to view WSDOT’s noise variance docs as PDFs rather than DOCX files, go to this Dropbox folder.

You can see all WSDOT’s material and comments already filed here. (Type in 3027364 for the project number)

 

Making Memories

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354A5544Whenever eagles call it all sounds about the same to me. However, this week when Eva told Albert it was time to pay attention – his response was obvious and immediate. Maybe it is not what she says but how she says it. Clearly, it is all still a mystery to me. See more on:

Union Bay Watch

Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city!

Larry

SR 520 Update Meeting Wed Oct 5th

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SR520WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) is having a 520 West Approach Bridge North construction update on Wednesday, Oct 5th from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Graham Visitors Center in the Arboretum.

The WSDOT project team for the “Montlake Phase” will provide a short presentation with key project updates.  Attendees will be also able to share thoughts regarding this next phase of SR 520 construction.

This is an opportunity to let them know how we feel about the proposed taking of the Montlake Boulevard Market and the gas station so please try to attend this important meeting.MBM

Tails of Entanglement

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EB2R5454Ninety nine point nine percent of the time when an osprey and a fish tangle the fish loses. The fish tail in this photo tried to get the last laugh. See more photos and find out how Lacey, the mother of three young osprey, deals with the fighting fishtail. Visit:

Union Bay Watch

Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!

Larry

 

Seattle Times Article on Market, What You Can Do

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Montlake MarketThe Seattle Times published an article yesterday on the possible loss of the Montlake Boulevard Market. Get the story here.

People in Montlake are working hard to stop the closure. Your Montlake Community Club & neighbors have already:

  • started a 520 Transportation Committee
  • offered comments to the Seattle Design Commission
  • given interviews to the local TV networks and print media
  • briefed City Council members
  • offered public comments to the City Council
  • created a Change.Org petition (Click to Sign)
Here’s what YOU can do – Send the Mayor, the City Council, and state legislators your concerns by letter and/or email.  Urge your neighbors to do the same. Send your letter or email to:

What you can share with them about this devastating closure:

  • Your personal story about why the Montlake Boulevard Market is important
  • The addition of a staging area at one of the city’s busiest intersections undergoing a massive rebuild doesn’t make sense; it would simply make traffic jams worse and make commuting harder
  • Montlake has a low walk score and this takes away a critical resource that is loved in this neighborhood
  • A visually attractive & safe intersection, even during the construction phase, is needed as this is a key gateway to the city
  • WSDOT announced its decision without any advanced warning
  • The city needs to manage planning for the entire area and validate WSDOT decisions; there is a need to coordinate work done by several transport agencies and the UW.  The city has perspective and can see the 520 work in its larger context. We encourage a stronger role for the city over the next 12 years of construction and during the creation of the Design-Build contract.

 

Montlake Residents Speak for Neighborhood at Seattle Design Commission Meeting

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Several Montlake residents attended the Seattle Design Commission (SDC) meeting on Thursday, July 7th to listen and comment on WSDOT’s plans for construction of the SR 520 Rest of the West Project.  Those attending were Jon Decker, Kathy Laughman, John O’Neil, Lionel Job and Barbara Wright.

The meeting agenda called for WSDOT to discuss its Request for Proposals (RFP) process and the role that the Commission will have in that process.

The commissioners asked for clarification on several points made by WSDOT.  Among them were:

  • How does WSDOT plan to have transparency in the design process and finality of design decisions if it plans to utilize a design-build method in this phase of the construction?
  •  What process does WSDOT have for mitigating environmental and quality of live concerns the residents in the surrounding area will have during the duration of construction, especially since the construction will take 11 – 12 years to complete?

Barbara Wright and Lionel Job, chosen earlier to speak for the group, expressed their concerns about WSDOT not being open and not honestly taking the community needs into consideration.  Lionel mentioned the example of discovering on the day of the June 28th WSDOT Open House  that there was a plan to demolish the Montlake Blvd Market and the 76 Station to make way for a construction staging area.

The intersection of SR 520, Montlake Blvd. and Montlake Place is the second busiest intersection in the city. Barbara & Lionel asked the Seattle Design Commission to consider this fact and how this constant traffic and the planned construction will impact the surrounding communities. They hoped the Commission would urge the City to take an active and transparent role in working with WSDOT to protect the integrity of the environment and surrounding neighborhoods.  Both the Council and the Mayor’s Office need to be actively involved in the project (design, implementation, and construction) to ensure we build a transportation project, they said.

John O’Neil, Montlake Community Club board trustee for transportation, also spoke in regard to the safety and environmental concerns that the long construction period will have on the students at Seattle Prep High School.

The Seattle Design Commission will be presenting recommendations to the City Council at its 9:30 a.m. briefing meeting on July 18th.  The public may attend this meeting but is not traditionally permitted to make comments. Therefore the group which attended the recent SDC meeting has sent a list of written concerns that will be used to brief the Council in advance of this meeting.  The City Council will then be up to update on the concerns that the surrounding neighborhoods want to address regarding the SR 520 Rest of the West Project’s impact on their communities.

A follow-up article will be posted to the Montlake Flyer with the details after the July 18th meeting.

WSDOT TO DEMOLISH MONTLAKE BLVD “HOP-IN” MARKET – SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

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Montlake Blvd Market - Hop-In Market

Montlake Blvd Market – Hop-In Market

Late breaking development ahead of tonight’s SR 520 west side corridor open house, WSDOT is proposing to acquire and demolish the Montlake Market/Hop-In. The area would be used for staging for the next 12 years. If this is a concern, please let WSDOT know at tonight’s open house and share your feedback on other design elements. If you can’t make the meeting you can make comments on the online version of the open house here  http://sr520.participate.online until July 8. 

  • When: 4:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 28
  • Where: St. Demetrios Hall – 2100 Boyer Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98112

This will be the last major opportunity for community feedback, please attend the meeting or submit comments online.

Update:

WSDOT released the following information at 6:25pm on June 29, 2016:

The Montlake Market

One frequently raised topic at the open house was the status of the Montlake Boulevard Market. We’re preparing a Q&A on this and other topics discussed during the open house. We’ll post the Q&A and send you a link in an upcoming email update, but meantime, here’s a brief bit of background on the market and SR 520 construction.

The market and adjacent 76 gas station lie directly along the south edge of the SR 520/Montlake Boulevard interchange. Following the Legislature’s 2015 approval of funding for the Rest of the West improvements, WSDOT furthered the project design and preconstruction planning. Through this effort, we determined that we’d need to acquire the property where the market and gas station are located. In early 2018, we’ll begin constructing an improved interchange and landscaped highway lid from Montlake Boulevard to 24th Avenue Northeast.

Why do we need to acquire the property?

  • WSDOT needs the property to build some of the project’s planned improvements, such as retaining walls and fill, sidewalks, connections to shared-use trails, and utility relocations and modifications.  We also will use the property for construction staging and traffic shifts.
  • We determined in the 2011 environmental impact statement that we’d have to close three of the four driveway accesses into the gas station. The gas station and market are business tenants on the property. The change in driveway access will affect the operations of both tenants.
  • We are in discussions with the property owner regarding WSDOT’s purchase of the site and the operations of the businesses.

We know these businesses are important to many people in the Montlake area. We’ll keep the community updated as this process unfolds.

Construction project time line

A number of individuals at the open house wanted to know when we will start constructing our west side improvements, and when we will complete the work. The schedule for big construction projects can shift for a variety of reasons, but here is our current time line for the Rest of the West:

Phase 1

  • Montlake lid, West Approach Bridge South, land bridge over SR 520
  • Construction to begin by 2018
  • Estimated duration: 4-5 years

Phase 2

  • New Portage Bay Bridge with regional bike-pedestrian path, Roanoke lid, improved I-5 interchange, bike-pedestrian I-5 crossing
  • Estimated to begin as early as: 2020
  • Estimated duration: 6 years

Phase 3

  • Second bascule (drawbridge) over Montlake Cut
  • Estimated to begin as early as: 2024
  • Estimated duration: 3 years

 

SR 520 Open House on June 28 – Saint Demetrios Hall in Montlake

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Rest of the West WSDOTVia WSDOT:

Neighbors are invited to a public open house to learn more about the next phase of the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program in Seattle. All remaining elements of the SR 520 Program from Lake Washington to I-5 are now fully funded by the 2015 Connecting Washington package and will be constructed in phases.

The open house will focus primarily on the next phase of construction: the West Approach Bridge South (WABS) and Montlake lid and land bridge.

 The public meeting will be held:

  • Date: Tuesday, June 28
  • Time: 4:30 – 7:00 p.m.
  • Place: Saint Demetrios Hall in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood
  • Address: 2100 Boyer Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98112

 At this open house, we will share the following:

  1. Updated design renderings for the Montlake lid, land bridge and West Approach Bridge South
  2. The schedule for the next phase of construction (set to begin by 2018), and how to stay informed
  3. A look ahead to future phases of the Rest of the West
  4. Other topics such as an overview of design-build contracting and environmental enhancements as part of the SR 520 Program
  5. An update on current construction of the West Approach Bridge North (WABN)

 The open house will provide an opportunity for members of the public to hear the latest about the SR 520 Program, view updated design renderings of the Montlake area, chat one-on-one with project staff, ask questions, and share feedback.

In addition to the in-person open house, we are also hosting an Online Open House, which will be available Monday, June 20th through July 8. Please visit SR520.participate.online to view design information about the next phase of construction, which includes the Montlake area and WABS, and learn about the future steps for the remaining Rest of the West project elements. This Online Open House will include a summary of the project’s design history, and an overview and details of the design character of the Montlake area and WABS. It will also include an opportunity for visitors to share their feedback.

We hope you can join us for these events! We look forward to continuing to share information with you as we move forward with building a new, safer and more reliable SR 520 corridor in Seattle.

The Aerie Life

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354A3917Have you ever wondered how it would feel to live in Broadmoor? What about living in a tree far above the daily concerns and activities of earth-bound humans? One thing is for sure there are pluses and minuses. Learn more on:

Union Bay Watch

Have a great day on Union Bay…where eaglets are learning to rule!

Larry

520 Grand Opening – April 2nd & 3rd

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SR 520 will be closed across Lake Washington this weekend, April 1-3 to celebrate the grand opening of longest floating bridge in the world. The closure will begin at 11pm on Friday, April 1st with the bridge reopening at 2pm on Sunday, April 3rd.

The festivities kick-off at 7:30 am with Fun Run/Walk across the bridge.

  • The full schedule of events can be found HERE

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