This time of year it seems like most of the birds I see are juveniles e.g. young birds trying to learn to find food and survive on their own. With Fall fast approaching they are racing the calendar as they attempt to master their survival skills. Learn how you can help them in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Traffic is increasing in Montlake. We experience gridlock and cut-through traffic routinely. The SR 520 project is adding pressure on the neighborhood at a rate unplanned for by SDOT and WSDOT. Various projects need to happen in order to mitigate the effect.
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has funded some of these efforts through Vision Zero Project. Additionally, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has given SDOT $250,000 for traffic calming work outlined in the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan.
A few of the changes will be done before the next Phase of SR 520 begins in late 2018/early 2019. The Montlake Community Club has requested additional projects, however, at this time SDOT is unable to fund them.
This is a report of projects completed, underway or under discussion. We will also address the 23rd Avenue East Vision Zero project and the SR520 project in future articles.
| Identified Projects | Status | Funding Source |
| 3-way stop at 19th Avenue & Lynn | Complete except for trees and landscaping to come this fall | SDOT Safe Routes to School (part of Vision Zero Project) |
| Interlaken Park Path and Stairway Replacement | Construction started in July. This project includes stairs, a guardrail, and a bike runnel. | Seattle Metropolitan Park District Funds and SDOT Details here. |
| All way stop at intersection of Lynn/23rd/22nd Avenue | Based on neighborhood feedback the change will not be installed. In anticipation of installation, guidelines were spray painted on the street. These will fade with time.
|
SDOT |
| Lane changes – 23rd/24th Ave E between E John St and E Boyer |  Summer/Fall 2018 |
SDOT 23rd Avenue East Vision Zero Project |
| Crosswalk alignment at Lake Washington Blvd. and Boyer Avenue | Summer 2018 | Arboretum Trail Project – SR 520 Mitigation Project |
| Curb Extension – Lake Washington Blvd. at Miller Street | Completed | WSDOT 520 mitigation |
| Pedestrian Traffic Signaled Crossing at 24th Avenue East and Lynn Street | Preliminary design work has begun. SDOT will work on restricting left-turns on 24th Avenue. Work scheduled for late 2019. | SDOT 23rd Avenue East Vision Zero Project |
| Speed Bumps – 25th and 26th Avenue East between Boyer Avenue E. and E. Lynn | Completed | WSDOT SR 520 mitigation |
| Montlake Blvd. East at E. Shelby Street Sidewalk widening | Underway | SDOT |
| Potential Projects | Status | Funding Source |
| 5-way Stop: Boyer/Lynn/Delmar/16th | Improvement under discussion | SDOT- funds yet to be identified |
| Enhanced Crosswalk at Delmar and Interlaken | Improvement under discussion | SDOT- funds yet to be identified |
| Added speed humps along Lynn from 24th to 26th | Discussions with SDOT | Unknown |
| Traffic calming measure at 20th and E. Lynn | Discussions with SDOT | Unknown |
| Added Tunnel under Lake Washington Blvd. from 26th to the Land Bridge | Discussions with SDOT and WSDOT | Unknown |
| Roanoke Greenway from 20th to Lake Washington Blvd. | SDOT – Early Planning Stages | TBD (Greenways) |
| Pedestrian crossing at Roanoke and Lake Washington Blvd. | Discussed with SDOT/WSDOT. Potential NTMP Project – SDOT/WSDOT | Unknown (WSDOT SR 520 Mitigation?) |
| Other Suggested Projects | Status | Funding Source |
| Traffic calming measures along McGraw from Boyer to 18th | Discussed with SDOT | Unknown |
| Speed Humps along Lynn, McGraw, Calhoun and Miller from 23rd to 19th | Discussed with SDOT – Potential NTMP Project SDOT/WSDOT | Unknown (WSDOT SR 520 Mitigation?) |
Regarding public transportation, the 23rd Avenue Corridor is one of seven planned RapidRide lines in the City. The RapidRide Expansion Program is a partnership between the City of Seattle and Metro Transit to deliver convenient, high-quality public transportation options. It was originally scheduled for opening in 2024, but currently, no funding exists for this project. It is hard to understand the lack of funding when the #25 was discontinued and service of the #43 has been drastically reduced. Even with Light Rail, our community is underserved with transit options.
It is critical that all Montlake residents influence these projects. Please continue to put pressure on SDOT and ask them to fund all of the requested projects (email SDOT). When emailing SDOT please put “Montlake Traffic Calming Measures” in the subject line. You are encouraged to use the City of Seattle “Find IT, FIX IT” app (www.seattle.gov/customer-service-bureau/find-it-fix-it-mobile-app) to post any request you think should be addressed. That includes the items listed above. WSDOT, SDOT and the City of Seattle need to hear from each of us if we expect anything to be done.
If you want to learn more or get involved, reach out to the MCC, join the transportation committee, or attend one of our monthly meetings. Meetings take place at the Boyer Children’s clinic on the second Tuesday of each month (September-June) at 7:00 pm. We have made great progress, but it requires continued community involvement.
Thank you to everyone who has advocated for our marvelous, historic and lovely neighborhood.
I find it odd that a young owlet can look older than its parents. I think it is something about the forlorn and weary looking eyes. Maybe the owlet is thinking about all the dangers involved in leaving home. Learn more about the young owl’s challenges in the latest post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Does a female Wood Duck feel relief when a prodigal duckling returns? Is the willingness to wander a fatal flaw in the duckling’s character? Learn more in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where ducklings wander in the city!
Larry
We all know what types of things upset us but, What does it take to ruffle a bird’s feathers? More in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
For you and I a Holiday Dinner is often considered a feast, but what would be a feast for a Downy Woodpecker? Find the answer and see the photos in this week’s post at:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Have you ever considered devoting your yard to wildlife? If our yards were designed with nature in mind, I suspect we would find that they become sanctuaries for us, as well.
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
This Great Blue Heron certainly got his signals crossed this week. Read more about avian body language in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
ps: If you happen to spot the Pileated Woodpeckers anywhere around Montlake, during the next couple of weeks, I would certainly love a high-speed email at:
ldhubbell@comcast.net
Thank you! It feels like they have been playing hard to get this year.
If one morning you suddenly found yourself exchanging stares with this aquatic bird (near a Loblolly Pine forest in South Carolina) would you know which bird species you were looking at? Learn more in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Why is this subspecies of the Northern Flicker referred to as the Red-shafted variety? Read this week’s post for our best guess and also to see a variety of Flicker Antics. On:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry