Anna Rudd, Seattle ARCH organizer and former anti-freeway activist, appears on King5.

Seattle ARCH (Activists Remembered Honored and Celebrated) continues to make great progress in capturing how Montlake citizens and other Seattle residents stopped the construction of the RH Thomson Expressway.

The group recently announced a new resource of information about the freeway revolt. Seattle’s Freeway Revolt: A Directory of Historical Resources, hosted on the Seattle Public Library’s special collections online, provides a wealth of information on the intense, multi-year battle to halt plans for an expansive network of freeways in Seattle. It includes an overview of this multi-faceted movement, along with timelines, bibliographies, graphics and guides for finding relevant information. The project was made possible by a grant from 4Culture/King County Lodging Tax Fund, which funded two research archivists who contributed much of the content.

Until now it’s been nearly impossible to uncover this history, say project organizer (and former Montlake resident) Priscilla Arsove and Anna Rudd, since it resides in records of multiple governing bodies and
agencies, as well as media coverage dating back 50+ years. Priscilla’s father, Newton street resident Maynard Arsove, led the revolt.

A documentary film on the freeway revolt, produced by filmmaker and UW professor Minda Martin, is targeted for release in early summer. In addition to collaborating on the film, Seattle ARCH has worked to preserve a section of the R.H. Thomson “Ramps to Nowhere” as a monument to citizen activists who helped defeat this freeway. In October 2016, the Seattle City Council unanimously approved a resolution, introduced by Councilmember Debora Juarez, to preserve four columns and a crossbeam of the defunct
freeway. The monument is expected to come to fruition when reconstruction of SR 520 is completed in 2028.

In the mean time, enjoy Anna Rudd’s appearance on King5 to talk about the freeway revolt.

Re-striping by the 5-way roundabout at 22nd/23rd and Lynn

Dear Montlake Residents,

Over the last several years, the Montlake Community Club and the Montlake Transportation Committee have been working with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to address traffic and safety concerns in our neighborhood.  The increased traffic on our neighborhood streets (due to the changes with the SR 520 project) has become a safety concern.  SDOT takes our concerns and traffic calming requests seriously. Good progress has been made and we are already seeing some of the traffic calming measures being accomplished. Many more changes are to come.

Early next week you will be seeing a flyer from the City describing the traffic calming projects in Montlake.  The mailer will outline information on the Montlake School safe route, changes to the neighborhood Greenway, and traffic calming projects in the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plant (NTMP).  All these changes will help improve pedestrian and bicycle safety in our neighborhood.  In addition, they should limit the cut-through traffic we are now experiencing.

The intersection at Lynn/22nd/23rd has been a topic of discussion in reference to both the NTMP and the Greenways project on 22^nd and 23^rd.  Currently, the intersection at Lynn does not meet Greenways standards.  For pedestrians, and bicyclists, the intersection is not safe.  Children in particular are not safe walking to and from school. Several drivers have complained about the speed and confusion at this intersection.  Others have expressed a need to eliminate, reduce and/or at least slow cross-through traffic.

SDOT is considering a redesign that includes the installation of stop signs as a way to make the intersection safe and to slow the traffic.  Last week, SDOT spray painted the outline of some of the potential changes.  Because this is a five-legged intersection it can be confusing.  To minimize this confusion and to improve safety, SDOT is proposing the intersection would become an all-way stop. To meet SDOT standards, on-street parking is restricted within 30-feet of stop signs. Some of the immediate neighbors have expressed concern over the loss of parking spaces. Most would agree that in Montlake and many other neighborhoods, safety is first.  The Montlake Community Club supports the proposed project with the understanding that stop signs will be added to the design. This intersection is still being evaluated and if you have concerns about this proposal, please share your thoughts, concerns, or questions with Montlake.traffic@seattle.gov .  The mailer you will be receiving will also ask the same question.  This project will be paid for by Seattle Greenways fund.

We have also requested the installation of a signal at Lynn and 24th Ave E. and it is looking pretty promising.  However, it is still being be evaluated by SDOT. Installation would be funded through the 23rd Ave E Vision Zero project separate from the state money for traffic mitigation connected with the SR520 construction.  Assuming the signal moves forward, it must be designed (along with the associated curb ramps), equipment procured, and a construction plan/contract developed. Given the scope, we would not expect work to happen at the same time as 23rd Ave E restriping between Boyer and John this summer or fall.

Finally, through the process outlined in the NTMP, SDOT has received additional traffic-calming requests. These are being evaluated through the SDOT’s Operations Department based on traffic patterns, collision history, street geometry, cost and constructibility. SDOT will update us as decisions are made and enhancements planned. A lot of these projects will be funded through a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) contribution of $250,000 to SDOT as mitigation measures related to the SR 520 Project.

Please plan on attending the upcoming WSDOT meeting April 17, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Montlake Community Center to better understand the upcoming Montlake Phase of the SR520 project.  SDOT will also be available to further explain these projects and answer your questions.  Everyone needs to be vigilant to keep our Montlake safe and prevent the neighborhood from becoming a parking lot, a pass-through.

Thank you to everyone who has attended and commented at community meetings, written letters, made telephone calls and advocated for our neighborhood.  By making your voice head, we are finally seeing progress.

The Montlake Community Club

You are invited to join WSDOT for an open house to learn about design and construction plans for the upcoming Montlake Phase of State Route 520 reconstruction. Staff from the Washington State Department of Transportation and partner agencies will be on hand to discuss what’s ahead and answer questions.

Construction of the Montlake Phase is scheduled to begin in late 2018. The project will build:

· A new West Approach Bridge South to carry eastbound traffic from Montlake to the floating bridge

· New transit/HOV ramps to and from the Montlake lid

· A new Montlake lid and interchange

· A new pedestrian and bicycle land bridge over SR 520 WSDOT will also look ahead to future phases of the SR 520 Program in Seattle, including construction of a new Portage Bay Bridge, a Roanoke lid, I-5 connections, and a second bascule bridge over the Montlake Cut.

Date: April 17, 2018
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Montlake Community Center, 1618 E. Calhoun St., Seattle, WA 98112

Download WSDOT’s April 17 Open House Flyer

From the Washington Park Arboretum…

Please join us for an afternoon of public festivities celebrating the opening of the new Loop Trail in Washington Park Arboretum.

Enjoy a ribbon-cutting, live music, free snacks, food trucks, and fun activities all along the 2-mile loop.

• 1 p.m. “Vine-cutting” ceremony at the Birch Parking Lot (Lake WA Blvd & E Interlaken Ave), adjacent the Loop Trail
• A performance by the Husky Marching Band Drumline.
• Educational activities for kids hosted by UW Botanic Gardens, plus the opportunity to learn about field trips, camps, and more!
• Stroller and bike decoration station
• Activity nodes at various locations around the Loop
• Live music from Gansango, with Etienne Cakpo (Benin), Marc Smason & One Love (New Orleans), and Evan McPherson (classical guitar)
• Food trucks: 314 Pie, Chicago West, Thai-U-Up
• Talk and book signing with outdoors writer and guidebook author Craig Romano
• Free snacks, artists-at-work, and more!

Check out the photo contest – the winning pic will become a postcard sold at the gift shop!

More info on the grand opening

MCC board members giving the University District Food Bank the proceeds from the MCC’s Turkey Trot.

Do you think Montlake is a great place to live? Want to join a group of people working together to keep our neighborhood great? If so, consider applying for a  position on the Montlake Community Club Board of Trustees. MCC board positions are open to anyone who lives or works in Montlake and wants to engage with the community in a leadership role. Board members have a variety of backgrounds and interests and tend to share a common passion for our neighborhood. Some applicants simply want to connect with more neighbors and get more deeply involved in Montlake.

Focus Areas: Board member focus areas include communications, Turkey Trot, annual Yard Sale, Emergency Preparedness & Neighbors Helping Neighbors, welcoming new neighbors, business district improvements, traffic issues, and bicycle and pedestrian safety. (We recently posted about recruiting a volunteer to run the yard sale; the yard sale chair could apply to be a board member or could be a non-board member volunteer).

Meetings: The board meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7 pm at the Boyer Children’s Clinic. Time commitment can vary greatly depending on the board member’s specific area of interest and whether special events/outreach efforts are underway.

Qualification: Applicants must live or work in the Montlake Community Club’s membership boundary, shown here.

How to Apply: Those interested are encouraged to send a short statement which details their experience with the neighborhood, why they are interested in joining the board and what skills they can apply to serving as a board member to MCC board member Darcy LaBelle at secretary@montlake.net by April 30. Feel free to email questions to Darcy questions as well.

The Montlake Community Club is seeking a new chairperson to lead the All Montlake Yard Sale taking place this September. The former chair person, Lori Sabado, is “retiring” after running the yard sale for 4 years. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to be more involved with the community through this beloved neighborhood event.

Responsibilities include:

• Finalizing date of Yard Sale – avoiding Husky Football Game Days, and/or communicating with Greek Festival organizers
• Working with the editor of Montlake.net to publicize the sale and recruit neighbors to host sales
• Organizing online Yard Sale Sign up with MCC’s technical adviser
• Communicating with sites about the sale
• Organizing the printing of posters and poster hanging
• Assembling and distributing yard sale signs
• Working with the MCC technical advisor to finalize online yard sale map
• Organizing donation collection station at the Montlake Blvd Market
• On-call support the day of the sale
• Working with volunteers to assist with all of the above
• Giving updates to the MCC Board of Trustees

Lori will be available to assist and answer questions during the transition.

Estimated hours:

• April through May – 1 hour/month
• June through July – 2 hours/month
• August – 3 hours/month
• Two – three weeks prior to the sale – 4 hours/week
• Week of Sale – 8 hours

Interested or have questions? Please contact MCC board president Sharsti Sandall sharstisandall@gmail.com

Many thanks to Lori Sabado for all of her years of service on the MCC board and as yard sale chair!

Are you looking for preschool options or other activities for your child? Then check out Boyer Children’s Clinic, located in both Montlake and Magnuson Park! We’ve been serving the community for over 75 years, and whether you’re interested in our Tiny Stars Playgroup (10-20 months), Rising Stars Preschool (20-42 months), or our Summer Camps for 3 – 5 year olds, you’ll love our low child-to-staff ratio, unique programming, and the opportunity for your child to learn side-by-side with children of all abilities. All classes are staffed by a Master’s-level certified teacher and a teacher’s aide, and support creativity, curiosity and holistic development, all while having FUN!

To learn more, please visit our website or contact Denise Swanson, Education Program Director, at denise.swanson@boyercc.org.

One of WSDOT’s proposals for night time noise mitigation? Give residents earplugs. You heard right. WSDOT’s approach to mitigating night time noise during Montlake 520 construction is to offer the absolute minimum. Their ideas include:

 Provide earplugs and white noise machines to residents near the project area.

 Install temporary sound dampening drapes for residents.

 Provide hotel rooms for residents during high impact or extremely noisy operations.

We need to tell the city that this is NOT OK. Speak up now on WSDOT’s proposed Noise Variance for SR520 Montlake Phase Construction.

WSDOT’s previous noise variance was dismissed on a technicality. Now WSDOT has refiled the noise variance request. We need to be heard as a community (again) and tell the city this is not okay.

What You Can Do: ATTEND THE MEETING THIS THURSDAY

Public Meeting – Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections
February 15, 2018
4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
University of Washington – Kane Hall
4069 Spokane Lane
Seattle, WA 98105

Parking
Paid parking is available at the Central Plaza Garage. Parking permits are available at any campus gatehouse for $10.Paid street and lot parking is available on local streets near UW campus.

What You Can Do: SEND COMMENTS BY FEBRUARY 20

Comment on the Noise Variance request by February 20th to:

• Email:prc@seattle.gov (please include project #3030792 in the subject line)
• Mail: SDCI, PRC, P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA, 98124-4019 (please reference project # 3030792)

More background from the Montlake Community Club…

On Jan. 17, 2018, WSDOT resubmitted the SR 520 Montlake Phase noise variance application to the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI). WSDOT resubmitted the application to provide more accurate public notice based on the location of known nighttime construction and staging areas. The technical analysis in the application has not changed. SDCI has now published the resubmitted application on its website, and has launched a new comment period for the application, Jan. 25 – Feb. 20. The Montlake Phase nighttime noise variance application is available on SDCI’s Land Use Information Bulletin (Project #3030792).

Public meeting on February 20th –

We are finding the location and the time to be an impediment for a lot of people.  The Montlake Community Club has suggested finding a time and location that will draw people to attend, not drive them away.  We fear that poor attendance will give the impression that no one cares.  Quite the opposite is true. Please show up if you care about this issue.

WSDOT has and is persistently insistent on providing the absolute minimum noise mitigation possible for an extended period of time. That WSDOT is suggesting in their application that offering residents earplugs is a valid mitigation measure shows a complete lack of care of the impacts that those near the work zone, in an urban environment, will endure.

If one of the City’s mandates is to preserve its neighborhoods, the noise variance, in its current form, should be rejected.

We cannot be more vocal about this: the acceptance of the variance request prior to the RFI being issued is premature.  If need is actually established and a mitigation plan by the selected Design/Build Contractor has submitted with an opportunity to accept Public comment, only then should a permit be issued.  The concept of a multi-year blanket permit is unacceptable.