The juvenile Bald Eagle’s from the nest on Montlake Cut are both encountering significant challenges. Charlie, the one who fell, is trying to recover at PAWS. Lucy, the one left behind, is trying to survive in a rapidly disintegrating nest. Read the progress reports regarding Monty and Marsha’s offspring in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Say hooray for our neighbors who rallied Saturday to support our beloved Montlake Boulevard Market in their clash with Washington’s Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
Saturday afternoon, Montlake elders, “middlers” and youngsters–nearly 50 strong–gathered to protest and parade at the Market corner near the bridge. They waved, held homemade signs high, chanted “Save Our Market”, and “12-Year Dirt Pile, No! No! No!” Hundreds of cars and pedestrians passed (slowly, of course– it was game day). Everyone took a look. How could they help it? Got some honks! Some shouts! Some thumbs up!
Our BLVD Market-WSDOT confrontation and rally caught media attention too. Friday, KIRO Radio featured an interview with Montlake activist, Kathy Laughman. She told how WSDOT provoked the planned rally by a surprise summer pronouncement that the Market & gas station land was needed for 520 replacement work. Montlake objected immediately. (*Hear Kathy’s interview at one of these sites below.)
Kiro Radio
My Northwest
On game day afternoon, KJR Sports Radio’s Softy Mahler, broadcasting from the Montlake Blvd Market parking-lot-turned-tailgating space, gave MCC President Bryan Haworth time to put in a plug for the cause. A tad later, KIRO TV news reporter Deborah Home & video crew swooped in and stayed around to capture the protest rally issue in time for broadcast Saturday evening.
Our David and Goliath clash is getting some City-wide notice. We may even be seeing some WSDOT reps’ willingness to negotiate. In the interest of the Boulevard Market, of Montlake, and of the principle of “fairness to the little guy,” we need to keep up our support effort.
Be ready for future opportunities to show your backing for our Montlake Blvd Market neighbors.
“Like” the Montlake Community Club on Facebook.
“Like” and see 15 more photos of the rally on Montlake Boulevard Market’s Facebook page.
WSDOT (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.
Photo @KaraKostanich Twitter
Via KOMO News
By Kara Kostanich
SEATTLE — Metro Transit bus service could be changing around the University of Washington and Capitol Hill in preparation for two new Link light rail stations that will open next year.
Metro Bus route 25 and route 43 are lifelines for some longtime Montlake neighbors, but with Link light rail service coming to UW and Capitol Hill in March, seven bus routes are now on the chopping block.
“It is a problem for us,” said Linnea Hirst.
Metro Transit says the purposed cuts will restructure the transit network around the new light rail stops, ultimately providing more service to more riders on designated corridors.
“There are some routes that are being purposed for elimination,” said Jeremy Fichter with Metro Transit. “Most of the rides on those routes will continue to have other options available with fixed route transit routes.”
But that’s the problem for neighbors Kathy Smith-DiJulio and Hirst.
Click Here to View Video and Continue Reading.
UPDATE: If you were unable to attend the Sept 16th meeting and have comments to share, please email City Council Transportation Committee Chair Tom Rasmussen at tom.
The Seattle City Council is seeking testimonies today, Wednesday, Sept 16th at 5:30pm to help finalize the SR-520 resolution. Show up at the University Christian Church at 4731 15th Ave. NE. and tell the Seattle City Council we need to get this right at a public hearing.
While in person testimony is more impactful, if you can’t make the meeting, you can email, or better yet call, the City Council Transportation Committee Chair Tom Rasmussen directly at 206-684-8808 or tom.
This week’s post contains a variety of Union Bay updates regarding the owls, osprey, eagles, hawks and even a mallard trying to steal a crabapple. Please visit:
Image: v8drvr
Historylink reminds us that the Montlake Bridge opened 88 years ago today — June 27, 1925. Montlake was the fourth and last local crossing of the Ship Canal and was welcomed as the “most beautiful in the city” for its unique Gothic towers. At the opening ceremonies, a streetcar carrying local politicians led the Seattle Police marching band across the span and then…
One of the highlights of the ceremony came when City Council President Bertha Landes (1868-1943), who one year later would become Seattle’s first woman mayor, took two tries to christen the bridge with what, at the height of Prohibition, was described as a bottle of “some effervescing fluid.” On her first swing, the bottle struck the steel superstructure, but did not break. On a second and mightier attempt it did, “splashing her with its contents.”
Happy birthday bridge!
At our June 2nd meeting the MCC Board passed a resolution asking the city to postpone a decision on Clearwire’s request to erect a 70′ utility pole at the corner of 24th Ave. E and Lynn St., until the Montlake community has had a reasonable opportunity to review and research the request.
Clearwire is a provider of high-speed wireless wireless internet access, and is building the wireless network that Sprint will use for its 4G cell phones. Several Montlake residences recently received notice of Clearwire’s application to the City of Seattle to replace a utility pole in the Montlake business district with a significantly taller pole, so that Clearwire could mount wireless antennas atop the pole and provide coverage to the Montlake neighborhood.
In the Montlake Forum and at the Board meeting, several residents expressed concern that Clearwire’s proposal would detract from the character of our neighborhood. The Montlake Community Club also received no notice of the proposal, either from Clearwire or from the City, and became aware of it only when individuals within the community shared the information they’d received.
Concerned residents are encouraged to comment on the proposal using the “Comment on Application” link at the City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development site.
