CHS examines some potential locations for new parks here

If you have ideas about where Capitol Hill's next park should be located, you might want to make time to attend tonight's October meeting of the Capitol Hill Community Council.

Chip Nevins, acquisitions planner for Seattle Parks will be on hand to discuss finding space for a new park on Capitol Hill. CHS wrote about the process here.

Assume the council will also spend some time discussing last minute preparations for Saturday's mayoral candidates forum at Seattle University.

Here is tonight's complete agenda:

Capitol Hill Community Council
7-9pm on October 15, 2009
Cal Anderson Park
Cal Anderson Shelter House

October General Meeting Agenda

 

Officer Introductions & Welcome – 2 min

Open Floor – 15 min

September Meeting Minutes/Finance Report – 8 min

Committee Reports

- Open Space – 5 min

- Policy & Planning – 10 min

- Community Events – 5 min

Discussion Topics

Guest Speaker: Sandra Fann, Daniele Dunjic & Rebecca Sadinsky, WSDOT - 20 min

Discussion on SR 520 Bridge Replacement & HOV program.

Guest Speaker: Chip Nevins, Acquisition Planner, Seattle Parks & Recreation - 20 min

Discussion on potential properties to be acquired for new parks.

Guest Speaker: John Taylor, Government Relations Manager, CleanScapes - 20 min

Discussion on new neighborhood waste reduction reward program.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has provided a list of eight Capitol Hill-area locations where cameras will be installed as part of a citywide 'intelligent traffic system.' We reported previously on one of the new cameras being installed at Broadway and Roy. SDOT spokesperson Peg Nielsen also passed along info on where the money for the new system is coming from -- the Feds. Here are the details from Nielsen's e-mail to CHS:

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)  is funding its current Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) installation with a Federal ITS grant (that is broken up into four contracts).  An ITS utilizes technology to improve traffic flow and provide roadway-related information to the users in order to improve safety; to improve travel time; and to reduce fuel consumption.

One of the devices in an ITS is CCTV or traffic cameras. The CCTV system is used for monitoring roadway conditions.  Currently, SDOT has about 55 CCTV’s throughout the city.  Up-to-the-minute still images can be found on our Traveler’s Information Web site / Map: http://web5.seattle.gov/travelers/   SDOT plans to double the numbers of CCTVs to 110 by the end of March 2010.

By providing real time information, we anticipate people will make more informed decisions on how they will  commute to their destinations.  SDOT’s  Traffic Management Center  (TMC) Operators use the images to look out for incidents that are blocking roadways and inform travelers of these conditions via the traveler’s web site and dynamic message signs (overhead electronic signs).  The TMC  also uses  the ITS information to make operational changes to signalized intersections.

As part of the current ITS four-contract project, SDOT  is installing CCTV/Traffic cameras on, or near, Capitol Hill at these locations:

• 23rd Ave E and E Madison St
• E Madison and 16th Ave E
• Broadway and E Pike
• Broadway and E Roy
• 23rd Ave E and E Cherry
• 12th Ave S and Boren Ave S
• 14th Ave S and S Jackson
• 23rd Ave S and S Jackson

The cameras will be used to detect congestion and accidents and monitor roadway conditions, Nielsen told CHS previously. The system won't be activated until March 2010 with the cameras becoming available online for everybody to view in the "later phase" of the project, Nielsen said.

If you are a member of the Eastside rat race, you might be scrambling a little more than usual starting today. When WSDOT describes the impacts of one of their projects like this, you know things aren't going to be good:

Worst congestion ever? Commuters crossing Lake Washington face possibly unprecedented levels of congestion in July unless they make plans to change their travel habits.

Construction began on westbound mainline I-90 on July 5. All westbound I-90 traffic are being funneled into the express lanes starting July 6. Our goal is to be completed by July 20, more than a week ahead of schedule.

Hopefully, you already arranged to 'work' from home -- thanks for spending that time reading CHS! If you couldn't make that solution fly, maybe we can work a CHS carpool out here in comments.

Meanwhile, many county workers are also finding their productivity reduced today -- it's one one of ten furlough days planned to help the county overcome its budget shortfall. Here's a list of what is open, closed. Metro is running on a regular schedule so no panics there.

Though I hate it when big protests and important events are reduced to traffic reports about what street is blocked and how bad traffic is, this weekend's street activities on the Hill and just beyond are crazy enough to justify the approach. Here is Pride weekend through the prism of the Seattle Department of Transportation's street closure report:

Friday, June 27
Wildrose Gay Pride:  6 p.m. - 12 a.m. Capitol Hill - 11th Avenue from E Pike to E Union Street 1,500 expected Streets closed from 6 a.m. (Friday)  - 11:30 p.m. Sunday:  E Pike Street from Broadway to 12th Avenue and 11th Avenue from Pike to Union Street.

Saturday, June 27
Wildrose Gay Pride:  1 p.m. - 12 a.m. Capitol Hill - 11th Avenue from E Pike to E Union Street 1,500 expected Streets closed from 6 a.m. (Friday) to 11:30 p.m. Sunday:  E Pike Street from Broadway to 12th Avenue and 11th Avenue from Pike to Union Street.

PURR Pride Block Party:  1 p.m. - 2 a.m. (Sunday)  Capitol Hill 1518 11th Avenue 1,000 expected...

Beaujolais is home

Quick burst of reminders, updates, links and other odd bits. Enjoy.

• Sound Transit construction noise meeting is 6-8 PM at the Century Ballroom.
• Beaujolais, the Australian shepherd missing on Capitol Hill and being tracked by an 'animal communicator,' is FOUND.
• BottleNeck hosts a benefit to cover medical bills for Jack 'the stoner dog' who seems to have gotten ill after eating pot found in Seward Park.
• A Capitol Hill dog walker found guilty of stealing from clients, was sentenced to two years in prison.
• The CHS Print edition gets some love.
• More about us! Look who's advertising on CHS.
• 520 bridge closed this weekend.
• Seattle Parks says more than $2,000 worth of plants have been stolen from Volunteer Park in last 16 months.

The Olive Way exit from northbound I-5 has been closed for more than two weeks now and Capitol Hill survives. Only 50 more weeks to go as Sound Transit works with the department of transportation to shore up the freeway in preparation for the start of light rail tunneling later this year.

CHS outlined alternative routes for drivers here. But an unforeseen impact of the closure has been raised in CHS comments by neighbor Swift Albero:

Now that the construction has officially started, it looks like people are passing James Street and continuing straight through Hubbell Place by the Convention Center to get to Pike Street. I live on 9th & Union, which was once a quiet, tucked away corner, now has become the official Olive Way off-ramp detour route. My street is insane now.

View Larger Map

Anybody corroborate Swift A's account? Any other impacts -- good or bad -- that you've noticed in your part of the Hill?

Steer clear of Lake Washington this weekend. From WSDOT who operates the Montlake Bridge:

The Montlake Bridge (State Route 513) will be closed to all traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the closure, nearly 900 boats will parade through the Montlake Cut as part of the opening ceremonies that signal the opening day of boating season.

During the closure crews will:

• close the Montlake Bridge to all vehicle and foot traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• close the westbound SR 520 ramp to Montlake Boulevard from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• close the left turn lane of the eastbound SR 520 ramp to northbound Montlake Boulevard from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The back-ups have started already as the bridge is being opened for the increased boat traffic. Hopefully, these guys are having fun.

Installation of a sound wall for our neighbors to the northwest will mean no access to and from I5 from the north for north Capitol Hill this weekend. EastlakeAve reports the details:

[Boylston] will be closed in two places between 9 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday: between Lakeview Boulevard E. and E. Lynn Street and also between E. Roanoke and E. Hamlin. The I-5 exit at Roanoke and the I-5 entrance at Newton will also be closed during the same time.

With the increased traffic in the area from trucks involved with the construction of the Capitol Hill light rail station and tunnel, there is good reason to be concerned about pedestrian safety on area streets -- especially in areas that already have a lot of foot traffic and questionable crossing safety. Cap Hill blog Life on the Hill has been asking around Seattle's Department of Transportation for answers on what they city is going to do to help make for a better walking environment. Here is what they heard back from SDOT's pedestrian and bicycle safety group:

Based on the data that has been collected so far I can tell you that we are focusing on Boylston Ave E [as a possible crosswalk site] where there is a preferred pedestrian crossing. However before we can provide a good decision on what sort of crossing improvement can be made a more detailed look at the intersection and adjacent roadways is required.

Here is a map of the construction zone. The blue lines are the main truck routes in and out of the area. The yellow pin marks the point where SDOT is considering developing a crossing on Olive Way.

View Larger Map

SDOT says to be ready for a two-week closure of Boylston Ave E near I5 starting March 2nd. Fortunately, they're only closing down the northbound lane so the route used by much of northern Capitol Hill when exiting southbound I5 will remain open. Given that, it appears to be a relatively painless two-week closure. It does, however, further drive the wedge between St. Mark's and Eastlake. Unity.

In addition to the noise wall project pages linked to below, you can get updates on I5 construction projects here.

I-5 Boston to Shelby Noise Wall Project Update

---

Edition 10, February 24, 2009

Crews have made steady progress on building the noise walls

You might notice crews gearing up for panel installation scheduled for next week on Wall D along Boylston Avenue E. In addition to Wall D, crews have been busy with the other two noise walls. Here is the latest information on the project.

Northbound Boylston Ave E to close during Wall D panel installation

Once we begin installing...

Starting in February, a massive project to repave I-5 from Boeing to the Snohomish county line will cause lane closures and, for those of you lucky enough to live within earshot of the freeway in I-5 Shores and beyond, some noisy nights through the summer. WSDOT doesn't yet know exactly when the work will happen in the Capitol Hill area -- they will in two weeks, they say -- but be ready for the noise and vibration required to replace the 40-year-old pavement. From an e-mail from WSDOT spokesperson Greg Phipps:

In addition to traffic delays, we also expect that construction noise and vibration will affect those living and working within 500 feet of the freeway, particularly at night when people are trying to sleep. Although we are taking steps to minimize noise where we can, much of it is unavoidable. We have a noise variance from the city of Seattle for night work and will be delivering flyers to everyone within 500 feet of the freeway. Since we are aware of the effect this will have on those near...

I passed by an accident about a half an hour ago at Pine and 15th (right in front of Zaw) - the police had not yet arrived and buses running along 15th were blocked - including Seattle Metro Route 10.

Made brief mention yesterday of this -- but it's worth noting again. Sound Transit has awarded the demolition contract for the light rail station construction area so that means a tear-down schedule is near. That means trucks hauling stuff to and fro will soon be rumbling up and down your streets.

That means it's time for you to pay attention and help Sound Transit make sure life on Capitol Hill doesn't turn into a big fat drag.

You can find out about this and more Wednesday night at the Sound Transit 90% Design open house at Seattle Central Community College. The 90% thing refers to one of the last milestones being reached as the Hill light rail station plan is finalized. The open house part refers to you and all the good questions you're going to ask.

And now, a few things to inspire you.

Here's Sound Transit's overview of their project schedule:

Next phase is the demolition and I-5 ramp work late in 2009 that will close the Olive Way exit for nine months.

You'll also want to memorize this little mantra:
Down Olive<...

Catching up with the Hill after a long Labor Day weekend, here are a few Hill-based links to check out:

• A new mural is taking shape in the neighborhood, on Capitol Hill Triangle
• Capitol Hill Times explores how to raise $80,000 to build the John at Summit park
• Left-turn signal coming to Broadway-to-Madison intersection
• Central District News covers recent East Precinct Crime Prevention Coalition meeting's discussion of this summer's burglaries and the juvenile justice system.
• The Area 51 building's A Pike street parking lot's future (see comment below): mixed used.

IMGP0871 Originally uploaded by jseattle

Found this government sanctioned tagging last week on Pike. The intersection spy cams -- here's the one at John & Broadway -- bring together Capitol Hill's love for the automobile and surveillance. Curious as to which way this particular red light foto cam will point -- back toward Broadway or up toward 11th? It's marked near red-light-less 10th Ave. Maybe it's pointing at you.

Anti-establishment types jump to conclusion too easily. I work for the company that placed those cameras there. The purpose -- to count cars. It is simply to collect data about how many pedestrians/cars use intersections. The data is then used to plan traffic flows and such. Back in the day they used to do this live, meaning a person would sit there and count the intersection. Now it is recorded and counted later. Harmless? Yes. Surveillance? No. The quality of these cameras is low. What is generated from a study of this kind is stuff like 347 cars turned left from 23rd to John between 4 and 6pm etc. Sorry to burst your bubble. Personally I would be more worried about our president watching us. Most of our boxes are posted with a sticker that has our company logo and a phone number to contact us for questions. I know these are unusual tactics for collecting traffic data, as most people...

2/20/2007 9:14 PM
Anonymous: we need a post on rules of the road on side streets/residential streets in capitol hill. too many drivers here do not stop at intersections. just because there isn't a stop sign doesn't mean you shouldn't stop or at least slow down just in the off chance someone else is driving perpendicular to you. i've never seen more moronic and dangerous drivers in my life.