Funding Received For Rapid Ride on Aurora Ave. N

A recent press Release from King County announced Federal funding for Rapid Ride on Aurora Ave. N.   :

King County Executive Dow Constantine and members of the Metropolitan King County Council today expressed their appreciation to Congress for appropriating $37.5 million for two more Metro Transit RapidRide lines. The measure passed in both the House and Senate today and now goes to President Obama for his signature.

“Federal funding for these RapidRide lines will provide jobs during construction, improve access to employment and commercial centers in North and South King County, and stimulate development in the future,” said Executive Constantine, who thanked the state’s Congressional delegation for its support.

RapidRide is a different type of Metro service that includes newly designed buses, shelters and signs. The distinctive red-and-yellow buses are energy efficient, low-emission hybrid vehicles with low floors and three doors for easier, faster boarding.

Line E will travel along Aurora Avenue between Shoreline and downtown Seattle. Line F is planned to connect Burien, Tukwila, and Renton. Both are scheduled to start two years from now.

“This federal investment is great news and will help us continue improving our transit system, giving bus riders streamlined and more convenient service,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, whose district includes Shoreline. “As a regular bus commuter, I understand the importance of transit service and I look forward to the improvements RapidRide will bring to the entire Aurora corridor from Shoreline to Seattle.”

The E line on Aurora is currently scheduled to be ready by the end of 2013.  According to Jim Curtin at Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), speaking at the December Northwest District Council meeting,  there will be improvements to pedestrian access to Aurora on streets like N 135th and N 143rd.

Season’s Greetings from the P-Patch Office

This time of year P-Patch Community Gardens all across the city become still and quiet.  The effort to create a new Bitter Lake P-Patch has also been very quiet but I’m happy to report that while quiet, there is still movement towards your vision of a garden.  Here’s a quick update of where we’re at and the next steps.

At two community meetings this fall,  future P-Patchers and other neighbors weighed in on plans for the new play area and the slightly modified plans for the P-Patch right next to it.  With the input gathered at those meetings, Parks Dept. landscape architect Joe Neiford and Parks Staffer Susanne Rockwell have been developing the design further.  I’ve been working with them to ensure the new plans work for the P-Patch and doing my best keep the momentum going.  I believe the current timeline is to send the project to bid and construction this spring. 

In the meantime, there’s a little bit of work for us to do on the P-Patch.  In the final schematic you all decided upon there is space for an innovative shed that opens onto both the lower ADA accessible beds and to the upper central gathering area in the garden.  We need to figure out the specific details and plans for that shed so it can be incorporated into the overall designs that the Parks Dept is developing now.  Daniel Winterbottom is ready to help with that, starting with a working session for all those interested to do some designing together.  We’re looking to organize that meeting for early January.  Please let me know if you are interested in participating in that.

Watch for a specific meeting announcement in January and hopefully additional updates in the future.  You are the most patient group of future-P-Patchers.  I’m confident the wonderful garden you’re ready to build will be worth the wait.

Best wishes for a wonderful winter,

 Laura Raymond 

P-Patch Community Gardening Program | Seattle Department of Neighborhoods

ph 206 615 1787 |  fax 206 233 5142

http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/

SR 520 Bridge Tolling Starts Dec. 29

Washington State Departmrnt of Transportation is reminding that all-electronic tolling on the SR 520 Bridge will start on Thursday, December 29.  If drivers haven’t already purchased a Good To Go! pass, which helps them get the best toll rate, they are advised to get their pass now:

More than 100,000 Good To Go!  accounts have been set up since February. However, we still expect a surge of customers to register and activate accounts this month. To prepare for the surge, we have extended call center hours and hired extra customer service staff. Despite these efforts, people may experience delays, particularly between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

As a reminder, travelers now have even more options for getting across the  SR 520 Bridge.  King County Metro and Sound Transit added 130 daily bus  trips across the bridge. Transit buses now offer over 700 trips across the bridge each work day. More than 90 vanpools cross the bridge daily and additional vans are available. More information about these and other options is available from King County Metro.

Dangerous crosswalk in front of K-8 School/Broadview Thomson Safe Routes

We discussed the walking route map to school was changed to direct students away from the west side of Greenwood north of 137th where there is little or no walkable zone.

The marked crosswalk and stop lines in front of the school (between 130th and 132nd) were remarked several weeks ago.  I was in the neighborhood a few days ago and the markings look great right now but with the high traffic volume on the street this is going to be an ongoing team effort.  Please contact SDOT again when the crosswalk needs to be remarked in the future.

Our signal engineers are retiming the entire Greenwood corridor this year.  The changes will be implemented by December 20th.  As part of these changes I’ve requested the timing of the ped signal in front of the school be improved for pedestrians.  Currently the signal is running full cycle (120 seconds) during AM & PM peaks, and half cycle(60 seconds) during off peak.  After the changes are implemented this wait time should be shorter especially during school arrival and dismissal.

Other possible improvements we discussed such as curb bulbs, median islands, new sidewalks or walkways, would need additional funding.  One possible source of funding, the Neighborhood Projects Fund, is currently accepting applications.  I have attached information about this fund, the application process, and the application.  We welcome applications that improve walking and biking conditions near schools.  If you have questions about this process, please feel free to contact me again.

Brian Dougherty

Seattle Department of Transportation

Traffic Management Division

700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3700

PO Box 34996

Seattle, WA 98124-4996

206-684-5124

brian.dougherty@seattle.gov

Broadview Co-op Preschool’s Winter Festival & Open House

Saturday, December 10, from 10 a.m. to Noon

Engaging, joyful activities for children ages 1 to 5


Bring your family for a morning of festive, hands-on fun to celebrate the best of winter!

Teacher Charlotte Wallstrom and several co-op families will be on hand to lead activities, answer questions and offer tours. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Kim Alessi at kim@kimalessi.net.
Location:

Corner of Greenwood Ave. N. and N. 112th St., in the basement of Grace Lutheran Church


 Just Some of the Benefits of Broadview Co-op …

  • Dynamic, well-rounded learning in a bright, inviting space
  • Rewarding interaction with your child and other families, including helping in the classroom one day a week
  • A devoted, energetic teacher with 35-plus years of experience
  • Parent education to support your child’s development and tackle common issues
  • A focus on fostering self-esteem, independence and social skills

For more information about Broadview Co-op, please visit http://coops.northseattle.edu/coops/broadview/broadview.html— or just come to the festival!

Also, check out our preschool’s blog:  http://broadviewcooppreschool.blogspot.com/

Ingraham High School Music Department Annual Benefit Concert

The Ingraham High School Music Department will present its annual  benefit concert on Friday, December 9 at 7 p.m. in the IHS  auditorium.

Music by John Williams will be featured.

Tickets are available at the door for $15, with discounts available for students and senior citizens.

Address – 1819 N. 135th Street

(between Meridian and Ashworth)

Ensembles scheduled to perform are the orchestra, concert band and jazz band

Help us travel to California in April 2012 !!

Children Events coming up in the Broadview Library for PreSchool

Broadview Library

 Mark it on your calendar!  It’s a fun and learning time for kids. Preschool Story Time is recommended for age three to five. Also it’s a great way to meet other children in your neighborhood.

The Broadview Library Preschool Story Times

Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.

January 26, February 2, 9, 16, 23, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Your families may also be interested in bilingual (Spanish and English) Family Story Times:

The Broadview Library, Tuesdays, 12 noon, January 31, February 7, 14, 21 28, March 6, 20, 27. 

For more information, go to www.spl.org

 Kathy

Kathy Teufel

kathy.teufel@spl.org

Children’s Librarian

Greenwood Branch

Lots of Salmon to View at Carkeek Park Salmon Festival

The annual day after Thanksgiving salmon festival at Carkeek Park was well attended by humans and salmon.  (Click on pictures for larger view.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each year in late winter salmon fry are released in Venema Creek, and three to  five years later the adult salmon return to Piper’s Creek and Venema Creek.  The number of salmon returning this year was higher than in some recent years, to the delight of the humans who came to view them.

King County Metro is Proposing Changes to Bus Routes

King County Metro Transit is proposing some changes that will eliminate some service and enhance some service.  For the most part these changes would not negatively impact Broadview, and the improvement in on-time performance of some routes, such as routes 5, 28, and 358 could be a benefit.  Following is Metro’s recent communication about these changes.

Starting next June, Metro is recommending changes in bus service in order to make better use of our resources to get the most people   where they want to go. As part of this set of changes, Metro is recommending the following routes be deleted, reduced, or revised: 25, 38, 42, 79, 99, 119, 129, 139, 162, 175, 196, 219, 600, 912, 925, and 935 (a detailed description of the proposed changes is available on Metro’s website).

The service hours captured from these reductions would be reinvested in other routes in the transit system, such as the 1, 8, 9 Express,
36, 44,169, and 218, to relieve crowding and improve on-time performance. A full list of routes that are candidates for service reinvestment is available on the website linked above.

You can learn more about all potential transit service changes for next year—and comment on them—at our Have A Say website.

On Wednesday, December 7, 2011, the King County Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee will hold a special committee meeting starting at 9:30 a.m. in the King County Council Chamber on the 10th floor of the King County Courthouse (516 Third Avenue in Seattle). Members of the public are welcome to attend and testify concerning the proposed service changes.
Alternatively, comments may be emailed to: janice.mansfield@kingcounty.gov

The recommended changes were developed according to Metro’s service guidelines, which call for us to take service from low-performing
routes and reinvest it in more heavily used ones in order to reduce overcrowding, improve on-time performance, or satisfy unmet transit needs. In August, when King County adopted the temporary $20 Congestion Reduction Charge to preserve our overall level of transit service for two years, the adopted legislation directed us to use our new plan and guidelines to make the transit system more efficient and effective. Some of these changes will be difficult for some of our riders, but Metro is making these changes to improve the overall productivity of the system as we continue looking for ways to stretch the value of the public’s investment. Transit alternatives are available for most riders affected by service reductions.

 

Prepare for Severe Weather This Week

The National Weather Service is forecasting prolonged heavy rain, and high winds from time to time, for the next several days.  As you can see from the image below, a long train of moisture is aimed directly at Western Washington.

Weather guru Cliff Mass has more information about the storm on his blog.

So what should you do to prepare?  Check storm drains near your house to be sure they are not plugged with leaves.  Monitor your roof drains to be sure they are working correctly.  Seattle Public Utilities has more information about storms and flooding here

Be prepared to deal with a power outage if we have high winds — flashlights, food that doesn’t need to be heated, and so forth.  The Take Winter by Storm site has more ideas about being prepared for a power outage.