Portage Bay/Roanoke Park Community Council Minutes

Wednesday, July 2, 2015

Queen City Yacht Club

 

Pete Delaunay, Council president opened the meeting at 6:30 pm.

 

There was no treasurer’s report.

The minutes from March 4, 2015 meeting were posted on the PB/RP CC website.

 

Safety and Block Watch Report:  Joan Stewart

 

Joan urged people to plan for the city wide “Seattle Night Out Event” on August 4, 2015. 

Organizing an event for the neighbors on your block will encourage the development of Block Watches in our neighborhood. 

Materials were made available on how to begin a Block Watch and other suggestions for emergency and disaster preparedness.

 

SR 520 Neighborhood Planning Grant Carl Stixrood

 

Carl reviewed the progress of the planning and announced that the next meeting of the committee will be on Thursday, July 9th with other members from WSDOT and Seattle

Prep.  As a result of the steep geographical area beneath SR520, the activities at present

will be limited to clearing of brush.

 

Fuhrman-Boyer Traffic Calming Anne Preston

 

Anne and Karen Lang have reached out to SDOT for evaluation of the neighborhood’s  concerns regarding speeding traffic on Fuhrman-Boyer.  Mr. Don Ho Chang, from SDOT,  has been asked to meet with a group of neighbors and walk from Fuhrman-Boyer

between Eastlake and 23rd Ave. in Montlake.  This needs to be a coordinated approach with the two neighborhoods.  Other points raised were:

We need to decrease the speed limit from 30 to 25 mph.

The arterial is 10 to 20 % narrower than a real arterial.

If parking is eliminated on one side, there would be more room for bicycles.

Neighbors who live in houseboats need both sides of Fuhrman-Boyer for parking.

 

Guest Speaker , Senator Jamie Pedersen

 

Prior to this meeting the Community Council provided topics/questions, and concerns for Senator Pedersen, primarily about the status of funding for SR520.  The introduction to these questions was as follows:

 

“In the past, Senator Pedersen, you supported requiring WSDOT to have a “full plan” in place for the west side SR520 bridge replacement.  Currently there is no “plan” or “design” for the Portage Bay Bridge or for the use of property under the bridge at Boyer Ave. E. or over the bridge on 10th Ave. and coupled with NOAA’s reversal for WSDOT to use their property adjacent to SR520, promised pedestrian and bicycle paths are off the table.”

 

1.  SR520 bridge replacement-  status of full funding for the “Rest of the West” (Concerns that full funding for SR520 may not become available until the 2017 or 1019 biennium, and the work will not be completed until sometime in the early to mid 2030s)

 

 2.  We understand the Legislature provided $300 M to WSDOT for the “Rest of the West” yet the total cost of the SR520 bridge replacement from Montlake to I-5 is estimated at $2B.  Can you tell us what the $300M is intended for? More consultants?

 

3   Have you reversed your position regarding the SR520 bridge replacement for requiring community engagement, and protection by having a complete design in advance?

 

4. Will a new environmental review be required based on changes to the Portage Bay Bridge replacement design?

 

5.  Do you favor a requirement that the City of Seattle “sign off” on the full design    design before any contract is granted for completion of the “Rest of the West” from Montlake to I-5?

 

6.  Would you support funding a seismic retrofit for the Portage Bay Bridge replacement as part of WSDOT’s next operating budget if  SR520 full funding does not become available in the next legislative session?

 

Shared Vision Statement

 

Last year, our Community Council, along with Montlake, North Capitol Hill, Madison Park and Laurelhurst, collaborated on a “share vision” for the Portage Bay section of SR520 to prevent WSDOT and others from saying that the “neighborhoods can’t agree.”

 

The Portage Bay Bridge replacement shared community vision is as follows:

 

“We advocate a Portage Bay Bridge design that is in keeping with the Olmstead legacy vs. ultra-contemporary bridge design options.  The Olmstead look, with considerations from the great European bridge designs – London and Paris (and possibly from other European cities) is an aesthetic model for the Portage Bay Bridge.  The rivers through these cities have a width that is similar to Portage Bay and the height above the water is similar.  Some of the bridges carry a traffic volume that is similar to the Portage Bay Viaduct.  Some of the great European river bridges also carry pedestrian and bicycle traffic with distinctive lighting that makes them very attractive in day and night.  The world’s great urban bridges often accommodate shoreline walks and boat traffic passing underneath.  The view of the bridge from the water, shoreline , at street level and from above is carefully considered. The river bridges of great European cities offer positive visual guidance for a SR 520 viaduct rebuild.”

 

Comments from Senator Pedersen

 

The Washington State Legislature just completed a 170 day session. 

 

Emphasis was  upon funding for Public School Education and Mental Health services.

 

Transportation Package was passed with a  11.7 cent gas tax increase.

 

1.64 B was allocated to complete the SR520 from Montlake to I-5. This project will be staged out over the next 6 to 10 years.  

 

The City of Seattle needs to work with WSDOT on bridge design, location of bike and pedestrian paths, design of  the Montlake and Roanoke lids, on necessary mitigation, storm water catches, and whether or not a second Bascule Bridge over the Montlake Cut is necessary. It will need to negotiate with NOAA over use of that property. 

 

Opposition was raised over a digital traffic sign proposed for 24th Ave. to warn northbound traffic of congestion in the Montlake.  Neighbors worry that this will only increase traffic which will divert to Boyer Ave E. in case of a traffic jam. Traffic conditions on Fuhrman-Boyer Ave. are a real concern for pedestrian and bike safety.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm.