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A Ravenna resident’s perspective on NE 75th Street

April 14, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 18 Comments

On Wednesday, March 27, Ravenna resident Megan Watzke shared her thoughts on NE 75th Street with members of the NE Seattle Moms Yahoo Group (a private Yahoo group of which I am a member [added April 26 for clarification]).

After I read her words, I thought the community-at-large might like to read them as well. Watzke agreed, and here they are:

My feelings about this are very strong because my partner and I live with our three small children in our house that has its side facing NE 75th St, but I will try to be as objective as possible in my comments.

In the past year, I have contacted SDOT, the Mayor’s Office, and the offices of the members of the Seattle City Council who serve on the transportation committee regarding 75th. It’s no secret to those of us who live near this street – or those who even travel on it occasionally – that people drive recklessly and dangerously on this road.

The response from SDOT has been, at best, muted. They claim that it is technically wide enough to be a 4-lane road. They also claim that recent studies do not show a problem with speeding on 75th. Without this proof, there is little, the officials I spoke to say, that can be done.

If you have ever walked along 75th or even poked your car out slightly to make a turn onto it, you will have experienced how dangerous it is to have four lanes of traffic on the road. The cars traveling closest to the sidewalk are often just inches away from the parking strip or curb. While this is anecdotal, cars often seem to be traveling much faster than the unmarked speed of 30 mph.

My feeling is that one of the worst aspects of 75th – in particular the stretch between 35th Ave NE and 12th Ave NE – is that it is unclear whether the road supports one or two lanes of traffic in each direction. This leads to confusion and bad driving, with people passing on the right, weaving in and out of the “lanes,” and more. This ambiguity is dangerous and maybe, as we have all heard about tragically in the past couple of days, even deadly.

SDOT claims that 75th needs to be the way it is for the exodus of UW football games. I don’t believe that this reason – that only applies to a handful of Saturdays each fall — warrants keeping the status quo. They also claim that it is understood that arterial roads have a speed limit of 30 mph. I would bet significant money that most drivers who use this road would *not* know this.

At the bare minimum, I feel there should be lane markers to designate the supposed two lanes of traffic. Better yet, let there be a dedicated and painted bike lane and a parking lane as there is on stretches of NE 65th St and other nearby roads. Undoubtedly, there are other traffic solutions to correct the situation on 75th that a professional traffic engineer could provide. The important thing is that something needs to be done.

I hope that the city takes some sort of action as soon as possible. I ask that each of you who feels like this road is unsafe takes the time to make a phone or write an email to SDOT and/or the Mayor’s Office to encourage this to happen. My partner and I have taken to parking our car on 75th when the parking restrictions allow it to force cars into one lane. While this makes us feel mildly better, it certainly does not fix the problem. Until the city does something, consider parking your car there as well when possible. Ask your neighbors to do the same if you live nearby.

I love living in NE Seattle. It is a wonderful and welcoming community. We knew we were signing up to live on a busy road when we bought the house. We accept this as part of living in a rich urban environment. I do not, however, accept living on a dangerous and now fatal road. Please join me in demanding some sort of change so that we may all have a safer neighborhood for everyone.

Best regards,
Megan Watzke (and Kristin Crymes)

Megan Watzke, her partner, Kristin Crymes, and their three children live in North Ravenna. Watzke is the press officer for NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the co-author of “A Ticket to the Universe: A Guide to Exploring the Cosmos.” (She happens to be doing an author event at Ravenna Third Place Books on Thursday, April 25.)

Watzke and Crymes have started a “Make NE 75th St Safe” Facebook page to help gather people interested in the cause.

And don’t forget: There are three community meetings about NE 75th Street coming up where residents can share their frustrations about and ideas for the arterial, as well as discuss these issues with SDOT staff.

Filed Under: Ravenna, Traffic

Next step in NE 75th Street improvements? YOU.

April 12, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 2 Comments

On Monday, April 1, the Mayor’s Office and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) shared a NE 75th Street Improvement Plan they had been working on since the tragic events of March 25.

Part of that plan was a timeline for this improvement work (PDF), and it is time for Element Number 2: Issue Identification and Outreach.

Intersection of 25th Avenue NE and NE 75th Street, looking east.

This is where YOU come in.

SDOT has set up three meetings in neighborhoods along NE 75th Street at which residents can share their frustrations about and ideas for the arterial, as well as discuss these issues with SDOT staff.

There are three dates for residents to choose from. Please attend whichever date fits your schedule.

Tuesday, April 23rd, 6-8:30 PM, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE)
Thursday, April 25th, 2-4 PM, Wedgwood Presbyterian Church (8008 35th Ave NE)
Wednesday, May 1st, 7-9 PM, Calvary Christian Assembly (6801 Roosevelt Way NE)

View NE 75th St Community Meetings w/SDOT in a larger map

After these community meetings, the next step on the NE 75th Improvement Timeline is taking community input, combining it with collected traffic data, and coming up with a conceptual design to bring back to the community.

Filed Under: Civic Envolvement, Construction, Meeting, Northeast Seattle, Ravenna, Roosevelt, Seattle Department of Transportation, Traffic, Wedgwood

T-bone/Rollover collision at 12th Ave NE and NE 75th St (PHOTOS)

April 3, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 2 Comments

Wednesday morning, at approximately 10:15 AM, Seattle Fire Department units responded to a two car t-bone/rollover collision at 12th Avenue NE and NE 75th St.

Rollover scene, approximately 30 minutes after the collision. Photo by Allan Waite, Roosevelt resident.

From Seattle Fire Department PIO Kyle Moore:

Engine Company 16 , Engine Company 17, Ladder Company 9 , Medic 1 and Medic 44 responded to 12th Avenue NE and NE 75th Street for a 2 car MVA. It was a t-bone accident with an SUV on its side. The other car was a station wagon. Medics evaluated the driver of the station wagon and determined she did not need medical treatment. The driver and passenger of the flipped over SUV were transported to an area hospital by AMR as a precaution. The driver and the passenger of the SUV all were able to self extricate. They were wearing their seatbelts and the airbags did deploy.

Seattle Police are investigating the cause.

SUV after being righted. Photo by Allan Waite.

Filed Under: 911, Photos, Roosevelt, Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, Traffic

Meeting between city, neighborhood representatives yields NE 75th St improvement plan

April 2, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 9 Comments

In the early afternoon of Monday, April 1, before the Memorial Walk for the Schulte family, neighborhood groups, pedestrian/bicycle safety advocates, and staff from Eckstein Middle School, gathered at Eckstein (3003 NE 75th St). They met with representatives from the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), the Mayor’s Office, and the Seattle Police Department and discussed plans to improve the safety of NE 75th Street.

MCI_memorial07

The Mayor’s Office met with SDOT several times throughout the last week, and developed a list of planned improvements and actions for NE 75th Street (4 KB PDF; presented to the assembled groups that afternoon), including:

• Installing a flashing school zone beacon on Northeast 75th Street in front of the school

• SDOT will begin the process of evaluating and potentially installing a school zone speed camera on Northeast 75th Street

• The crosswalk at Northeast 68th Street and 25th Avenue Northeast will be remarked with fresh and highly visible paint

• The intersection of Northeast 68th Street and 25th Ave Northeast will be evaluated for a traffic signal

• SDOT will install new pedestrian countdown heads [crosswalk signs with timers] at 75th Street Northeast and Northeast 31st Street

• SDOT has already installed pedestrian countdown heads at 75th Street Northeast and Northeast 35th Street

The timeline for these improvements shows a tentative completion date of August 2013 (just before Seattle Public Schools are back in session for the 2013-1014 school year).

Filed Under: Construction, Crime, Eckstein Middle School, Mayor's Office, Meeting, Northeast Seattle, Ravenna, Ravenna-Bryant Community Association, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Police Department, Traffic, Wedgwood, Wedgwood Community Council

Hundreds walk to remember, honor the Schulte family (PHOTOS)

April 1, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 14 Comments

Walkers gathered under the swaying palms of the Wedgwood Top Pot before setting out.

Seattle Police Department officers wait to escort everyone down local streets. Local traffic was blocked as the group walked to and the memorial site.

Seattle Police Department officers and their rides wait to escort everyone down local streets. Local traffic was blocked as the group walked to and the memorial site.

Pedestrian and cyclists, young and old, the sighted and the blind all participated, and fueled up with coffee and doughnuts beforehand, provided by Top Pot.

This walker in orange was one of three I noticed walking with a white cane. She is pictured with her ASL interpreter (the woman in orange is Deaf-Blind).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (1 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (2 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (3 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (4 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (5 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (6 of 6).

A cameraman films the start of the walk on 35th Avenue NE.

The group walks west on NE 73rd Street, after turning off 35th Avenue NE.

Seattle Mayor Michael McGinn (center, light blue shirt) walks with Schulte family members down NE 73rd Street.

More walkers heading down NE 73rd Street.

Here the group is shown walking north on 33rd Avenue NE, taking the approximate route the family took on Monday, March 25. On the left side, Lacia Lynne Bailey, Judy’s Truffle (the baby goat), and some Schulte family members and friends stand where Bailey chatted with the Schultes one week ago. She was the last person to speak to the family before they attempted to cross NE 75th Street.

More walkers heading up 33rd Avenue NE, to the memorial site.

33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street. Some family members stand together on the right, behind the main crowd.

Bailey talks to Dan Schulte, husband of Karina and father to Elias, who are both still at Harborview Medical Center. They are flanked by a female neighbor from the immediate area and two of Dan’s cousins.

Members of the Schulte family, gathered in front of the memorial. Hundreds of neighbors and complete strangers have stopped by throughout the week to pay their respects, Bailey told us. She has been tending the site daily ever since people started leaving flowers, notes, or other tokens after the tragedy.

One of the Seattle Police Department officers who escorted the walkers to and from the memorial site looks on.

“Look out for pedestrians.”

After spending some time at the memorial, the walk heads back to the starting point, heading east on NE 75th Street, before heading south down 35th Avenue NE.

Mayor McGinn talks with Dongho Chang,(Chief Traffic Engineer for the Seattle Department of Transportation) at 33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street.

Before starting down NE 75th Street with his family, this dad said to his small son, “This is the one time we’re walking in the street, buddy.”

Mayor McGinn with Bailey, and Judy’s Truffle. Bailey has added to the baby goat’s original name in remembrance of Judy Schulte.

…

My thoughts, from Sunday, March 31:

Tonight I met 2 of the 3 makers of the Schultes’ white crosses at #75th. One made them, one painted them white, one did the calligraphy.

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

All three cross makers, neighbors of the young Schulte family.
“Neighbors are our geographic (not genetic) family.” – Lacia (@goatguild)

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

The cross painter, husband of the calligrapher, still has white paint on his fingernails…

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

…like I think many of us carry the tragedy on our hearts.
Because this happened to our neighbors. Our family.

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

Thoughts from a run through Wedgwood,View Ridge, past Sand Point Comm UMC, to the memorial on 75th. (We’re all much closer than we think.)

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

…

Suspect in Monday’s traffic fatalities no stranger to DUIs (UPDATES)

March 26, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 15 Comments

The 50-year-old man arrested at the scene of Monday’s multiple casualty incident at NE 75th Street and 33rd Avenue NE was booked into King County Jail that night on investigation of vehicular homicide.

Police speak with the driver of the pickup involved in a fatal vehicle-pedestrian accident near Eckstein Middle School in North Seattle on Monday. (Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times)

The suspect, driving a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck westbound on NE 75th Street, allegedly struck four pedestrians as they crossed the arterial at 33rd Avenue NE just after 4 PM. Two were pronounced dead at the scene by Seattle Fire Department staff. The other two were transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

The busy arterial was closed between 31st and 35th Avenues NE for hours while the Seattle Police Department’s Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives processed the scene.

King County Jail records show that the suspect was previously booked into jail on December 27, 2012 for a DUI-related charge. He was released on January 7, 2013. Then, on January 14, he was charged with Driving Under the Influence in Snohomish County. He was released on $10,000 bail.

Other news outlets have released the suspect’s name, but is Ravenna Blog policy to not name suspects until they have been formally charged with a crime.

The bail hearing for the suspect is scheduled for 2:30 PM today in the King County Jail’s Courtroom 1. We will add information about that hearing here, when it comes in.

UPDATE (2:45 PM): Seattle P-I reporter Casey McNerthney is in the courtroom for the bail hearing, reporting that he suspect has waived his right to appear.

Bail is set at $2.5 million. KOMO reporting that the prosecution was asking for $2 million.

UPDATE (3:15 PM): More information from the bail hearing.

Prosecutors said the suspect was driving with a suspended license, and his blood alcohol level was measured as 0.22 after the incident. The legal limit in Washington state is 0.08.

It is possible to continue to drive in Washington state with a suspended license, if the person gets a restricted license called an Ignition Interlock Driver License (IIL). A device is installed in the driver’s vehicle that requires a breath test before the vehicle will start. It can also require additional “rolling retests” while the vehicle is being driven.

The suspect did not have this device installed in his truck.

Here’s McNerthney’s full story on the incident and the suspect.

UPDATE (Wednesday, March 27): The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s website says, “A second court appearance is scheduled [at the bail hearing on Tuesday] for March 28, which is also the deadline for a charging decision.” The Daily Docket goes on to say that the Court has found probable cause to charge the suspect with two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault.

UPDATE (Sunday, March 31): On Thursday, March 28, Mark W. Mullan was formally charged with two counts of Vehicular Homicide and two counts of Vehicular Assault (all felonies). Mullan is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, April 11, at the King County Courthouse, Courtroom 1201.

~~We will have a full post on the suspect and these charges later in the week (first week of April).~~

UPDATE (Tuesday, April 9): Our post with the details of the incident is now up, here.

…

Section of 15th Ave NE north of Cowen Park Bridge to close for utility repairs

March 8, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 1 Comment

Next week, drivers and pedestrians alike may want to avoid a section of 15th Avenue NE due to some utility repairs that will close all but one lane.

View 15th Avenue NE Utility Repairs in a larger map

From the Seattle Department of Transportation traffic advisory email:

Next week a private contractor working on underground utilities will close all but one lane on 15th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 63rd and Northeast 65th streets. North- and southbound traffic will alternate with the assistance of traffic flaggers, and the sidewalk on the west side will be closed with a pedestrian detour to the east side of the street, also assisted by traffic flaggers. The crews plan to work from Monday March 11 to Friday March 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, and possibly into the following week, if needed.

Outside of 9AM-3PM, the roadway and sidewalk will be reopened. Inside of 9AM-3PM, we may want to use NE 75th St instead.

Filed Under: Construction, Ravenna, Roosevelt, Seattle Department of Transportation, Traffic

Candy Cane Lane 2012 (PHOTOS)

December 20, 2012 by Rebecca Nelson 8 Comments

The Ravenna Blog staff walked Candy Cane Lane (NE Park Rd) on Thursday evening, and took a bunch of pictures (some with rather long exposures).

Enjoy.

Filed Under: Events, Families, Kids, Photos, Ravenna, Traffic, University Park

Roosevelt townhouses to move on down the road in early August

August 1, 2012 by Rebecca Nelson 2 Comments

August is a tremendous month for Light Rail in North Seattle, as construction plans go into the ACTION phase.

But before Sound Transit starts any station site excavation at the Roosevelt Station location, there will occur some townhouse relocation.

Nickel Bros truck at 12th Ave NE and NE 66th St

The four townhouses on NE 66th St were purchased from Sound Transit (and thus saved from demolition), and are being moved 4 1/2 blocks away to the now former site of the Betty MacDonald house and adjoining property on 15th Ave NE.

The former location of the Betty MacDonald house, just south of the Fruit Stand at 15th Ave NE and NE 65th St.

Here’s a map showing the current (upper left) and future (lower right) locations of the townhouse buildings:

View Roosevelt townhouse move in a larger map

One of the townhouse buildings prepared for the move from NE 66th St to 15th Ave NE.

Now, just how does one move BUILDINGS through a busy neighborhood? That’s not quite our area of expertise. But we can ALL find out just how it’s done come the Friday evenings of August 3 and 10.

From Sound Transit’s Northgate Link* Extension Update newsletter (emphasis ours):

Preparations to relocate four townhouse buildings on Northeast 66th Street are in full swing. The relocation will occur late at night over two weekends starting Friday, Aug. 3. More townhouses will be moved the following weekend, Friday, Aug. 10.

We invite you to witness this monumental move on one or both weekends. Meet at the northeast corner of Northeast 66th Street and 12th Avenue Northeast around 11:45 p.m. on either of the Friday nights. Sound Transit staff will be there to answer questions. As the townhouses move east down Northeast 66th Street, we’ll walk along the sidewalk with them.

Sound Transit says that the buildings “should be on the road by midnight,” and at their new address “no later than 6 a.m. each Saturday.” Four buildings (of two units each) will be moved in total.

Ravenna Blog will be there, camera in hand, for the action this Friday night — it’s a Seafair Weekend parade we don’t wanna miss.

____________________

* Now that the three northernmost stations in the Light Rail system have their permanent station names (“U District Station,” “Roosevelt Station,” and “Northgate Station”), the name of the extension as a whole is now “Northgate Link Extension.” Now you know.

Filed Under: Construction, Events, Light Rail, Photos, Roosevelt, Traffic Tagged With: ZOMG TRAINS

Two blown transformers heard to be blamed for NE Seattle power outage (UPDATES)

July 3, 2012 by Rebecca Nelson 3 Comments

UPDATE (2:58 PM): A quick check of the outage map reveals everything back to normal.

UPDATE (2:08 PM): Outage down to approximately 1,200 customers now.

UPDATE (1:03 PM): outage is down to approximately 1,800 customers Mostly in the Matthews Beach/View Ridge area of the map below affected.

____________________

No, it’s not a comment on any Michael Bay movies — it’s a power outage.

Seattle City Light outage map screen grab from 12:45 PM.

More info on the Seattle City Light’s Power Lines blog:

Seattle City Light crews were responding to a power outage Tuesday that affected about 3,600 homes and businesses in the Ravenna, Roosevelt, View Ridge and Wedgwood neighborhoods of northeast Seattle.

The outage started about 11:20 a.m. A cause was not immediately known. An initial estimate for restoration of service was set for 3 p.m.

The general boundaries of the outage were NE 94th Street on the north, NE 65th Street on the south, Roosevelt Way NE on the west and Lake Washington on the east.

As of this posting, the cause is listed as “tree,” and the restoration time is estimated at 3:00 PM.

As we were calling the North Precinct about the dangerous traffic conditions at 15th Ave NE and NE 75th St — signals are out and many drivers on NE 75th St are not noticing and treating as a four-way stop — the officer on the other end of the phone blamed the outage on two transformers lost from the tops of poles, but we haven’t had confirmation of the exact cause from Seattle City Light.

Filed Under: Bryant, Maple Leaf, Northeast Seattle, Power Outage, Ravenna, Roosevelt, Seattle City Light, Seattle Police Department, Traffic, Updates, View Ridge, Wedgwood