Madison Park
Life has been quiet in Madison Park these last few weeks. We are patiently waiting for the city to repair waterlines and sidewalks. We tentatively wait for the Madison Park North Beach fence committee to convene. There are grants to apply for and speaker schedules to be confirmed, which are both followed by waiting. But this is the right season to be doing this.
Being actively involved in your neighborhood allows you to take ownership of the things that matter around you. The Madison Park Community Council (MPCC) is appointing its nominating committee to seek out new board directors. If you have an interest in what makes things happen in our neighborhood, it’s time to get involved.
Everyone who lives in Madison Park is a member of the council: You already have a place to voice your concerns. Now may be the time to help turn those concerns into action. We are eager to have new voices join the board with new ideas and enthusiasm. If you are interested in becoming more involved, contact Gail Irving at presidentmpcc.irving@gmail.com.
You don’t need to wait to be on the board. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is reaching out to neighbors to become traffic-circle garden stewards. There is a way you can help out in the neighborhood and get your gardening desires met.
Traffic circles are built when requested by the local neighbors. Included in the placement of the circle is an understanding that the neighbors will maintain the circles after they are built. But many times the neighbors who made the request move away, leaving the circles unattended, and the city has labeled such sites as “orphans.”
If you think your circle has been abandoned and want to become a traffic-circle garden steward simply call the Tree Line at 684-TREE to let SDOT know of your interest.
You will be requested to fill out a no-fee “Landscape Maintenance Agreement” with your contact information. You will also get information about the types of plants that are appropriate for circles and how to maintain the area.
— Gail Irving, president
Madrona
The February Madrona Community Council (MCC) meeting linked Madrona neighbors with SDOT and King County Metro. The two issues these government agencies addressed boosted meeting attendance to more than 60 .
Four Metro transportation planners attended to record comments and provide information on bus Routes 2, 3 and 27. The majority of those present described inconveniences that would result from proposed changes to the No. 2 route. These included lengthened times of bus rides from East Madison Street and having to transfer; increased difficulties for disabled and older people; and timing uncertainties.
Some questioned why a long-established and much-used urban route is to be cut. Metro officials explained that its charge in the Transportation Management Plan is to reduce congestion on Third Avenue that currently occurs because of bus use and the number of buses that turn left off Third Avenue onto Spring Street.
In addition, the ride-free zone soon will disappear, causing slowed traffic due to fare collection on all buses. Jerry Arbes offered a well-received proposal to reduce congestion by moving specific bus stops, installing transit-priority signals and transit-only lanes, and constructing an island bus stop on Spring Street.
Those interested in the issue can comment to Metro by e-mailing ashley.deforest@kingcounty.gov and can take the survey on the King County Metro website. E-mail Bus2Riders@gmail.com to sign up for notices (see note below on Metro update.)
SDOT solicited comments about the completed first phase of sidewalk replacement and tree removal along 34th Avenue and accepted suggestions and opinions about timing of the project’s second phase.
Those voting on the timing slightly favored waiting for the committee headed by Sarah Westneat to find funding and devise a neighborhood-driven plan to address problems created by tree roots and broken sidewalks, rather than proceeding with the second phase of replacement this year as had been planned.
You can comment on this topic by e-mailing David.Allen@seattle.gov or sarahwestneat@comcast.net.
(A Feb. 17 e-mail from King County Metro Transit states, “Metro has decided to postpone the Routes 2, 4 and 27 proposals. Issues were raised of coverage and traffic congestion on Madison Street and more information about the unique travel needs of those that live and work in the area is needed. For now, we are not proposing to change existing routing of this set of routes.”
Updated proposals are expected in mid-March.)
— Reprinted with permission from Madrona Community Council’s Madrona News