Failed tree on 35th Ave NE, February, 2008. Photo by Darren Morgan.

Snow, ice, or wind storms often result in fallen tree limbs, which can be a minor nuisance or a major problem.  Residents eager to clean up can expose themselves to life threatening conditions.  A primary concern with fallen limbs is electricity.  If there are any wires on the ground and/or tangled up in fallen branches, do not even approach them.  Even if you don’t touch the wire itself, the entire length of the branch or even the ground nearby could be electrified.  If there are limbs lying across or hanging from electrical wires do not attempt to free them without first contacting City Light.  If you suspect for any reason that wires are involved in a downed limb or tree, call Seattle City Light at (206) 386-1733.   For more information visit the City Light Vegetation Management page: http://www.seattle.gov/light/neighborhoods/nh4_trtr.htm. 

 SDOT Urban Forestry staff members do not recommend that homeowners use chainsaws to remove downed branches.   Fallen branches can be under considerable pressure, causing the branches to react in unpredictable ways when cut; the saw operator can be injured by the logs or cut by the saw.  Slippery footing and unexpected shifts in the fallen branch can cause the operator to lose balance or fall.  Small mistakes while using a chainsaw can cause serious injuries before the operator can react.  For more information about storm safety and chainsaws: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/chainsaws.asp .

 If a tree or limb has fallen and is blocking a street or sidewalk, call the SDOT 24-hour dispatch at (206) 386-1218.  City crews will take action to ensure the safety of the right-of-way, regardless of tree ownership.  If the tree is an SDOT-maintained tree, SDOT Urban Forestry will remove fallen limbs, clear debris, and prune or remove the tree as necessary.  If the tree is privately-maintained, SDOT crews will ensure the safety of the right-of-way but will not necessarily remove all debris.  It is up to the adjacent property owner to remove debris from privately-maintained trees.  Property owners are encouraged to hire a tree care company to prune or remove damaged street trees, with a free permit.  To check the maintenance responsibility of a tree, refer to the Street Tree Map: http://web1.seattle.gov/SDOT/StreetTrees/.   If your tree is not on the map or have questions, email SDOT Urban Forestry at seattle.trees@seattle.gov.  For more information on tree pruning and removal permits: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/treepruning.htm

 Please be careful during and after storms!

The City of Seattle is committed to ensuring that everyone in our community has equal access to jobs and contracting opportunities. To help achieve that goal, the Seattle Department of Transportation’s Elliott Bay Seawall Project is expanding its efforts to connect women’s, minority, small, disadvantaged, and disabled veterans’ businesses with consulting opportunities on the project.

On Wednesday, February 1, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., the Seawall Project is hosting an information and networking lunch event to introduce these businesses to the project, including providing details on upcoming opportunities, meeting senior project staff, and networking with potential partner firms.

The event will be held at Seattle City Hall, Bertha Knight Landes Room, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104.

Subcontracting opportunities include:

If you are interested in joining us and your area of expertise is one of the disciplines above, please RSVP by emailing seawall@seattle.gov.

To learn more about the project, visit the Elliott Bay Seawall website at: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/seawall.htm.

With the recent snow and ice storm, we thought it would be a good idea to share a friendly reminder that we all need to keep our sidewalks clear. 

If you have a sidewalk in front of your property, it’s your responsibility to remove snow and ice so it doesn’t pose a hazard for people using the sidewalk.   This rule applies to removing other things from the sidewalk too, like leaves and branches, as well as maintaining the planting strip.

It keeps the sidewalk safe, it looks better and it’s certainly the neighborly thing to do.  

Plus it’s the law. 

Some might think that it’s the City’s responsibility to keep the sidewalks clear since sidewalks are part of the public right-of-way, like streets.   But this isn’t the case. 

Let’s get just a bit wonky for a moment… When a property is developed, part of the property is dedicated as public right-of-way for streets, sidewalks, planting strips, utilities and other things which benefit everyone in the community.  However, the responsibility to maintain the sidewalk area stays with the property owner. 

It’s also the responsibility of property owners to repair their sidewalks when they are damaged.  

More info on these rules is available for residents and business owners.  Also check out yesterday’s blog post about overgrown vegetation and sidewalks.

So, now you’re in the know in case of more snow!  Thanks for doing your part, neighbor.

Overgrowth needs to be trimmed back; see photo below.

SDOT oversees the public right-of-way, so we frequently get complaints about overgrown vegetation impinging on  sidewalks.  However, SDOT doesn’t respond to those calls because  that neighbor’s unruly bushes fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Planning and Design (DPD).  This past year the DPD put out a Client Assistance Memo about vegetation overgrowth complaints to inform property owners of their responsibilities to keep the sidewalk abutting their property safe  for pedestrians.  Unfortunately, as a result of DPD staff reductions due to budget cuts, the department can only inspect those complaints of vegetation overgrowth that create a hazardous situation – such as blocking visibility or forcing pedestrians off the sidewalk into the street.

However, if your neighbor’s bushes are bothering you, but are not a true hazard, the department will send code information to the “offending” property owner.

Sidewalks must be clear from concrete edge to concrete edge, and vegetation hanging over the sidewalk must be trimmed up to 8 feet above the sidewalk.

More information on regulation of vegetation overgrowth is available in a Client Assistance Memo#611 – Weed and Vegetation Enforcement: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/compliance/how_we_respond/default.asp

You can also download the Weeds & Vegetation Safety Bulletin containing information about these regulations, that may be posted on a community bulletin board or given to your neighbor.

Testimonials from your Neighbors

With cabin fever setting in for many Seattle-ites after this week’s winter storm, this is the perfect time to figure out how you can walk and bike more frequently.  It’s a well know fact that walking and biking are great forms of exercise that can help you lose weight, reduce stress, and kick the winter blues.  But health benefits aside, there’s no doubt that using your own power to get around town can help you save cash, get to know your neighborhood better, and reduce your carbon footprint.

Seattle’s One Less Car Challenge is a fantastic way to get started.  From personal one-on-one support to tools and tips and even incentives, this is the place to go to get started. 

Here’s what some of your neighbors have said about taking on the challenge and leaving their cars in the driveway more often:

“What a great experience. I have lost 10 pounds this year, gotten to know my neighborhood, and learned how to walk while reading. Thanks!”

“I just love the overall experience of not having to worry about car ownership costs (and unexpected repair bills!) I can grab a Zipcar if needed, but also love being able to walk and bike to do errands and fun trips around town.”

“Living without a car has made life both a lot less stressful and a lot less expensive.  I’m fortunate to have a bus pass through UW, but I only use it when the weather gets really bad.  Mainly, I walk and bike where I need to go.”

“Every day I commute not using a car, it’s 100% less stressful and so much more enjoyable.  I will go out of my way to never commute by car on a daily basis again (including taking a lower paying job, for example).  The stress is just not worth it.”

“With the money we saved on maintenance, insurance, gas, etc, we were able to pay off the car we have left. No more car payments!”

“I’ve really gotten to know Seattle on foot — I walked so much this past year that I ended up signing up for and walking the Seattle marathon!”

“I’ve really gotten into biking in the last year, in large part because the voucher from the one less car challenge helped me purchase the basics for cycling in Seattle: lights, rainpants, gloves, etc.  It is easier to stay fit”

“Spending the past year walking around my neighborhood, means I now know my neighborhood much better.  Not a one time thing, it’s the accumulation of little events.”

“After three months without a car, I maintain it was the best decision I’d made in years. Now, I either ride my bicycle, walk, or ride the bus to get from point A to point B. The exercise from this act alone makes it worthwhile”

Screenshot of the street tree map

Have you ever wondered about the type of tree in front of your house and whether you are supposed to take care of it?  Have you been curious about a certain species of tree or wondered whether it grew in your neighborhood? There is a new way to answer these questions, because for the first time ever, SDOT has published an interactive street tree map!  Here is the link: http://web1.seattle.gov/SDOT/StreetTrees/ . The map reveals species, maintenance responsibility, size class, diameter (if available), tree identification number, date it was added to the inventory, and the date the information was last updated, if available.  Over 122,000 street trees are in the inventory, making this a great tool to learn about your urban forest.  SDOT GIS Analyst, Dana Trethewy developed the map based on existing web-based maps, such as the pothole map. 

The maintenance responsibility of individual street trees is determined by the entity that planted it.  If a homeowner or a volunteer group planted the tree, the abutting property owner must maintain it.  If the Seattle Department of Transportation planted the tree, we are responsible for maintenance.  Street trees that are on Parks Department boulevards or adjacent to parks are the responsibility of the Seattle Parks.  On the map, maintenance responsibility is represented by color—different shades of green indicate responsibility.  Heritage trees, both in the right-of-way and on private property, show up on the map in orange.  For more information on heritage trees, here is an article: http://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2011/07/21/heritage-tree-program-recognizes-seattle%e2%80%99s-best-trees/

The map isn’t perfect.  The data is taken from SDOT’s street tree data, first collected in 1991. In 2007 SDOT-maintained trees, which account for 40,000 of the City’s street trees, were comprehensively updated.  New trees planted by SDOT are routinely added to the inventory.  Privately-maintained trees have not been updated since the 1991 inventory; if they were planted after 1991, they are probably not on the map.  If the information on a particular tree has not been updated, the diameter is null, as it is likely that the 1991 data is no longer correct.  If a tree is not in the inventory, it is most likely privately-maintained.  There is a form you can fill out to request tree additions.  Emailing a photo of the tree(s) helps.  The “contacts and links” section at the right of the tree map has links to request forms for adding a tree to the inventory.     

When you first open the map, click the check box for “public right of way trees” to view all street trees. To identify a single tree, zoom in until you can see individual property parcels.  Click on a tree to display its information.   You can search for a particular address or a neighborhood.  You can also search for a species of tree, by entering either the common or scientific name for the tree, and clicking find trees. The trees of that species will appear with a blue square around them.  There are currently some bugs in the species search, but our GIS expert is working on it. More information is available under the tab “How to use this map” at the right side of the page.  Have fun exploring the urban forest!

Snowstorms are serious business.  Get the latest info from Take Winter by Storm.org, Seattle’s Emergency Info Page, SDOT and Metro Transit.  The tips below are meant to help you make the best of snow storms when they don’t pose any danger to you.

With a forecast for significant snow, we offer these transportation tips on working with the white stuff.

#1. Plan ahead

• Learn your walk and transit routes. 
  Map out your best, flat walking route to key destinations like stores and homes of friends who may need or provide help.  Test your winter weather walking route to see how much time and effort it requires.  Visit Metro Transit to identify which bus routes work best, the locations of the stops, and their snow routes, of course.
  
• Stock up to stay put. 
  Get enough groceries, flashlights, etc. to stay home through a storm.  A snow storm is good practice for a larger event like an earthquake when you’ll really need your survival kit.  Maybe get yourself a treat like a good book or break out some old board games that make you want to be stuck at home.  
• Get approved to work from home.  
  Talk to your boss about tele-working, at least on that rare day every year or two when bad weather would double your commute time or worse.   Instead  of sitting in snowbound traffic you could be working at home—productively, safely and happily.

#2. Perspective

O.k., it’s snowing.  What can I do? 

Unlike so many other things, we haven’t figured out how to control weather.  That can be a good thing sometimes.   Consider taking a cue from the slow living movement and enjoy a refreshing change of pace from our hectic lives.   If nothing else, accept that some things are going to take a bit longer for a while.  Our attitude makes a world of difference.

#3. Stay home, but if you gotta go…

During a snowstorm, please stay off the roads if at all possible.  We know that many folks still have to get places, especially work, so if you must travel, please drive only if absolutely necessary.   Even the best vehicle for snow driving can’t protect you from the other drivers on the road with you.   You do have options:

• Walk. Slide. Glide.  
  Keep trips local and use your boots or cross country skis.  Need to haul something?  Bring a sled.  (Later, this will make a much better story than driving to the store in the SUV with the seat warmers.)  
• Transit  
  You often hear that it’s nice to sit back and let a professional deal with the stress of driving as you read, rest, check email or get in some solid time playing Angry Birds.  During a snow storm that’s doubly true.   Come prepared, be ready for a longer trip than usual and settle in.  Wouldn’t Aunt Martha from Massachusetts be tickled to get a call when you have lots of time to catch up?  Check Metro’s Snow and Ice page for your bus status.  Transit Tips from Take Winter by Storm are here.

#4. Enjoy

Schmitz Preserve Park transformed. W. Seattle, 1/15/12.

If you can, enjoy it.  Gosh, it’s snow after all – that stuff that used to make you giddy as a kid.   An old-fashioned snow day puts the usual things on hold as neighbors emerge from their homes and reconnect.  

If you have kids, get out and have a snowball fight.  Grab something to go sledding.  If you don’t have kids, get out and have a snowball fight.  Grab something to go sledding. 

A significant snow can be a memorable experience, and it’s so rare in Seattle.  Snow transforms how the entire city looks and feels. 

And then it’s back to normal.

It has been two weeks since the tolling on SR-520 has taken effect and SDOT engineers are still monitoring traffic very closely. Initially, traffic on SR-520 decreased by 40% while I-90 and SR-522 increased by 11% and 10% respectively.  The expectation is that traffic patterns will change day to day throughout the region while drivers make adjustments in their travel, such as trying different times and routes, riding the bus, taking a vanpool or carpool, etc.  This adjustment period, as noted by WSDOT, can last for up to six months as drivers settle into new traffic patterns.  After this period, it is expected that there will be just a slight increase of traffic on I-90 and SR-522 during rush hours as compared to volumes before the tolling. 

Screen shot of traffic camera at Lake City Way NE e/o 15th Ave NE

The initial effects of the SR-520 tolling have been reduced congestion on Montlake Blvd and only a slight increase in volume along Lake City Way that has not warranted an adjustment to signal timing. 

You can find information about SR 520 toll rates online at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/tolling/tollrates.htm

At SDOT we’re striving to make it easier for as many folks as possible to use the streets, sidewalks, bike system, buses and trains in Seattle.  Understanding the perspectives of various users of the transportation system is key to making a system that works well for everyone, so we listen to many groups– community councils, neighborhood district councils and advocacy organizations such as Feet First, just to name a few.

SDOT’s Liz Ellis (left), Brian Dougherty (right) and Lighthouse for the Blind’s Action Team

Last fall the Lighthouse for the Blind Action Team met with city staff Ed Pottharst of the Department of Neighborhoods (DON), Liz Ellis from SDOT’s Sidewalk Safety and Repair Program and Brian Dougherty of SDOT’s ADA Spot Improvement Program.  Lighthouse for the Blind provides jobs, training, housing support, Braille instruction and more for blind adults at their facility in southeast Seattle, just a few blocks south of the I-90 lid.

During a walking tour of the neighborhood, city staff gained a greater awareness of specific challenges visually impaired community members face each day.  The group identified opportunities to make it easier to get around such as narrowing street crossings with a wider sidewalk or bulb outs, eliminating areas where rainwater collects, addressing uneven sidewalk surfaces and adding cues you can see and feel to inform walkers of their surroundings. 

Examining an alternative sidewalk design during the walking tour

Next, the city created a list of potential projects with cost estimates.  The city’s needs for sidewalk improvements are great, yet funding is finite, so when city staff shared this list with Lighthouse for the Blind, they encouraged them to apply to various funding sources, including the Neighborhood Project Fund (NPF) and the Bridging the Gap Large Project Fund to pay for their top priorities.  Ed Pottharst from DON and various SDOT staff will  be their contacts as they prepare the funding applications.  

This type of exchange helps the City design our transportation system to serve the most people, regardless of their physical challenges.  Universal design makes our community more accessible for everyone at various stages of life.  

While today many folks might not notice how the walking environment affects how easily someone using a wheelchair or a white cane can get around, it’s likely that in the future many of us will take our turn benefitting from universal design when age or fate change our physical capacities.

Listening = broader perspective = better design for all.