Community Notices

West Lake Union Improvement Project Groundbreaking Scheduled for February 7, 2002

The groundbreaking for the West Lake Union Improvement Project will take place Thursday, February 7, 2002 at the south end of Westlake Avenue North in the 900 block on the Lake Union side of the street. The ceremony will begin promptly at 10:30 a.m. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels will attend the groundbreaking ceremony to speak and help celebrate the kick-off of this major project. Residents, businesses and community members are encouraged to attend.

Construction for the West Lake Union Improvement project is scheduled to begin the second week of February and last approximately 12 months. Please note that due to the nature of construction, schedules are likely to change. City departments will keep the community informed of the most current schedule.

The West Lake Union Improvement project is a partnership between Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), Seattle Transportation (Sea Tran) and Seattle City Light, that includes drainage, street, parking and power distribution improvements along Westlake Avenue North between the Fremont Bridge and the south end of Lake Union.

Seattle Public Utilities will replace the deteriorating storm drainage system in the Westlake Avenue North right-of-way from the south end of the Fremont Bridge to the south end of Lake Union. Additionally, Seattle Public Utilities will upgrade inlets and catch basins in the roadway and parking areas, install a 12-inch to 30-inch storm drain mainline, and replace and consolidate 15 existing outfalls into just four locations at Halladay, Crockett, Blaine and Galer streets. Storm water treatment units will be installed at those four points to remove pollutants prior to discharge into Lake Union.

Seattle Transportation will construct an 8- to10-foot wide pathway that will replace the existing railroad tracks that are adjacent to the west shore of Lake Union. The pathway, located in the area between Westlake Avenue North and West Lake Union, will stretch between South Lake Union and the Fremont Bridge. Additional improvements include paving Westlake Avenue North, paving and reconfiguring the parking area located between Westlake Avenue North and Lake Union, improving transit stops and pedestrian crossings, and installing street-end viewpoints at Halladay, Crockett, Blaine and Galer streets. Additional landscaping will also be installed along the edge of the street and in the parking areas.

Seattle City Light will install new additional vaults and ducts for the entire length of the project to improve the capacity and reliability of the 26Kv distribution system under Westlake Avenue N.

In addition, artist Maggie Smith has been commissioned by the Seattle Arts Commission (SAC) to create an aesthetic theme for the project. New pocket parks, handrails, inlays and benches will incorporate her artistic elements. Maggie will also be attending the groundbreaking.

For more information please check out our web site at www.cityofseattle.net/westlake. In addition, please continue to watch for upcoming notices regarding meetings and construction schedule.

For more information contact:

Karla Clark
Project Information Specialist
Seattle Public Utilities
(206) 615-0866
karla.clark@ci.seattle.wa.us