A note back to you, Jinny. Fwd: Please send to the Customer Service Bureau. Or better, take care of it yourselves. 8404 Aurora Avenue North

[Douglas MacDonald]

Thanks for your note this morning (below) on the failing patch in the 9400 block.. I was there yesterday afternoon and I believe the mid-patch depression may actually be getting worse day be day.

However, when your sidewalk repair teams does have a look at this location in the 8400 block, please remind them of these other situations in the 8000 and 8100 blocks of Aurora Ave. North. I have pictures of these (and have been sending them to SDOT) going back years, but the below are all from yesterday at bout 6:00 p.m., observed in sequence north to south. This is just on the east side, The west side is almost as bad, but we’ll save that for another day.

This is an egregiously non-ADA compliant sidewalk on a major arterial and the Rapid Ride E Line (NB stop at 80th is in this stretch of catered sidewalk). 

(Reverse view of the foregoing)

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Green, Jinny" <Jinny...@seattle.gov>

Subject: RE: Please send to the Customer Service Bureau. Or better, take care of it yourselves. 8404 Aurora Avenue North

Date: September 1, 2021 at 9:34:49 AM PDT

To: Douglas MacDonald <dbmac...@earthlink.net>, "Burgesser, David" <David.B...@seattle.gov>, "Dougherty, Brian" <Brian.D...@seattle.gov>

Cc: "aurorareimag...@googlegroups.com" <aurorareimag...@googlegroups.com>

Thanks, Doug.  The sidewalk repair team will look into this for permanent repair.

 

Jinny Green, P.E.

SDOT PEMS Sidewalk Repair Program

M: 206.679.0169

Jinny...@seattle.gov

 

From: Douglas MacDonald <dbmac...@earthlink.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2021 5:15 PM
To: Green, Jinny <Jinny...@seattle.gov>; Burgesser, David <David.B...@seattle.gov>; Dougherty, Brian <Brian.D...@seattle.gov>
Cc: aurorareimag...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Please send to the Customer Service Bureau. Or better, take care of it yourselves. 8404 Aurora Avenue North

 

CAUTION: External Email

This is bad location on the Aurora North sidewalk in the 8400 block.  Some years ago I believe SDOT Urban Forestry removed a tree at this location and put in an somewhat flimsy asphalt patch.  The patch is now failing, leaving holes in the surface and a very dangerous depression in mid-patch  Sidewalk conditions from were and tear, or uplifts, etc., are bad enough.  But sidewalk defects caused by poor work by SDOT’s own crews really are inexcusable and need to be fixed to avoid injury to passersby and legal nightmares for the City law department and claims fund.  This is a busy sidewalk,  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Douglas MacDonald]

Jinny.  Thank you for the replyfurther below.

1. The following information your replay is exceedingly welcome:

Since we are already planning on sidewalk repairs along this stretch of Aurora Ave N, I wanted to let you know that the areas highlighted in your email and photos below will be included in a future sidewalk project scheduled for sometime next year. 

I definitely want to track this planned project, so as to understand its scope, its cost, its funding and its timing. Would I be correct in assuming the project you mention will show up in the Pedestrian Master Plan implementation workplan shepherded by David Burgesser?  By copy of this email I would be very pleased if David could supply any currently available information on what is planned for 2022 and how we on Aurora can follow it.

2.  Now, whatever must wait for an actual repair project in 2022, I do want to return to the immediate problem of the sinkhole in the 8400 block about which something simply has to be done now even if a crew shows up with a cold patch to make the sidewalk minimally passable.  When that happens, there are two other locations within very close distance where a full-on “project” would not necessary to simply throw down a simple temporary patch awaiting a thoroughgoing repair .  They are below.  The first the 8200 block of Aurora on the east side. The other is actually on the north sidewalk of 85th, just a few yards west of Aurora.

Also, yesterday I checked again on the totally treacherous empty tree well on 85th just east of the bus stip. As the days get shorter, this is just an utterly unsafe and unacceptable sidewalk condition  I first called it in, I believe, on September 1.  If nothing else, can be done, is there an SDOTf communication channel such that you could get a crew to pull into the Jack-in-the-Box parking lot and at least drop an orange traffic cone in the gap to warn walkers of a hole in he sidewalk? That would be something  even if there is no opportunity or resource actuals to fit a cover on the tree well.

Finally, I did get an email yesterday with regard to the SDOT tree blocking the sidewalk on 85th that badly needs a two-minute prune. I think I had alerted you to this tree on September 1 and suggested you might tip off SDOT Urban Forestry to get it taken care of. I checked on it yesterday and it has not been attended to:

Were you able to communicate directly to you colleagues at Urban Forestry?

In any case its seems so far as feedback to me is concerned to have fallen into a black hole called a “Service Request Confirmation,”  that generates the following email, two weeks after I had called it to our attention

This email was sent from a notification-only system that cannot accept incoming email. Please do not reply to this message.

---

Thank you for contacting the Seattle Department of Transportation. Your inquiry has been added to the service request tracking system.  For many types of requests, you can expect a response within 10 business days; inquiries that require a site evaluation or inspection may take up to 30 days for a response.

Your inquiry has been assigned the unique service request number 21-00199218. This number is the official reference number for your service request if you need to inquire about it in the future. 

If you have questions regarding your inquiry, please call 206-684-ROAD (7623).  

For your convenience, the text of your inquiry is included below:

Location: 202 N 85TH ST, SEATTLE, WA 98103
An SDOT tree planted by SDOT in 2018. It now blocks the sidewalk. Pretty clearly no one’s responsibility for pruning but SCDOT’s. At 202 North 85th.

This tree is on my walking route for groceries in the Greenwood Urban Village, so it will be easy for me to track progress.  

Meanwhile, speaking of calls you might make to colleagues, there is a storm drain grate on 85th near Dayton that is in an advanced risk of collapsing into its vault and is pummeled by every passing Metro #45 westbound coach on 85th. This is a classic case illustration of an infrastructure repair that is relatively inexpensive to achieve if timely addressed, but becomes more expensive by a serious multiplier if allowed to get into even worse condition before addressed.  I hope you can give a heads-up to your Street Repair people (or Seattle Public Utilities, if it’s there problem) that the longer this waits, the larger and more expensive to taxpayers the repair project becomes.  That's infrastructure maintenance 101. Of course every extra taxpayer dollar that has to be spent because of negligently deferred maintenance is a taxpayer dollar that can’t be spent on some project to improve the transportation system,  

Thanks for having been in touch,

 

On Sep 9, 2021, at 11:58 AM, Green, Jinny <Jinny...@seattle.gov> wrote:

Hello Doug,

 

Since we are already planning on sidewalk repairs along this stretch of Aurora Ave N, I wanted to let you know that the areas highlighted in your email and photos below will be included in a future sidewalk project scheduled for sometime next year.  We appreciate your diligence in your efforts to improve pedestrian access.  I hope you are enjoying summer.  It feels like fall is right around the corner.

 

Jinny Green, P.E.

SDOT PEMS Sidewalk Repair Program

M: 206.679.0169

Jinny...@seattle.gov

 

From: Douglas MacDonald <dbmac...@earthlink.net> 
Sent: Wednesday, September 1, 2021 1:39 PM
To: Green, Jinny <Jinny...@seattle.gov>
Cc: Burgesser, David <David.B...@seattle.gov>; Dougherty, Brian <Brian.D...@seattle.gov>
Subject: A note back to you, Jinny. Fwd: Please send to the Customer Service Bureau. Or better, take care of it yourselves. 8404 Aurora Avenue North

 

CAUTION: External Email

Thanks for your note this morning (below) on the failing patch in the 9400 block.. I was there yesterday afternoon and I believe the mid-patch depression may actually be getting worse day be day.

 

<image003.jpg>

 

However, when your sidewalk repair teams does have a look at this location in the 8400 block, please remind them of these other situations in the 8000 and 8100 blocks of Aurora Ave. North. I have pictures of these (and have been sending them to SDOT) going back years, but the below are all from yesterday at bout 6:00 p.m., observed in sequence north to south. This is just on the east side, The west side is almost as bad, but we’ll save that for another day.

 

This is an egregiously non-ADA compliant sidewalk on a major arterial and the Rapid Ride E Line (NB stop at 80th is in this stretch of catered sidewalk). 

 

<image004.jpg>

 

<image005.jpg>

 

<image006.jpg>

 

(Reverse view of the foregoing)

<image007.jpg>

 

 

 

<image008.jpg>

 

 

 

<image009.jpg>

 

 

<image010.jpg>

 

<image011.jpg>

 

<image012.jpg>

Begin forwarded message:

 

From: "Green, Jinny" <Jinny...@seattle.gov>

Subject: RE: Please send to the Customer Service Bureau. Or better, take care of it yourselves. 8404 Aurora Avenue North

Date: September 1, 2021 at 9:34:49 AM PDT

To: Douglas MacDonald <dbmac...@earthlink.net>, "Burgesser, David" <David.B...@seattle.gov>, "Dougherty, Brian" <Brian.D...@seattle.gov>

Cc: "aurorareimag...@googlegroups.com" <aurorareimag...@googlegroups.com>

 

Thanks, Doug.  The sidewalk repair team will look into this for permanent repair.

 

Jinny Green, P.E.

SDOT PEMS Sidewalk Repair Program

M: 206.679.0169

Jinny...@seattle.gov

 

From: Douglas MacDonald <dbmac...@earthlink.net> 
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2021 5:15 PM
To: Green, Jinny <Jinny...@seattle.gov>; Burgesser, David <David.B...@seattle.gov>; Dougherty, Brian <Brian.D...@seattle.gov>
Cc: aurorareimag...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Please send to the Customer Service Bureau. Or better, take care of it yourselves. 8404 Aurora Avenue North

 

CAUTION: External Email

This is bad location on the Aurora North sidewalk in the 8400 block.  Some years ago I believe SDOT Urban Forestry removed a tree at this location and put in an somewhat flimsy asphalt patch.  The patch is now failing, leaving holes in the surface and a very dangerous depression in mid-patch  Sidewalk conditions from were and tear, or uplifts, etc., are bad enough.  But sidewalk defects caused by poor work by SDOT’s own crews really are inexcusable and need to be fixed to avoid injury to passersby and legal nightmares for the City law department and claims fund.  This is a busy sidewalk,  

 

 

 

<image013.jpg>

 

 

<image014.jpg>

[Burgesser, David]

Hi Doug,

 

Thanks for your question about the Pedestrian Master Plan Implementation Plan. We are just wrapping up the next annual iteration of this report, which we expect to release in October. That said, this plan only includes project lists for our capital programs (i.e., new sidewalks, crossing improvements) and does not provide a listing of maintenance projects, such as sidewalk repair. This allows our maintenance programs to remain nimble and respond to the areas of greatest concern. We will, however, include additional high-level information about the Aurora planning work in the document.

 

Thanks,

 

David Burgesser

Senior Transportation Planner, Project Development Division

City of Seattle, Department of Transportation

M: 206-485-8781 | david.b...@seattle.gov

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Flickr | Customer Service

Pronouns: he/him/his

[Douglas MacDonald]

Thanks, David.

But there remains the question: what exactly is Jinny Green referring to with regard to a 2022 Sidewalk Repair project on Aurora?

“High level” information doesn’t promise much.  We already have all the necessary  “high level” information: there are several Aurora stretches in critical need of repair and many others in serious need of repair  What are we being told to expect?  

I would also be very grateful for any information you or anyone else can share as to each and every detail of the proposed forthcoming budget for the SDOT sidewalk repair program at large, across the city. How and when can the public access that information as proposed by the Executive?  

I might also observe:

does not provide a listing of maintenance projects, such as sidewalk repair. This allows our maintenance programs to remain nimble and respond to the areas of greatest concern.

“Nimble” is actually the word that describes the indispensable attribute of anyone trying to walk on Seattle sidewalks.  “Nimble” in a program description is a bureaucrtic code word for making it seems like a good thing that there is no accountability  

On Sep 16, 2021, at 11:28 AM, Burgesser, David <David.B...@seattle.gov> wrote:

Hi Doug,

 

Thanks for your question about the Pedestrian Master Plan Implementation Plan. We are just wrapping up the next annual iteration of this report, which we expect to release in October. That said, this plan only includes project lists for our capital programs (i.e., new sidewalks, crossing improvements) and does not provide a listing of maintenance projects, such as sidewalk repair. This allows our maintenance programs to remain nimble and respond to the areas of greatest concern. We will, however, include additional high-level information about the Aurora planning work in the document.

 

Thanks,

 

<image008.png>David Burgesser

Senior Transportation Planner, Project Development Division

City of Seattle, Department of Transportation

M: 206-485-8781 | david.b...@seattle.gov

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Flickr | Customer Service

Pronouns: he/him/his

 

From: Douglas MacDonald <dbmac...@earthlink.net> 
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2021 11:09 AM
To: Green, Jinny <Jinny...@seattle.gov>
Cc: Burgesser, David <David.B...@seattle.gov>; Dougherty, Brian <Brian.D...@seattle.gov>; Vitagliano, Stuart <Stuart.V...@seattle.gov>; ARC Google Group <aurorareimag...@googlegroups.com>; Greenwood-Phinney Greenways Google Group <greenwood-phi...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Further too our communication. Re: A note back to you, Jinny. Fwd: Please send to the Customer Service Bureau. Or better, take care of it yourselves. 8404 Aurora Avenue North

 

CAUTION: External Email

Jinny.  Thank you for the replyfurther below. 

 

1. The following information your replay is exceedingly welcome:

 

Since we are already planning on sidewalk repairs along this stretch of Aurora Ave N, I wanted to let you know that the areas highlighted in your email and photos below will be included in a future sidewalk project scheduled for sometime next year. 

 

I definitely want to track this planned project, so as to understand its scope, its cost, its funding and its timing. Would I be correct in assuming the project you mention will show up in the Pedestrian Master Plan implementation workplan shepherded by David Burgesser?  By copy of this email I would be very pleased if David could supply any currently available information on what is planned for 2022 and how we on Aurora can follow it.

 

2.  Now, whatever must wait for an actual repair project in 2022, I do want to return to the immediate problem of the sinkhole in the 8400 block about which something simply has to be done now even if a crew shows up with a cold patch to make the sidewalk minimally passable.  When that happens, there are two other locations within very close distance where a full-on “project” would not necessary to simply throw down a simple temporary patch awaiting a thoroughgoing repair .  They are below.  The first the 8200 block of Aurora on the east side. The other is actually on the north sidewalk of 85th, just a few yards west of Aurora.

 

<image003.jpg>

 

<image004.jpg>

 

Also, yesterday I checked again on the totally treacherous empty tree well on 85th just east of the bus stip. As the days get shorter, this is just an utterly unsafe and unacceptable sidewalk condition  I first called it in, I believe, on September 1.  If nothing else, can be done, is there an SDOTf communication channel such that you could get a crew to pull into the Jack-in-the-Box parking lot and at least drop an orange traffic cone in the gap to warn walkers of a hole in he sidewalk? That would be something  even if there is no opportunity or resource actuals to fit a cover on the tree well.

 

<image005.jpg>

 

 

Finally, I did get an email yesterday with regard to the SDOT tree blocking the sidewalk on 85th that badly needs a two-minute prune. I think I had alerted you to this tree on September 1 and suggested you might tip off SDOT Urban Forestry to get it taken care of. I checked on it yesterday and it has not been attended to:

 

<image006.jpg>

 

Were you able to communicate directly to you colleagues at Urban Forestry?

 

In any case its seems so far as feedback to me is concerned to have fallen into a black hole called a “Service Request Confirmation,”  that generates the following email, two weeks after I had called it to our attention

 

This email was sent from a notification-only system that cannot accept incoming email. Please do not reply to this message.

---

 

Thank you for contacting the Seattle Department of Transportation. Your inquiry has been added to the service request tracking system.  For many types of requests, you can expect a response within 10 business days; inquiries that require a site evaluation or inspection may take up to 30 days for a response.

Your inquiry has been assigned the unique service request number 21-00199218. This number is the official reference number for your service request if you need to inquire about it in the future. 

If you have questions regarding your inquiry, please call 206-684-ROAD (7623).  

For your convenience, the text of your inquiry is included below:

Location: 202 N 85TH ST, SEATTLE, WA 98103
An SDOT tree planted by SDOT in 2018. It now blocks the sidewalk. Pretty clearly no one’s responsibility for pruning but SCDOT’s. At 202 North 85th.

This tree is on my walking route for groceries in the Greenwood Urban Village, so it will be easy for me to track progress.  

 

Meanwhile, speaking of calls you might make to colleagues, there is a storm drain grate on 85th near Dayton that is in an advanced risk of collapsing into its vault and is pummeled by every passing Metro #45 westbound coach on 85th. This is a classic case illustration of an infrastructure repair that is relatively inexpensive to achieve if timely addressed, but becomes more expensive by a serious multiplier if allowed to get into even worse condition before addressed.  I hope you can give a heads-up to your Street Repair people (or Seattle Public Utilities, if it’s there problem) that the longer this waits, the larger and more expensive to taxpayers the repair project becomes.  That's infrastructure maintenance 101. Of course every extra taxpayer dollar that has to be spent because of negligently deferred maintenance is a taxpayer dollar that can’t be spent on some project to improve the transportation system,  

 

<image007.jpg>

[Green, Jinny]

Hi Doug,

 

We have ordered a shim for the “sinkhole” in the asphalt patch on the 8400 block of Aurora Ave N.  Regarding the pavement around the inlet, our pavement engineers are looking into the issue and will let me know.

 

Based on feedback from the City Arborist, the tree pit contains an SPU Filterra unit.  SPU crews maintain the units and the trees that are planted in them.  The request has been forwarded to SPU to address.   

 

On a separate note, any published budget information is available here:  https://www.seattle.gov/city-budget-office

Navigate to 2021-2026 Adopted Capital Improvement Program. See page 265 as shown on the bottom of the page, which is page 275 of the PDF.

In some budget documents, Sidewalk Safety Repair is called Sidewalk Maintenance Program—they are used interchangeably in budget books.

 

The various issues that you bring up would best be addressed by submitting them to 684-...@seattle.gov.  Our customer care staff will forward your request to the correct department.  This would avoid potential delays.  Thanks.