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Transportation

Lake City Way Northbound Closed This Weekend

Get ready for a traffic snarl this weekend in North Seattle – Lake City Way is going to be closed starting Friday, November 18 at 7pm and will not reopen until Monday, November 21 at 5am.

This is a part of an ongoing project by SDOT to increase pedestrian accessibility in the notoriously devoid of sidewalks North Seattle.

Source: SDOT

Here’s the blurb from SDOT (Source):

Both Northbound lanes of Lake City Way NE will be closed for weekend work starting November 18 at 7 PM, and will reopen by 5 AM on November 21. Uniformed peace officers will be on site for the duration of the closures to facilitate the detour onto westbound NE 125th St for northbound traffic on Lake City Way NE. Pedestrian detours will be located at the north crosswalk of the intersection of 125th and Lake City Way. Follow detour signage on site. This work is weather dependent and could be postponed if the forecast isn’t favorable.

Buses will be rerouted, for details on bus information please visit King County Metro website at: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/alerts-updates

Here are the details of the project, also on the same page:

In 2018, the southbound bus stop on Lake City Way at NE 125th was expanded to give access to two buses at the same time. Now, SDOT will improve the bus stops along the route for better transit and pedestrian accessibility. Here are the planned changes:

  • New sidewalks will be constructed on both sides of Lake City Way between 30th Ave NE and NE 125th St
  • Widened sidewalks will make a better pedestrian environment for customers
  • Moving the bus stop closer to 125th St will make it easier to transfer to or from westbound and eastbound buses
  • New bus loading is important since a bus comes to this stop every 3 minutes during the PM peak
  • Improved traffic circulation by allowing two buses to load and unload simultaneously. The new stop will be able to fit two buses at a time, so that buses don’t have to wait and slow down traffic for everyone
  • Adding new pedestrian lighting for safer and easier access
  • Expanding the bus stop requires removing 6-8 one-hour parking spots along the east side of Lake City Way, but loading zones for businesses will remain.
  • Removing 6-8 one-hour parking spots along the east side of Lake City Way NE
Education

John Rogers Replacement Community Meeting: Tuesday Nov 29

New John Rogers Sketches
Provided Courtesy of Seattle Schools

If you live in Northeast Seattle, you probably are aware that John Rogers Elementary School is slated for a full building replacement on the existing site. This $91 million project will start construction this upcoming summer and is projected to take 2 years.

Seattle Schools hosted a very informative meeting in July about the project (presentation), and they’re going to host another update.

John Rogers Update Meeting will be on November 29 from 6-7pm

According to Seattle Schools, they will “introduce the project team, update you on the most recent designs, and answer questions.”

The Teams link to the meeting (it will be virtual) will be posted on the project site on Monday, November 28.

Transportation

Release: Sound Transit seeks feedback on ORCA LIFT $1 fare pilot

Press release from Sound Transit

Earlier this year, Sound Transit reduced the one-way ORCA LIFT fare on all Sound Transit services from $1.50 to $1.00 as part of a six-month pilot project. A brief survey and service area-wide public engagement process will gather feedback and help develop a Fare Equity Analysis to support a possible Board decision on making this a permanent fare change.

Online survey

The public can take the ORCA LIFT $1 Fare Pilot Survey here.

The survey is also available in Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Russian, Korean, and both Traditional and Simplified Chinese, which can all be accessed via the main survey page.

The survey is available through December 9.

Sound Transit remains committed to working closely with its partners to continue serving the public. Efforts will continue to prioritize serving riders who depend on Sound Transit’s services, including seniors, people with disabilities, Title VI protected populations (race, color, national origin), low-income and limited-English-proficiency populations.

Politics

Darya Farivar increases lead for LD 46 State Rep Position

While not all the votes are counted yet, it seems that disability rights activist Darya Farivar has opened up a significant lead over Pediatrician Dr. Lelach Rave in the competitive LD 46 of just under 5,300 votes as of this writing according to the WA Secretary of State.

Current Results (Source: WA Secretary of State)

This lead would be hard to overcome especially since the latest drop of votes increased Farivar’s lead over Rave, however nothing is out of the realm of possibility in elections.

Farivar has claimed victory on Twitter, but Rave has not conceded as far as we can tell. We’ll see how things continue to go as the votes are counted.

Local Business

The Highest-Rated Dentists in Northeast Seattle

The 35th corridor in Northeast Seattle offers plenty of dental options.

We thought it would be useful to list out the highest rated dentists in Northeast Seattle according to AreaDentist’s dentist data.

According to their report, here are the top five dentists in the 98115 zip code (so basically the Wedgwood, Matthews Beach, Meadowbrook and parts of Lake City):

  • Roosevelt Dental Center
  • Wedgwood Dental Center
  • Andrew Franklin, DDS
  • Green & Pietsch Family and Cosmetic Dentistry
  • Don Sing Dentistry

It always makes us laugh anytime we’re driving on 35th, because it seems like there are a ton of dentists in the area. Just about every city block seems to have at least one dentist office in the little business center as you drive from 55th to 95th.

If you need any helpful tips on how to pick the right dentist, check out WebMD’s guide to picking a dentist.

With so many to choose from in our part of the city, though, it doesn’t seem likely that you’ll need much help finding one you like. Always remember, if you don’t like your dentist, you can very easily switch to a new provider.

There are several great dental programs in Seattle, so it makes sense that we would have an abundance of reliable dental care.

Do you have a favorite dentist you want to recommend? Let us know in the comments below!

Local Business

The Best Food Delivery in Northeast Seattle

There are so many great food options in Seattle that it’s hard to pick our top five. But what if you want to get your dinner delivered? We have broken down our top five takeout food spots in Northeast Seattle. These are the local spots that either deliver food themselves or partner with companies like Amazon Restaurants and UberEATS. If you’re looking for more specific information about the meal delivery services available in your area, check out The Food Oasis for handy guides.

5) Jewel of India – While our favorite Indian food in the city might be up in Northgate at Saffron Grill. But for takeout? ‘Jewel of India’ is tough to beat. Definitely some of the best you can get delivered to your door.

4) Teriyaki Time – Big portions, and some of the best spicy teriyaki chicken you can get in North Seattle, definitely worth getting Teriyaki Time delivered. They have some of the fastest delivery times we’ve seen yet, so if you’re hungry right this second, this is a great option.

3) Shawarma King – Great Mediterranean food. You can’t go wrong with the sandwich or the plate, and absolutely, 100% get the Greek fries, they’re amazing and well worth trying. But you really can’t go wrong at Shawarma King no matter what you get delivered.

2) Romeo’s Pizza and Pasta – While there might be some better “strictly pizza” places you can order from in North Seattle, Romeo’s Pizza and Pasta has the variety that we love in a delivery restaurant.

1) Phayathai Lake City – By far the best Thai food we’ve had in Northeast Seattle. Their phad thai is amazing, the curries are perfect. It’s hard to argue with a great Thai restaurant that keeps a dinner for two under $25 as well. Five stars from us!

If you’re looking to go out for dinner, check out Eater’s guide to the top 38 restaurants in Seattle here. Seattle Mag also has a good list here.

What are your favorite delivery restaurants in North Seattle? Let us know in the comments below!

Local Business

Fiber Internet in Northeast Seattle? Here’s How It’s Shaking Out

Recently we saw several big cable trucks patrolling the streets of Northeast Seattle, putting new wires up on the city telephone poles. When asked if this was fiber internet, the answer was… vague.

It appears that the NE Seattle area will be getting faster internet, as to whether or not its true fiber, is another question. But the speeds now listed on several major providers’ websites seems to indicate that the option to upgrade is here, or will be coming soon.

Several years ago, there was a rumor that Seattle would be applying for Google Fiber, but that never seemed to materialize, either due to tough regulatory hurdles or because Google Fiber slowed its roll out nationwide. Probably a bit from column A and column B. You can view the full City of Seattle map here.

Regardless, if you’re curious where you can find the best internet in Seattle zip codes, you can use this tool to search.

Here are a few of the specific zip codes in Northeast Seattle:

If you’re hoping to check the government record rates of internet from the major companies operating in Seattle, you can review those here.

There’s no doubt that Seattle as one of the fastest-growing technology hubs in the world will see some major competition among internet providers in the future, but for right now, Comcast does hold a majority monopoly on the lines they have run throughout the city. There has been a lot of pressure from city residents to bring more options to the city, but for now, contracts prevent much change from occurring.

Interestingly, Washington state is now currently adhering to recently nationally repealed net neutrality laws, which will likely bring some interesting legal battles. This will perhaps set a national precedent for other states hoping to maintain net neutrality.

Regardless, if you live in NE Seattle and you’re looking to upgrade your internet speeds, you might have a worthwhile option to explore! Keep an eye out on your street for service workers installing new lines, it might just be fiber.

Highlights

Four Great North Seattle Outposts for the Local Tourist

It’s fun to hop around your own city and find some fun little spots that don’t draw much tourist attraction. It can be fun to see these little pockets of local gems, right in your own backyard. And since according to Champion Traveler, it’s the best time to visit Seattle right now, we’re in peak tourist season, so it might be fun to avoid the big stops like Pike Place and the Space Needle in favor of some fun sights right in your own backyard.

So what are some fun little North Seattle things to see? Below are some of our favorites:

The Wedgwood Rock

A giant boulder right in the middle of a quiet little neighborhood, with an interesting back story. The Wedgwood Rock is known as a glacial erratic, or basically a giant rock that differs from other native rock formations. In other words, there’s a giant boulder in the middle of the neighborhood that nobody really knows where it came from. Don’t think about climbing on it though, that’s a city fine of $100. Apparently this law was put in place to keep the pot smoking hippies off of the thing as Seattle was incorporating.

Maple Leaf Reservoir Park

What used to be a giant hole full of water is now one of the city’s most underrated parks. The Maple Leaf Reservoir Park now has sport fields, a walking track, huge playgrounds, butterfly gardens, and Cloud City Coffee right next door for a quick fill-up. This park is great for kids as well as adults, and is far less crowded than many of the city’s other large parks.

Pilling’s Pond

An adorable story about a young boy digging this pond 100 years ago before becoming a world-famous bird expert adds to the quirky aura surrounding Pilling’s Pond. While it’s a private park, it is still visible from the road, giving a great view at several different breeds of birds. It’s a beautiful part of North Seattle’s quirky history.

Sakuma Viewpoint

Waterfront parks can be some of the busiest in Seattle, but Sakuma Viewpoint south of the University of Washington campus remains a great little spot to have lunch on a sunny day, right on the water. It has a great view of the passing boats just about to travel through the cut. One of our favorite little spots to picnic. It’s also right next to Aqua Verde if you’re looking to rent a kayak to cruise around the two lakes.

Transportation

Move Seattle: The NE 95th ST Sidewalk Project

If you live in North Seattle, you know all too well that an evening walk with the intention of staying on the sidewalk can be a bit of a guessing game. Some blocks are great, others with no sidewalk at all, and sometimes you end up thinking you’re on a sidewalk and before you know it you’re walking in someone’s front yard (I’m looking at you… 75th and 40th).

Regardless, one of the worst offenders is 95th street, connecting Lake City Way and 35th, two major arterials for commuters, and the street that yours truly walks almost daily after hopping off the 312 bus. Walking up 95th can feel a bit like Frogger, running between sections where the sidewalk is non-existent to get on more protected pedestrian territory. In recent winter months, I have instead opted to walk up the hill as soon as possible and use 94th as it seems like a safer alternative, perhaps on occasion swinging into Fiddler’s Inn to have a quick beer before heading home.

However, there is new hope for safe foot traffic between these two arterials! In 2011, the city worked with local residents to improve foot traffic safety on 95th. The plan called to fix one of the worst sections of the street, with a full sidewalk rework between 32nd-35th, and more room for street parking. After years of delays and budget issues, the project is now on track, and slated to be finished in May if weather holds (there have been a few delays due to heavy rain this winter).

Below you can see some of the progress of the project:

I spoke with a resident who lives in-between the project’s construction zone, and she was very excited about the upcoming change. She mentioned that the city has covered the cost of the re-landscaping, giving several of the houses a fresh rock wall (as seen in the photos above). No property had to be purchased from residents to start this project, but there was some community outreach conducted to ensure that the locals wanted this fix to take place.

Between the street and sidewalk there will be a small easement where the city plans to plant trees, which should improve the look and feel of 95th in this section as well.

The strange thing about the project is that it only stretches between two intersections. 95th is a very long street for pedestrians, and while there are sections have have some sidewalk, for the most part this project seems to shortchange the majority of the street. It would be nice to see the project connect the entire Lake City – 35th corridor to drive more foot traffic safely between these two thoroughfares.

Regardless, this project is taking care of one of the worst parts of the street, so it’s exciting to see this progress.

This article was written by Rob Toledo, editor at exstreamist.com and sportfacts.org.

Local Business

The Growler Guys: Giving New Life to a Lake City Icon


It seems Seattle is at a crossroads of identity. On one side, there are locals who’ve lived here their entire lives hesitant to the change. On the other, 1,100 transplants per week moving to the Seattle metro area eager to leave their mark on the city.

While some Seattle neighbors have taken to the mantra, “Stop envisioning Ballard”, one business owner has received nothing but praise from all sides. Our North Seattle Contributor Tyler Davis Jones recently sat down with Growler Guys co-owner Kelly Dole, a 22 year Maple Leaf resident leading the charge towards positive community growth in North Seattle through delicious craft beer.

Northeast Seattle has always trailed more popular Seattle neighborhoods with infrastructure, establishments and identity. So when looking for a location for Growler Guys, Kelly looked at some of the typical hot spots like Ballard, Fremont, Magnolia and downtown.  But something kept him coming back to North Seattle. When the opportunity arose to lease the old Ying’s Drive-In on Lake City Way, Dole knew he’d found his new home.

 

The Building

The Growler Guys building (formerly Ying’s Drive-in) was designed by Roland Terry.  One of the Northwest’s most famous architects, Terry is more recognized for designing the Canlis building, his work at Nordstrom downtown and Sun Mountain Lodge.

Built in 1961, the building was virtually original with only one permitted change over the years.  In fact, it had fallen off the registry of Roland Terry buildings.  Designed as a night-club, the property was used as a drive-in for decades.  Likely because Terry demanded it, the materials used for the building were of the highest quality.  So when Kelly showed up, the building was in great shape for a property with few changes since 1961.

Screen Shot 2017-04-03 at 2.24.27 PM

 

Growler Guys

The hip, circular mid-century building plays well to the vibe and service of Growler Guys.  The bar is massive and wraps around multiple sides to accommodate their 60+ tap handles, 300 bottles as well as wine.  Kelly is proud of the customer experience at Growler Guys and wants beer lovers and non-beer lovers to enjoy themselves.

When you show up, you’ll definitely get FREE beer.  Growler Guys let’s you sample small tastes as much as you want.  They want you to love your drink.  So if you know what you want, they’ll even encourage you to try other beers to see if you’ll find a new favorite.

Whether you’re a local or new to the area, Growler Guys is truly a place where we can all get along. As Kelly looks forward into the future, he hopes that Growler Guys will encourage other small businesses, restaurants, music venues and more to land in NE Seattle.

You can see what’s on tap at Growler Guys by visiting www.thegrowlerguys.com or you can drop in 8500 Lake City Way Seattle, WA 98115.

This article is by Our North Seattle Contributor Tyler Davis Jones, a North Seattle Real Estate agent.  He is a loving dad, husband, and Wedgewood resident who is investing in Seattle through his business, his writing, and his podcast, Rise Seattle.