Drivers Reaching High Speeds On Streets Around Laurelhurst Elementary School

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) published this information in a recent newsletter:

Speeding on Arterial

Neighbors from the 4700 block of 47th Avenue NE met with District 4Council member Pedersen in mid February concerning consistently high rates of speed on 47th Avenue NE between Sand Point Way and NE 45th Street, which includes the block that Laurelhurst Elementary School is on.  

Drivers often speed at 40 to 50 mph at night and drive well over the posted 20 mph school zone speeds during the day. The existing traffic circle near the school and Sun Park has not been effective in slowing drivers. 

Traffic has increased over the years with Children's Hospital expansion and the SR520 toll increases, which has caused some drivers to change their route to the eastside. 

The recent discussion with Pedersen included the steps needed to 1) post 20 or 25 mph on this arterial 2) petition for speed bumps on 47th Avenue NE 3) clearly mark and perhaps enforce the 20 mph school zone when children are present 4) restripe speed diverts and crosswalks  and 5 ) install a speed monitoring device. 

Councilmember Pedersen was very responsive and has contacted SDOT to address these concerns.

In 2014, two residents who live near the busy NE 47th Street and 47th Avenue NE intersection, submitted an application to Neighborhood Park and Street Fund citing in their application that there was "excessive speed and lack of awareness of pedestrians around Laurelhurst Elementary during school hours," which was ultimately rejected. However, temporary radar machines were placed on NE 45th Street.

Neighbors wondered at the time why the radar machine wasn't put on the much more highly travelled vehicle and pedestrian routes of 46th and 47th Avenues NE.

One neighbor recently told the Laurelhurst Blog:

46th Avenue NE is a narrower road than most City streets and cars go very fast on that street. 47th Avenue NE seems to be used as a cut through street, almost like a freeway and has been for years. Hopefully Pedersen will have a solution soon before anyone is hurt.

No Blocking Driveways Especially Around Schools

Sign facing south on 

4500 block of 46th Avenue NE

The Laurelhurst Community Club recently published information in a recent newsletter about blocking driveways especially around Laurelhurst Elementary School.

Cars often block resident's driveways so that they cannot pull of out of their driveways and are unable to find the driver.

The City corresponding code states: 11.72.025 - Alley—Driveway.                                         

No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle within an alley in such a position as to block the driveway entrance to any abutting property. (RCW 46.90.433(2)) 

Parking on the 4500 block of 46th Avenue NE is only permitted on the east side of the street, not on the west side where the homes are. Despite "No Parking" signs on the west side of 46th Avenue NE, it is reported that drivers say they are just running in to the school for a minute. However, parking on that side is still not allowed regardless of how long the driver is in the school.

Many years ago, residents worked with the City to have parking allowed only on one side of 46th Avenue NE due to the narrowness of the street. With cars parked on both sides, it is very hard for fire trucks, large vehicles and even cars to safely move up and down the street when both sides have parked cars.

Most of the vehicles usually park north, facing the opposite direction of the traffic going south, as the City calls  "Wrong side parking" which is a $47 infraction.

The City Municipal code says:
11.72.470 - Wrong side parking. 
No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle on that portion of any street or alley lawfully set aside for the parking of vehicles or movement of traffic in the direction opposite to that which the parked vehicle faces               

11.72.330 - Posted signs.    
No person shall:

A.Stop, stand or park a vehicle at any place or time where official signs prohibit stopping;

B.Stand or park a vehicle at any place or time where official signs prohibit standing; or

C.Park a vehicle at any place or time where official signs prohibit parking.

11.72.185 - Fire Lane states "No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle within any fire lane" and this infraction is also $47.

Laurelhurst Elementary School says in their newsletter:

• Do not stop or park on the west side of 46th Ave NE across from the school (except where legal parking down by the church), so traffic can flow northward, around vehicles loading.
• Do not block neighbors’ driveways (either loading or parking)

The Laurelhurst Community Club newsletter said:

Parking Near Driveways

Please do not block neighbors’ driveways. This is a particular problem for neighbors when parents drop off children at Laurelhurst Elementary. City code requires leaving five feet of space on each side of a driveway for adequate visibility. Backing out of drives can be very dangerous when oncoming vehicles are blocked from view by parked cars.

Friday Laurelhurst Elementary Halloween Carnival

 

Laurelhurst Elementary is having its annual Kids Carnival on Friday from 5- 8pm. Tickets can be purchased at the event.

The School PTA told the Laurelhurst Blog:

The carnival features a variety of Halloween-themed crafts, games, and activities such as guess the candy corn and a spooky hair salon. Kids can also enjoy a crafts table as well as an inflatable. A pizza dinner will be available for purchase for $7 per person.  

This fun community-wide fundraiser benefits the Laurelhurst PTA and is open to the public. It's a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and support your local public school! Join the whole community for a great night for kids of all ages.

Also a parking reminder, that parking is not allowed on the west side of 46th Avenue NE or north of the parking sign in front of Seattle Community Church.  

Many years ago residents along the street worked with the City to have parking allowed only on one side (the east side) due to the narrowness of the street. When cars are parked on both sides, it is very hard for fire trucks, large vehicles and even cars to safely move up and down the street, as well as residents to back out of their driveways.

 

Movie, "Language Arts" Being Filmed In Neighborhood For Several Weeks

film production and equipment vehicles 

on 48th Avenue NE

"Language Arts," a movie based on a book of the same name written by a Seattleite, who reportedly lives in Laurelhurst resident, has been filming in the neighborhood the last week. The screenplay is written and directed by Cornelia Duryée’s with Seattle based Kairos Productions.


Currently the 50+ production crew and cast, including reportedly Barbara Reed, who plays a nun, has been filming in St. Stephens Church, as well as several neighborhood residences. The production manager put out a request recently for auditions for a house to film in built before 1962 with a kitchen that matches the same time period.

Three medium size trailers, one for hair and make-up, another for wardrobe, and the third with restrooms and 2 additional cast dressing rooms, and a very long trailer housing 8 cast dressing rooms have been parked on the west side of 48th Avenue NE just below the park. Several trucks housing production equipment are parked on NE 45th Street in front of the church.

Stephanie Kallos' writes on her website about her book:

Charles Marlow teaches his high school students that language will expand their worlds. But linguistic skill cannot help him connect with his autistic son, his ex-wife, or his college-bound daughter. He’s at the end of a road he’s traveled for years when a series of unexpected events force him to reflect on the lifetime of decisions and indecisions that have brought him to this point. With the help of an ambitious art student, an Italian-speaking nun, and the memory of a boy in a white suit whose friendship both saved and condemned him, Charles may finally be able to rewrite the script of his life.

Filming will move to Laurelhurst Elementary School from July 28th to August 7th and August 21, weekdays 7am-9pm. All the production and equipment vehicles will park on 46th and 47th Avenues NE.


An informational sheet was left at residences living on those streets which said (in part):

"No parking" barricades will be erected at least 72 hours in advance of each restricted parking time, with no parking dates and times clearly indicated. 

Most of our filming activity will be inside the school. However, we will be filming exterior on a couple of the dates. We will also be staging our equipment and some lights outside, and will film several exterior and sidewalk scenes with intermittent pedestrian and traffic control (while the camera is rolling). We have a noise variance for when we may need to have a crew arrive a little before 7am. 

We have on-site staff to assist with any access mitigation you may need, in advance of, and during the filming. Contact the Production Office phone at 206-219-9121. 

We are working with the Seattle Office of Film and Music (206-233-3948)to obtain permits and all the assistance needed to make our go fast and smoothly.

Apply For Free Conifers For Your Yard

Native grand fir

 

The City of Seattle’s annual Trees for Neighborhoods  program, a program of Seattle reLeaf, is offering up to four free trees to Seattle residents for their yards. 

A variety of conifers is still available one of the program coordinators told the Blog Staff:

If you have the space, consider planting one of three native conifers we’re offering this year: the

grand fir, western hemlock, or western redcedar. For small, narrow spaces, plant the graceful Serbian spruce. Consider the deciduous bald cypress and enjoy its changing color and soft beautiful foliage. Bald cypresses are excellent urban trees because of their adaptability, even winning the Society of Municipal Arborists’ Tree of the Year award!

Participants receive free trees, water bags, mulch, and planting and care instruction.   

All available species are listed here.

Many streets in Laurelhurst, including the 4500 block of 46th Avenue NE near Laurelhurst Elementary School, have participated in the  program, which also periodically includes free trees for planting strips. 46th Avenue is lined with beautiful trees.

Applications for yard trees are being accepted until all trees have been claimed. Original application deadline date was tomorrow. 
 

To learn more about this year’s species, space requirement, and to apply, go here.

 

Assault Rifle Used in Halloween Home Burglaries On 46th Avenue NE and Nearby Homes Near School

Picture from resident's security camera

of robber carrying alleged assault rifle

A man with what appears to be an assault rifle broke into a home in the 5100 block of 46th Avenue NE around 8:20pm on Halloween, October 31. The family said that their home break-in, as well as several others were "very clustered" with several homes on their street broken into as well as a few on nearby NE 54th Street, a cross street at the end the block.
 
The family captured a picture of the man with the weapon on their home security camera. His upper body and face don't show as the family had the camera pointed at the ground to try and see if raccoons were getting into their garbage.
 
The family spoke exclusively with the Laurelhurst Blog staff about the incident:

Unfortunately, our house was broken into on Halloween.  The robber kicked in the back door, which was locked, and forced his way into the house.  

Unfortunately, we didn't get a shot of his face, but, you'll see that he is armed and police suspect the assault rifle is real. Thankfully, we weren't home and the loss is stuff versus people.   

SPD arrived about 10 minutes after our 911 call and was very responsive for us that evening. However, I know the same is not true for our neighbor who waited nearly 1.5 hours for a response following their call. The patrol officers that responded to our house were thorough, respectful, and assured us they were doing extra patrols for the next several nights given the weapon seen in the video of which they believed was true but couldn't fully confirm that evening. 

We followed up with the general SPD hotline yesterday to hand over the video and although the officer was sympathetic, it was clear they are overwhelmed and burdened and do not have the resources to investigate these particular crimes. We'll be following up with the responding patrol officer today to see if he can help us escalate.  

With regards to stopping these crimes, I'd like to see neighborhood meetings and specific tips for securing our homes.  

One of our neighbors in already in touch with Seattle City Light to request more lighting in our area which is towards the end of 46th Avenue NE, where it's very dark and where the concentration of the five break-ins occurred. Better street lighting could potentially have helped prevent the five break-ins.  

I love seeing our community coming together to help and protect each other and to create awareness that although we live in an amazing and typically sleepy neighborhood in Seattle, we still live in a major metropolitan city and crime can happen anywhere and we should all be aware and vigilant.   

We want to ensure our neighbors are aware and alert this is happening right here on our street just two blocks from our school, and that we are all extra aware and diligent.   

We want our community to protect themselves and their families.  I feel strongly we need awareness about these crimes and the intensity of them. Neighbors need to know this happened just two blocks from our community elementary school and same for families with children at Villa. It's too close to our babies. 

Thanks to the Laurelhurst Blog for your help in spreading the word to the neighborhood. I know several friends in the neighborhood have been shocked to hear what happened and to see the image of the robber and that it could happen to us right here in Laurelhurst.  

 

 
Q13 and KIRO 7 each did stories on the burglaries.

KIRO posted this article on their website: Assault-rifle-toting burglar caught on Laurelhurst camera

Neighbors in North Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood are intensifying watch groups and their own security systems after surveillance video captured a burglar entering a home with an assault rifle.

The homeowner who provided the video to KIRO 7, had the camera aimed low to find out if raccoons were opening his trash bins. The video, which shows the burglar from the shoulders down, also shows an assault rifle in his left hand, as he kicks the back door in. 

The homeowner told KIRO 7 the burglar stole electronics, jewelry and cash. 

"I can't even describe the words,” said neighbor to the homeowner, Marsha Crivello, whose home was one of seven burglarized within a few blocks on Halloween night. “I just felt sickened by it. I thought what if I had walked in at 10 o'clock and he was here? He was walking through my house, went into my bedroom, opened drawers, opened closets and things were just strewn in the house." 

Another neighbor Brad Dykes couldn’t believe the nerve of the burglar—or the timing.  “That's phenomenal that somebody would try that, especially on Halloween when they know people will be more active.   have video cameras, security cameras and things like that. I haven't set them up yet, but this definitely will kick that into gear," he said.

Eagle Chick(s) Sighted By Two Nearby Neighbors At Talaris

We received these two emails from residents on Surber Drive with the great news about the eaglets nesting in a tree on the Talaris property:

Great news!  On Sunday, using a spotting scope from our backyard, we sighted one eagle chick in the nest, as it was being fed.  We observed closely, and didn't see any sign of a second chick.  Also, several times we think that we have heard the eagle chick calling to its parents.  We were quite concerned when, last December, we saw a bad windstorm blow down 95% of the nest.  We were very heartened, however, to see the eagles return three hours after the storm to begin rebuilding.

And the second email:

Nest report - finally was able to see with our scope, 1 and likely 2 chicks (leaves get in the way) being stuffed by a patient  parent this afternoon.  The chick is dark brown with tuffets of down still sticking out here and there, about the size of a chicken.  Both parents are away from the nest now scouring the pantry for prey items.  It seems to be more fish than fowl this year.

Neighbor Comments On School Zone Safety On NE 45th Street As Well As 46th And 47th Avenues NE

Two radar speed machines 2 weeks ago on NE 45th Street



Following our recent post about the two radar speed signs placed on NE 45th Street just near the south playground of Laurelhurst Elementary School, the Blog Staff received many  comments.

SDOT delivered the machines two weeks ago to one of several neighborhood school zone areas in response to an application submitted by Steve Clark and Paul Hanson, in conjunction with the City's School Traffic Management Program.  

The two Laurelhurst Elementary school fathers also submitted an application for the Neighborhood Park and Street Fund for either radar signs and/or flashing yellow  lights, which the Northeast District Council will formerly decide on next month,. NEDC will stack rank this project between three other requested traffic safety and park projects, as well as consider available City budgets against cost for each project..

Steve and Paul cited in their application that there was "excessive speed and lack of awareness of pedestrians around Laurelhurst Elementary during school hours."

SDOT conducted a traffic study of that area which showed that the average speed over 24 hours was 23.9mph and maximum speed was 0.1% of 7,686 cars going 65.2mph.

The various comments received specifically addressed why the radar machines were placed on NE 45th Street, rather than the much more highly travelled vehicle and pedestrian areas of 46th and 47th Avenues NE:

On the blog your article mentioned “Mike said he is much more concerned with traffic speed on 46th Avenue NE at all times of the day and secondarily on 47th Avenue NE."  I live on 46th Avenue NE across from the school.  I agree with this parent and will go one further.  After school in particular the chaos that is parking and picking up kids is often crazy, including drivers talking on cell phones while driving, parking on the “NO Parking” side of 46th in the backward direction and blocking driveways.  This happens pretty much every day. I occasionally alert Parking Enforcement, but they have to be here in that window of 3:00 to 3:30 to really make an impact, and I get tired of whining.  Most parents/nannies figure that the No Parking signs don’t apply to them.  I am waiting for the day a school bus rips the rear view mirror off of one of these cars, or a Fire Truck gets stuck in the backup because of these drivers.  Another idea about speed, maybe SDOT could install those speed bumps on 46th like they have up on that long street below the Villa (is that 49th?)   Also every once in a while neighbors have talked about applying for a traffic circle at the corner of 50th and 46th Ave to address the speeding and occasional collisions. Thanks for an informative article!

We have lived across from the school for over 40 years and have always seen cars racing down our street. We have been nearly struck by parents in a hurry to drop off kids, other cars racing down the street not slowing down to see if kids are around. It is a very dangerous area, much, much more so than the one block on NE 45th Street where the radar machines were placed. Why isn't the PTA looking at ways to improve safety on 46th Avenue NE, the school's busiest area by far than any other location? At each corner of the school on NE 47th Street is also very busy, again much busier than NE 45th Street. Hundreds of children and parents are crossing these intersections before and after school, and the school flaggers are not always alert, sometimes chatting with one another and not ensuring the safety of their fellow students and parents.  

If the PTA is looking into school safety, we implore them to first and foremost, come up with a plan for the consistently speeding cars on 46th Avenue NE, a very narrow street, with parking on just one side. Every crosswalk on that street is filled with parents and kids crossing in the morning and afternoon. Why not try to see what can be done - speedbumps, round a bout, etc. ? That should be the first place of attention, not NE 45th Street. The student population is mostly off of NE 45th Street and on the residential streets on either side of the school. 

NE 45th Street is not the issue here at all. The concentration of kids and parents is on 46th and 47th Avenues NE and NE 47th Street. Cars speed on both streets, making 46th Avenue NE especially dangerous as it is a narrow street. Crosswalks on either end of the block are filled with kids and there is often poor visibility with parked cars around the crosswalks. Add to that speeding cars and that poses a very dangerous situation. 

Why are the school parents looking at NE 45th Street to improve safety? Kids are not crossing the street in that one block by the south playground. The highest amount of traffic is 46th and 47th Avenues NE obviously. Cars need to slow down on those residential streets, which people use as freeways to drop kids off at school at a very high rate of speed. In addition, parents park illegally on a daily basis, not having respect for school safety or for the residents who live on the street.  

A comment about safe driving around the school--I sometimes walk in this area in the morning. I am much more concerned about drivers parking where it impedes walking. Some parents park on the wrong side of the street at the school, e.g. driving north but parking on west side of street where southbound cars should park, and then pulling out into traffic. Or parking across the street and helping their kids cross in the middle. Lots of ways drivers could be a little more considerate of neighbors. 

I’ve noticed school buses racing up and down NE 45th in the early evenings going what appeared to be well over the speed limit.  Granted there are no children on board but still seems dangerous. The school buses we saw were flying up or down 45th at around 6 pm, and I am guessing were activity buses. I didn’t see any on 46th but it was the steep hill on 45th by Laurelhurst Elementary. They did appear to be going well over the speed limit for that area though we didn’t clock them. I’ll mention my concern with Seattle Schools.   , I swear one of the buses caught air while sailing down 45th passing the elementary school.

Tonya, a Laurelhurst Elementary PTA member and "Safety Patrol mom" sent us these comments: (in part):

It is illegal for a car to travel more than 20 mph in a school zone.  To help clarify the law, a journalist at the Seattle Times has boiled it down

(article written by Times Eastside Bureau author in 2005):  

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission defines a school zone as 600 feet in length, designated by two signs, both 300 feet on either side of a marked crosswalk.

The speed limit within a school zone is 20 mph at all times on all days unless otherwise posted, said Lynn Drake, the commission's Pedestrian, Bicycle and School Zone Safety Program manager. Speeding through a school zone will net a fine of at least $177, she said."I think what people tend to forget and don't really realize is our schools are now more of a community hub for children even after school," said Drake, naming clubs that meet after the final bell and sports teams that practice on weekends as examples. "There's a constant flow of pedestrian traffic around our schools."

The activity at Laurelhurst Elementary starts and ends far beyond school hours/days as does the activity for the community center and Laser program which are all located on campus.   

Student Safety Patrol is one of the components of pedestrian safety and are there as courteous reminders to all who travel the school zone.  The school also sends out frequent pleas and reminders for traffic safety to the school community.

As a patrol mom, I have stood at crossings at the peak of child foot traffic and watched drivers exhibit truly egregious behavior and open hostility towards children, parents and crossing guards. Laurelhurst is a great, close-knit neighborhood with fantastic community involvement.   

However, the school-zone is regulated by the laws of Seattle, not the annoyance of neighborhood drivers.  We sometimes forget there is a bigger world beyond our own comfortable walls and the heated seats of our SUVs. 

At any one time there are more than 400 small humans tucked away in the school's rooms and streaming out onto the sidewalks.  Thinking about these kids is a helpful way to remember its okay, as a driver, to be momentarily inconvenienced by 20 mph

On April 4th from 11-noon, Feet First is having a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Action Network conference call about funding school walk and bike route improvements in neighborhoods. Residents can join this SRTS conference call and learn about two grant funding sources for infrastructure improvements in Washington.

The speakers will be  Charlotte Claybrooke, (WSDOT) who will present about WSDOT’s Safe Routes to School grant program, which has an open call for SRTS projects right now. And Stevan Gorcester, Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) will discuss how to access TIB urban and small city sidewalk programs for school walk route improvements and Theresa Adkinson, Grant County Health District, who will offer her perspective on how to identify partners, assess needs, and apply for grants.