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Pioneer Square Health Impact Assessment

Pioneer_Square_HIA_final_16June2014_Page_01Does Pioneer Square need a grocery store? According to a study recently completed by the Health Impact Assessment graduate class at the University of Washington we do. The Pioneer Square Health Impact Assessment (PDF) considers the neighborhood’s built environment, community and social services, mobility, and economic issues, all with an eye on the effects on human health. Other key findings include:

  • Provide a public toilet in the heart of the neighborhood
  • Encourage developers to include affordable housing in new residential buildings
  • Continue the expansion of bike lanes and pedestrian sidewalks

Much of the assessment considered the goals and objectives of the neighborhood’s 2015 plan, Pioneer Square 2015—A Strategy for Seattle’s First Neighborhood. Members of the 2020 strategic planning subcommittees will use the study to inform their recommendations for areas of focus during the next five years.

We’re deeply grateful to the students and faculty who produced the assessment. Their labor, analysis and expertise will help the Square continue to improve through a greater understanding of our condition and the strategies we can use to improve.

 

David Yeaworth

Deputy Director

Alliance for Pioneer Square

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TK Art of the City Street Fair + Call for Volunteers

Art of the City

Calling all lovers of art, music, food, and dancing in the streets!  The Tashiro-Kaplan Building is celebrating its 10th Anniversary on Saturday, August 2 by closing down Prefontaine Pl S and filling it with creative juice.  We need a little help from our friends and admirers to throw this party, if you can pitch in a couple hours of your time we’ll make it worth your while.

Volunteers are needed for security, staging, and guiding guests through the amazing array of delights throughout the building and in the street.  Shifts run all day from 7am to 10pm, for just a few hours each.

In conjunction with the street fair, most of the galleries and studios in the TK Building and many artist lofts will be open; hallways will be filled with residents’ art, and that of artists selected by guest curators; and performances will happen throughout the day in the Vandenbrink Community Room.

The Main Stage will be hosted by OC Notes; with performances by Vox Mod, Vince Mira, Sean Nelson, and Steve Fisk, among others. More information about the event: http://streetfair.tklofts.com/

If you are interested in volunteering, or would like more information, get in touch with Willow Fox at willow.wilcox.fox@gmail.com or 206.851.0899

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Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project Update – July 2014

BerthaContractor announces details of repair work plan for the SR 99 tunneling machine

Bertha, the SR 99 tunneling machine, has always been big. The focus now is on rebuilding Bertha and making her better, according to a new repair work plan unveiled Monday, June 16, by Seattle Tunnel Partners, our design-build contractor for the SR 99 Tunnel Project.

STP’s work plan (pdf 4.8 Mb), which is illustrated in a new animation (view on YouTube), contains four major repair and enhancement elements:

  • Replacing the damaged seal system with a more robust system
  • Replacing the main bearing
  • Installing enhanced monitoring systems
  • Adding steel to strengthen the machine and accommodate the new seal system

Other major enhancements of the work plan include:

  • Widening the openings at the center of the cutterhead
  • Improving the soil conditioning injection system
  • Installing bit- and wear-resistant steel on the cutterhead
  • Extending the length of the agitator arms in the mixing chamber

STP will provide WSDOT with additional supporting information about rebuilding the machine in the coming months, in accordance with the design-build contract, to demonstrate how the repairs will meet the contract’s performance and technical requirements, including:

  • An analysis demonstrating that the machine’s structure can withstand all loads from the surrounding ground and its own operation
  • Seal design details and background calculations
  • Design of revised conditioner injection systems and cutterhead openings
  • Updated operations plan including enhanced instrumentation and monitoring for key machine components
  • Complete testing program for all modified machine components prior to restart of mining

Bertha is currently stopped approximately 60 feet underground between South Jackson and South Main streets. As owner of the machine, STP is responsible for ensuring it functions properly at all times. STP is currently building the underground walls of a circular pit (pdf 2.5 Mb) crews will use to access and repair the machine.

 

No Milepost 31 speaker series in July

Due to the July Fourth holiday, there will be no Milepost 31 speaker series event this month. We look forward to seeing you in August.