UPDATE: Seattle Parks says the trail should be open by 4:30, but expect it to be muddy. Crews will power wash the trail tomorrow morning.
Seattle Parks was rushing to clear a mudslide on the Burke-Gilman Trail in near the city border before the evening commute, but an equipment failure means that does not look likely.
Joelle Hammerstad from Seattle Parks said crews will sign a detour route. The city has also rented a replacement excavator machine and lights so they can work into the dark hours to get it cleared.
S. Adams tweeted a photo of the mudslide yesterday:
Mud slide at Ne 42nd PL just up from the new paved section toward the UW #cycling@cityofseattle twitter.com/SLadams99/stat…
— S. Adams (@SLadams99) December 21, 2012
Unfortunately, the area is prone to slides, and this one is likely not the last one we will see in coming months. As we noted yesterday, it is great to see the city and King County treating the Burke-Gilman as a priority transportation corridor, working to clear this slide and a tree that covered the trail in Bothell yesterday.
From Seattle Parks:
We may run out of daylight before we get this cleared due to equipment failure. A replacement excavator is being rented. A light tower is being rented. Work will continue into the evening until the trail is passable. Work will then resume tomorrow Saturday, December 22, for additional cleanup and any residual slide activity. In speaking with the Park Engineer and reviewing the incoming weather pattern that is forecast, it is expected to dry out somewhat. The thinking is that we can complete the work Saturday and we hope not to have any additional activity on the slide into the early part of next week. In the event that we have more slides as we go into the holiday, we have staff on call.
Approximate location:
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Comments
6 responses to “City may not clear Burke-Gilman closure before evening commute – UPDATE: Open, but muddy”
One person with a shovel could clear out enough space for bicycles to pass carefully. C’mon!
So bring a shovel, spend an hour and move the dirt… not that hard.
This is what mountain bikes are for. ;)
Ride up to mudslide. Dis-mount bike. Walk bike around mudslide. Re-mount bike. Feel smug that you out-smarted Mother Nature’s fury. Ride on.
I concur with Erik – C’MON, MAN!
Ride up to mudslide. Lose control and fall. Sue the city and the parks department and the DOT and Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Suck vitally needed funds from the BG trail. Watch everyone else suffer.
I was very pleased with the cleanup response by the city and county to the recent slide, I think the winds are starting to shift in our favor. We need to keep up the pressure on our elected officials to deliver on the improvements promised.
Thanks, Peter Z.