Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Source of water flowing on 15th Avenue unknown



Update: The leak seems to have stopped on Thursday morning.

A steady and slowly increasing flow of water is coming from underground on 15th Avenue NE near NE 135th Street near a storm drain cover and fire hydrant. It is currently unknown where the water is coming from.

The flow of water started as a trickle and over the last couple days has steadily increased.

Seattle Public Utilities drilled holes in the street searching for the source of the water but were unable to determine where it was coming from. Workers were testing the water for chlorine and fluoride Wednesday afternoon trying to determine the source.

The low-lying area has had drainage issues in the past. In 2007 nearby apartments on 15th Avenue NE were flooded when runoff from Jackson Park Golf Course overwhelmed the drainage system.

But after more than 40 days without rain runoff has been ruled out as the source of the flow.


Cow, headstone on traffic circle in our neighborhood

Traffic circles in our neighborhood are not particularly interesting to look at. A few have obviously been cared for by nearby neighbors but many could use a bit of landscaping —or they are just capped with asphalt.

It also appears that many people in Seattle neighborhoods do not know how to use our traffic circles, used at many intersections in place of stop signs as a speed calming device.

Well apparently someone has given some personality to one of the circles in our neighborhood.

A one foot-tall cow and a silly headstone have mysteriously popped up on the circle at NE 130th Street and 23rd Ave NE.

The odd objects are fun to look at while slowing as you approach the circle and can offer a smile during a drive home or to Fred Meyer for milk. Kids walking to Olympic Hills probably also notice the oddities as they cross the intersection in the marked crosswalk.

Could they be the beginning of a new guriella art installation in our neighborhood?

See photos below.

By the way, the proper way to use a traffic circle is to travel to the right, counterclockwise, even when making a left turn. Please try to use them properly.

A foot-tall dairy cow has popped up in a traffic circle.

A headstone on a traffic circle.