On Monday April 16th I had the opportunity to visit the Ready to Work program’s expansion into District 1. During the 2018 budget I advocated for funding to expand the Ready to Work (RTW) program into West Seattle. Ready to Work is for people who face barriers to employment and need support learning English. The success of the Ready to Work model comes from its focus not only on English as a Second Language classes (levels 1-3) but its suite of supports including computer literacy, employment-based case management, and co-location of the program with other intersecting supports like childcare. The West Seattle RTW program is a collaboration of Neighborhood House and Literacy Source and is hosted at the Neighborhood House High Point Center.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about or signing up for the West Seattle Ready to Work program, please contact Abdi at 206-588-4901 or abdii@nhwa.org
Photo Credit- West Seattle Blog
Sound Transit Early Scoping Report
Sound Transit has released an Early Scoping Summary Report, which includes summaries of the first round of public comments for proposals for the ST3 light rail extensions to West Seattle and Ballard.
Here’s a link to the full summary report, and to a shorter summary without the appendices.
Comments for the West Seattle portion begin on page 25. There was broad concern about the impact of an elevated guideway through Delridge, Avalon, and the Alaska Junction; nearly 300 comments were received in support of a tunnel from at least the Avalon Station to the Junction Station, and around 50 comments for each of the three proposed stations. There was some support for an elevated line, especially if it keeps the project on schedule and budget.
Sound Transit provided a presentation to the Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) earlier this week on potential options to study in greater detail. The SAG will provide “Level 1” recommendations on April 24th. Slides 15-23 show West Seattle alternatives, which include tunnel routes and alternate elevated alignments, and key findings of early level of evaluation by Sound Transit. Different elements of each can be mixed and matched.
I support moving forward tunnel options for consideration.
Sound Transit will hold a series of public Neighborhood Forums, including one in West Seattle on Saturday, May 5th from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Alki Masonic Center at 4736 40th Avenue SW.
After the Stakeholder Advisory Group makes its recommendations, the Elected Leadership Group will vote on Level 1 recommendations to pursue on May 17th.
