The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has done routine structural analysis and safety assessment of the 68-year-old retaining wall along North Northlake Way, and engineers have established that important steps must be taken to reduce the load on the wall and prevent further deterioration. For now, this means that public street parking along the south side of the street has been modified.
Originally constructed in 1951, the retaining wall was built with creosote timber piles and concrete anchors. Deferred maintenance and age has taken its toll on this vital structure. SDOT engineers recently identified that the timber piles have deteriorated, and overloads could potentially put the public safety at risk.
To prevent weight overloads, SDOT has temporarily restricted parking adjacent to the wall, impacting 42 parking spaces. SDOT has installed 14 parallel parking spaces along the wall, contributing to a slight narrowing of the unmarked roadway. The pay parking along the north side of Northlake, operated by U-Park Systems, will remain in place.
For now, engineers at SDOT will be studying and inspecting the wall to determine whether to replace the it or simply make structural repairs. No funding source for actually repairing or replacing the wall has been identified – this seawall maintenance is not included in the most recent ‘Move Seattle’ transportation levy fund.
Stay tuned as decisions are made, and funding hopefully found, for work to be done on this structure intrinsic to maintaining the Northlake area of Fremont safe and secure from waterway erosion.
Check the SDOT website, or Fremocentrist.com, for further updates.