The Downtown Alley Cat Is On The Prowl: Episode 12

Last week, my Dad, DAC, told me that I needed to get over to the alley behind Escala and take a look at a big truck sticking out of their loading dock and blocking all alley traffic. He said that a picture of this truck would be right at the top of any list showing why a downtown alley code amendment is absolutely necessary here in Seattle; and why none of these new pending high-rise projects downtown should be approved without demonstrating that large trucks such as this one will fit completely in the loading berth(s) and not extend out into the alley right-of-way.

When I got over there, he was absolutely right. In fact, I wonder how many maneuvers and how much time it took for the driver to even get the truck  in that position [see photo below]. It was difficult enough for human traffic and cat traffic, and literally impossible for any vehicle traffic to traverse the length of the alley until that truck completed its loading/unloading, and maneuvered out of the loading berth [and this is a berth built to current code…how nuts is that?]

While I was watching this mess, I heard some unhappy bystanders talking about the fact that a 500’ high-rise is seeking approval right across the alley from Escala with its own loading berths directly across from this one. Can you imagine that? If that happens, it will be an absolute disaster in the alley on an ongoing basis, and further contribute to traffic gridlock in downtown. It’s a complete fraud for SDCI to say that a Dock Management Plan can make this work. I’ll need to make more trips to this alley just to watch "alley rage"!

If you are concerned about these non-functional loading designs, and believe these projects need to be stopped in their tracks until they come up with workable solutions, please write Mayor Durkan [jenny.durkan@seattle.gov] and our Downtown District Council-member Bagshaw [sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov] and tell them what you believe they need to do to solve these ongoing and worsening conditions.