Showing posts with label seattle city light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seattle city light. Show all posts

Beware: City Light will be testing street light voltage in Shoreline

Thursday, September 5, 2024


Starting September 8, 2024 and extending through December, a two-person contractor crew will systematically test the electric infrastructure in Shoreline, street by street.

The testing will create contact voltage, where the electric infrastructure leaks current, causing surfaces like metal streetlight structures, street signs, or other conductive structures to become energized.

If you or your dog touches a metal pole when that particular street is being tested, you will get shocked.

The crews will be working overnight: starting Sept 8th, Sunday evening through Friday morning, 9:00pm to 5:00am, September to December.

Even when crews are not testing, an individual street light can cause a risk. If a light stays on during the day or flickers, report it.

Additional information here


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Wayne Pridemore: Lights in the sky but not in the house

Monday, August 19, 2024

Photo by Wayne Pridemore in Richmond Beach

Lots of lightning and thunder over our bedroom deck. This is my favorite kind of photo shoot, the action came to me.

View from Richmond Beach Saturday, August 17, 2024
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

The only problem was that a nearby transformer was hit and we lost power overnight.

City Light workers replacing transformer
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Sunday morning Seattle City Light came to the rescue and changed out the transformer and we had electricity with a flip of the switch. 

City Light to the rescue
Photo by Wayne Pridemore
Life is good.

--Wayne Pridemore


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WeatherWatcher: Winter Storm Warning in effect until 11 AM Wednesday morning

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

 
Seattle City Light Outage Map at 10:40 PM PST

About 3778 City Light customers in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park are without power as of 10:40 PM PST. Shoreline Area News headquarters is now without internet because of the storm. Regular Shoreline Area News will resume once utilities are restored. The Echo Lake / North Ridge weather station is also offline as a result of a power outage.

The National Weather Service in Seattle at 10:24 PM PST has issued a Winter Storm Warning in effect for Seattle and vicinity which includes Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. An additional 3 inches of snow is possible overnight into Wednesday morning. The Winter Storm Warning expires at 11 AM Wednesday.

The Wind Advisory also continues to remain in effect until 7 AM Wednesday morning, gusty winds up to 45 mph are possible. More power outages are likely through the overnight hours into Wednesday morning.

As of 10:40 PM PST the cold front is moving south through Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. Heavy wet snow at times is expected as the cold front moves through. In the wake of the cold front a Puget Sound Convergence zone is expected to develop probably starting around Everett at first and then drifting south through Shoreline. 

The Convergence zone will produce mostly snow at these temperatures, locally heavy snow in spots. A warmup to rain or above freezing is still expected tomorrow afternoon but the warmup will be short lived. 

Another round of snow showers is possible into Wednesday evening with another inch or so of accumulation expected. Snow accumulations can locally total up to 6 inches by the end of the night Wednesday, even with the warmup in the afternoon.

It's going to be a rough week for winter weather, stay safe out there.


For current weather conditions and real time updates visit www.shorelineweather.com




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This may be the culprit that caused your power outage on Monday

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

 
Photo by Allen LaVallee

Thanks to Allen LaVallee who took this photo of City Light crews working to remove a tree at 1800 Perkins Way NE in Shoreline on Monday night.

The location is a good match for the dead center of the outage area on Monday. The houses are reflecting the flood lights set up for the work crews.

Power was out around 5pm. It was supposed to be back on in an hour but it apparently took longer. It was back on by midnight.





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It’s storm season: City Light wants you to be ready

Saturday, November 14, 2020

Crews working an outage in the rain
Photo courtesy Seattle City Light


By Nicole Schultz

It’s Storm Season: City Light Wants you to be Ready!

A power outage can happen at any time, but it is especially likely during stormy weather. A little preparation today can go a long way to keep you and your family safe and comfortable the next time you experience a power outage. 

Are you ready for an outage? Take our online quiz and find out! You will have the opportunity to enter to win an emergency kit or a portable phone charger.

Here’s how you can prepare for the next outage:

Build an outage kit. Make sure you have enough water, a portable phone charger, nonperishable food, flashlights (with working batteries) and blankets ready for every household member—pets included!

Stay informed. Check the City Light outage map for current information on your outage and surrounding areas. You can also follow us on Twitter or Facebook for updates. Subscribe to local alerts. Track weather reports.

• If you are on life support, enroll in City Light’s Life Support Program. Does anyone in your home rely on medical devices? If yes, consider enrolling in the Life Support Program for notification about planned outages and direct communication when an unplanned outage occurs and how long it will last. Plus, you may be eligible to receive assistance to keep your lights on if you are struggling to pay your bill.

Never use gas or charcoal grills indoors. Homes in the Pacific Northwest are better insulated than other parts of the country and world. This increases the chance for carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure to install a carbon monoxide detector in your home to avoid illness or even death.

Pay attention to food safety. Keep refrigerators and freezers closed as much as possible to preserve items for up to 48 hours. Determine if food is safe for consumption based on its temperature after an outage.

Prepare for power surges. Power surges can cause damage to your appliances, equipment or electronics when power is restored. To prevent damage, it’s a good idea to disconnect your electronics during an outage.

Stay away from downed power lines. You should always stay at least 20 feet away from a downed power line and call 911 to report them.

Assess your trees. With most of the leaves fallen, now is a great time to examine the structure of your trees. Look up and identify broken or cracked branches that could fall during a windstorm. If your trees could cause safety problems with power lines, contact Seattle City Light Vegetation Management Staff online or call 206-386-1733.


By preparing now, you will hopefully be less inconvenienced by the next power outage. Rest assured, whenever an outage happens, City Light is committed to restoring power to our customers as quickly and as safely as possible while keeping our crews safe. 

For more information about outage preparedness, visit our Powerlines Blog.




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Storm in the convergence zone Wednesday

Thursday, October 22, 2020

All the weather in one photo copyright Marc Weinberg


A brief but dramatic storm came sweeping through along the Convergence Zone on Wednesday morning.

It began with very heavy rain just before 10am, then thunder and lightning. The Convergence Zone went right through central Shoreline - more or less along 175th.

Those in the far north of the city got some rain but those farther south were pounded with hail and lightning.

Then it was gone, leaving blue skies and a lovely sunny day.

City Light had work planned in an area around Meridian and 145th but Lake Forest Park accounted for a couple of the 32 different outages in King county that City Light responded to because of storm damage.

They were still working in north Seattle at 2:30am but Shoreline and LFP were clear.



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City Light daytime work on NE 200th near 12th NE

Monday, June 8, 2020

As early as Monday, June 8, 2020 Seattle City Light (SCL) will assist Sound Transit's contractor with work that will support the construction of the guideway for the Lynnwood Link Extension. 

The SCL work will take place in the daytime. Sound Transit's contractor is currently working at night drilling shafts.

City Light will be de-energizing a transmission line. Power to homes will not be affected.

The work could start as early as Monday, June 8, 2020. Working hours are 7am to 3pm.

They will be working at the street end of NE 200th near 12th Ave NE. They'll have a crane, and flaggers. 

Nearby residents may hear back-up alarms from the SCL trucks and bull horns during the day.

Work schedule depends on weather.



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Prelude to construction in Ridgecrest: City Light moving light poles

Friday, June 5, 2020

City Light crews doing a private job in Ridgecrest


Story and photos by Patricia Hale

Arden Homes purchased a property in Ridgecrest at 16539 8th Ave NE with a single family home.

They are redeveloping the property and plan to demolish the existing house, clear-cut the trees and build 16 homes that will sell for $1 - 1.5 million each.

In order to create a central driveway to the homes, they had to hire Seattle City Light to move a light pole. SCL crews were hard at work on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.



The pole you see is the one to be relocated. The truck and its equipment are drilling the 10’ deep hole for the new pole.

They use a combination of drilling, suctioning and water power flushing to suck up the soil in the 10 foot deep hole being drilled. Everything goes into the contamination containment tanks on the back of the truck to be appropriately disposed of.



No idea at this point how deep they had gone. The had already been drilling for 1 - 1/2 hours. Soil conditions, how much rock, hard pan and soil compaction all affect how long this could take.



Once the hole is complete, big rigs come in to lift the new pole that is lying on the side of the road to perpendicular and lower it into the hole and secure it to stand alone. After a couple of days, when the pole is set, they will place cross beams and huge insulators.

Then specialized crews come in for the “high wire” act of transferring the high voltage lines from the old pole to the new one.



I am not sure if the voltage of these particular lines but have heard it is 15,000 Kv (kilo volts) of power or more. (A reader commented that it is 120,000 volts)

I imagine these guys know what they are doing, as Seattle City Light is the nation's 10th largest public power system and first carbon-neutral utility, serving more than 410,000 customers.



Arden has two projects on the same street and had to have poles moved for both projects. City Light crews worked on both projects at the same time. You can see the second crew in the background.



New pole is in place. Workers were getting the high tension lines ready to be transferred to the new pole when they return.




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Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utility bills

Friday, March 20, 2020

By Nathan MacDonald 
Powerlines Blog

The lasting impacts of COVID-19 are becoming more apparent every day. As our region grapples with this changing environment, we are seeing the financial toll of the virus taking shape, leaving some of our customers in challenging financial straits.

We want you to know that City Light and Seattle Public Utilities will keep utility services on during the COVID-19 Civil Emergency. This will provide immediate utility relief for customers, both residential and commercial, financially impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Effective immediately, our customers can set up deferred payment plans if their financial stability has been jeopardized by COVID-19. Utility service will stay on as their deferred payment plans are developed and implemented.

Customers financially impacted by COVID-19 are urged to set up payment plans with either Seattle City Light or Seattle Public Utilities by calling 206-684-3000 or sending an email 24/7 at http://www.seattle.gov/utilities/about-us/email-question.

Looking to help others? Donate to Project Share

Finally, there is a program available for LIHEAP or ELIA participants which is funded by donations from City Light employees, customers and other supporters. Project Share takes donations and disburses the money to those in need. Last year, Project Share provided assistance to about 1,000 people. The average benefit for recipients was $250.

Project Share’s one-time emergency assistance grants can make a huge difference in the lives of your friends and neighbors. If you are financially stable, please consider making a donation here.



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City Light will be working on I-5 in Shoreline Tuesday and Wednesday August 27-29

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Seattle City Light crews plan to relocate existing overhead power lines over Interstate 5 near NE 180th St to support Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension project. 

This work will result in traffic impacts on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 27-29. 2019.

To complete this work safely, Washington State Patrol troopers and contracted crews must intermittently conduct rolling slowdowns of traffic in both directions of I-5 to ensure safe work operations and passage for motorists. 

Traffic will be intercepted and escorted at slow speeds for up to 15 minutes between Lynnwood and north Seattle as crews pull overhead feeder cables across the highway. 

Traffic will return to normal speeds once past the work area. See the map below for more details.

Rolling slowdowns will occur on the following dates:
  • Tuesday night (11:59pm), Aug. 27 to Wednesday morning (4am), Aug. 28
  • Wednesday night (11:59pm), Aug. 28 to Thursday morning (4am), Aug. 29

Traffic using the following on-ramps to I-5 will be affected:
  • On southbound I-5: 44th Ave W (Lynnwood), 220th St SW (Mountlake Terrace), State Route 104 / NE 205th (Shoreline)
  • On northbound I-5: NE 175th St, 5th Ave NE (Shoreline), NE Northgate Way (Seattle)

Drivers should expect delays and consider using alternate routes during construction. Real-time traffic information is available on the WSDOT mobile app and the WSDOT Traffic Twitter feed.

For more information on Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension project, which will extend light rail into south Snohomish County and serve stations in Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood, visit the Sound Transit website or seattle.gov/light/atwork.



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Rolling slowdowns on I-5 overnight Tuesday and Wednesday

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

City Light feeder cable work continues for Sound Transit Lynnwood Link Extension will cause rolling slowdowns overnight August 6-8


Seattle City Light continues to support Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension project by relocating existing overhead power lines on Interstate 5 near NE 185th St in Shoreline.

This work will result in traffic impacts on August 6-8.

To complete this work safely, crews must intermittently conduct rolling slowdowns of traffic in both directions of I-5 to ensure safe work operations and passage for motorists. 

The work will start late Tuesday night on August 6. Traffic will be intercepted and escorted at slow speeds for up to 15 minutes between 196th St SW (Lynnwood) and NE 80th St (Seattle) as crews pull overhead feeder cables across the highway. 

Traffic will return to normal speeds once past the work area.

Rolling slowdowns will occur on the following dates:
Additional Details:
  • Washington State Patrol troopers and contracted crews will intermittently intercept and escort southbound I-5 traffic through the work area beginning at 196th Street Southwest in Lynnwood. 
  • The same will occur for northbound traffic beginning at Northeast 80th Street in Seattle.
  • Traffic using the following on-ramps to I-5 will also be affected:
  • On southbound I-5: 196th St SW, 44th Ave W (Lynnwood), 220th St SW (Mountlake Terrace), SR 104 (Shoreline)
  • On northbound I-5: NE 175th St, 5th Ave NE (Shoreline), NE Northgate Way (Seattle), NE 80th St (Seattle)

Drivers should expect delays and consider using alternate routes during construction.

More information here on Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension project, which will extend light rail into south Snohomish County and serve stations in Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood.


 

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City Light will be dragging electrical cables across I-5 Tuesday overnight

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Feeder cable work for Sound Transit Lynnwood Link Extension will cause rolling slowdowns overnight from 11:59pm Tuesday, July 30 to to 4am Wednesday, July 31.

Seattle City Light crews plan to maintain the reliability of the electrical system by relocating existing overhead power lines on Interstate 5 near NE 155th St in Shoreline. 

This work will support Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension project.

To complete this work safely, crews must intermittently conduct rolling slowdowns of traffic in both directions of I-5 to ensure safe work operations and passage for motorists.

The work will start late Tuesday night on July 30. 

Traffic will be intercepted and escorted at slow speeds for up to 15 minutes between 44th Avenue West (Lynnwood) and NE 70th St (Seattle) as crews pull overhead feeder cables across the highway. 

Traffic will return to normal speeds once past the work area.

Traffic using the following on-ramps to I-5 will also be affected:

On southbound I-5: 
  • 44th Ave W (Lynnwood), 
  • 220th St SW (Mountlake Terrace), 
  • State Route 104 / NE 205th (Shoreline)
  • 175th St NE (Shoreline)
On northbound I-5: 
  • 5th Ave NE (Shoreline), 
  • NE Northgate Way (Seattle), 
  • NE 80th St(Seattle)
  • NE 70th Street (Seattle)
Drivers should expect delays and consider using alternate routes during construction.

More information on Sound Transit’s Lynnwood Link Extension project, which will extend light rail into south Snohomish County and serve stations in Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood, here.



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More electrical work to close 5th at 180th

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Starting as early as July 15, 2019 Sound Transit will close 5th Ave NE to a full lane closure from NE 180th St to NE 185th St as part of the Lynnwood Link Extension early work construction.

The street will remain closed for up to five days.

Seattle City Light will be setting the transmission line steel poles. Two steel poles will be delivered and installed.

There will be flaggers on site at the construction work zone to keep traffic moving for local access only from NE 180th St to NE 183rd Court.

5th Ave NE at NE 185th is open for now, and the cones have been removed from the 185th overpass. When this current closure happens, 5th will be available from 185th for local access only.

King County Metro will provide alerts and updates on affected bus routes here.

Work hours are from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Detour routes will be in place to drive around work area (see map)


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Dayton Avenue is open after windstorm brings down tree and utility pole

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Tree down on Dayton Ave
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

During the weekend's windstorm, a tree came down on Dayton Ave N, between Richmond Beach Rd and N 183rd.

New guy pole
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
The tree brought down a "guy pole." 

That’s one that supports other poles, but doesn’t carry any lines, so the mishap did not cause any power outages.

City Light had a line service crew onsite, but the pole was too big for them to move.

The pole crews were concentrating on replacing broken poles that did carry power lines to get customers back into service. 

The guy pole was removed and replaced on Tuesday.

The road was closed to traffic and Metro buses were rerouted onto Fremont.


 

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Seattle Light finishes restringing electrical wires across freeway at 125th

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

The electrical lines were across all lanes of I-5 on Apr 22
Photo courtesy WSP
Seattle City Light crews worked all night Thursday the 28th and into the morning of Friday the 29th to finish restringing electrical wires pulled down across Interstate 5 by April 22nd's car/pole collision at NE 125th Street.

To complete the work safely, crews had to intermittently stop traffic in both directions of I-5 between State Route 520 and NE 205th Street as crews pulled power lines across I-5.

Washington State Patrol troopers assisted with traffic control.

On April 22, a male driver was travelling northbound on 5th Ave NE when he attempted to turn eastbound on NE 125th. The driver made an extremely wide turn and collided with the stabilizing wire attached to a power pole. The driver was not injured but the impact of the collision broke the pole in half.

The power lines attached to the pole run across both the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 5. The energized power lines fell across both lanes of I-5, causing the shutdown of the freeway.

Crews worked all day and night to remove the lines and restore power to the surrounding area.


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Traffic to stop several times overnight on I-5 in north Seattle, March 20-24

Friday, March 17, 2017

Attention late-night commuters: Anyone who uses I-5 through Seattle needs to be prepared to see some delays overnight next week while WSDOT helps Seattle City Light with some important work.

Starting Monday, March 20 through Friday, March 24, traffic going both directions of I-5 will slow to a stop up to five times between State Route 520 and Northeast Northgate Way, from 11:59pm until 4am the next morning.

Traffic may be stopped for up to 25 minutes during these hours.

The northbound I-5 off-ramp to Ravenna Boulevard / Northeast 65th Street and the Northeast 50th Street on-ramp to northbound I-5 will also close from 11:59pm Monday to 4am Tuesday.

This is all so Seattle City Light crews can pull power lines over I-5 at Northeast 60th Street to help enhance the reliability of their electrical system.

If you want to find out more about what’s going on, check out the project page and the Seattle City Light Twitter page.



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City Light completes Cable Injection Project in Lake Forest Park

Monday, October 17, 2016

Typical cable injection work in Seattle
Photo courtesy Seattle City Light
In September 2016, Seattle City Light worked to upgrade about a mile of aging electrical cable in parts of Lake Forest Park through a process called silicone injection.

The silicone injection is intended to fill cracks in the cable insulation to prevent outages.

This work extends the life of the cable for an additional 25 years and improves electrical reliability.

Seattle City Light’s contractor, Novinium, recently completed the testing and cable injection as of late September 2016.

Roughly 50 percent (about half a mile) of the underground cable was suited to injection, while the remaining 50 percent of cable will need to be replaced at a later date.

For more information about this project and others, visit Seattle City Light’s construction website. Search for utility construction projects in your area by neighborhood, address and ZIP code.



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Make claims to City of Seattle for damage from the power surge

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Areas affected by the power surge
Map from Seattle City Light power outage page


By Diane Hettrick

The last power outage, on Friday, August 19, was unusual in that it was caused by a power line that detached from an insulator and fell across the lower wires.

According to Seattle City Light, "An insulator on a transmission line broke. When it did, the line dropped onto distribution lines below. The energy surge popped breakers, fuses and switches."

Usually our power outages are caused by trees and branches falling on power lines.

This was was also unusual because of the strength of the power surge and the amount of damage in individual homes in the outage area.

Here is some of the damage being reported:
  • a brand new washer, bluray / dvd player, and hot tub control panel
  • our refrigerator and microwave are fried and we had to replace the breaker that controls them. The power surge also destroyed the surge protectors that our electronics were plugged into.
  • washing machine, computer and stereo all are not functioning
  • fried appliances and outlets not working even after checking circuit breaker
  • dishwasher, washing machine, computer, modem, and surge protectors
  • stove, TV, and dishwasher
  • fridge, dimmer switches
  • furnace, surround sound, coffee pot, and a surge protector, although it did its job and saved the computer, printer and modem.
  • washing machine, gfci outlet and a power strip.
  • microwave
  • tower fan
  • the range works great but the oven thinks the door is always open even when it's closed
  • washer, computer and stereo
  • oven doesn't work but the cooktop and clock do (and the oven light is now permanently "on"). 
  • washer, dryer AND dishwasher 

As you can see from the list, the damage is complete for some appliances, and partial for others. If you live in one of the red zones and you own any of these items, it would be prudent to see if they still function before you submit your claim.

City Light refers questions about damages to the claim process webpage for the City of Seattle. The form is online. The form seems geared to vehicle accidents but it is their standard claim for damages form.

Here's the webpage: http://www.seattle.gov/cityattorney/how-do-i/file-a-claim  The form is on the page and can be printed off.

The form begins with this statement:
If you believe the City is at fault for an incident or accident resulting in loss, injury or damages, you can file a claim requesting payment. Details on the claim filing process, frequently asked questions and links to the Claim for Damages forms are below. If you have additional questions or need interpretation, please call the City's Customer Service Bureau at 206-684-2489.

Customer Service might be able to help if you have specific questions about how to fill out the form. If you call and ask about making a claim, they will just refer you to the website.


Both the City of Shoreline and the City of Lake Forest Park advise citizens to submit the claim form. In all cases, the claimant needs to have proof for the amount they are claiming, such as receipts from repairs or purchase receipts.

My personal advice is that when dealing with a bureaucracy, over-document. Take pictures, and include any document which could have bearing on your claim. If you have an item which can't be repaired and you don't have the purchase receipt, find the item online and submit a photocopy with the serial number / ID info from your item. Get a signed statement from a repairperson. Do whatever you can to answer any questions an adjustor might have.

Consult your insurance agent to see what your homeowner’s policy might cover if your City Light claim is not accepted.



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Lake Forest Park Cable Injection project to start in August

Thursday, July 7, 2016


Seattle City Light will be upgrading the aging electrical cable in parts of Lake Forest Park to help improve the electrical reliability in the area. City Light's contractor, Novinium, will test and where possible, inject underground cables with silicone to fill cracks in the cable insulation to prevent outages. If cables are not suited for injection, they will be replaced at a later time.

Benefits of the project
  • As underground cables age, the protective insulation deteriorates. The silicone cable injection will help avoid unplanned power outages where injection is successful.
  • City Light has successfully used this lower-impact, cost effective method of cable rejuvenation on 50 different neighborhoods.
  • This work will extend the life of the cable for an additional 25 years and improve electrical reliability.
Project impacts
  • The contractor, Novinium will be working for a total of 13 days in the month of August.
  • One maintenance outage is anticipated for this work. All affected customers will be notified the Thursday before the following week’s outage. The outage date and time will be specified on the notification.
  • Traffic and parking impacts are expected in the immediate area during work hours. Flaggers will be used where needed on residential streets.
  • Crews will be careful to try and maintain access to driveways.
Schedule
Construction will start early August 2016 and take one month.

Work will be done on weekdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm.




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Shoreline residents question City Light tree pruning practices

Thursday, May 26, 2016

A severely pruned tree in Shoreline Children’s Center
with power lines running through its canopy.
Photo by Tim Gruver

By Tim Gruver

Shoreline is a Tree City USA as declared by the National Arbor Day Foundation, but residents fear its trees are quickly losing their shape due to practices by Seattle City Light vegetation management crews.

Maintaining and monitoring over 300,000 trees in the greater Seattle area, Seattle City Light works along 1,770 overhead lines to provide power to Shoreline. Seattle City Light has been recognized for quality tree care for the fourth year in a row by the National Arbor Day Foundation, but Shoreline residents don’t seem to agree when it comes to tree pruning.

15th NE at 146th in Shoreline
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Many trees in the area now bear huge, V-shaped cuts through their branches or have had major branches cut to one side.

Trees often share the same space as city power lines on both public and private land. Per City Light’s protocol, their intersecting parts are cut back by vegetation management crews, sometimes in extreme directions to avoid electrical conduction.

“Trees are the most common cause of power outages,” said Brent Schmidt, Seattle City Light’s Manager of Support Services. “Our focus is those parts of the tree with the greatest potential to affect the utility infrastructure which usually occurs only on part of any individual tree.”

Such practices are meant to prevent power outages and electrical fires, per Seattle City Light standards. The choice between keeping a tree’s appearance or keeping the lights is clear for Seattle City Light.

“Public safety is priority number one, electrical reliability is priority number two, and the third priority is the health of the tree,” said Scott Thomsen, Seattle City Light’s Public Information Officer.

According to regulation, trees are pruned every five years by City Light vegetation management crews after being inspected by a certified arborist – a much longer span of time than some residents claim occurs now.

Lance Young of the Interurban Trail Preservation Society expressed his concerns that City Light’s tree removal practices on the Interurban Trail stood in contrast to the original intent of the City Light Franchise Agreement, which cites the preservation of all trees.

A tree pruned at a 90 degree angle
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
 

According to Young, City Light has proposed to only preserve significant trees, or trees with historical or communal significance. He claims City Light has attempted to renegotiate the definition of a significant tree and soliciting neighborhood signatures supporting tree removals within just five days notice as opposed to weeks. 

“A solicitation is not really a request,” Young said.

Residents typically receive two weeks notice of a routine tree pruning unless a tree should pose an emergency. Crews may then prune or remove and replace the tree as deemed necessary, though City Light prefers to remove it if possible. Doing so may involve a number of methods.

“For a deciduous tree, sometimes we do what’s called directional trimming where you’re cutting the branches in such a way where you’re creating room for its branches to grow,” Thomsen said. “It can continue to get bigger, but it’s growing in a way that is growing around the lines.”
A drastically pruned evergreen on 5th NE
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

In response to concerns that frequent, drastic pruning leads to diseased trees, Seattle City Light’s Vegetation Management Supervisor, David Bayard, explained that it is usually difficult to establish a pruning as the cause of a tree’s poor health.

“Even if you pruned a healthy tree very aggressively, it would take at least a couple of years for its health to decline,” Bayard said. “Trees just don’t respond that quickly.”

According to the Seattle municipal code, a tree replacement is required only if the tree should be “hazardous, dead, diseased, injured” or otherwise unlikely to survive.

If a tree is removed upon request of property owners, City Light offers residents vouchers to obtain saplings from participating tree nurseries. According to Bayard, tree removals are best decided on the first time a tree is inspected.

“If the tree dies later and the homeowners say, ‘Hey, can you come out and remove this tree now and replace it?’ then we have to send a second crew out to do a second body of work on that same tree,” Bayard said. “Then it becomes a little more complicated because it becomes a waste of public funds to work on the same tree twice.”

As Bayard continued, the task of maintaining a tree’s wellbeing as well as the public’s is not an easy one.

“You’ve got to balance safety requirements with the tree’s health,” Bayard said. “So we do struggle a lot to do the least impactful thing we can to the tree while satisfying our legal obligations.”




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