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New outdoor dining area on revamped NE 43rd St.

Picnic tables on a city street
Outdoor dining on NE 43rd Street in the U District Photo: U District Partnership

With the pandemic spurring more outdoor dining and recent completion of a new NE 43rd Street, the University District Partnership has sparked a new look between the light rail station and campus, one that emphasizes people over vehicles. The Partnership has deployed picnic tables along 43rd for everyone to enjoy – preferably with a meal from a nearby restaurant. For a refresher on local restaurants, check the Partnership’s handy guide to the neighborhood with information on shops, services, classes, entertainment, places to live, and more.

Improvements to 43rd and the re-opening of Brooklyn Ave. NE set the stage for the October 2 opening of the U District light rail station, one of three new Seattle stations that make up Sound Transit’s Northgate Link Extension.

A special thanks to UW’s Facilities Services who helped paint these picnic tables. This is part of the University’s ongoing partnership with the community to improve the surrounding neighborhood.

UW announces COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students starting fall 2021

University of Washington announced on May 3 that all students will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this coming fall. View UW News coverage for details or President Cauce’s campus communication. Information on vaccine access, as well as information about support resources and campus operations, can be found on the University’s updated Novel coronavirus webpages. Autumn quarter instruction starts September 29.

Health One, a new kind of 9-1-1 response team, expands in the U District

Earlier this week, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins announced the launch of a second Health One unit to expand the program to the U District. Health One is a 9‑1‑1 response team comprised of firefighters/EMTs and case managers who are specifically trained to help people experiencing mental illness, substance use disorder and non-emergency medical issues.

With the second Health One unit becoming operational on April 15, the program will now cover the U District and Ballard in addition to the downtown core and Capitol Hill.

Each Health One unit includes two firefighters/EMTs and one case manager from the Human Services Department Aging and Disability Services Division. Unlike other emergency responders, the Health One units can spend more time with the individual in distress and connect them with the services that will help them remain stable after the team leaves the scene. This could include providing the individual a referral to a shelter, helping them schedule a next-day appointment or supplying them food and clothing.

Health One dovetails with the U District Partnership’s existing outreach program operated by REACH. The REACH Care Coordinator, David Delgado, works with individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness to help them achieve stability. Through daily outreach and ongoing relationship building, David helps homeless neighbors access essential resources including housing, health care and treatment.

Commencement 2021: Celebrating worldwide

This year’s graduating class will celebrate through a highly interactive virtual commencement. UW President Ana Mari Cauce announced the online format in an April 1 letter to graduating students. On June 12, 2021, the virtual event will include many elements of a traditional graduation to be shared across the globe with friends, family and classmates. Learn more about the virtual festivities here.

COVID-19 testing site opens in UW parking lot E1

This post contains information that was accurate at time of publication – January 2021 – but is now outdated. For current information regarding COVID Testing, please visit COVID-19 Testing and Locations | UW Medicine.

A new, free COVID-19 testing site is now available to the public in the University of Washington’s E1 parking lot off Montlake Blvd NE just south of University Village.

To schedule a test at the E1 site and view details, click here.

Testing location:
Montlake Blvd NE & Walla Walla Rd
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 477-3977

UW students, faculty or staff already enrolled in the Husky Coronavirus Testing program should continue to use access to testing through HCT rather than the new E1 site so that HCT enrollee testing data remain part of that program.

For more resources and additional COVID-19 testing locations offered by UW Medicine, visit https://www.uwmedicine.org/coronavirus/testing

For more resources and additional COVID-19 testing locations in King County, visit: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/testing.aspx