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News and Updates

News and Updates

Montlake Bridge temporarily closes August 9

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The upcoming closure of the Montlake Bridge in Seattle from August 9 to September 3 will cause traffic delays in the surrounding area. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will be making repairs to the bridge. Please plan ahead by allowing additional travel time for traffic and detours. A second phase involves closing the bridge during specific weekends in the fall.

When the bridge is closed, traffic will be rerouted to SR 520 and I-5.  UW Medical Center locations will remain open as usual. For detailed directions to UW Medical Center locations, parking info and more about the bridge closure, view this helpful resource from UW Medical Center. 

August closure

The bridge will be closed to all vehicles and public transit, though first responder vehicles will have access to cross the bridge. The bridge’s sidewalks will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Fall closures

The bridge will be closed on select weekends to all vehicular traffic as well as pedestrians and cyclists. During this second phase, the bridge will remain in the raised position. Closure dates in the fall are still being determined but will avoid Husky Football weekends.

To learn more about the Montlake Bridge repair and closures, see WSDOT’s project home page or view this post from UW Transportation Services.

July CUCAC meeting canceled

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The July 2021 City-University Community Advisory Committee (CUCAC) meeting has been canceled. The next CUCAC meeting will occur in August 2021.

UW virtual commencement ceremonies on June 12 and 13

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UW art installations, like these decorated stairs, are in celebration of 2021 graduates. Photo: Photo: Dana Brooks/University of Washington

The UW’s 146th commencement ceremonies happen the weekend of June 12 and 13. This year’s graduates will participate in virtual commencement ceremonies, as was the case last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Seattle event begins at noon on June 12. UW Tacoma’s starts at 10 a.m. on June 12 and UW Bothell’s takes place on Sunday, June 13, at 1:00 p.m.

The interactive online commencement will be broadcast live, bringing together Huskies from around the world, and feature many elements of a traditional graduation. Translation will be provided in nine languages.

To help students celebrate, UW has added art installations throughout its Seattle campus to create special backdrops for photos with family and friends (think plentiful large block Ws, special banners, and Drumheller Fountain lit purple). These features will remain on campus through June 13. See a map of art installations and learn more here.

Despite the virtual ceremonies, some traffic congestion may still occur in Seattle’s U District during commencement weekend as 2021 graduates visit campus to take photos.

Congratulations to the Class of 2021!

 

Additional 2021 Commencement resources:

Commencement questions: https://www.washington.edu/graduation/contact-us/

UW Bothell

UW Tacoma

2021 Annual Report on the University of Washington Master Plan, Seattle Campus

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Linked below is the second annual report on physical development under the University of Washington’s Seattle Campus Master Plan as approved by the Seattle City Council in February 2019. The report is structured to respond to reporting requirements found in the City University Agreement (Ordinance 121193), the ordinance approving the Campus Master Plan (Ordinance 125733), and the Conditions of Approval attached to that ordinance. This report covers January through December 2020.

2021 Annual Report

In this reporting period, the University and the greater community worked to meet the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. University life and operations differed significantly from typical years as this report will show. The University appreciates the partnership of City of Seattle staff and the sacrifices made throughout the greater community.

With regard to the requirements of the annual report, two sites have been under construction by the University of Washington: S40 (Health Sciences Education Building) and C3 (Founders Hall). Two additional sites have been selected for development: W27 (multi-user building including Center for Advanced Materials and Clean Energy Technologies) and C11 (Interdisciplinary Engineering Building). However, no projects under this campus master plan have been completed during this time. The University measured a 7.5% single occupancy vehicle rate, which is a decline of 11.2% since 2018. The significant decline in the single occupancy vehicle rate is due to the majority of students and staff learning or working from home during the pandemic. As this is the beginning of a new Master Plan, most Conditions of Approval have not been completed yet.

 

Saying farewell to another successful Tent City 3 stay

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Forty people living in Tent City 3 (TC3) wrapped up their three-month stay at the University of Washington at the end of winter quarter. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever, hosting TC3 fit the UW’s public-service mission.

While many interactions with TC3 took place virtually this year, careful planning and precautions made it possible for residents to partner with the UW on in-person clinical, academic and service-learning programs, while protecting the health of everyone involved:

  • School of Nursing students and faculty, as well as UW MEDEX Northwest staff, collaborated with University District Street Medicine (UDSM) to hold multiple foot care clinics during the quarter. At these clinics, UW students and residents got to know each other, and students learned how to evaluate and care for feet. The UDSM medical van joined later clinics, in case TC3 members had additional health concerns.
  • The One Health Clinic visited several times, providing health check-ups for beloved pets and access to preventative health care for their owners.
  • TC3 and UW also built community during a student-led focus group, potlucks, donation deliveries and on move-in/move-out days. Students also helped residents applying for important services like health care, insurance and food stamps.

As was the case during TC3’s stay in 2017, students from the School of Public Health’s Community-Oriented Public Health Practice Program conducted a program evaluation of the residency.

Behind the scenes, a community advisory committee met weekly throughout the stay to share updates, discuss upcoming activities and address any issues that needed attention. Committee members included TC3 residents, SHARE/WHEEL staff, and UW staff, faculty and students. UW’s Office of Regional & Community Relations coordinated the meetings, which were also open to nearby local businesses.

Residents and student, staff, and faculty volunteers made quick work of the March move-out and transition to TC3’s next site in the parking lot of University Congregational United Church of Christ on 15th Ave NE.

Huge thanks to TC3 residents, SHARE/WHEEL staff, Tent City Collective, UW Facilities, College of the Environment, School of Nursing, Center for One Health Research, UW MEDEX Northwest, Doorway Project, Office of the President, UMAC, and the Community Engagement & Leadership Education Center for all their efforts to prepare for and successfully host Tent City 3 in 2021.