Seattle's Office of Emergency Management Wants You to Know
As a result of the severe winter weather that has affected our region, the Federal government has made assistance programs available to businesses through the SBA. Details for each weather event are here. For more information contact Erika Lund, Seattle's Recovery & Mitigation Coordinator, (206) 233-5089

1. December 2008 Snow - business and private non-profits only
The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved an economic injury disaster loan program in all 39 counties for businesses impacted by the December snowstorms. Application deadline for the program is Oct. 30, 2009.
Please see EIDL press release.

2. January 2009 Floods - businesses, non-profits and individuals
Under the disaster declaration of Jan. 30, 2009, federal assistance is available to affected individuals in King, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston and Wahkiakum counties. Eligible assistance can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.
(See pdf with details on assistance programs.)

Receiving FEMA-State assistance begins with registering with FEMA.
Applicants can register for FEMA assistance by calling, toll-free,
1-800-621-3362 (FEMA), TTY 1-800-462-7585. Operators are available between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. seven days a week. Applicants can also register online at www.disasterassistance.gov.

Registration deadline is March 31, 2009.

General: Go to a general SBA fact sheet.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government's primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property.
These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

For information about SBA programs, applicants may call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY 1- 800-877-8339). Homeowners, renters and business owners with questions for the SBA should call the Customer Service Center at
1-800-659-2955 (TTY 1-800-877-8339).

The BIG I-5 Pavement Triage is Here
Monday Feb 9th marked the start of night and weekend closures on I-5 through Seattle and Shoreline to fix the rutty, cracked and uneven pavement. It's It's a big job that will last several months, and drivers can expect more than 100 nights and up to 14 weekends of lane closures in both directions of I-5, including the express lanes. On weeknights crews will grind the aging pavement to provide a smoother ride with improved traction. On weekends the focus shifts to removing and replacing failing concrete panels.

First weeknight closures (7 p.m. – 5 a.m.)
• Monday, Feb. 9 to Friday morning, Feb. 13: Northbound I-5 reduced to one lane at the Swift/Albro interchange in South Seattle.
• Wednesday, Feb. 11, to Friday morning, Feb. 13: Southbound I-5 reduced to one lane between Stewart Street and I-90.

First weekend closures (8 p.m. Friday – 5 a.m. Monday)
• Friday, Feb. 13 to Monday Feb. 16: Southbound I-5 reduced to two lanes between Stewart St. and Dearborn and just one lane between Dearborn St. and I-90. Express lanes will operate southbound all weekend.

Check the 2009 Construction Season Web page for the latest closure information. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/King/Construction

SR519 - Next Phase - Here it comes!
Starting at 9 a.m., Friday, Feb. 6, crews closed the southbound lane of Occidental Avenue S. at Edgar Martinez Way and the northbound right-turn only lane of First Avenue S. approaching Edgar Martinez Way. The Occidental Avenue S. closure means vehicles will not be able to turn south onto the street from Edgar Martinez Way. Drivers will still be able to turn right from northbound First Avenue S. to eastbound Edgar Martinez Way despite the turn lane closure.

Crews will also close the sidewalk between Occidental Avenue S. and First Avenue S. Pedestrians will be detoured to a fenced pathway through the "Outback" parking lot. All closures will be in place around the clock until mid-March.

The right eastbound lane of S. Atlantic Street just west of First Avenue S remains closed for widening on S. Atlantic Street.

Crews are widening the intersection of First Avenue S and S. Atlantic Street/Edgar Martinez Way to add turn and travel lanes. The widening is part of the SR 519 Intermodal Access project, which also includes a new westbound off-ramp connecting I-90 and I-5 to the existing S. Atlantic Street overpass and a vehicle and pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks on S. Royal Brougham Way. Work on the bridge and off-ramp is scheduled to begin this April. For more information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr519.

Metro Update

1st Avenue South Rebuild Project
During the next two weeks 1st Ave S will require occasional daytime (7AM - 4PM) single lane closures between Stacy & Horton, plus nighttime (6PM - 7AM) multiple lane restrictions between Stacy & Lander.

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