District 1 City Councilmember Lisa Herbold shared this update in her weekly newsletter to constituents:

Last week South Park experienced flooding caused by King Tides and significant rainfall. Many residents have been impacted by the flooding and sewer backups due to the high-water levels. If you have property damage due to flooding or sewer backups there is assistance available. Please reach out to me (lisa.herbold@seattle.gov) and I will connect you with the appropriate entity to get the assistance process started.  

The city is working to address the flooding issues in South Park through two major projects, the South Park Drainage and Roadway Partnership and the South Park Pump Station. I previously wrote about the pump station project here.  

Last week, and earlier this week, Highland Park Way SW was closed due to landslides.  

My office wrote SDOT to about what the landslide mitigation plan is for Highland Park Way SW, noting the critical importance of Highland Park Way as a detour route while the West Seattle Bridge is closed. Traffic volumes remain significantly higher than prior to the closure of the bridge.  

My message noted that landslides occurred during 2017; this is a recurring issue. In 2017 I raised the issue of proactive work to minimize the risk of slides, for supplemental budget legislation then under consideration. 

SDOT replied to acknowledge the request about mitigation plans and funding, and noted they would follow up, and noted they had installed concrete ecology blocks where the slide occurred: 

Traffic was then opened for one lane in each direction and has since been fully restored.  

The Council approved the funding in 2017, and SDOT noted they engaged in erosion control measures in after the 2017 landslide, which took place further to the south of this year’s landslide, including plantings and a concrete wall; that slope has remained stable.