Man, that heat wave was great. Such a refreshing change from the norm. The good news? High 80s and maybe even into the 90s next week! Summer, babe.

@1: yes, deliveries are an actual big thing at the market. you may have noticed that items are for sale? they come to the market in vehicles.

blocking all non-essential traffic on the weekends (and summer weekdays) is fine. deliveries are essential. the market will never be ped-only. at the very least it must have emergency vehicle access.

@1:

Actually delivery services ARE a really big thing there and all the produce, flower, meat, and fish stalls, not to mention the numerous restaurants, depend on having access to Pike Place because there's literally no other way to get supplies in or shipments out. That said, there's no reason why deliveries or shipments couldn't be restricted to early in the day, say, before 9:00 a.m. when the Market opens and the crowds start packing in, and after 6:00 p.m. when most shops and upper stalls close. Disabled access could be handled by creating designated temporary drop-off and pick-up points at either end, say, at 1st & Pike and Pike Place & Virginia, as well as adjacent to the elevators that go down to Western Ave.

no other pedestrian-only market area has ever figured out how to get deliveries. nope. it can't be done.

@9 -- Exactly. Look, the picture is unrealistic. In reality, there would be a few trucks there, especially if it was early morning (when most deliveries take place). Big fucking deal. The people who really belong there aren't the problem. It is everyone else. It is tourists, who have no fucking clue, and figure it would be fun to driver through. It is people blindly following Google Maps' (or some other app's) directions. Many of these people are just driving through, which is perfectly legal. At very least the street should be "local access only", but of course it isn't. If you think I'm making this shit up, look at this: https://goo.gl/maps/GzYsa6PzB2DKj4Br9. As of when I wrote that -- noon on a beautiful summer day -- Google suggests I drive through the market to get to Virginia. There are other ways, but they take longer, which is why Google recommends just driving through.

This is so fucked up on so many levels. Not only is it bad for people in the market -- including trucks that might have to make a midday delivery -- but it encourages driving. Drivers should have to "go around", while those on foot should have a shorter path. That is how Amsterdam does it, which is the city has far fewer cars, and driving is actually more pleasant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8RRE2rDw4k

@Matt you forgot a link in this blurb. Please edit
"Looking for a little DIY project that’ll help you breathe? Now’s a good time to assemble one of these cheap box-fan-filter contraptions ... "

But there is no linked instructions for assembly.

@10, I'm saying it's disingenuous for people to say "but what about delivery trucks?" As a reason to not block vehicle traffic. Logistics can be figured out so truck deliveries can still be made. It somehow happens at a shit ton of other ped-only shopping areas.

It's kind of silly to be concerned about emergency vehicles too. Lots of places do not allow for easy ambulance access for example, so patients have to be transported by other means to an ambulance. Its inconvenient but usually not the end of the world.

Put in some fucking retractable bollards and call it a day

All light rail stations should be turnstiled. That should prevent bear sprayers.

Portland is always worse than Seattle temperature-wise in the summertime. More inland. Like Cle Elum or Wenatchee. Hot AF between June and October.

Seattle Supersonics. I’m not even much of a basketball fan, but when I hear that, I always have to choke back a tear. RIP, Bill.

Pat Carroll’s career had quite an arc. Sort of a comedy ingenue in the 50s, her Gertrude Stein in the 70s was a tour de force. Madeline Kahn was unbelievably talented and was funny as hell. I heard she could be a handful, but who isn’t now and then?

Best of luck with the push for a carless Pike Place Market. I can’t even imagine thinking, if I had a car, that I’d ever find parking there. It’s weird that some insist on it. In my day we tried to keep Westlake Plaza pedestrian only, but the powerful business community put the kibosh on that.

@14: it may be silly to be concerned about emergency vehicles like EMTs, but the SFD is going to be the ultimate authority on access. they require they can get a fire truck within 150' of every point on a building's perimeter.

@13: i don't use those either, so I thought you meant old school deliveries, captain snippy.

Oh...and how about those Russkies? Using Europe's largest nuclear power plant as a base from which to launch their terror missiles? Ukrainian forces can't respond without risking a radiation leak. Laugh a minute, those guys. Putin is such an asshole.

@17:

That's why the retractable bollards @14 mentioned would be eminently practical - just like they are at Seattle Center. You raise to prevent random traffic from entering Pike Place, and can easily lower them in a few seconds to allow access for delivery vehicles and first responders.

Please tell me the Mr Ed reboot was set in Enumclaw and Charles was directing it.