As the ‘Jungle’ spreads up I-5, where is Governor Jay Inslee?

No one has been harder on Mayor Ed Murray than I when it comes to the inaction of the City of Seattle to clean up, and clear out, the heroin camp known as the “Jungle.”

I do need to stop and take a moment to give the mayor some credit. When I hammered him about the derelict RVs camped outside of Seattle Pacific University, and up and down 15th Avenue in Seattle, he cleared them out. Students can now walk to class without fear of a derelict RV camper exposing himself, as some of my neighbors had reported.

Related: Trooper attacked as Seattle’s homeless problem spills out onto I-5

When I hammered him about the derelict RVs parked on the Ballard boat ramp near the Ballard Locks, he cleared them out. You can now actually park your truck and trailer where the RVs use to be. People are boating again in Ballard!

When I hammered him about the open-air drug den under the Ballard Bridge, he sent in a tractor and bulldozed it. It’s still an open-air drug den, but it’s a cleaner one. And when it comes to the Jungle, I think Mayor Murray would bulldoze it too if the Seattle City Council — and council member Sally Bagshaw — were not standing in his way.

But let’s take a moment, put that political hot potato back in the oven, and wander up the I-5 corridor for a minute.

Do these pictures look familiar??? Go ahead and click through, I’ll wait.

These are a few pictures I collected Thursday morning along Northbound I-5, under I-5, and right near the express lanes at 45th Avenue and the Ship Canal Bridge. While the pictures look the same, the location has changed.

This complete disaster is supposed to be cleaned up and cleared out by Governor Jay Inslee with help from the Washington State Department of Transportation. You would think with another election cycle upon us, he would be enthusiastic about stopping the growth of the Jungle dead in its tracks. To be sure, the Jungle is spreading and this is on the governor.

We had Sgt. Courtney Stewart from the Washington State Patrol tell us that in her early days of being a trooper, she would get one to two calls a week about pedestrians wandering across I-5. In the month of May, she said there were 529 calls concerning pedestrians on I-5. Some of them were shooting up drugs right on the shoulder near Dearborn!

And the fires? This year alone they have responded to 109 fires mostly under and around this area of the interstate. Actually, make it 110 fires because there was another one at I-5 and 45th Avenue on Thursday where I gathered these photos.

When did the Washington State Patrol become the “Washington State Fire Deptartment,” or the “Washington State Pedestrian Escort Service,” or the “Washington State Punching Bag Service for Crazed Heroin and Meth Addicts.”

Punching bag service you ask? Sgt. Stewart also told us of a trooper who was attacked with two metal pipes last week. As he retreated to his patrol car to “deescalate the situation,” the suspect jumped on his hood and destroyed his windshield. He will be back on the streets, literally, by the end of the week to steal more stuff, set more fires, and try to kill more troopers.

This is an open invitation to Governor Jay Inslee. Next week, I was supposed to go on a ride-a-long with the Washington State Patrol. I have been told it has been cancelled because of the hornet nest we have created at KIRO Radio over Inslee’s inaction when it comes to clearing out camps, stopping the spread of the Jungle, and protecting our Washington State troopers.

Someone at Inslee’s office doesn’t want me telling these stories. Troopers have been told to stop talking to me, but it’s a funny thing about this band of troopers. They are now finding ways to tell me even more so I can keep telling their stories.

I have heard from troopers from all over the state that have told me to keep pushing the governor on this issue. They signed up to protect and serve the motoring public, not to respond to call after call of heroin addicted zombies that have been allowed to take over our bridges, our overpasses, and our interstates.

Governor, if you are not going to let me ride along and tell the stories of what I see, I want you to commit to riding along with Washington state troopers to see first-hand how the Jungle is spreading like wildfire under your watch.

I am also asking you to explain how you have allowed so many of our troopers to walk away to other agencies because you won’t stand up for better pay and better treatment of these fine men and woman.

Related: Low pay not the whole story behind trooper shortage

You also need to address the fact that on many days during rush hour, in the City of Seattle, you have two to three troopers assigned to specific parts of the I-5 corridor when you are suppose to have eight to 10.

Finally, you need to stand up publicly, like the Mayor of Seattle has, and stop hiding in your mansion in Olympia. What is your plan to put out the wildfire — known as the Jungle — that is spreading like crazy on your watch, sir? The Mayor of Seattle has asked you to partner with him. Where are you?

You’re welcome to jump on our radio show anytime to tell your story. The mayor won’t. Sally won’t. I bet you won’t either.

With love in my heart for this city,

HIP HIP!

~ don