A team from SDOT just repainted three stop lines along NE 42nd Street–eastbound at 2nd and Latona and westbound at Thackeray.
Wallyhood first shared the need for new lines in July’s Stop Sign Ignored about this KIRO piece.
I wasn’t the only resident to excitedly run outside to watch the work and talk to the crew. A neighbor reports they left with a “We’ll see you when we’re back to redo the crosswalks!”
EASTERN AND PACIFIC
We can expect only more and more heedless traffic on Pacific Street as Brooks on Stoneway and the Avtech site are developed and occupied. It is now death-defying to try to cross Pacific as a pedestrian or bicyclist coming from the side streets (our neighborhoods). It seems to me and that the number of car accidents, close calls, and the dire injury of a precious pet dog by a hit and run driver are all part of the general problem of excess speed on a street traversing a neighborhood!!
A visitor last week suggested that North Pacific Street could use one of those electronic speed indicators I have seen in many places throughout Seattle.
Glad to know that SDOT is at work protecting neighbors in Wallingford.
alex g., I live near Sunnyside and N. Pacific. Here’s information on arterial traffic calming: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/ntcp_arterial.htm
Last year I was told that the traffic data on N. Pacific was 7 years old so that we were due for a new survey.
Thanks so much to Barb for the link seattle.gov/transportation. I hope others might also use it to write re: problems with N. Pacific Street here in south neighborhoods. Made me wonder about the NPSF grant program if nothing is otherwise proposed by SDOT.
Barb, thanks for providing the link. Filling out the form only took about 5 minutes. Maybe others will do so. The squeaky wheel . . .
For the folks who want to effect traffic calming on N. Pacific Street, here is a brief history of efforts made on Thackeray Place NE from 45th to 40th. Mayor McGinn stepped in recently after e-mails and telephone calls to to SDOT and the Citizen’s Service Bureau (since September, 2012) asking for repainted stop lines did not result in action.
-the unposted speed limit on Thackeray Place NE (an arterial) is 30mph; SDOT traffic calming measures in 1998 (neighbors asked for assistance starting in Fall of 1997) included installing 3 chicanes so that vehicles could no longer speed around the east side of a stopped Metro bus (Thackeray and NE 2nd after the turn at 42nd host the Metro #26). Metro volunteered to order their drivers to drive at or below 20mph from NE 45th to NE 40th.
-the Seattle Public School District agreed that their drivers would do the same, drive 20mph; that compliance has been erratic and knowing with whom to speak there is a challenge;
-there is a posted speed limit sign for the turn on to 42nd (to 2nd) of 10mph with an arrow (which also indicates in a way that traffic on Thackeray does not stop as it goes south);
-when a vehicle enters the intersection at 42nd from the north on Thackeray, if a vehicle coming from the stop sign on 42nd from the west is already in the intersection, it has the right of way (very confusing);
-several of us have been asking for going on a year for the 2 white stop lines at that intersection that bookend it be repainted (and have received the same form letter slightly reworded many times, from SDOT personnel, from writing to the SDOT website, from contacting CSB; the Mayor’s Office
passed the request along. Councilperson Conlin asked staff at SDOT to reconsider their decision to not act to paint the 2 white stop lines);
-the faded stop lines were especially difficult to see when the street is wet;
-residents worked to make sure their street trees were limbed up for good sightlines all down the street and planting strip foliage trimmed as stiputated in Municipal Code;
-there are supposed to be 3 “corner crossings” on 42nd between Latona and Thackeray where one side of the street has a corner and the other does not; people living adjacent to the planting strip areas that provide access to the street to walk across to the corner across may not be aware that part of their planting strip is actually a pedestrian landing pad and that needs to be addressed;
-IF Seattle could create a street sign that read: Traffic on the arterial does not have a stop (or something like that) it would be completely useful at these corners.
-Initially, in 1998, SeaTran (now SDOT) turned down our traffic calming request (a Thackeray resident’s petition, speed data from a speed “gun” provided by SPD, anecdotal evidence). They suggested that we plant street trees which we did. Some are now 22 years old and they did, indeed, “narrow the visual corridor.” They also started a trend! Traffic eventually got calmed and lot more street trees got planted! And now the white stop lines got repainted! All in all it was a 16 year project! So best of luck! Slow and steady wins the race . . .
The 22 year old trees were planted prior to traffic calming. When SeaTran suggested that we plant street trees “to narrow the visual corridor” we kept on planting permitted trees (1991-2011). Other street tree planters have continued the tradition since.