While talk of defunding the police department has drowned out all other budget news, there’s plenty of fiscal pain to go around as a result of decreased city tax revenues due to Covid 19. We learned recently that SDOT will be reining in some of their work here in our neighborhood:
As of today, the City of Seattle and Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) are putting a pause on many of our transportation projects, including the N 40th St spot bicycle improvements. While this part of the project is on pause, the remaining construction for the paving and bicycle improvements for the Green Lake and Wallingford Paving and Multi-Modal Improvements Project will continue.
I emailed SDOT to inquire as to what these “spot bicycle improvements” are, but haven’t heard back. I presume they are things such as improved street crossings. (The proposed bike lane was ruled out quite some time ago.)
On the upside for bicyclists, the city announced that four miles of streets in our neighborhood will become part of the Stay Healthy Street system, a network of over 20 miles of streets in the city that are temporarily closed to vehicle traffic to help residents more easily exercise while maintaining a social distance. (Residents needing to get into their homes by car, folks making deliveries, etc. are allowed access to these otherwise closed areas.) The streets to be closed are parts of 44th and 43rd which are now part of a Neighborhood Greenway. As of Friday, I hadn’t seen any closure signs, but the announcement says to expect it to occur “over the next week.”
40th went from a protected bike lane, to spot improvements for cyclists, to absolutely nothing. Zimbabwe’s promises are as phony as his name. #Doing40on40th.
I’m not laughing. A white American changing his name to that of an African country that is 99% Black rubs me the wrong way.
I’m scheduled to be outraged about this on Wednesday at 3 PM. I’m called upon to be upset by so much these days, I’ve taken to the calendar so everything gets a good hour or more.
Hey, we agree on something!
No. Cross traffic will remain. I know SDOT is prioritizing Neighborhood Greenways for their Stay Healthy Streets, but a more effective placement would be further south to alleviate the over-crowding on the Burke-Gilman Trail, like on Northlake Way between I-5 and Stone.
Walking through the area this morning (June 27), I found one intersection blocked to westbound – just a bunch of folding barriers, in a line from the traffic circle such that westbound traffic would be diverted to the north, and I guess southbound traffic could squeeze through to the east. I believe that was 43rd & Bagley; could be wrong, it doesn’t seem to add up with the map.
That’s been there for five months.
Any idea why ?
No idea. I’m sort of wondering if SDOT forgot they were there.
This one makes little sense to me as a parent of a toddler who has been taught for four years to not run in the street. Also, that we walk to one of our local and safe parks because that is a safe and healthy place for children to be. No traffic conflicts, no upset delivery drivers and safe children not falling onto concrete roads and banging against cars.
Sorry SDOT but this is just wrong and a bad idea in a place where we have two major parks within walking distance.
I hadn’t thought of the cognitive dissonance for the very young, who may suddenly feel like “Go play in the street” is just fine and pick the wrong street to do so. Hopefully a very rare occurence but it is worrying. Parents will need to be very clear about what/where is safe and not safe.
Despite what they say about Stay Healthy streets, the city’s goal has little to with providing recreation. It’s about kicking cars out of our city by fiat, one block at a time.
Streets being kid friendly is a 50 year throwback and we cannot bring back those days because of one thing … reality.
Removing straight lines to improve visibility makes no sense and contradicts itself.
What we are seeing is a misguided attempt to push an agenda that doesn’t work for all parts of the city – especially ours where we have safe parks for kids to play in.
Stop up zoning and overcrowding of Neighborhoods. Make new developments provide more than ample parking; improve bus and light rail to reach all areas and then we can have safer streets.
“All neighborhood streets should be safe enough for children to play in.”
What a ridiculous statement. Streets are for transportation. And as such, the focus needs to be on designing them so that people can get to where they want to go quickly and efficiently, so the city can, you know, function. They’re not meant for kids to run around in. We have playgrounds and yards for that.
“All neighborhood streets should be safe enough for children to play in.”
What a ridiculous statement. Streets are for transportation. And as such, the focus needs to be on designing them so that people can get to where they want to go quickly and efficiently, so the city can, you know, function. They’re not meant for kids to run around in. We have playgrounds and yards for that.
Oh brother. Black is white. Day is night. Queen Carlotta has declared Backwards Day in Mortville, apparently. Bernard, send your kids into the streets. Please. I’m sure the Grand Experiment will be revelatory.
Yep – hundreds of thousands of people per day get around at motor vehicle speeds on arterials by bus. They get there by walking from their home to the arterial, and things are just fine.
Everybody who wants to get around at motor vehicle speeds on arterials by car can also get to the arterial by driving at walking speed (say 3 MPH) between their home and the arterials too. And things would be just fine.
I would like to second this comment. I have walked this street many times since the “greenway” was put in. I consider it a huge waste of money. I rarely see any bikers on this street at all. I don’t blame them. Cars fly through the intersection. I actually think it is less safe now then before it was a greenway. I believe that this designation actually makes the street less safe as it gives the false sense that it will be safer than other surface streets.
I think this is truly an unfair comment. I am on the Wallingford Community Council board. Alex Pedersen has been amazing. He is by far the most open and accessible politician I have ever been aware of. He, and/or his staff have regular phone conversations with our board to address issues that are important for us. He also attends our community meetings when asked. As a result of one of those visits he stepped in to help stop the eviction of the Tiny Homes village near Ivars at our request. He also helped break a long standing resistance by the city to open the waterway to the public next to Gasworks Park. I see him as anything but a show off. If you mean responsive to his base, yes.