SDOT lengthens the list of planned Westwood improvements

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news | Westwood

New information today about SDOT plans for pedestrian-safety upgrades at the main intersection leading into Westwood Village, 26th/Barton (map). This follows another serious pedestrian-hit-by-car crash a week and a half ago, which led to much discussion here about the area’s safety challenges. The original announcement came from SDOT’s Jim Curtin during a walking-tour visit to the area (WSB coverage here), where he met with Westwood Neighborhood Council’s Donn DeVore, Westwood Village’s Stuart Crandall and Delridge Neighborhood District Coordinator Ron Angeles. Since that visit, Curtin has provided a list not only of the improvements he mentioned that day but also other upgrades in the works – including some at intersections further west, as part of the Safe Routes to School program that is moving on to Roxhill Elementary School. Here’s the full list:

* Short Term – to be installed in the first quarter of 2010:

o Both the east and west crosswalks at the intersection of 26th Ave SW and SW Barton St will be repainted and widened to improve crosswalk visibility for drivers and pedestrians and align the crosswalk markings with the existing curb ramps

o The signal at 26th Ave SW and SW Barton St will be equipped with new “Stop for Pedestrians When Turning” overhead signs

o The signage for the mid-block crosswalk at the Longfellow Creek Trail (just west of 26th Ave SW and SW Barton St) will be upgraded to our new standard fluorescent yellow-green signs

o “Stop for Me – It’s the Law” signs will be installed on SW Barton St on the eastbound and westbound approaches to Westwood Village

o SDOT will review speed limit signage to ensure that SW Barton St is properly signed

o SDOT will enroll the neighborhood in the Arterial Traffic Calming program for SW Barton St – this will start the data collection process to evaluate speeds on SW Barton St

o Westwood Village will paint stop bars at the shopping center exit to provide additional guidance for drivers by designating the location where they should stop

Read on for the “long term” list as well as other improvements recently decided, including those for walk routes to Roxhill:

* Long Term – items to be completed after 2010

o Bike lanes will be installed on SW Barton St on both sides of the street. Adding these road markings will further clarify travel lanes.

o King County Metro plans to construct a RapidRide Station on the south side of SW Barton St near the Daystar Community Center (new pedestrian lighting will likely be installed as part of this project)

We have also reviewed (the) request to mark a crosswalk on the north leg of the intersection of 26th Ave SW and SW Barton St. After discussing the characteristics of this intersection, we have decided to proceed with the installation of the crosswalk. This work will occur in the first quarter of 2010.

In addition, our Safe Routes to School program will be making significant improvements in this area next year. SDOT has been working in partnership with the Roxhill Elementary School community to identify projects intended to improve walking routes to and from the school. These projects were just finalized on Wednesday evening and will be installed in 2010. Some of the highlights of the Safe Routes to School improvements include:

* A new overhead crosswalk sign for the mid-block crosswalk at the Longfellow Creek Trail and SW Barton St

* A new marked crosswalk with a stop bar on the south leg of 25th Ave SW and SW Trenton St [map]

* Flashing beacons and “School – Speed Limit 20” signs in advance of the signalized crosswalks at 30th Ave SW and SW Barton St [map]

* New curb ramps at 30th Ave SW and SW Barton St

* Crossing improvements at 24th Ave SW and SW Barton [map] including a marked crosswalk and a median island

The aforementioned mid-block crosswalk at the Longfellow trail was the subject of some attention last year, as an alignment problem was fixed, and parking-restriction signage went in.

Tracy White December 13, 2009 (4:57 pm)

I hope they extend that west to the intersection with 35th. That intersection is such a mess with people driving around cars trying to turn left both directions on to 35th that I’m surprised there haven’t been more pedestrian/car accidents.

I’d like to see a right turn only like they did with Fauntleroy’s intersection with California westbound.

WSnewbie December 13, 2009 (6:00 pm)

This all well and good but this is not gonna stop people who do not pay attention or who get the sun directly in their eyes. Adding a bike lane to an already busy area is gonna add even more problems and it will also shorten the width of the lanes.

Aim December 13, 2009 (7:45 pm)

And all of this is for naught if the landlord at WWV doesn’t add actual stop signs **and** repaint the stop lines. They repaint relatively regularly, but people blow through them all the time. They simply don’t see them. I’ve had more near-collisions there than I can count, and seen even more.

PLEASE, Westwood Village, PLEASE add stop signs.

old timer December 13, 2009 (11:19 pm)

Bottom line, it is you and your neighbors who are speeding, texting, phoning, ignoring, or being just generally unconscious while behind the wheel.
All the signs in the world can’t make a person aware.
We may want to use a 2×4 to make them pay attention,
BUT
It has to come from within.
Driving with a bit of humility would really help.
An arrogant attitude behind the wheel is all it
takes to turn that plush cocoon-on-wheels
into a deadly weapon.

Donn December 14, 2009 (9:30 am)

I am pleased that SDOT is marking the north crosswalk. I feel that the changes that SDOT is doing at this intersection will help with the pedestrian and traffic conflicts that are happening there.

There might be a need to discuss with them in the future about the bike lanes and whether these might need to be separated by a curb from traffic at this intersection.

Sorry, comment time is over.