K-5 STEM parents’ reminder: Delridge has a school zone again

| Delridge | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Friday photo, courtesy John Hopkins)
If you drive along the 5900 block of Delridge Way SW in the morning or afternoon, remember, it’s a school zone again! Parents from K-5 STEM at Boren have been out with signs the past few school days, trying to make sure everyone knows. The challenge is that while 20 mph “school zone” signs have been up along that stretch for years, first, this is the first time in two years that the school’s been occupied, and second, because of the way the Boren building is laid out, you won’t necessarily see much activity along the street. Parents are hoping to convince SDOT to add flashing lights to the signage for extra reminders, but those requests usually take a while to work through the system.

Brontosaurus September 17, 2012 (1:09 am)

Go STEM PTA!!

HMC Rich September 17, 2012 (1:14 am)

Well, if you are speeding in a school zone and get caught it will cost you about $194.00 or so. Slow Down please. SPS and the City should move quickly to put up flashing lights for an Elementary School.

wsmama3 September 17, 2012 (8:22 am)

Thanks WSB!

ChrisSouth September 17, 2012 (8:41 am)

And –

If you go by the times on the pictured sign (in front of the school) you’ll be wrong.

STEM is in session from 9:25 to 3:35.

WSB September 17, 2012 (8:59 am)

You mean the school bus sign? That’s not supposed to correlate to the speed-zone hours but nonetheless, I hope someone there has called it to SDOT/district’s attention …

WSratsinacage September 17, 2012 (8:46 am)

Good idea.

Heidi A September 17, 2012 (9:03 am)

we have also asked SPD to do some targeted patrols because people are going really fast – so if the thought of hitting a child doesn’t make you slow down, maybe that steep ticket will

Jawat September 17, 2012 (9:05 am)

SDOT reports the earliest that flashing lights will go in is April, and there has been little or no police presence ticketing speeders. It is a worrisome situation, as many drivers even ignore the parents with signs, and speed right through.

miws September 17, 2012 (10:01 am)

Great job, folks!

As a Professional Pedestrian, my biggest peeves are excessive speeding, and red light running. Especially in school zones, and areas heavily populated by Seniors.

Mike

Danny September 17, 2012 (11:18 am)

Shouldn’t be too big of a problem. Most people drive 20 mph all along Delridge as it is.

G September 17, 2012 (12:37 pm)

It is stunning the nonchalance with which motorists speed through school zones around here and in Seattle in general. Most cities, there is zero tolerance for that. I see a lot of distracted daydreaming here behind the wheel.

wsmama3 September 17, 2012 (12:51 pm)

Danny – What?! That has totally not been my experience. You are more than welcome to come watch the cars going 40, even 50 MPH down the road while kids are around.

WSB September 17, 2012 (1:08 pm)

I can attest to that, having stopped briefly for video on Friday afternoon (I liked the reader-provided photo we received later, better, so didn’t use the clip) … while I stood behind my car in the parking zone across the street, aiming the camera, somebody also zoomed into a parking “space” behind me startlingly quickly (and startlingly close – there was no one else parked on that side of the street and he could easily have stopped a few yards further away). Still not sure what that was about; the guy stayed in the car. But I digress…

Brian September 17, 2012 (1:30 pm)

It is not uncommon for people to pass me (using the middle turn lane) while I am doing 35 in this stretch of road. Hopefully this effort succeeds but I have low expectations.

eap September 17, 2012 (3:17 pm)

I would love to see a crosswalk go in right there. One with lights would be preferable but anything to get people to slow down here and make it safe to cross the street. I’ve seen families running across to cars and it is scary to watch as cars speed along.

Danny September 17, 2012 (3:20 pm)

Hmm. I guess it is just me. My commute takes me on Delridge between Trenton and the WS Bridge. I don’t recall a single time over the last 6 years that I’ve been able to go 35 the whole way. But like I said, could just be me.

Krystal September 17, 2012 (4:16 pm)

Danny’s right. When I make it up to 35mph on Delridge, I feel like I’m speeding. I’m usually behind a lookie-look doing 25, and I use Delridge frequently.

wsmama3 September 17, 2012 (5:10 pm)

I did it twice today (Genesee to Orchard circle) just to make sure I was not in fact nuts.

I could easily have gone 45 MPH minus the lights the entire time (this was at 9 am and around 3:30 pm).

Guess you are hitting it at a slow time – but it does not change the fact that when kids are present you need to be going 20 MPH in the school zone.

20.

father of student September 17, 2012 (10:33 pm)

It’s amazing to me the sps wouldn’t have more involvement in this issue. Good job fellow parents! Come on sps! Your paid to educate and protect the well being of your/our students. Thank you again parents!!

evergreen September 17, 2012 (10:51 pm)

The levels of bureacracy from both SPS and SDOT are astounding. Neither is able to sensibly solve this problem until the Spring. Where the heck is the common sense? Why are there so many barriers in this town to solving simple problems?