West Seattle Blog…

West Seattle road work: 35th SW changes in Arbor Heights soon

September 7, 2012 at 12:19 pm | In Arbor Heights, Transportation, West Seattle news | 18 Comments

Thanks to “Luckymom30” for breaking this story via the WSB Forums: SDOT expects to start work later this month on a project along 35th SW in north Arbor Heights. As part of it, southbound 35th at Roxbury will be changed to a left-turn-only lane and shared through/right-turn lane; the second part involves sidewalks:

From 97th to 100th, sidewalks are planned along the west side of 35th. The city webpage for the project says the work should start the week of September 24th.

18 Comments

1. I always assumed SDOT had no idea Arbor Heights was even a part of the city. This is great news! Now how about that road diet for the entirety of 35th? I-35 needs to be slowed down.

   Comment by Grundle — 12:29 pm September 7, 2012 #

2. Speaking of Arbor Heights, can someone PLEASE enlighten me on that corner house on 100th and 35th that has sandbagged their entire yard then meshed and concreted over that? It appears to be a fence. Im waiting for a moat to come next. ANYONE?

   Comment by Alki Resident — 1:00 pm September 7, 2012 #

3. The white sandbags you see on the corner of 35th and 100th are actually a form of natural building called earthbags that will eventually result in a garden wall around their house. The bags will soon receive a stucco finish and look like any other stucco wall once finished.

   The couple who lives at this house have already done alot to improve their yard and I am excited to see the ending results.

   Comment by luckymom30 — 1:15 pm September 7, 2012 #

4. Yipee!!! Those 4′ deep holes along the west side of 35th (aka pot holes) are horrible! But I wonder where all those who park in that dirt section will go?
   _____

   Alki Resident – I believe it’s a “green” way of building a fence. They have a chicken coop as well.

   Comment by AH Resident — 1:35 pm September 7, 2012 #

5. Ok thanks ,thought maybe they were preparing for an attack,lol.

   Comment by Alki Resident — 2:03 pm September 7, 2012 #

6. I was wondering the same thing Alki Resident!

   Comment by Bonnie — 2:17 pm September 7, 2012 #

7. Oh, good. This intersection has been a point of contention between my husband and I. I tell him to keep to the right lane to allow the left turners to use the left lane, but he likes to stay in the left and race people as the road narrows. Now he won’t have a choice. Mwahaha.

   Comment by monosyllabic girl — 3:20 pm September 7, 2012 #

8. *** Quote ***
   Now how about that road diet for the entirety of 35th? I-35 needs to be slowed down.
   *** End Quote ***

   These “I-35″ comments seems to pop up here from time to time. I drive the length of 35th both ways every day (sometimes multiple times per day), and that just is not consistent with what I see. In my experience, the VAST majority of drivers on 35th are going at speed appropriate for the arterial. Are there a few that go to fast? Of course there are, but it’s a very small minority (if someone has some actual DATA on rate of speeding, I’d love to see it). I can think of a whole lot of higher priority items to spend SDOT time and resources on.

   The biggest issue I see is that 35th needs small left turn lanes at more of the intersections.

   Comment by Mongo — 5:03 pm September 7, 2012 #

9. Whats up with the house on the corner of 98th and 35th? The one with random cars parked around it, tarps on the chain link fence (blocking view into the yard) and tarps on the roof? It will be interesting to see a sidewalk being put in front of that place.

   Comment by Nitro — 7:17 pm September 7, 2012 #

10. Mongo, if you lived on 35th you’d notice a lot more people going inappropriately fast. I live on 35th, just north of the High Point Library. During high volume times I’d say the majority of cars drive appropriate speeds, but at night and often during the middle of the day it’s pretty ridiculous. I don’t have hard numbers, just my anecdotal experience.

    Comment by aja — 8:00 pm September 7, 2012 #

11. AH Resident – the last set of plans I saw retained parking in a lot of places.

    There will be some places where the sidewalk will be right up against the road and other places where it will be closer to the homes, with gravel parking areas.

    We will still have a parking area in front of our house, but our neighbor on the corner won’t (they usually park on the side street anyway).

    I think they are trying to retain the drainage ditches, so the sidewalk will weave around them.

    Comment by Paul — 8:29 pm September 7, 2012 #

12. The left turn lane that crossesRoxbury southbound at 8th SW is a terrible idea. At least add a left turn arrow and do away with the right turn only lane. 16th and Roxbury is equally bad. Both intersections allow about two cars max through before the light changes. I avoid both at all costs. The intersection at 35th doesn’t seem as popular so maybe the changes will be ok.

    Comment by mehud7 — 8:54 pm September 7, 2012 #

13. Just a comment regarding heading *north* on 35th at Roxbury… Please, if you are going straight on 35th stay in the left side lane if traffic allows. Other drivers who would like to make a free right turn from 35th onto Roxbury are often blocked from doing so. I know the free right turn isn’t always available due to the intersection congestion in the mornings, or if you need to be in the right lane if your turning into the businesses on that corner, but if you have the choice to stay left to go straight, please do so! And can we all then just agree to give some breathing room to all newly courteous straight-on-Roxbury-left lane-northbound users so they can change to the right lane closer to Barton to turn to Target without feeling like they’re battling for pole position? Ahh, how great it would be. Thanks in advance AH and WS neighbors! I hope to see a happier intersection in our community’s future where free right turns to Roxbury from northbound 35th are plentiful :)

    Comment by While we're on the topic... — 12:12 am September 8, 2012 #

14. Why are the sidewalks stopping at 100th? Arbor Heights School is only four blocks from there. Can’t they use some “safe routes to school” funds?

    Comment by Joe — 1:14 am September 8, 2012 #

15. Now we just need a signal timing adjustment for northbound 35th at that intersection. Can’t tell you how many times I wait there waiting!

    Comment by Mike — 1:30 pm September 8, 2012 #

16. In regards to the “road diet” idea on 35th, I sincerely hope this NEVER happens. There is too much traffic on 35th street. Whenever I drive on Delridge, I see people passing using the left turn center lane, tailgating, and generally driving very badly. I’m all for enforcing speed limits on 35th, but no road diet.

    Comment by PG — 8:00 pm September 8, 2012 #

17. To while we’re on the topic – just take your time and wait to take your turn at Roxbury. Jeesh why is that so important? Don’t be in such a rush and everyone on the road will benefit!

    Comment by Dave — 2:17 pm September 9, 2012 #

18. The only place I have seen left turners move out of their lane and form a new lane in what should be on coming traffic; has been at Roxbury and 35th and I have seen it several times. So it is a needed amendment, as these drivers are an accident waiting to happen.

    Comment by Fred — 10:43 pm September 25, 2012 #

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