I understand the feeling that there are more speeders, but, again, as I stated, two studies within five years have shown there are not an inordinate number of speeders. I was glad I had a chance to do it myself (the process has since changed) so I could see what, exactly, 30 mph looks like. There are not as many people exceeding the speed limit by a significant amount. Yes, some get up to 35 going down hill, though there weren’t as many as I thought, but they slow down. Anyway, here is a link to info on what’s involved in street speed studies: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/ntcp_arterial.htm

Another tip SDOT gave was that many speeders are actually residents of the area. So, “the best thing you can do to slow traffic is make sure you are doing the speed limit.” Not the thing we want to hear, but, it also makes sense since we’re the ones most familiar with the routes and traffic patterns. I’m also working on being very conscious of, and respectful of, the speed limits in other people’s neighborhoods.

I find that 15% figure awfully hard to believe based on what I see flying by on a daily basis. I would guess it’s more along the lines of only 15% of people follow the speed limit.

I’ve seen people stop and scream and swear at people crossing to a park with their kids. I’ve been yelled at for crossing the street, and I’ve been yelled at for stopping for pedestrians.

When the traffic is backed up to 35th, this meant that trying to turn onto Avalon from Genesee, especially left, before the light, meant that I would wait for all that traffic, plus traffic coming UP Avalon, traffic trying to turn from the other direction on Genesee, while also watching for pedestrians trying to cross the street in either direction, and cars pulling out of several apartment building driveways.

The Avalon drivers’ red light was less than a minute (at least as I timed it this morning). Is even one minute really so long to wait to allow everyone, not just you, to more smoothly proceed along the thoroughfare?

I understand our own interests and schedules loom ever larger in our own minds, but there are many people other than ourselves with whom we can cooperate.

To try and put some perspective on it, you benefit from other drivers being inconvenienced. I can’t turn left from 35th onto Avalon between 7 am and 7 pm. I have to go an additional mile through three more lights to get from a frequent stop near the water tower to my house which would otherwise be only 1-1/2 miles all together.

Lastly, to speak up for the SDOT people (and they are people, who live in Seattle and drive on Seattle’s streets), the ones I’ve spoken with about this intersection have been very passionate about their work and highly trained. They are also tasked with balancing the needs of the entire city, not just one small collection of people. Not that they don’t make mistakes.

I guarantee one has a better chance of influencing decisions before they are made rather than after.

2. There will never be a speed bump on Genesee, or so we were told by SDOT. As they pointed out, bumps on hills are dangerous for bicyclists. I wouldn’t like it in a car, either. At least two speed studies that have been conducted on Genesee in the past five years have shown that far fewer than the normal 15% of drivers exceed the speed limit. I thought speeding was a huge problem, too, til I spent hours on my own with a speed gun.

3. That intersection is used by pedestrian and bicyclists. I see them frequently. I’m not too surprised car commuters are less aware since I’ve watch many cars blow through the crosswalk despite someone obviously waiting and the blinking light. Watching for cyclists, pedestrians, plus four lanes of traffic (including turns) from Genesee onto Avalon has been nerve wracking.

4. As mentioned, it’s been under public discussion for years. The light is now installed, it’s not going away. So, what we can do now is request SDOT to revise timing (they have to do that for all lights as traffic patterns change).