Arbor Heights microsurfacing: Last call to tell SDOT what you think

| Arbor Heights | Transportation | West Seattle news

It’s been spotlighted on the SDOT website … it was brought up at this month’s Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting … and we’ve received a nudge from the city about it: If you have anything to say to the city about the microsurfacing work on Arbor Heights this past summer, please take a few minutes and answer this online survey – which also gets into the broader topic of microsurfacing vs. chip seal vs. full road replacement (and even sidewalks).

Fire Ball November 16, 2014 (8:34 pm)

Did they forget to do 106th east bound, that road needs a re-paving.

anonyme November 17, 2014 (9:33 am)

I think it’s interesting that Arbor Heights residents had no input prior to the project, but are retroactively being asked for opinions. I took the survey, and it is structured in a way that allows mostly positive results. In short, this is yet another bureaucratic formality designed entirely so that SDOT can spout off about “working closely” with the community. The price comparison multiple question was especially laughable. What nonsense.

WSB November 17, 2014 (9:39 am)

I went through it page by page and you can look at the existence of the survey as cup half empty or full. Lots of openings for comments, not just multiple choice. So if you are unhappy with what was done, I hope you said so at every opportunity. Or via some other means (including Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who still heads the Transportation Committee). And via the local community council, which is led by folks who are not shy about carrying torches for issues of concern.

GoGo November 17, 2014 (10:37 am)

I commented (why didn’t they resurface 44th Ave SW between 100th and 102nd?) but there was nowhere for me to put contact information so they could answer my question.

WSB November 17, 2014 (10:49 am)

That’s a really good point. I’ve taken some surveys that include that option and IMO they all should … A hassle to e-mail separately, I know, but the project manager David Allen (who is the person who asked if we could share the survey beyond their original link in the SDOT Blog, which otherwise wouldn’t reach as many people) has contact info including e-mail down at the bottom of the project page: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/microsurfacing.htm

zark00 November 17, 2014 (2:10 pm)

Including contact information in a survey can influence the results, and often times forces additional privacy policy and acceptance hurdles.
My 2 cents on running (lots and lots of) surveys.

It may seem odd, but just telling someone they CAN include contact information if they wish can bias the results of your survey – people answer differently when they believe they are truly anonymous. In this scenario it would likely have little impact, but following a strict research methodology regardless of the purpose means you can better analyze your data and reproduce the results if necessary.

The privacy thing can be more of a hassle than it’s worth. Just collecting email addresses means you then have to then be careful with the addresses; it’s a sticky wicket.

WSB November 17, 2014 (2:18 pm)

Thanks for the perspective, Zark!

Rick November 18, 2014 (7:57 am)

Microsurfacing should be for microhousing only. Ya know, 3 feet wide streets since the tenants won’t own cars and will ride bicycles and take the bus.

j November 19, 2014 (10:16 am)

Agree with anonyme.

This survey should be retaken after a year or two when we see how the stuff holds up. They used disappearing white paint to mark our corner for repairs. Repairs were never done and they micro surfaced anyway.

I hated the question “what do you want…1 street asphalt, proper draining and sidewalks…5-15 blacktopped or 25-50 micro surfaced.” Don’t quote me directly on that. How about an option of micro surfacing with the city making a pedestrian path (not sidewalks necessarily) so we can stop walking in the middle of the road?
The city needs to step up and acknowledge and resolve how many cars, planters, trailers, fences etc etc etc are in the “pedestrian zone” and make a safe place for us to walk. It is city code to make the pedestrian zone clear of all obstructions but for some reason Seattle Municipal code does not apply in AH.

All that being said micro surfacing (so far) is way better than the tar and gravel because of the loose gravel everywhere which was a nightmare for motorcyclists and bicyclist. Of course the loose gravel could have been remedied with proper street sweeping but that’s asking too much.

ps I voted for the 1 street done properly.

Sorry, comment time is over.