FOLLOWUP: Speed-bump preps on Beach Drive SW by Constellation Park

If you missed it in our coverage of City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s update at this week’s 34th District Democrats meeting – three speed bumps are going in on Beach Drive along Constellation Park, in hopes of deterring late-night racing and other speeding. Herbold also wrote about it in her newest online update (which addresses other topics of interest, too). Then while out checking on the wind and waves just before tonight’s sunset, we noticed the three spots marked up on the street along the straightaway between the stormwater-treatment plant and the intersection with 63rd SW.

Neighbors have been working a long time for this – back in March, we reported on their visit to the Southwest District Council seeking support for a grant application to fund the speed bumps, which are already in place on another straightaway stretch of Beach Drive, south of Jacobsen.

Mark September 17, 2016 (10:55 pm)

Why not speed limit signs. According to the SDoT speed limit signs are effective, but when asked for before after data SDoT provides no data in support of this. The fact is the majority of motorist drive at prudent speed based on street condition and and speed limits that are inconsistent with conditions reduce safety.

Speed humps are a engineering calming technique in the hanbook of tools that works to calm traffic.

WSB September 17, 2016 (11:13 pm)

I believe there’s at least one new sign there too. When we drove through, the wind was tearing the black plastic off what looked like a speed-limit sign. Didn’t get out as the tide was high and wave spray was coming over the rail. I haven’t cross-checked yet to be sure there wasn’t a sign there before.
- JC September 18, 2016 (7:17 am)
  
  The sign is new. It was completely covered yesterday morning but the wind had almost entirely ripped off the covering by yesterday evening. It is not a speed limit sign though; I believe it says “Speed Bump”.

Chris September 18, 2016 (5:18 am)

They speed around in some sort of circle and then sometimes next to each other in drag racing. We can hear the deep rumble sound of the cars. This is not just at night. They do during day too. Hopefully this will help. Thanks.

Katy September 18, 2016 (7:22 am)

As someone who lives a couple blocks away from this, but is frequently walking/running on this road, I think this is great! Hopefully it will slow people down and stop the racing. Unfortunately there is a lot of speeding through here that isn’t just from the people racing their cars.

NW September 18, 2016 (7:34 am)

This 4 block stretch of Seattle City Parks which is heavily used has from my experience zero local volunteer community driven work parties. I just wonder if there was more care given to it would that result in a change in persons behaviors there? The amount of trash picked up along the sidewalk gutter and bulkhead was alarming to say the least by Puget Sound Keeper volunteers in this coastline.

Mary P September 18, 2016 (8:19 am)

Great! Now how about Alki Ave. which has more people and more possibility of serious accidents? Speeders,drag racing,motorcycle wheelies,extremely loud noises are all daily occurrences along the strip from Harbor Ave. all along Alki.

Azimuth September 18, 2016 (9:57 am)

Hopefully they are more effectively designed than the ones on Beach Drive south of Jacobsen

Craig September 18, 2016 (8:04 pm)

The speed bumps on Beach near Jacobson are totally a joke. You can stand there and watch cars cross the center lane to drive between them. The racers (loose term, mostly people that want to hammer the accelerator for a thrill burst of speed for a few blocks) do the straddle the most, but it’s 1/4 of the traffic on Beach. I contacted the city about this last loophole in efficacy and they said the bumps can’t be changed as they’re designed to allow emergency response vehicles pass quickly. I suggested road turtles, or at least rumble strips, but they said no to both ideas.

Dan September 18, 2016 (2:25 pm)

The ones on Beach Drive are a joke. They do not slow the racers down. They fly right over them. Traffic circles would be more effective.

Chris September 18, 2016 (2:54 pm)

Dan – yes, sadly we saw just this today. A low riding, small black car and a small tan truck racing. The black car just went over to the edge flooring it…..They paid no attention to another vehicle and sped around it – one on either side over the bumps and doubled — one in each lane racing down Beach Drive after the speed bumps going north. Speed bumps did not stop them even for a second. Sigh. The only speed bump we have seen that really stops one is on the side of the bank…..that is a speed bump! We had hoped. All it does is seems to give them more of a charge. Looks to be a waste of money & time putting in the speed bumps. Yes, Dan traffic circles would be better for sure. Hope city reads the blog.

Space Dust September 18, 2016 (7:22 pm)

Street racing….Really?

Or some minute rice with a fart can muffler trying to do a burn out. They sound like they are going a 100mph, but are barley going 20 mph…

…and for those speed bumps on Beach drive and 48th Ave SW, they are a joke. Most full size vehicles roll over them without a bump.

You might find street racing on another un-disclosed street in West Seattle, but it’s not any where near Alki.

Pacific Raceways is a better option for racing, but we need King County to relax the curfew.

anon September 18, 2016 (9:37 pm)

The street racers are a big problem. They race west seattle in a loop around alki, 35th and west marginalway. Any given Friday Saturday and sunday you can find them on west marginal, normally between 50 to 80 cars. They have no regard for their or other motorists safety. I can attest to this because I work nights where they race on marginal way. Just a few weeks ago one of them got T-boned by another racer because one of the people spectating in a truck parked in the south bound lane and one racer car tried to go around it and the other one coming a few seconds behind him in the other lane smashed into him. Huge police and fire truck response, they shut the road down. I was surprised that a few racers stayed behind to help when most of the time when a crash happens they all just take off and leave the person in the crash. It’s lucky no one died. But the racers were back the very next night to do it again. I say more speed bumps, higher speed bumps, put them on more streets. Also make ALL of 35th a two lane road and have a wide space on either side for parking because jerks are destroying peoples cars on a daily basis there.

Sorry, comment time is over.