By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Alki Point Healthy Street: Permanent.
High Point Healthy Street: Permanent.
Delridge/Highland Park Healthy Streets: Undecided.
And it might remain that way until late this year, the community coalition HPAC heard last night at its monthly meeting, facilitated by co-chair Kay Kirkpatrick.
SDOT’s Michael Taylor-Judd was there for the discussion during HPAC’s meeting at Southwest Library. He stressed that while he’s an outreach person for the Healthy Streets program, he’s not a decisionmaker, but promised he would convey what he heard. Here’s the stretch under discussion:
Taylor-Judd said it will get upgraded signage by summer, he said. He was asked to describe what a “Healthy Street” is; he went back to their pandemic roots, acknowledging the city said it was originally temporary, but “what we heard from the public was that people really liked the increased space” to walk, roll, and ride. “That led to an evaluation of all of them … to see if this is something that neighborhoods want to keep or not.” In most cases (Alki Point being an exception) these were rolled out on streets already designated as greenways, Taylor-Judd said. They are intended to be “safer routes” for people to use. They were evaluated on factors such as whether more people are walking, rolling and biking, is there neighborhood support, are fewer people driving? The stats he showed dated back to 2020 and 2021, but he said new data is to be collected soon. Two attendees said they haven’t seen pedestrian or bicyclist traffic on these stretches of streets. He said the decision is not likely to be made until year’s end, later than originally thought. The three questions would be:
-What part of the network should be kept/improved?
-What kind of barriers, amenities, signage are preferred?
-What part(s) should return to general usage?
Taylor-Judd explained that Healthy Street signage says Street Closed for legal requirements but they really are “local access.”
When the floor was opened for questions/comments, one person mentioned signage that obstructs view when turning. If the Healthy Street is made permanent, it will have smaller signage, Taylor-Judd said.
A resident near 18th/Trenton pointed to the problem with the Healthy Street designation for Trenton – nobody walks or rolls because traffic makes it too dangerous, she said. People are coming through off 16th and turning onto Trenton.
“Let’s open it back up,” she implored. “We need to allow the rest of our community to use the historic arterial. … Please, I wish it would go away.” Taylor-Judd said that as the outreach person, he’s heard a lot of feedback along those lines. No one in attendance countered that. Kirkpatrick said Trenton in that area is a vital corridor for the area – to get to food, schools, etc., that east-west route is important. Further east, what about near Highland Park Elementary? Another attendee said drivers have to dodge the signage in the area and it just needs to open up. Yet another said he’s in favor of removing all barricades that “block the street.”
17th is a greenway in the area. So what’s the difference between a Healthy Street and a greenway? Taylor-Judd was then asked. Not much, currently, he said, “but I think you will see more distance in the future between the two.” with SDOT planning and implementing more-permanent features that will further discourage cut-through driving.
Another area resident said he supports many sections of Healthy Street and has often replaced signage that is moved or defaced. It’s a subject of tension, he said, recounting how one neighbor “has even threatened (an SDOT worker) with a gun,” he said, adding that the problem in his view is drivers’ bad behavior, not the signage. But that bad behavior is a result of the signage, others countered; the resident begged to differ, saying he bikes “thousands of miles” through the city each year and sees many examples of that “bad behavior.” Taylor-Judd said they hear the gamut of comments, from people who want streets to be cars-only to people who want streets to be car-free.
Next concern voiced was about drivers who feel they can “park anywhere they want” or “any way they want” including both sides of a street, rendering it one lane – which, Taylor-Judd said, is legal.
Also brought up: All the speed bumps added in recent years, mostly as part of the Home Zone program. An attendee who said they mostly seem unnecessary to him but there’s “one block” of 10th between Henderson and Trenton (near HP Elementary) where at least one would be helpful.
The meeting time ran out, but Taylor-Judd stressed that this stretch of Healthy Street is still open for community feedback until fall – healthystreets@seattle.gov or 206-900-8760 – leave a message and Taylor-Judd or someone else on the outreach team will call you back.
In closing, Kirkpatrick asked about the goal of the evaluation. Everything on the map in purple is yet to be decided, said Taylor-Judd, so they need to figure out what to do about that. What’s the process? she then asked, hoping for a “more robust process.” He said more traffic-data gathering is planned as well as more outreach to community groups and other advocacy groups, local schools, etc. “If you want to make sure you don’t miss any updates,” sign up for project emails via the website. Kirkpatrick clarified, “I think what the community is hoping is that there’s not a quiet time and then suddenly a decision drops.” Taylor-Judd said he’d do his best to ensure it doesn’t play out that way.
SEATTLE POLICE: Earlier, HPAC heard from SPD Community Liaison Officer German Barreto. Highland Park and South Delridge crime stats: Most categories including aggravated assaults and burglary are down year to year, he said; remember that if something does happen, call 911 (NOT the non-emergency number, he reminded everyone – the calltaker will “triage you” and figure out the best way to deal with your call). One person voiced concern about RVs on Henderson and “sexual activity”; that too would be a 911 call, Barreto said. What about illegal parking in general? asked another attendee. Officer Barreto said they have to try to get people to voluntarily comply – especially if it’s a vehicle in which someone seems to be living – rather than aggressively towing as in long-ago days. Is there any initiative to bring back more Community Police Team officers, as they had years ago? Barreto noted that he’s the lone “community liaison” for this precinct, a job five people used to do, and addition of more is unlikely any time soon because of the SPD staffing crunch. Speaking of the staffing crunch, any hope of it easing? asked another person. Short answer, not right now, in the officer’s view … he said they’ve been making suggestions to councilmembers, though, for ways to enhance hiring and retention, such as offering medical coverage after retirement, which some other police departments do. … He reminded everyone that Saturday’s Drug Take-Back Day also will feature free shredding, up to three boxes, 10 am-2 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster).
DELRIDGE TRIANGLE PARK: Kirkpatrick had another update on this SDOT-owned site that community members had long hoped to convert into a park – the city’s eventual plan is to vacate the 18th SW street end so that the triangle can be joined with another nearby piece of city-owned land.
GREENBELT HIKES: West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails‘ free guided monthly hikes have launched – 30 people showed up last Saturday, said Craig Rankin. Next one is May 18.
NEXT HPAC MEETING: The coalition meets fourth Wednesday most months, various locations and/or online. Watch the HPAC website for updates.
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