Signs of a slowdown — the good kind

| Neighborhoods | Transportation | West Seattle news

The city has just put up these speed-limit signs in the Alki alley that’s just west of 59th (map). Alki Community Council president Jackie Ramels tells WSB the neighborhood campaign to get these signs was led by Steve Cuddy, who also successfully pushed for the speed bumps on 59th, which is a major street between Alki Ave and Admiral Way but is a particularly bad place to speed since it runs along the south side of Alki Elementary, Alki Playfield, and the Whale Tail Park/tennis courts area. Speaking of the ACC, it meets tomorrow night (7 pm @ Alki Community Center), with guests scheduled to include City Council President Richard Conlin and the owner of the soon-to-open Alki Urban Market, Thampipillai Thilakarajah (featured in this WSB report, a shorter version of which also appears in the brand-new Alki News-Beacon). You don’t have to be a member to attend.

ML January 16, 2008 (3:49 pm)

Love it! Hopefully we can push for more signs. The alley between California and 44th Ave SW (behind Mission and Blackbird) constantly has speeders – sometimes it seems up to 30-35mph!

Rick January 16, 2008 (3:54 pm)

How do I get one or more of these critters? I look out over the alley (where my car is parked) south of the Morgan Junction Starbucks and speed is always a problem there. I believe drivers use that alley as a bypass to the intersection, as almost all of the speeders are southbound, and that causes me some concern. Speed bumps?,yeah. Conviently dropped refuse cans,maybe. But signs might be helpful. Who ya gonna call?

california

Rick January 16, 2008 (3:55 pm)

Sorry ’bout that last california. It slipped in there somehow!

Mike Dady January 16, 2008 (4:02 pm)

Rick and ML, For alley speeding I would go with Rick’s idea of garbage and recycle cans strategically placed in a slalom course like fashion to slow the idiots down. Frankly, lower speed limit signs don’t work very well at changing behavior. I speak from having gone through an SDOT speed limit sign change on my street and it made little, if any, difference.

Chase January 16, 2008 (5:28 pm)

Yahoo for Mr. Steve Cuddy you go man we love you… Yes we all need to slow down and smell the flowers not the speeding cars off Alki ave.. Can you help us with our parking problem on the point?

AlkiMac January 16, 2008 (5:56 pm)

I’ve noticed that many drivers on 59th SW might slow down approaching the rubber speed bumps, but then accelerate once over them to “make up for lost time.” This means they are speeding through the crosswalk area of 59th and SW Stevens! Sheesh. It’s a school and playground area. Slow it doooooown.

I noticed the alley speed signs the other day on a walk. Hopefully it will also slow folks down as they approach the sidewalks at the end of the blocks.

Mac January 16, 2008 (5:56 pm)

Don’t get your hopes up. Shoot, there’s 7 MPH signs behind ArtsWest, Husky, Puerto, NW Art & Frame, et. al., and they don’t seem to slow anybody down. You can’t imagine the amount of dirty looks I need to give people when they try to speed through the urban lakes back there when I’m trying to take out the garbage. I have to wear these clothes all day people! I don’t have a dry pair inside!

JanS January 16, 2008 (8:15 pm)

hey…people don’t care, they’ll do what they want. I live on 42nd SW between Admiral Way and Lander. The alley behind us is one way going south to north. aAt the north entrance(actually, exit) to the alley (at the Safeway gas station) there are 2 HUGE signs that say “One Way – Do Not Enter). I have learned to look both ways as I back out of my parking space behind my apt. bldg, because invariably someone will be speeding down the alley the wrong way. And they have the nerve to give ME a dirty look…

mikev2.0 January 16, 2008 (9:29 pm)

Ignoring the politics or danger of speed this specific sign is a yellow sign so from what I remember that means “caution” and is not an actual speed limit.

I’m probably wrong, but I’m sure 98% of everyone else seeing this sign thinks the same thing.

anyways if the person is willing to speed past pedestrians ignoring the present danger; is a sign really going to slow them down?

Rick January 16, 2008 (10:53 pm)

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of conveniently (accidently) droppping the cans WHILE the speeders zoom by. Ooops! You startled me! So sorry (about that new dent). Have a nice day.

Jan January 16, 2008 (11:37 pm)

lol, Rick…

Mike Dady January 17, 2008 (6:37 am)

I like that idea even better Rick! If you can’t quite manage to pull it off however, do “narrow up” the alley roadway through strategic placement of recycle and garbage cans or perhaps a car or two and you will likely see a reduction in speeds.

JimmyG January 17, 2008 (8:55 am)

mikev2.0 is correct, the yellow speed limit signs aren’t enforceable speed limit signs, merely “suggested” speeds.

And putting in traffic calming measures (traffic islands, speed bumps) only pushes the issue onto nearby streets and alleys, it doesn’t address the problem of little to no enforcement action by SPD traffic units.

Mike#2 January 17, 2008 (9:45 am)

meanwhile the charger cops (dedicated traffic enforcement) are always pulling people over near my house at the intersection of henderson and 16th ave. I have absolutely no idea what you could possibly do to interest a cop in that area. I wish the charger cops were more interested in safety rather than measurable ticket goals.

to WSB is it possible to get information on number of traffic infractions in a certain area with details on the type of infraction?

Rick January 17, 2008 (9:56 am)

Maybe a “YIELD TO SPIKE STRIPS” sign would slow ’em down a bit. For a while anyway.

Cami January 17, 2008 (4:27 pm)

FYI…the owner of the Alki Urban Market will not be able to make our meeting tonight, but hopes to attend one in the future!

Peggy January 18, 2008 (12:51 pm)

Agree with JanS 100%. I used to live in a house off that alley, and came to absolutely despise all the people who either drive into the Safeway gas station going the wrong way, or who drive on past the gas station going the wrong way and continue on down the alley, going the wrong way.
Some of them actually live off the alley, and so really have no excuse whatsoever. This is the epitome of selfish behavior and there is no excuse for it.

Sorry, comment time is over.