(left to right: Max Hepp-Buchanan, Chas Redmond, Paul Sorey and Lisa Quinn)

We checked-in with the folks from Feet First on Saturday morning, just before they headed out for their Rolling Community Meeting. The meet-up was designed as a tour of possible sites for a new set of eleven pedestrian wayfinding kiosks that are to be installed in West Seattle this fall. It was also the culmination of a series of community meetings that have taken place over the past year, through which the group has gathered input on where to put the kiosks and what should be displayed at each location.

Leading the tour was Feet First Director Lisa Quinn, Program Coordinator Max Hepp-Buchanan, and Chas Redmond, Southwest District Council Co-Chair and a tireless advocate for walkability in West Seattle.

Part of the day’s agenda was to look carefully at proposed kiosk locations, taking into consideration the most practical siting as they would relate to walking routes, pedestrian traffic, transit stops, sites of interest, etc. Redmond said, “We want to orient the kiosks to take into account pedestrian traffic flow, being clear of line-of-sight for vehicles turning corners, and also getting clearances from adjacent property owners. But above all it is a matter of what makes logical sense for pedestrians who are approaching an intersection looking for something.”

Also present was local artist Paul Sorey who has not only designed the new stainless steel kiosk frames but will also be fabricating them in his West Seattle shop. Sorey has designed public art sculptures that appear throughout Washington and in California, including his 2001 work Salmon Waves, permanently installed at the Chittenden Locks in Ballard.

He also designed and developed, along with the Pomegranate Center, similar kiosks that are installed along the Longfellow Creek Gateway. Sorey said that the new kiosks were meant to echo the design language of the existing installations. The first example of the 2010 kiosks has been installed on the west side of Delridge, near the intersection of SW Brandon:

Though the kiosk frames share a common design, the group has sought input on customization throughout the various locations. Information and artwork may vary throughout the locations. A newly updated, full-color West Seattle Trails map will be featured prominently on each kiosk. Redmond says that “Awesome, much more legible” paper maps, like the widely-available 2008 version (pictured below), will be made available too.

The project is funded through a $99,000 grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. The group hopes to complete the installation of the kiosks by October of this year.

A PDF document with information on the proposed kiosk locations, as well as photographs of the sites under consideration, may be downloaded here

For more information, to ask questions or to contribute feedback on the kiosks, contact Max Hepp-Buchanan, Program Coordinator at max@feetfirst.info or 206-652-2310

Feet First is also hosting a Walk & Talk in the Triangle with Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmusssen on Tuesday, August 31st from 6 to 8pm. The roughly 1.5 mile walk should take about 90 minutes and will be followed by an evening deck reception, overlooking Puget Sound, at a sustainable urban farm in West Seattle. Tickets are $10 for Feet First members, $15 for non-members.

The meeting point is Rotary Viewpoint Park at 35th Ave SW and SW Alaska. RSVP information is available here. Or you can direct e-mail and telephone inquiries to: Ayaka Haga at ayaka@feetfirst.info or 206.652.2310