‘Unexpected’ bonus in Highland Park safety work: 9th/Henderson

| Highland Park | Safety | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Rachael Wright)
Tomorrow is International Walk To School Day, and while many schools are planning special events here and elsewhere, Highland Park Elementary has the biggest West Seattle celebration, since – as first noted here last Wednesday – Mayor McGinn is coming to help dedicate “Safe Routes to School” grant-funded safety improvements along the route to HPE. Parent volunteer Rachael Wright has been working on this for a long time and in addition to the 11th/Holden crossing and speed bumps on 10th, she e-mailed us this morning to point out an “unexpected (but much appreciated) result of the improvements”: New stop signs on 9th SW at SW Henderson (map). Rachael quotes longtime Highland Park resident and parent Monica Benshoof:

“The recent placement of the stop signs located at the intersection of 9th & Henderson, has made it tremendously easier for me & my children to cross the street- to enter the park & trails on the other side. I have resided in Highland Park for 41 years, and up until now, it has always been difficult to cross there, being as it is a very busy arterial road. Even now that I am a driver, it is also less difficult to utilize this intersection, because other vehicles don’t have a choice of stopping to rotate traffic flow. It’s awesome!!!”

In our correspondence, Rachael added:

I love that Monica mentions access to Westcrest park and trails. Because of the nature of Highland Park, located in the most SW quadrant of West Seattle, and crisscrossed by arterial roads, it can be very difficult for local children and adults to safely access our amazing parks. As kids walk to school, they also walk to parks, and we have been very fortunate that the Safe Routes project, by creating safer routes to school, also created safer routes to our local parks: Riverview Park, Highland Park Playground and Playfield, and Westcrest Park.

You’re invited to join in tomorrow morning’s ribbon-cutting, followed by a walk to HPE with the mayor – be at 11th and Holden (map) at 8 am.

datamuse October 2, 2012 (11:54 am)

I pass through this intersection regularly on foot, by bike, and driving, and really appreciate the new stop signs! Added bonus is it slows the traffic down some–people tend to zoom down 9th.

BlairJ October 2, 2012 (12:03 pm)

I drive through the intersection of 9th & Henderson every day on my way to work. The 4-way stop makes it much easier to make the left turn from Henderson onto 9th. I would also be in favor of pedestrian bulbs at that intersection to make it easier to walk to the park.

Christie October 2, 2012 (12:57 pm)

Rachel Wright is an awesome person and parent! Way to go Rachel!!

highland park October 2, 2012 (5:56 pm)

This is a much needed update! With all the cars going up and down 9th and many turning onto Henderson, it can be very difficult to turn left/north ONTO 9th from Henderson. I have seen many folks stuck there waiting and waiting…

AJP October 2, 2012 (6:53 pm)

This is great! I too walk, bike and drive through here all the time and this was very much needed!

walkers & bikers October 3, 2012 (6:03 am)

Rachel is one of HP’s volunteer rock stars doing great things on behalf of her neighbors! Thanks!

i think the stop signs were installed as prep work for Westcrest improvements project along with the new sidewalks and crosswalks on Cloverdale.

The next positive safety step which would make sense is to advocate for the Master Bicycle Plan paths to include Highland Park all the way up to Highland Park and Westcrest. It needs to be revised with some urgency so kids all over the peninsula can safely travel on their bikes on marked lanes to the upcoming spray park at Highland Park. The bike plan stops many blocks short of that.

MB October 5, 2012 (2:27 am)

very good addition. When they first arrived I was confused then worried maybe I had been running stop signs for the past 8 months I was in that neighborhood using that route. Thankful that wasn’t the case! I agree too many people speed and hard to make turns.

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