What’s next for 35th Avenue SW: SDOT sets August 4th meeting

| Transportation | West Seattle news

(Map from July 2015 slide deck about 35th SW plan)

The long-promised meeting about what’s next for 35th Avenue SW has finally been set by SDOT. We’ve been checking the project webpage for word of the next community meeting, and today it’s been updated. So if you are interested in what’s happened with the 35th SW changes so far, and what’s ahead, get it in your calendar now – here’s the date and place:

7-9 pm Thursday, August 4th
Neighborhood House’s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

That’s the same place SDOT held meetings a year ago to announce Phase 1 of the rechannelization (“road diet”) plan for 35th, south of Morgan. At the time, SDOT project manager Jim Curtin said plans for north of Morgan would be discussed this year; when we most recently checked in with him a month ago, he expected the first meeting would be set for the middle of this month, but it’s been clear that plan slid again. He told WSB then that the discussion of Phase 2 would be in tandem with early discussions of the next neighborhood greenway in West Seattle, but right now the webpage just says the August 4th meeting will be “to learn more about our plans to further enhance safety on 35th Avenue SW.” More to come.

Steve July 5, 2016 (4:53 pm)

The intersection of 35th and Barton is a disaster…put in some left turn signals please!

D DelRio July 5, 2016 (6:04 pm)

I agree about the intersection of 35th and Barton. Since they added turn lanes, it seems to have gotten worse. The light takes forever to change for us going east west or to turn onto 35th. I think they should have left it the way it was. It seems like I’m putting my life in jeopardy every time I must make a left turn.

Jort July 5, 2016 (6:26 pm)

I can’t wait to attend! I will encourage SDOT to do whatever it takes to make traffic on this street safer for all road users.

A July 5, 2016 (6:43 pm)

Anyone else notice that they shortened the time the light at 35th and Alaska stays green for the 35th Ave drivers? It stays green for what seems like 10-15 seconds max and only allows for around 10 cars to go through the intersection before turning red. This is causing traffic to back up all the way to avalon on occasion. It seems like yet another bad decision made by SDOT. I’m starting to think they planned this to limit the flow of cars going southbound on 35th heading towards the road diet so that maybe their numbers will look better and traffic will not look as bad in the road diet portion of 35th and they can tell us the road diet is working. Our mayor and SDOT are failing us miserably in regards to traffic issues in west seattle. I have no faith that even if myself and many others show up to this meeting to protest this road diet that anything will be done. Just like all these micro apartments, it doesn’t matter how much we protest, once their minds are made up they will do it no matter what. They know what’s best for us

old timer July 5, 2016 (9:22 pm)

Re 35th & Alaska – when I’m trapped by a too long light on 35th, it’s usually to accommodate a north bound RapidRide C. Once the bus goes thru, the light changes. Signal priority? I don’t know , but, next time you’re waiting, look for the bus.
- A July 6, 2016 (7:34 am)
  
  Yes I have seen c line buses while at the light on 35th. I have also continued to wait with others for 20 plus seconds after the bus has turned on to 35th with no other cars behind the bus. This light needs to be fixed. Those of you who commute southbound on 35th during the afternoon/evening commute know what I’m talking about
AG July 6, 2016 (10:14 pm)

I agree with those complaining about the southbound 35th light at Alaska. It’s like that even late evenings (10-11:00), even when there are no cars on Alaska. What’s the point?

TheKing July 5, 2016 (7:15 pm)

Is the road diet making people put their phones down while driving, or keeping grown adults from running around on the street in the dark while wearing black clothing? It doesn’t seem like it. Real and enforced distracted driving laws would be a start. First offense is a 3 month license suspension and a $1000 fine, second is a year and $5000. If you haven’t taught your children, or children who know better, if you have t taught your parents the dangers of playing in the street you should do so.

pupsarebest July 6, 2016 (10:46 pm)

Hooray & hallelujah, I could not agree more with your comment.

Selfish, entitled, clueless, lawbreakers engangering us all—driving while fiddling with a phone should hold the same penalties as DUI—it is e qually as irresponsible and dangerous.

WHY even have the law if it isn’t actively, consistently and aggressively enforced?

Try it for one month, SPD, you’ll be VERY busy, but generate tons of revenue and improve safety far more than this ridiculous road diet fiasco.

LarryB July 6, 2016 (8:37 am)

Mostly I like the road diet, but we need more left turn signals. Barton and Trenton. Both back up. The northbound left onto Thistle should also be long enough to let all the cars through. Also, more flashing-light crosswalks please, or full-on pedestrian signals that can be timed.

I do get frustrated by the people who choose to drive at 20mph, and SDOT’s claim that lights are time for a Green Wave seems to be a joke.

Brian July 6, 2016 (10:27 am)

The last time I tried to get a crosswalk put in (at Lincoln Park), this is what the city told me:

<em>Legal crosswalks are in place at all intersections, unless otherwise signed, however SDOT installs marked crosswalks at some locations. A marked crosswalk normally indicates a preferred pedestrian crossing point. In other words, we mark a crosswalk in a place where we want people to cross. Some of the most significant factors that go into a decision about whether or not to mark a crosswalk are the characteristics of the roadway itself. Features such as the number of lanes that pedestrians must cross, the proximity of the location in question to existing traffic signals, and the number of pedestrians who cross the street consistently at that location, all help to answer the question that we ask: “Will a marked crosswalk benefit pedestrians?”

For a crosswalk to be useful, drivers must expect pedestrians at that location. Therefore, the number of pedestrians crossing at a given location is important. When marking a crosswalk we like to see approximately twenty pedestrians crossing an hour. This ensures that drivers become accustomed to stopping for pedestrians and do not grow accustomed to seeing an empty crosswalk on a continual basis. The volume of pedestrians crossing 47^th Avenue SW at SW Fontanelle Street does not meet this standard.</em>

Sunuva July 6, 2016 (9:10 am)

I avoid traveling 35th by car these days when I can. I’ve tried but I seem to get stopped at almost every stoplight which makes the drive frustrating. It’s as if every time you just barely start to get going again you get stopped by another light. Delridge also has it’s frustrations and the road surface is terrible, but at least there are less stoplights and they seem to be timed better to let traffic flow north to south.

Mat July 6, 2016 (12:01 pm)

On the flip side I’d say my experience has been much better. In the past 35th was a lot of stop and go because of all of the turning cars blocking traffic. Now it’s much easier of a drive and I find myself able to enjoy a nice drive through the neighborhood to Target or wherever. Not that driving has to be enjoyable, but it sure is nice to enjoy the neighborhood you live in and have it feel like, well, a neighborhood.
- Sunuva July 6, 2016 (12:53 pm)
  
  Maybe it’s timing. I don’t have a regular commute so my travel times are very random. Occasionally the mid-day drive is okay and doesn’t feel so stop and go. I usually find the most frustration if I travel in the mornings northbound. I almost always get stopped at Roxbury, Barton, Trenton, Thistle, Holden and Morgan all in a row.

JC July 6, 2016 (9:46 am)

How about paving Roxbury? After this stupid fix that’s not working there, the roads are in horrible shape and people drive like they are drunk to avoid the holes and cracks. As for the 35th stupid road diet, I am seeing more and more people tailgating, getting mad at folks who don’t do the speed limit (driving 10 miles under) and more congestion. So glad I moved out of West Seattle!!

wsn00b July 6, 2016 (7:36 pm)

Right. This whole project will basically paint over the turd that is the 35th Ave SW road surface. The whole decade long levy scam won’t even repave all the broken parts of 35th and Roxbury. Inane.

JL July 6, 2016 (10:50 pm)

Agree with previous commenter: distracted drivers and pedestrians are the root cause of accidents and a “road diet” does not address this issue. Education, focused and targeted campaigns to eliminate distracted drivers and pedestrians, along with fines will reduce accidents and improve safety. The road diet increases congestion, frustration, and commute times- adds to the problem instead of mitigating it.

Sorry, comment time is over.