UPDATE: Bicycle rider taken to hospital after 47th/Genesee incident

Person October 20, 2016 (8:40 am)

Thank you for the update. I’ve been worried all morning as I was walking near there when the ambulances were arriving. I watched numerous cars having to really stomp on their brakes as they were flying around the corner to go up Genesee. Slow down!!

S October 20, 2016 (8:42 am)

Thank God it was not serious.

WSB October 20, 2016 (8:45 am)

I don’t know yet whether her injuries are serious … but not life-threatening, as in critical … we will be checking with Harborview, to see if they’re able to tell us anything later.
- WSMom October 20, 2016 (8:51 am)
  
  While you’re on the phone with Harborview, can you see if there is an update on the boy who was hit by the tree near the Fauntleroy Y last Friday?
  - WSB October 20, 2016 (8:58 am)
    
    Yes, that’s on my list though without a name, the likelihood is fairly low. A family friend told us the next day that the outlook was “optimistic” for him.

Kate K October 20, 2016 (8:55 am)

Hope the woman on the bike quickly makes a full recovery.

I live a few houses from where this happened. Drivers, please slow down! People zoom way too fast down Glenn Way where it turns and becomes Genessee. I’ve almost been hit by speeders numerous times while walking my dog, on my bike and in my car on this same block.

I’d like to see a four way stop at Genessee/Glenn and 46th Ave SW. It’s been a problem the twelve years I’ve lived here.

WSMom October 20, 2016 (9:04 am)

Agreed about needing to make that a four-way stop. It doesn’t make sense at that intersection has three stops signs but not the fourth, especially as that is the one direction that is coming into a blind curve.
- mjc October 20, 2016 (11:14 am)
  
  We’ve lobbied SDOT multiple times to change this intersection. Between cars ripping around the corner to head west on Genesee or screaming north bound on 46th, people go way too fast but they won’t budge because it is an arterial, a bus route and a through route for emergency response. How can we gang up on them to rethink the intersection?
  
  To the point of new traffic flow in the neighborhood: We’re thrilled that the school is now in full operation, but the traffic is crazy. Some signage, an additional 4 way and some policing or support would be very helpful to reduce this kind of problem.
  - WSB October 20, 2016 (11:23 am)
    
    So has the lobbying actually made contact with Safe Routes to School? For just one example … Delridge, past the Boren Building that’s home to K-8 STEM and was also home for 2 years to Arbor Heights ES, has had Safe Routes to School intervention – speed camera, one crosswalk with curb bulbs and another on the way – and is also an arterial, bus route, etc.

Christine October 20, 2016 (9:04 am)

I agree with Kate! My husband and I have also lived in the neighborhood for 12 years and have seen many accidents at this intersection. People drive way too fast coming Down Glen Way, Southwest and can barely make the turn onto Genesee or they come speeding down our street on 46th SW. Now with the new school up the hill I do hope that they will take it seriously and put in the four way stop! I’m so happy to hear that there was no major injuries

jtm October 20, 2016 (9:12 am)

Agree, that should be a 4 way stop. The new school has caused morning traffic along this route to greatly increase.

Genesee Hill mom October 20, 2016 (9:14 am)

Please slow down. My son goes to school at GH and so do all of our friends. :( Thanks for the update WSB the community at GH bas been worried.

WSB October 20, 2016 (9:20 am)

I just added an update. SFD had left the scene by the time we arrived, so I had to contact the public-information officer, who says her injuries were assessed as minor but she was taken to Harborview for evaluation. I have a message out to them and will update if there is anything more later. SFD also confirms the child was not hurt. And also, he described it as a “low-speed collision,” so while it’s certainly a problematic intersection, speed might not have figured into this. – TR

RS October 20, 2016 (9:19 am)

Drivers have always gone way too fast on this stretch of Genesee, and the new school opening has done little to slow them down. It’s worrisome to cross, even when there are crosswalks, crossing guards, and signs with flashing lights saying that the speed limit drops to 20mph in front of the school. There was a patrol car parked nearby that would turn on it’s siren as a warning to speeders, but that was just for one day during the first week of the school year. That clearly had little to no effect. Hopefully this accident will cause something to be done.

I feel terrible for the injured rider, and the child who was with her. I hope she is okay!

William October 20, 2016 (9:19 am)

I ride my bike on SW 44th north-south in the vicinity of this accident all the time. I have no idea from this blog post as to which party might have been at fault, the bicyclist or the car driver. But I do notice the vast majority of drivers in West Seattle are oblivious to the “Rules of the Road” in the State of Washington. Vehicles entering an intersection approaching on the right (yes, bicycles are treated as vehicles) have the right of way in the absence of stops signs or traffic lights. That is, the vehicle on your right has the right of way. I can’t tell you how many times drivers of cars approaching from my left fail to yield. I know being legally “right” will never win a cyclist and argument with 2 tons of steel, so I always watch out.

Besides slowing down, please make sure all of you, drivers of cars and bicyclists, make sure you know basic traffic laws.

sam-c October 20, 2016 (9:40 am)

“at approximately the same time” from SMC 11.55.010

I’ve seen drivers that assume this is the rule no matter what. If I am already at the intersection (and stopped- cause i always slow down to 2mph), and the person on my right is still approaching, and say, about 70′ away from the intersection, that is not ‘at approximately the same time’
- sam-c October 20, 2016 (9:57 am)
  
  (and when I say, “i’ve seen drivers that assume this is the rule no matter what,” I am talking about the – vehicle on the right, assuming they have the right of way. But it doesn’t really apply if you’re not at the intersection ‘at approximately the same time’)
  
  (WSB- bring back the edit function!)
- Josh October 20, 2016 (11:47 am)
  
  Don’t be too sure about that.
  
  Court precedent in Washington includes a driver who arrived at the intersection first, pulled slowly through the intersection, and was hit in the rear while by a driver coming from the right, well above the speed limit.
  
  The rule of the court was that if the driver on the right was close enough that a conflict was reasonably predictable, that’s “approximately the same time.”
  
  If you can see a driver approaching to your right at an uncontrolled intersection, and you’re not 100% certain that you’ll entirely clear the intersection before that driver enters the intersection, you yield to your right.
  
  It’s a very different rule than a 4-way stop, where you’re entitled to assume the driver on your right will obey the stop sign.
  - sam-c October 20, 2016 (12:52 pm)
    
    Thanks. good to know ‘at approximately the same time’ is totally ambiguous. I’ll adjust accordingly.
    
    Hope the cyclists will be okay. and their friends and family aren’t too shaken up.
    - sam-c October 20, 2016 (12:53 pm)
      
      (cyclists plural as in ‘the woman and the child’)
GH Mom October 20, 2016 (11:38 am)

Yes! This!

Neighbor October 20, 2016 (9:25 am)

I agree also that drivers speed on Genesee. Please slow down and give pedestrians and cyclist room on the road. It doesn’t all belong to you the car driver.

Frogger October 20, 2016 (9:30 am)

Something needs to be done NOW.

All drivers, not just those dropping off to school, are clearly driving too fast, driving distracted, and raging. Neighbors clearly don’t want the traffic on the their streets and have gone so far as to box in parked cars. Walking to /from the school is as dangerous, or more given the lack of general street lighting and lack of a 5,000 lb metal frame for protection.

Seattle Public Schools–you need to engage NOW. The traffic management around this school is a major design defect! More lighting. More crossing guards. More community out-reach re: parking, safety. Oh and earlier bell schedules will not help.

Seattle Police–can we get some assistance in the short-term to monitor and manage the traffic. Drivers are way too aggressive.

Pops October 20, 2016 (11:48 am)

Good luck

Mark Foltz October 20, 2016 (10:00 am)

Argh lost a longer reply!

The fastest way to get safety improvements around schools is through Safe Routes To Schools. Contact brian.dougherty@seattle.gov and Lisa Herbold to let them know this area is a priority. West Seattle Greenways is also a good resource.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for the person biking.

Elle Nell October 20, 2016 (10:30 am)

While I agree people drive way too fast… We have to also teach our kids how to navigate safely within our community. Life is not going to just open up and make everything so easy that you must not think anymore. Knowledge is the best thing for families concerned about safety, YOUR safety… I’m really getting sick of folks asking for everything to be just so, so that their life may be so much easier.

Work through life’s problems and obstacles like the rest have for decades…

Elle Nell October 20, 2016 (10:31 am)

Also, myself and my children have had to navigate safety our whole lives…

Kaye October 20, 2016 (10:33 am)

Let’s slow it down out there!! Hope bicycle person is ok…need some kind of traffic slow down at Iregon & Glenn!! Be safe people!!

Ok

GH Resident October 20, 2016 (10:35 am)

Frogger,

As a long-time resident of Genesee Hill whose home is1/2 block from the front door of the new school, I’ve witnessed some exceptionally rude and disrepectful behavior from the parents as well. The neighborhood is not “dangerous”, unless you consider the rude and irresponsible driving habits of the parents themselves. I respectfully request that all parents remember that their actions can have significant and negative impacts on someone else’s street/neighborhood. Treat my environment like you would like for me to treat yours.

Traveler October 20, 2016 (10:45 am)

Unfortunate for both riders and driver… One never knows what can happen in life.

JB October 20, 2016 (11:24 am)

This is such an unfortunate accident, the second in two days in front of my home at 47th & Genesee. I hope this bike mom and her child will be OK. Yesterday a neighbor’s cat was killed by a mom in an SUV (her child was in the car). Everyone was devastated. I’ve seen people blow through the stop sign on that corner, too. People, please slow down, especially on residential streets and particularly on Genesee Hill near the new school. Trying to get to school or work on time is not worth getting into a deadly accident. Madison Middle School also needs 4-way stop signs all around the school, not just two signs on one corner. There have been many close calls there since school started.

Pops October 20, 2016 (11:36 am)

I hope safety improvements are made in this area but we had no luck with Spokane ST and Charlestown ST suggestions related to safety at Schmitz Park.

Maggie October 20, 2016 (11:38 am)

I live on Glenn Way SW just before Genesee and every day I witness people speeding up and down Glenn Way. Another thing I see daily is that a majority and I mean a large majority of people coming down Genesee to the stop sign on the corner of Genesee and Glenn Way going east either barely slow down at it or just fly right through it and onto Glenn Way without even slowing down like it isn’t even there. I have talked to the DOT and they say it is a police matter. Seriously maybe 1 or 2 out of every 10 on a good day actually come to a stop at that sign. People also come flying down the hill on Genesee going west and pull out in front of cars coming down Glenn and turning onto Genesee. I had the DOT put a speed trailer on Glenn Way at one time and they placed it in wide open view up the block so as soon as the cars turned onto the street they saw it and immediately slowed down. Sadly only as long as the trailer was there and then resumed their acceleration up and down the street. I am not sure if another stop sign would change anything since they don’t honor the ones that are there and especially the one I previously mentioned. I have had someone hit my skirt while I was beside my car and as they flew on by flipped me off. I feel that we should all get together and have a petition signed to get the city to do something before someone gets killed . There are screeching tires and honking horns daily. Thankfully the accident today didn’t turn out as badly as it could have. Maybe speed bumps on Glenn Way like the ones on 48th might help or a traffic circle or something to make people aware and more cautious and considerate of others. I have lived in this house for over 21 years and have seen it getting progressively worse every day. Now especially with the school this needs to be addressed immediately before we are all grieving a major incident. Traffic starts at 5:30 AM and is steady the rest of the day and into the night. Lets get together and get something done about this!

jt October 20, 2016 (12:49 pm)

I totally agree Maggie. I just sent a long message to Lisa Herbold and Brian Dougherty

brian.dougherty@seattle.gov
Lisa.Herbold@seattle.gov

asking for several safety improvements, first and foremost being to make 46th/Glenn/Genesee an all-way stop. I agree it won’t be a cure-all, but I think it will definitely help slow the downhill speeders a bit to know they’ve got a stop coming up. Please take a moment to send them an email as well! Hopefully if enough of us bring this to their attention we can get something done.

Pops October 20, 2016 (11:58 am)

All these complaints about traffic around the new school. I commented that this would be a problem when news of the new school broke in earlier posts. Sorry you have to deal with it. I know how you feel.

Sgs October 20, 2016 (11:59 am)

I also live near that intersection and support the comments here. The other thing I noticed this morning in particular was that the Genesee Hill student crossing guards are unsupervised. I know they are fifth-graders but in the dark and in the rain that’s a big responsibility for them to keep others and themselves safe with these parents rushing to school. I could not believe the traffic this morning at drop off and I’m very concerned about all those kids being responsible for all those crossings.

Jort Sandwich October 20, 2016 (12:08 pm)

Sounds like everybody here is in agreement that people should be slowing down, and that enforcement of speed limits and safe driving is needed.

I know that the response from SPD is typically one of “resource constraints,” but thankfully there is a technology-aided solution that can help out: speed cameras. Installing speed cameras that automatically write tickets for cars that are speeding, I assure you, would cause people to slow down.

I understand that this is unpopular and for some reason people think they have a secret right to speed as long as they don’t get caught… but we are living in a dream world if we think that police are going to target our society’s inability to follow the posted speed limit.

Speed cameras are a sure-fire way to cause immediate safety improvements in our neighborhoods. I would be the first to volunteer to put on in my home. Thankfully it’s very easy to avoid getting a speed camera ticket: DON’T SPEED.

Jort Sandwich October 20, 2016 (12:26 pm)

I should add that the most common argument against speed cameras is that the money somehow goes to enriching some person or another, as though it were some kind of racket.

Look, honestly I don’t really care where the money goes, and to me it doesn’t matter. When speed cameras go up, people speeding goes down. And when speeding goes down, our streets are safer. They could take all the fines and dump them in Puget Sound for all I care.

When you automatically penalize law-breaking, you get behavior changes. In this case, the behavior change is a dramatically improved safety for our city streets.

J October 20, 2016 (12:13 pm)

SGS –

The school crossing guards are supervised by one of the teachers, but the crossing guards are covering 4 different areas around the school making it hard for him to supervise them all. You are right though that it is very concerning that these kids are given a huge responsibility in what could be a dangerous situation. Poorly lit streets and unmarked intersections are not the places we should be relying on 5th graders to control the traffic flow. It’s time for the community to pressure SDOT into making the changes that GH requested before the school opened.

Gerrit Kischner October 20, 2016 (12:15 pm)

Thank you everyone for your concern for Genesee Hill families and our neighbors. We are all adjusting to new traffic patterns as well as the early start times. Add in a steady rain, and we all need to take extra care in the mornings.

I do want to clarify that our crossing guards do have adult supervision posted at the the corner of 51st and Genesee (where we also have asked for cross walks and a four-way stop). We also have funding from the City to hire an adult crossing guard on Genesee before and after school, but nobody has applied. If there’s anyone interested, please let us know.

Cathy dooley October 20, 2016 (12:27 pm)

The city should also look into upper 49th Sw which people still use as an arterial near genessee and go far to fast. Lots of kids on that street! The arterial turns two or three blocks before but it needs a traffic circle to get the point across.

J October 20, 2016 (1:08 pm)

Getting approval for a traffic circle is a painful time-consuming process with SDOT unfortunately. Their standard response is that there have been no significant accidents at whatever intersection you propose one for, therefore the need is not that great. The unmarked 4 way intersections around GH and Madison need to be at least marked! There are hundreds of school kids crossing at all these points! But until there’s a “significant” accident, i don’t see a timely response. This morning should be a wake up call for all those involved SDOT, Seattle City Council, and the Seattle School District need to address theses problems.
- KM October 20, 2016 (1:51 pm)
  
  I have sent numerous emails regarding preparing for the traffic around Roxhill moving (EC Hughes property), but to no avail. That school property corners 2 completely uncontrolled intersections where accidents have occurred, both which are included in the car and bus routes for pickup and drop off, and one with very poor visibility off of 35th in a growing business area. *sigh*

Maggie Mae October 20, 2016 (12:37 pm)

If the SPD set up an officer on a motorcycle on the corner of 46th and Glenn Way he could make enough in tickets to pay for a speed camera. (I know this is not how it works just saying). The one day that there was an officer there I saw him stop and ticket 6 or more cars in a matter of minutes and could have written more if he could have stopped them all for running the stop sign that I mentioned in my previous comment. I am going to try and get SPD to place an officer there and see what happens.

CW October 20, 2016 (2:29 pm)

I rode through here shortly after it happened. I’m happy to hear the child was not hurt and hopeful the mother’s injuries are in fact minor. I live a few blocks from here and I agree, the intersection of 46th and Genesee could use a stop sign or some sort of traffic calming. People drive way to fast through that corner and people routinely exceed (understatement) the speed limit going up/down Genesee.

Just a few weeks ago I was riding westbound on Genesee on the right side of the road, to the right of the travel lane. This was during daylight hours and I have a very bright flashing tail light. Some guy passes me and then takes a right hand turn right in front of me to turn north on 47th. He missed me by less than 1 foot and then proceeds to yell at me. Come on people, give cyclists a little room. We are people with families and would like to make it home alive to see them.

gina October 20, 2016 (3:08 pm)

Genesee at 47th is hard to cross on foot going north. Street can be clear when you start crossing and a vehicle will be racing down Glenn through the turn before you get across. No visibility from the east.

flimflam October 20, 2016 (4:05 pm)

folks, scolding people about speeding has no relevance to this story – “low speed collision”.

RS October 21, 2016 (9:05 am)

Regardless of whether or not speeding played a role in this particular accident, it is clearly a problem in this area which needs to be addressed. To understand, you need only attempt to cross Genesee anywhere between 46th and 51st.

Chris October 20, 2016 (6:38 pm)

I’m sorry but I don’t think there is much scolding in these comments. To me it seems that there are pleas for responsible driving.

Chemist October 20, 2016 (8:45 pm)

We know little about the incident. For all we know, the bike was headed N-S and blew through the stop sign due to a brake cable failure. Or aliens.

Komodo October 20, 2016 (9:10 pm)

People should drive safely but I agree with FlimFlam. Here are the facts according to a person who witnessed the accident: The car was not traveling on Genesee and the driver of the vehicle was not speeding. After waiting at the stop sign on 47th & Genesee for some time because of very heavy traffic on Genesee, in very dark conditions, and in driving rain, the driver was trying to go North, across Genesee via 47th. The driver did not hit the cyclist. In fact, regardless of who technically may be at fault, the cyclist hit the vehicle in the middle of the rear passenger side panel when the vehicle was about three quarters of the way through the intersection. Despite what some people wrote here, this was simply an unfortunate accident that happened in extremely poor driving conditions. Even when people are trying to be safe, accidents do happen. And at least when traffic is heavy, 47th and Genesee is apparently a dangerous intersection.

Don Brubeck October 20, 2016 (9:32 pm)

Sorry to hear about this crash. I hope the rider does not have serious injuries.

This area around the school on that steep stretch of Genessee looks like it has opportunities for the city’s Safe Routes to Schools program for safety improvements in school zones. If PTSA and school admin are interested, there may be funding available for intersection safety improvements. The safer it is for people to walk and bike to school, the less car traffic problems there will be for the neighborhood and the school students.

wetone October 21, 2016 (11:11 am)

First I wish all involved quick recovery. But I think as time goes on we will see more accidents in many areas of WS as many of the main arterials like Admiral Wy, 35th, California, Alaska and such are being re-configured, speed reduced along with huge population increases. All these things are pushing much more traffic onto side streets (out of site out of mind for city) creating a much more dangerous situation than what was prior. As city pulls more parking spots from areas and permits many new builds to be built without parking or increase density in residential areas, people just park their cars on close by side streets. Many times in non-legal fashion creating visual issues for drivers, walkers and bicyclist. Technology also plays a huge part in many road issues with cell phones and eye’s on GPS. City can lower speed limits, install speed bumps, cameras and re-configure roads saying it’s all going to cure the issues, but in the end getting more police officers on the roads with radar guns and ticketing ALL people for stupid law breaking behavior whether vehicle drivers, bicyclist or walkers I don’t see or expect things to improve.

JB October 21, 2016 (12:15 pm)

I agree with all the comments about speed increasing in this neighborhood with the population growth. But Glenn Way and westbound up Genesee Hill have been a problem in the 20 years I’ve lived here. Walking my dog recently, I saw a Ferrari speeding up the hill near the school going at least 60 mph. It was evening and dark; how could he have stopped in time for anyone? I’ve seen two cats killed and 3 dogs get hit (one of whom died). I’ve heard of a child getting hit many years ago. I’ve also seen several accidents at the corner of Oregon/Glenn Way, where there is a stop sign, but no one can see a car speeding up Glen Way toward the Junction. It’s a blind spot. One was a four-car accident, and I’ve heard of a person getting hit in that 5-way intersection. I think speed cameras on both Glenn Way and Genesee would help in the short-term.

Curbed Wheel October 21, 2016 (4:22 pm)

Sorry to hear about the accident and best wishes for a speedy recovery. Also would like to put in a plug for parents to slow down and follow the law……not only for everyone’s safety but because you are modeling for your children. I live near Madison Middle School and shocked almost weekly by the close-calls and/or Parents darting across Charleston on 46th which is against the law. Yes, we are all busy but please stop being so entitled/selfish/oblivious/careless/rude

Alkistu October 21, 2016 (4:48 pm)

Best thoughts go o ut for mom and child. The Spicy Curry E bike has a lot of built in protection for the child. Speed is an issue as displayed by the limited damage of a low speed collision. This is why we have speed limits and 20 mph school zonesas well as residential zones. Yes, anyone who speeds should be scolded. Plan your day better and always remeber, it’s not worth it.

JB October 23, 2016 (11:08 am)

Maggie, post your house number & I’ll stop by to see if can get something done about this.

JB October 27, 2016 (4:29 pm)

I see that a new flashing speed-limit sign has been installed on Genesee going up the hill toward the school. Yay!! Now to keep it flashing in off-school hours to protect the rest of us.