(May 2016 photo contributed by Chris, showing one traffic-choked morning at south section of the project zone)
The final official list isn’t out yet, but West Seattle Bike Connections says its proposal for improvements at Harbor/Avalon/Spokane/Manning topped the list last night when the citywide Levy to Move Seattle Oversight Committee voted on which proposals should get Neighborhood Street Fund money.
The proposal won top ranking from the Southwest District Council in neighborhood-level voting. Here’s the SDOT document explaining the proposal by WSBC’s Jodi Connolly, and estimating it at $352,000; here’s a WSBC report from February detailing the intersection’s challenges.
WSBC president Don Brubeck summarizes it as “The project will improve driver sight lines, traffic signals, and signage for safety for people crossing Harbor and Avalon on foot and on bikes. It’s a blind corner at the Spokane ramp to Harbor Ave SW for people driving low vehicles. At SW Manning to Avalon Way, the signage is confusing for the little pocket left turn bike lane and right-only vehicle lane.”
He adds – and note that one key change was made after SDOT’s version of it came out – “This grant application had strong community support, including Alki Community Council, Nucor Steel, Luna Park neighbors (who have their own Neighborhood Park & Street Fund project to improve the appearance and commemorate the history of this gateway to West Seattle). Our grant is for safety for people crossing the street on foot and on bikes. The Luna Park businesses has concerns about parking loss at Avalon and Manning by Luna Park Cafe. We discussed that, and modified the request so that no street parking spaces would be lost on Avalon (the SDOT link shows it before that modification). David Whiting, president of Southwest District Council and a founding member of West Seattle Bike Connections, helped us present to the council and obtain their recommendation.”
Following up on Brubeck’s note, we asked SDOT for an official list from last night’s meeting, but spokesperson Norm Mah said that wasn’t available yet: “This list of project recommendations has been transmitted to the Mayor for final approval. SDOT expects project applicants will be notified next week about final funding selections, with an official public release shortly thereafter.” A list tweeted by Seattle Neighborhood Greenways shows the only other West Seattle project to make the citywide top 10 was the “26th SW proposal” for the walking corridor between Chief Sealth International High School and Westwood Village.
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