WEST SEATTLE’S NEWEST CROSSWALK: SW Alaska, west of Fauntleroy

The long-anticipated SW Alaska crosswalk on the west side of Fauntleroy Way is now open (lower half of the top photo). First word came in a short time ago from Matt, who also sent the photos:

Finally! They painted the stripes this morning and it was open by the afternoon. They also re-striped East across Fauntleroy.

The walk signal is about 15 seconds long and the turn arrow does remain red; however, I did observe one southbound car start to proceed through the right turn when the signal turned green for the other two lanes only to stop quickly when they saw a pedestrian crossing. I’d suggest caution when crossing here as it may take a while for people to get used to a crosswalk being here.

This crosswalk has been years in the making – though SDOT installed it, it was part of The Whittaker‘s (WSB sponsor) “public-benefit package,” required for its alley vacation; the crosswalk goes from The Whittaker’s northeast corner across SW Alaska to Spruce (LA Fitness + apartments). We’re told there’s still a little more work ahead at this intersection, so don’t expect to see it crew-less just yet.

16 Replies to "WEST SEATTLE'S NEWEST CROSSWALK: SW Alaska, west of Fauntleroy"

  • JanS August 29, 2017 (6:49 pm)

    now that Amazon has Whole Foods, and is reducing prices, will we regret not having it here? I wondered if this sale had anything to do with leaving…the timing coincided, sort of.  Nice that there’s a crosswalk for people to get from buses to home or businesses there.

    • WSB August 29, 2017 (6:56 pm)

      I have asked WF twice now, before and after the sale closed, if the Amazon deal might change their decisions on what were stores in development, like this one. So far, no reply.

  • Swede. August 29, 2017 (7:37 pm)

    ‘Putting lipstick on a pig.’

    Saw when they did this earlier today and thought it’s a bit of a waste of money since the road all around there looks like it’s in Baghdad… 

  • NW August 29, 2017 (7:43 pm)

    There is a development underway at Madison st and Broadway ave where I believe a new wholefoods is planned to be. Concerning this intersection and corner of Spruce apartment at sw Alaska and Fauntleroy ave sw that corner ,where because of landscape features in front of La Fitness, pedestrians are directed to walk facing or with their backs to westbound traffic merging off fauntleroy at high speeds directly beside . I don’t like it and while walking that stretch I make a V line walking away from that stretch of sidewalk. It is a poor design on the developers part for that busy roadway in a growing population. This is for me an example of where constructive criticism and design review involvement at the community level could have prevented this from happening. 

  • Junction Dad August 29, 2017 (9:01 pm)

    How does one contact DOT or city to request a crosswalk? Need one on 44th and Alaska really bad.  Thought for sure one was going in when they made the ADA corners and the new micro apartment with all non-car commuters went in?  It’s like Frogger to get across 45th.

  • perpetual wonder August 29, 2017 (9:05 pm)

    someone just asked me if we know what’s going in that ground level space at the whitaker with whole foods bowing out. 

    is there any update on a grocery tenant?

    • WSB August 29, 2017 (9:11 pm)

      Nope. They are offering it as two spaces; but as I mentioned upthread, I’ve also been hoping to get a WF comment on whether they might reconsider, as they are still the leaseholder last I heard, and they have yet to reply.

  • Marmar August 29, 2017 (10:49 pm)

    Why can’t all city cross walks be a all walks like the junction? That way cars and people are never in the cross walk at the same time. 

    • Jort Sandwich August 30, 2017 (9:25 am)

      This would limit the amount of automobiles that could use this intersection, and would cause motorist delays — and as you can probably imagine, this would result in perhaps the world’s greatest collective fit of community hysteria. The pitchforks would be pointy, sharp, and hoisted in the air, with loud chants that somehow incorporate “KUBLYYYYYY!!!!!” into the rhyming scheme.

      I would argue that a “Walk All Ways” intersection would not (at this current moment) be a good fit for this intersection, as there are not a lot of things for pedestrians to interact with on the Les Schwab and Shell station sides of the intersection.

      • CAM August 30, 2017 (3:01 pm)

        You’re forgetting the rapid ride stops on either side of Fauntleroy there Jort. Those attract a lot of pedestrians and cyclists. 

        • Swede. August 30, 2017 (5:27 pm)

          And a lot commuter cars since it’s (apparently) the unofficial ‘Park-n-Ride’ lot… 

  • JB August 30, 2017 (10:45 am)

    Just as an FYI, it is legal to make a right turn on a red arrow after coming to a complete stop and ensuring the crosswalk is clear and there are no other signs forbidding it (such as the intersection at California and Alaska). https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.055

    • CAM August 30, 2017 (2:59 pm)

      Can we make that sign at California and Alaska bigger possibly? I’ve practically been run over by people turning on red there at least 5 times in the last 3 weeks. 

    • Swede. August 30, 2017 (5:31 pm)

      Any ‘Right on Red’ is always up to the persons driving judgement IF, like you pointed out, it’s allowed. Which is missed by a lot of people that like to honk and get angry when people don’t do it. This particular intersection would be a good idea to NOT allow it since there is a long distance from the light/crosswalk in front of Trader Joe’s to this new crosswalk. Let’s see when the signs come up. My guess is a few people needs to be run over first…

  • Seabruce August 30, 2017 (10:47 am)

    I would think with all the Amazonians in WSea, pressure will build to open a WF here.

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