CHANGE OF HEART: SDOT decides to restore Chief Sealth Walkway Improvement Project to full-size original plan

| Safety | West Seattle news | Westwood

Never mind waiting for a developer to maybe have to be responsible for a walkway along 25th SW – the city has decided to build it after all:

We just got word from SDOT that the community-requested Chief Sealth Walkway Improvement Project is back to the original plan, along 25th SW as well as 26th SW, three months after the announcement the project would be halved.

In August, we announced that we’d be removing from our plans the paving of the walkway on 25th Ave SW between SW Trenton and SW Cloverdale streets. After further evaluation and feedback from the community, we’re happy to report that plans to pave the 25th Ave SW walkway are back on. The walkway on 26th Ave SW will also be improved, as has been the case throughout design. We’ll be finalizing the design soon and expect construction to start in mid-2018. Please see the project website to view the updated project design.

This announcement comes just a few hours before this month’s meeting of the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition, which had been pushing back against the city’s decision to cut the project. Since the city’s announcement the project would be cut, the unimproved 25th SW walkway has been the scene of incidents involving students, including this one last month.

AmandaK November 7, 2017 (6:34 pm)

Power to the people, people.

H November 7, 2017 (8:00 pm)

Good news!

Marianne November 7, 2017 (8:11 pm)

Thank you Tracy and WSB! We would not have succeeded without your coverage. This truly was a “it takes a village” effort. The Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition led the charge- not only writing the initial grant but getting the city and community together for a face-to-face last month. Thank you Eric and Kim! The Highland Park Action Committee also lent its support and voice. Thank you Gunnar and Michele! And a big THANK YOU to all of our neighbors in South Delridge, Highland Park and Westwood Village who contacted the city and asked for the entire project to be completed. The city heard you and it made a difference. Way to go!!!! Thank you to the city for listening to the community and reinstating the entire project.

Jim P. November 8, 2017 (12:54 pm)

I will believe it when the actual construction commences. The government giveth and the government taketh away.

In the short term, it would be nice if the school would trim back the blasted jungle that is growing out onto Trenton and nearly obstructing the sidewalk and wheelchair ramp at 26th. Or the city, as whichever is responsible.

Only place I can find to report it demands a street address and if there is one, I sure don’t know it since it’s an athletic field.

WSB November 8, 2017 (1:19 pm)

If it’s obstructing right of way (sidewalk), contact SDOT, 206-684-ROAD, who can then deal with the property owners.

JRR November 8, 2017 (12:59 pm)

Great job mobilizing and responding, community. And especially to you, Marianne. And to WWRHAH for all the advocacy for our corner of the city these past five years.

Rod Clark November 8, 2017 (3:56 pm)

Thank you again, Marianne.

It’s hard to see details in the diagrams. Is there a pedestrian-activated crosswalk light included now at both intersections on 25th, at Holden by the high school and at Trenton by the shopping center?

There need to be marked crosswalks at both ends of the 25th corridor, and no-parking clear sightline zones next to the crosswalks to allow unimpeded visibility for pedestrians and drivers. There already is such a 30 foot signed safety zone on the south side of Trenton at 25th, but not on the north side.

On Holden at 25th by the high school, people frequently park abutting the crosswalk or even in the crosswalk itself when school lets out. I was almost run over a couple of days ago by a van parked with its bumper a foot from the crosswalk and nose-to-tail to the car in front, when the driver backed up without seeing me step off the sidewalk into the crosswalk from the yellow rubber wheelchair ramp about a foot behind his van. It’s not safe to have parking next to the high school configured like that.

KM November 9, 2017 (11:03 am)

Trying to picture 25th and Holden but thinking you might mean Thistle?

Rod Clark November 9, 2017 (3:13 pm)

KM,

Yes, it’s Thistle Street. There’s often a confused pedestrian / traffic mess there when the high school lets out. Many cars don’t stop at all. Some do slow down but don’t stop and the kids walk and run across then. Others swerve partly out of their lane to miss the students crossing in the unmarked crosswalks, without even slowing down much.

This came up at the Find-It Fix-It Walk a year and a half ago, with the then-Mayor and his people, when residents asked the city to improve pedestrian safety at the intersections at both ends of 25th, at the school and at the shopping center.

What the City came up with instead was a project to pave the path and install more curb ramps. I’d rather see them install the marked crosswalks, pedestrian-activated lights, and safe no-parking zone to improve pedestrian visibility for 30 feet on either side of the crosswalks, if they have to stay within a limited budget. With what’s left over, they could if necessary just improve the muddy path on 25th with a good level gravel surface like they do in a park.

It would be better to put more of whatever budget there is into substantial pedestrian safety improvements at those two unsafe intersections at Thistle St. and Trenton St., instead of into just more paving.

KM November 9, 2017 (3:51 pm)

I remember that Find-it, Fix-it walk for sure. I occasionally cross Thistle there, I really like your suggestions–especially in these darker months!

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