FAUNTLEROY BOULEVARD PROJECT: Update next week at Junction Neighborhood Organization

| Neighborhoods | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Fauntleroy Boulevard ‘final design’ – click here to see full-size image on city website)

You might recall that the Fauntleroy Boulevard project was long described as likely to start in “early 2018,” according to SDOT. Early 2018 is here, and not only is construction not imminent, some key project points haven’t even been announced yet – such as, whether Fauntleroy Way will be one-way or two ways during construction. But new information might be days away – for the first time in eight months, SDOT is scheduled to present a public update next Wednesday (January 31st). It’s on the agenda for the next Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting.

Also planned for the 6:30 pm meeting at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, updates on the Avalon Substation site, HALA Mandatory Housing Affordability upzoning, what’s next for Sound Transit light-rail planning (including the speculative renderings first shown here earlier this month), and volunteering opportunities. The meeting is open to anyone and everyone who’s interested.

Stand January 25, 2018 (11:20 pm)

Yes, please. Let’s close down the only in-and-out for thousands of people so that we can remove a couple of lanes and make sure we have a 24 hour, round the clock traffic jam.

Who do we vote out?

KM January 26, 2018 (8:12 am)

I’m all for voting out hyperbole.
WS Guy January 26, 2018 (8:51 am)

Would you rather have the street torn up and closed for a year to put in trees and a bike path, or torn up and closed for a year to add concrete support pillars for an elevated train track?

One way or another it will be torn up and closed.
- Mark Schletty January 26, 2018 (11:26 am)
  
  This isn’t an either/or situation. If this project is done, it’s a both situation. Tear it up now and then tear it up all over again for ST3. That’s at least 2 years of blocked access to the bridge. Plus restricted access (compared to now) for all the time in between. This project is a disaster that should be killed now.
- alkistu January 26, 2018 (5:15 pm)
  
  Would love to see it done all at once.
TreeHouse January 26, 2018 (4:39 pm)

I’m excited for this! More like who should I keep voting for?

MrB January 26, 2018 (8:17 am)

This project should include new paving to the Ferry Dock. Faunteroy is practically a state highway and its condition is terrible.

Chris January 26, 2018 (8:49 am)

We agree with Stand. Why can’t they leave things alone and use the money for more important things. For instance, education so property tax does not go so high, or all the other needs in the community. We know no matter what we say, so it seems, they will do what they will do.

This is a major road which appears to be working just fine….why mess with it????

All the bus bulbs that are in now and more coming that back up traffic….really bad in some areas.

Triangle Resident January 26, 2018 (9:56 am)

There is nothing that truly works on this stretch of road! This redesign is way overdue and yes it come with detours for a period of time. If your commute is to access the bridge it probably works well enough for you. For the thousands that live within the Alaska Junction and surrounding areas it’s a disaster. No one is anticipating a pedestrian on this stretch and they sure drive like it wouldn’t matter anyway. This project has taken way too long to get the funding they now have in place and it’s time to move it forward.

AvalonTom January 26, 2018 (10:34 am)

I walk that stretch almost daily. At least once a week im ditching a car that does not see me crossing any of the oddball crosswalks. It’s by far the most dangerous stretch for pedestrians and one must be a defensive walker and watch every car like a hawk. I agree with Triangle Resident that nothing works along this stretch

wetone January 26, 2018 (11:13 am)

Once again a poorly overthought SDOT project that WILL slow down and create more traffic issues in/out of WS. Just a common sense look at latest design from one that has driven this area almost daily 40+yrs : short lanes going away east bound accessing Avalon and west bound accessing Oregon St. Even though very short lanes, they help keep traffic moving when traffic lights change. Example 35th & Avalon light turns red, traffic backs up onto Fauntleroy, today short lane helps hold traffic and leaves 2 lanes moving. With new design this area on Fauntleroy will be reduced to 1 lane many times a day and same issues at Oregon st. More traffic at Trader Joes parking lot reducing that area to a 1 lane choke point. Access to businesses in area terrible and dangerous. Ferry traffic increased 8% last year and growing, with new Fauntleroy ferry terminal coming soon (2023 ?). That means more pedestrians, bikes, motorcycles, cars, truck, bus traffic that needs to move through area. Quickly growing population in WS with no end in sight = more pressure on roads. Traffic will greatly increase onto Admiral and Harbor ave. as a result of this design. This project dedicates way to much area to peds, bikes and trees as seen all to often these days. How much of this project will be changed when ST3 comes……… tax dollars at work ;)

PigeonRidge Ben January 26, 2018 (11:48 am)

I just want something that works better for me. I’m not real interested in how it impacts my current neighbors and I’m definitely not interested in how it might impact future neighbors or my kids or their kids. Just me right now.

wsn00b January 26, 2018 (3:32 pm)

Nice. This will create more planters, medians and trees to turn into a pile of weeds and garbage as seen a few feet east of the Fauntleroy/35th junction. SDOT can’t maintain basic things; the city roadways are turning into piles of filth and we want to do this nonsense. Get the basics right first instead of tooling about with projects that are unsustainable.

alkistu January 26, 2018 (5:22 pm)

I assume the posts are coming from folks who have not lived here for very long. Listen, we survived the rebuilding of the West Seattle Bridge in the 80s with a very high volume of traffic being rerouted to narrow streets for a long distance and a long time. This will not impact you as a driver as much as you are insisting it will. What will be impacted is the businesses in this corridor. If you are serious about your position you will make a big effort to support these businesses during the project. I certainly will.

bolo January 27, 2018 (5:15 pm)

Not a fair comparason alkistu: I was here also in the ’80s– population levels and commuter levels were much much lower 35 years ago. The impacts from reducing or cutting out traffic corridors were much less then.
- RayWest January 28, 2018 (7:33 am)
  
  Bolo – You are exactly right. I lived through the W.S. Bridge construction, and there were far fewer people and cars here at that time, and it was bad enough then. Compared to 35 years ago, the population has grown and traffic is horrendous. Nearly every street from Fauntleroy, Alaska Junction, and Morgan Street Junction is continually clogged with moving traffic and parked vehicles. The Admiral area is not much better and getting worse. I hate driving anywhere in West Seattle’s core.

MJ January 26, 2018 (6:22 pm)

SDoT plan for FB is flawed for its failure to adhere to national standards. Right turning traffic onto Avalon far exceeds national criteria, off the charts, for right turn channelization; and yet they propose to remove this existing right turn channelization.

SDoT was provided a conceptual channelization plan prepared by an expert Traffic Engineer that provided right turn channelization at Avalon and they totally dissed it. This plan kept all the base elements of the City’s plan via skinnying down some elements to fit.

The channelization plan was supported by the WSTC and many people in the WS community.

Sorry, comment time is over.