WEDNESDAY: West Seattle discussion of downsized Bicycle Master Plan project list

| Transportation | West Seattle news

Along with other changes to SDOT‘s project list in the reevaluation of Move Seattle levy spending, the department has downsized its plan for implementing projects from the city’s Bicycle Master Plan. The 2014 version of the plan included in West Seattle, for example, protected bike lanes on multiple arterials (see page 60 of that link). But the implementation plan has been revised in recent years and right now SDOT’s taking comments on another revision, with a meeting in West Seattle tomorrow night (6 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 6:15 pm presentation, 6:30 pm “café-style conversations”). The city also is taking emailed comments through next Tuesday. We were CC’d on longtime local advocate Stu Hennessey‘s view that the downscaling is being done inequitably; we asked for and received his permission to publish:

Over the 26 years since I co-founded Greater Harbor 2000 and have advocated for bicycle transportation improvements in West Seattle through leadership with groups like Sustainable West Seattle, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways group, Spokespeople West Seattle and West Seattle Bike Connections, I have seen a great disparity between what is allocated north of SODO and moreover north of the ship canal compared to what is allocated for West Seattle.

It looks as though this pattern of neglect is not going to improve as West Seattle will be taking the biggest hit on the retracted implementation of the Bike Master Plan. This is very ironic considering West Seattle has the largest neighborhood population outside of the downtown corridor and is landlocked on a peninsula.

I am calling for SDOT to reexamine the retracted plan and take some projects off the bicycle infrastructural wealthy north end to reinstate most if not all of the planned West Seattle projects.

I am sure, and rightfully so, those neighborhoods will be upset too but let’s be fair and spread the improvements out evenly. Whatever marginal improvements that have occurred in West Seattle due to the Move Seattle funding are a drop in the bucket to overcome years of neglect.

If you can’t make it to tomorrow night’s meeting, the email address for comments is CCBike@Seattle.gov.

P.S. Another big transportation meeting in West Seattle is happening one night after the bike-plan meeting – Thursday (April 25th), 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 SW Sylvan Way), new SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe is the scheduled guest.

Don Brubeck April 23, 2019 (9:17 pm)

Thank you, Stu, for speaking up. We need safe bike routes on a few key streets, including East Marginal, Avalon, Fauntleroy, Delridge, Sylvan/Orchard and Roxbury, to connect our neighborhoods, business districts, and work commutes. These projects also include pedestrian safety improvements for everyone crossing streets to bus stops and other destinations. But Mayor
Durkan is pulling SDOT back. The proposed work plan
would cut most West Seattle street safety projects until at least 2025. Here’s more on what is being deleted from the current work plan.

chemist April 24, 2019 (9:44 pm)

So, the minor separated bike lanes that were considered for upgrading to protected bike lanes (like Fauntleroy through morgan junction, sylvan way, delridge) appear as yellow instead of falling back to green as an existing facility, even if they’re the same separation as the green existing lanes on the west end of admiral?Interesting choice for notation.

Peter April 24, 2019 (10:03 am)

It’s very discouraging how Durkan and SDOT have abandoned safety and multi-modal projects. The city and mayor are definitely heading in the wrong direction. What really irks me is how Durkan talked up multi-modal transportation when campaigning, then reversed course once in office. She is nothing but a liar.

Just our equitable share please April 24, 2019 (11:11 am)

If priorities for bike routes are going to be based on connections to Urban Villages outside of downtown, then West Seattle has 5 of the 20 urban villages north of South Lake Union (which is pretty much “downtown” these) and south of Pioneer Square. It would be reasonable that a quarter of the newly designated funds for bike routes would be allocated to West Seattle project to connect: Admiral, West Seattle Junction, Morgan Junction, South Park, and Westwood Highland Park. Alternately, it could be argued that all Urban Villages should be brought up to the same level of connection. Those that are already at that level would receive no additional funds to allow other villages to reach the same (current) level of the better connected Urban Villages.

Kathy April 24, 2019 (4:28 pm)

Durkan has clearly demonstrated herself to be a micro manager, a climate action hypocrite, she wastes time, money and lives by arbitrarily removing planned bike facilities from road improvement projects after they are 100% designed. She disrespects the community engagement and years of planning that went into these projects for people who want to actually do something about the climate by choosing sustainable transportation. By stalling sustainable transportation projects, she is increasing pollution.

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