ROAD-WORK ALERT: West Seattle Greenway work starting at 35th/Graham

| Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

The intersection of 35th SW and SW Graham, scene of deadly crashes over the years, is about to get a signal and other safety features – and SDOT says work will start before the week’s over.

Here’s the announcement:

This week, construction will start at the intersection of 35th Ave SW and SW Graham St for the West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway Phase 2 project. Construction of Phase 2 of the West Seattle Greenway began in late February 2021. This Greenway will be completed as early as mid-July 2021.

Changes at the 35th Ave SW and SW Graham St intersection are shown in the graphic and include:

Adding a crossing signal for people using the Greenway. When activated, the signal will turn red for people driving on 35th Ave SW.
Removing high-risk turning movements:
People driving on SW Graham St (eastbound and westbound) will not be able to turn left onto 35th Ave SW or to drive straight through to the other side of SW Graham St. They can only turn right onto 35th Ave SW.
People driving southbound on 35th Ave SW will not be able to turn left or right onto SW Graham St. They will need to drive around one block to access SW Graham St.
People driving northbound on 35th Ave SW will not be able to turn left onto SW Graham St. They can still turn right onto SW Graham St.
Building new crosswalks
Improving lighting at the intersection
Painting green markings for people biking to cross the intersection
Building speed humps on SW Graham St approaching the intersection

What to expect during construction

Typical weekday work hours of 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Occasional weekend work, hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday
Temporary on-street parking restrictions, with “No Park” signs placed in advance
Parking restrictions to allow space for work and equipment
Driveway closures when crews are prepping and building the sidewalk in front of driveways
Flaggers directing people driving and biking around the work
Lane reductions near the work area for people driving
Detours around the work area for people walking and driving
Noise, dust, and vibrations during work hours

We will work with neighbors and the construction contractor to minimize construction impacts as much as possible.

It’s been five years since the signal was mentioned as a possibility as part of the second phase of the 35th SW Safety Project; it subsequently became part of the Greenway project instead.

M April 20, 2021 (8:51 pm)

Can’t turn onto Graham street from 35th anymore? That’s really annoying. I get the need to put a signal in, but no cars? I go that way almost every day. I feel bad for the homes on 36th as people will be driving that way to reconnect to Graham.

AR April 20, 2021 (9:22 pm)

I agree with the above. Looks like they are putting islands in the middle of the road – dangerous – cars run into them……… Just put in the stops lights and cross walks – don’t over complicate things. This will cut the cost down considerably as well – less maintenance in the long run.

Peter April 21, 2021 (8:25 am)

“Cars run into them …”. No, cars don’t do that. Drivers run their cars into things, but this is easily solved by drivers actually paying attention while driving.
- Sasquatch in Wa State April 21, 2021 (11:01 am)
  
  Totally agree. Those islands are because a few impatient drivers try to go around someone stopped for a pedestrian, causing serious injury.
JohnW April 21, 2021 (8:42 am)

As a conscientious driver who enjoys the coffee shop that has opened, it is remarkable how few obey the current “No Left Turn” southbound 35th.
Drivers commonly park on the wrong side of Graham another newly acceptable but prohibited (and a moving violation). It is surprising the first time some driver swerves across your traffic lane to claim the parking spot (facing the wrong way) you had just legally approached.
The overall cost: the studies, the outreach, the planning., the discussion with shareholders, the implementation, the time and the rest of our Process.
Am I being old fashioned and unrealistic to think that some of these chronic problems are getting worse due to lack drivers’ education, respect for driving privileges (not a given right) and enforcement by the designated authority?
D-ridge April 21, 2021 (9:47 am)

The cost to install traffic signals, per WSDOT, ranges from $250,000 to $500,000, with maintenance being about $8,000 per year. I don’t think a bit of concrete and paint will cost half a million dollars.
Jort April 21, 2021 (9:49 am)

The islands aren’t in the “middle of the road,” and if car drivers choose to obey the speed limit law, rather than flagrantly and arrogantly breaking it, then they won’t need to worry about hitting the islands. Slow down, drive carefully and save lives.

ST April 20, 2021 (9:23 pm)

We have been without a bridge for over a year. Delridge is nearly impossible to navigate/cross to get through Highland Park to 1st Ave. Bridge. Now, 35th Ave. down to lane in a key location during commute times. This will negatively impact West Marginal Way. I get that this work needs to be done (not trying to discount safety). But maybe during non-peak hours or if non-peak makes cost a prohibitive issue, then after Delridge work is done?

It’s getting nearly impossible to get off the peninsula. And there are people who need to get downtown to work.

AR April 20, 2021 (9:33 pm)

I don’t understand why this has to be so complicated. Why not just put in a 4 way traffic signal. The Islands can be hazardous to cars and bicycles. The cost of doing all of the pavement work is significant compared to putting in a 4 way stop light and installing regular cross walks. Bicycles can cross in the cross walk or with regular traffic.

~hockeywitch~ April 20, 2021 (9:35 pm)

All the complaints about people driving the side streets/through neighborhoods, and now they are making it MANDATORY to get to get to SW Graham from 35th…so lame. Now there will be higher traffic on 36th and 34th…God, Seattle is getting dumber by the year. Who makes up this stuff?Might be time for me to go look for another City to live in. Speed limits, road diets, taking lanes from high traffic roads to add bike lanes…annoying.

Jort April 20, 2021 (10:46 pm)

I hope you are able to make do with the 99.999999% of other road space in Seattle in which cars are prioritized. Sorry about making safety changes to keep more people alive, I can see that is very frustrating for you.
- M April 21, 2021 (7:28 am)
  
  Seems very likely that this will decrease pedestrian safety as the alternative routes cars will be forced to take are less safe.
- Anne April 21, 2021 (7:56 am)
  
  Nobody is saying not to make changes for safety-that’s just your interpretation.
- Stay Safe April 21, 2021 (12:24 pm)
  
  I’m in favor of the 35th and Graham changes but I am also concerned about cut through traffic, for example at 36th and Raymond where there are many close calls for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists due to limited visibility. Slow down, everyone…

Km April 21, 2021 (7:46 am)

Very excited for this. I cross at a “regular” signal now on my bike at Morgan and it’s very unsafe if I’m in the crosswalk or roadway. Glad SDOT didn’t take their cues from the comments above.

bill April 21, 2021 (7:53 am)

The entire point of the diverters is that they _are_ dangerous to cars and physically prevent drivers ignoring no-turn signs. Preventing left turns from Graham will make crossing 35th on foot and bicycle safer. Banning left turns from 35th will improve flow and safety on 35th. Think for a moment about the crazy lane changes drivers make behind a car waiting to make a left turn. If the rechannelization (road diet) originally envisioned for all of 35th had been implemented then perhaps these changes at Graham would not be necessary. But drivers prove again and again that they can’t be trusted to drive safely. So just like dealing with a truculent child, we have to take some privileges away from drivers.

Delridge April 21, 2021 (7:55 am)

Shame it will take so long to get done but, that’s the way it goes here. For all the folks complaining…I imagine you use a car as your sole means of doing anything outside your front door. If you are a cyclist or pedestrian down this corridor, this is a super welcome upgrade to that intersection. It’s nice to see our tax dollars actually being used for something productive every once in a while.

Feed Up Snake Hill April 21, 2021 (9:01 am)

For those of us that come from snake hill and the blocks around it, we already are limited to left turns on to 35th. We can no longer turn left from 35th and Juneau and are forced to go over to the light at the High Point Library. That signal light going east/west is timed to let one or two cars go through before it changes. The city should revaluate how they have it timed. Also traveling near the library is a hazard because people coming out of the library into the street have a blind spot and its dangerous. SDOT really needs to evaluate these changes before making them.

Jort April 21, 2021 (4:32 pm)

Traveling near the library is not a “hazard” unless you’re driving recklessly or carelessly. Libraries do not extend “hazard” zones all the way around them for drivers. Here’s the secret to navigating the apparently terrifying roadways around libraries: Quit thinking you’re the most important thing on the road and drive slowly around the library. If it adds an extra 10 minutes to your drive, oh well. Deal with it and move on and take solace knowing you didn’t hurt somebody today.
- Auntie April 21, 2021 (9:15 pm)
  
  “Drive slowly!” Thank you! Unfortunately, too many people are in too much of a hurry and can’t imagine slowing down for anyone else. Or being inconvenienced by having to go a block or two out of their way.

Mike April 21, 2021 (9:20 am)

Some may already know this but the only *new* motor vehicle restrictions here are left turns from 35th Ave SW and the southbound right turn. Removing left turns will help everyone’s safety and reduce delays as drivers won’t need to stop and wait behind a left turning vehicle. Those drivers turning left will either use Morgan or Raymond St which both have left turn lanes.As to the islands and pavement work, any new traffic signal will require the pavement to be torn up and redone. In the case here, there are concrete panels which have to be removed and replaced in kind. The addition of the curbed islands are minimal cost in comparison. Also, one advantage of these islands is that they will prevent drivers from violating the already in place right turn only restriction.

Don Brubeck April 21, 2021 (11:13 am)

For those thinking of the great inconvenience to drive one block to make a left turn: please also think of the inconvenience and hazard to all the people who have had to walk or ride or roll a long block and back to use a traffic light to cross 35th. Graham is by far the easiest grade of any of the nearby east-west streets for walking and biking. People have been killed and seriously injured trying to cross 35th at this intersection. More than 20 percent of people in some nearby neighborhoods do not have access to a car. Others who have a car would like to use a healthier way for themselves and their children to get around their neighborhood. It is long past time to have a walking and biking route that is safe and usable by people of all ages and abilities connecting High Point to the west.

JTM April 21, 2021 (3:37 pm)

I live a block from this intersection,and my house (which has already seen a huge increase in traffic volume and noise from the bridge closure traffic being diverted outside my window) will be affected by this – including by having the road in front of my house used as a cut-through. That said – this is the correct call. The Graham/35th intersection is terrible to drive through (there is virtually NO visibility of on-coming cars), horrible to cross on foot (no light, traffic doesn’t like to slow down, again, no visibility), and difficult to get into the car wash (for all the reasons I just state, plus backups for being turning left onto Morgan to head toward the 1st Ave Bridge). I’d love to get additional traffic calming on Morgan heading down to the Junction, but this is a good and safe addition to the neighborhood.

Al King April 21, 2021 (7:35 pm)

Jort. Have you taken all your good idea’s to city council??

TreeHouse April 21, 2021 (8:46 pm)

Awesome! I’m really looking forward to this! We are finally getting a few big city things!

DeeJay April 21, 2021 (9:36 pm)

the incompetence of this city never stops to astound me. For the past 10 years I shake my head at the ludicrous bike lanes on that Admiral Way giant hill from the derelict West Seattle Bridge, up to the Admiral Junction. The city just cannot visualize that people will not ride a bike up that huge hill. People in this city are short distance biker riders, couch potato riders I call them. People are not going to ride a bike from Gatewood, Westwood Village, White Center to the Alaska Junction to utilize this silly bike path and cross 35th at Graham. There are just too many, very steep, hills in this city, and this route, is just one more. #TaxPayerWasteOfMoney

D-Ridge April 21, 2021 (10:39 pm)

If folks will let us continue to link up our currently disconnected safe routes, we will have significantly more riders.Avalon was meant to connect to a redesigned Fauntleroy but the latter was put on hold in anticipation of the link station construction. If a PBL currently continued from Avalon to the junction, I’d ride my bike there every day.
70 yr old lady biker April 22, 2021 (1:02 am)

Speak for yourself, Deejay. We get it, Admiral Way seems too intimidating for you to bike but you don’t speak for the rest of us. What is ludicrous on Admiral Way Hill is that there are two northbound traffic lanes. Never have I ever seen a traffic jam on the uphill portion of Admiral Way after the bridge ramp. Having two lanes just causes it to be a race track with cars speeding 2-3x the limit (right next to the painted bike lane). Take away one uphill lane from the bridge ramp until just after the Fairmount Ravine bridge when more space actually starts to be needed for cars. Use that space instead to provide a two way bike lane so we can have a safe space for riding down the hill as well as up it to be able to bike to and from our neighborhood and businesses.
Foop April 22, 2021 (10:03 am)

When I lived in admiral I rode up that hill every day, and I don’t ride an ebike. I was ever so thankful for that lane that barely has any impact on the existing lanes of traffic, but gave me a safety cushion. 300ft in .6 miles is not so rare in seattle and cyclists to get up these hills. Especially with the rise of e bikes
AJP April 22, 2021 (10:08 am)

Any time someone chooses to ride a bike instead of taking a car, it’s a good thing. Don’t insult people who ride short distances. Electric assist bikes are making our West Seattle hills easier to negotiate for people who want to bike, but had a hard time doing so before.

Dr David Kerlick April 23, 2021 (7:54 am)

Simply wonderful! Can’t make a Left onto Graham to get to my own home on SW 34th between Graham and Morgan, have to add 2 blocks into detour traffic on Morgan. “We all hate cars” on steroids, even for a disabled guy with an EV.

BeeBetter April 23, 2021 (3:56 pm)

You can still turn left on Morgan, that’s not two blocks
- Dr David Kerlick April 29, 2021 (7:25 am)
  
  No, Left on Morgan means that I have to make a Left turn from Morgan onto 34th SW (where I live) and that’s across the busy traffic from the bridge detour. If I want to go another block to a light, I have a left turn onto 32nd, then another one on Graham, then a fourth one onto 34th SE, all to get to my home. Five blocks instead of one.