Stay Healthy Streets, Keep Moving Streets, and now School Streets: 1 launching in West Seattle

| Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

With Seattle Public Schools‘ elementary students returning to classrooms starting tomorrow, West Seattle’s Roxhill Elementary is one of the first four schools to pilot a new SDOT no-through-traffic program, School Streets. These are similar to Stay Healthy Streets – explained by SDOT as “closed to most cars and open to people walking, biking, and rolling to school (to) provide more space for social distancing at school pick-up and drop-off.” This will affect the block of 34th SW in front of Roxhill, between SW Holden and Kenyon, in effect stretching the existing Stay Healthy Street one more block south.

Here’s an SDOT flyer explaining the plan. The Roxhill block is the only School Street in the first four to launch citywide, but SDOT says it will work with other schools interested in requesting one.

Kyle April 4, 2021 (2:40 pm)

When will they review the stay healthy streets they already put in place without community input? The HPAC asked for the one block on Trenton (16th to 17th) to be removed back in May. All I ever remember was a biased survey about how great the streets were. I’m actually a fan of most of these streets, I just wish there was more community involvement on selecting the routes.

Darius April 4, 2021 (4:28 pm)

Community input is important. But the primacy of cars has functionally altered how communities are built in this city. Once community-owned real estate is dedicated to car traffic, it’s nearly impossible to reallocate, which is why this is a unique opportunity to consider how our community space should be used.I am a High Point resident, not one of Highland Park, so I support your voice in determining the future of your neighborhood. But I unconditionally support the Stay Safe/School Streets around here. Within 4 blocks are two elementary schools and a large park. Pedestrian use should absolutely have priority in this area.
- Kyle April 4, 2021 (5:12 pm)
  
  I agree, and do support these streets. Heck I even like most of the route they chose for Highland Park. Again, just wish they would have engaged with the community more to make the route more sensible for all users.
- WTF April 5, 2021 (10:23 pm)
  
  Safe streets is an agenda, not a community-focused initiative to “keep us safe”; get real. Not one consideration to this decision was given to community members when this started (the City used COVID and people walking in the middle of the street as an excuse). Nor were considerations given to the consequences of pushing more vehicles onto other nearby streets causing the very problem this agenda was touted to curb. Not very ESJI of them! The City just needs to put things back the way they were and be done with it. They have MUCH BIGGER issues to address than creating more problems in order to pat themselves on the back for being problem-solvers.
shellfish bias April 4, 2021 (4:36 pm)

Are you feeling like your bias wasn’t part of the last survey?
- Kyle April 4, 2021 (5:10 pm)
  
  Isn’t my input, or bias, what the survey is supposed to capture? Did you take the survey and read how the questions were worded? The survey asked only about expansion opportunities and where best to put more of the streets. It only left a blank, any more input, last question to address the already in place streets that were put up without community input on the routes.
  - Steve April 4, 2021 (8:43 pm)
    
    I see you, Kyle! No idea why people are getting so knotted up about a perfectly valid comment.
  - David April 5, 2021 (6:42 am)
    
    I also agree that negative comments should also be encouraged and leading questions (we all hate cars, don’t we?) be filtered out. I’m disabled and have to drive an EV to get around.

Darren April 4, 2021 (6:44 pm)

Can they please do this for Arbor Heights Elementary!! On 105th. It would sure be nice

Annoyed April 4, 2021 (9:29 pm)

Can someone please answer this for me? I live next to a “stay healthy street closed” and my block has now seen a dramatic increase in traffic due to the detour caused by the “closed” street. There is a special needs child on my street and I find it unacceptable that the city has now made our street more dangerous in order to supposedly make the next street over more safe. How is this ok or fair to my block or anyone else’s block who live next to one of these streets?

Reed April 5, 2021 (6:46 am)

The city has not made your street more dangerous, the reckless/inattentive/drunk or high drivers that choose to cut through your street have. Please place the blame where it rightfully belongs.
Foop April 5, 2021 (7:08 am)

Let’s not blame the city for your neighbors disregard for you neighborhood.

nalleli April 5, 2021 (11:44 am)

Not far away… when Our Lady of Guadalupe school closes access to their street (Myrtle at 35th), is that a city/SDOT program also?

KM April 5, 2021 (12:16 pm)

I don’t think so, they’ve been doing that for years. They close it off entirely, no conditional access. I assume they have a special permit.

skeeter April 5, 2021 (1:22 pm)

From the SDOT flyer: “How can I use a School Street when
taking my child to and from school? – When possible, walk, roll, or bike with
your child to school – If you must drive to school, try parking 1
block away and finishing the trip on foot.”My response: No. Just no. My child will be dropped off by car, as close to the school building as possible. I paid $1,821 of licensing fee on my 2021 Cadillac Escalade. I will *not* get out of my SUV and walk that last block. I didn’t pay for the 36 speaker AKG audio system upgrade just so I could park and walk. If I wait in a drop off line of cars for 45 minutes it’s fine with me. Heater and A/C will keep me comfortable. 36 inch integrated video screen will keep me entertained.

bolo April 5, 2021 (11:20 pm)

SKEETER! That must have been you I saw ahead of me in that line! In that stunning Infrared Tintcoat color model! Matched your nails! Luv Ya! Bye! ;-)

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