STAY HEALTHY STREETS: Puget Ridge/Highland Park updates; last call for Alki Point survey

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Updates on two stretches of “Stay Healthy Streets” in West Seattle:

PUGET RIDGE/HIGHLAND PARK: SDOT announced today that they’re removing some sections and continuing to evaluate the SW Trenton section that’s drawn the loudest community clamor for change:

… We are using the (recent) community outreach to develop the permanent route of the Stay Healthy Street. We expect to share the permanent route map in early 2022. The earliest the permanent features (like the updated street closed signs) would be built is summer 2022.

(Before then) We will be removing the below sections of the Stay Healthy Street near Sanislo Elementary. The sections are also shown in the map (above).

21st Ave SW from Croft Pl SW to SW Myrtle St
SW Myrtle St from 21st Ave SW to 18th Ave SW
18th Ave SW from SW Myrtle St to SW Webster St
SW Webster St from 18th Ave SW to 16th Ave SW

These sections were proposed for removal in our recent outreach. … We also heard from people living near these sections and from parents driving or walking students to school that they were not supportive of keeping the sections near Sanislo Elementary. Community members said the streets are already narrow in this area, making it more difficult to safely navigate around the signs and people using the Stay Healthy Street. Student pick-up and drop-off near the elementary school had also become more difficult because of the additional street closed signs on already narrow streets.

Collecting traffic and speed data on SW Trenton St: In our recent outreach, we proposed keeping the Stay Healthy Street section on SW Trenton St from 11th Ave SW to 17th Ave SW. This is because our initial data collection showed fewer people driving on the SW Trenton St section and slower speeds of people who are driving on the street. Additionally, we heard community support for a connection and extra space for walking and biking to destinations in the Highland Park neighborhood.

We heard in our recent outreach that people like to drive on SW Trenton St instead of driving on adjacent arterial streets, like SW Henderson St which is designed to handle more vehicle traffic. Specifically, people driving like to use SW Trenton St from 16th Ave SW to 17th Ave SW to drive to Delridge Way SW and other locations west, like the West Seattle Junction area. We also heard that we needed to better understand the traffic volumes and speeds of people driving on this section of SW Trenton St, in particular between 16th Ave SW and 17th Ave SW.

Before making a decision on keeping or removing the SW Trenton St section, we are collecting and evaluating data along the street, as well as considering the additional community input we’ve received this fall.

There’s more on the SDOT website.

ALKI POINT ‘KEEP MOVING’ STREET SURVEY: SDOT is still asking for input on “permanent design” options for the stretch around Alki Point. This survey will close on December 21st (one week from tomorrow); you can also email your thoughts to AlkiKeepMovingStreet@seattle.gov. (We reported on the proposed options in September.)

CarDriver December 13, 2021 (1:38 pm)

As a daily walker on Alki i really don’t see much if any reduction of car traffic when i’m walking through there. Scratching my head as to what result SDOT was wanting/expecting.

WS Steve December 13, 2021 (2:39 pm)

The main reason I take that section of Trenton is because turning left on Delridge to Trenton is such a pain. It’s easier to take Trenton all the way and cross Delridge at the light. If that light had a turn arrow for north/south lanes it would really help.

mem December 13, 2021 (6:16 pm)

OPEN UP TRENTON STREET!!! This is an important street for the residents of Highland Park and South Delridge to safely drive within our neighborhoods. We use this street to go to Westwood Village, the post office, the library, HP Elem, visit friends and access the rest of West Seattle. We’ve been asking for Trenton to be re-opened since the initial closure through letters/emails/ petitions and at every public forum. And if the city has “heard community support for a connection and extra space for walking and biking to destinations in the Highland Park neighborhood”, then use SW Cloverdale Ave as an alternative street.

Auntie December 13, 2021 (7:31 pm)

Why have a traffic light at Delridge & Trenton if you are not going to have Trenton be a through street to 16th? SDOT is deluded if they think that people will detour up to Henderson to get from Delridge to 16th. I don’t and neither does anybody else – we just ignore the stupid “street closed” sign.

1994 December 13, 2021 (8:45 pm)

SDOT ” Before making a decision on keeping or removing the SW Trenton St section, we are collecting and evaluating data along the street, as well as considering the additional community input we’ve received this fall.” The last time I drove Trenton between Delridge and 16th, there was a large orange sign that says STREET CLOSED. How can SDOT collect and evaluate data on Trenton if it is already ‘mis- signed’ street closed, barriers saying stay healthy street? SDOT simply needs to open Trenton to through traffic as there are very few east-west routes in this area.

Dani December 13, 2021 (9:11 pm)

I plan to continue to use all these streets regardless, my taxes pay for them hence when needed I will use them,

Ripster December 14, 2021 (9:32 pm)

Because it’s all about you, and your taxes, ‘eh Dani? You don’t live among a community or in a society – it’s just your world? Got it.

rob December 13, 2021 (9:14 pm)

why don’t they do the safe streets on dead end streets?

FED UP December 13, 2021 (10:49 pm)

These streets need to be opened back up for all to use.. it is unnecessary for them to remain closed.. They are STREETS, NOT trails.. Streets.. Cars drive on them.. They are for cars.. Pedestrians can use the sidewalks like they were made for.

Reed December 14, 2021 (6:51 am)

Nope. I will do as Dani stated above and continue to use these streets for running/biking walking whether they remain stay healthy streets or not.
reed December 14, 2021 (10:58 am)

Seconding what Dani stated above. I will continue to use streets for running/walking/biking and drivers will have to deal with it.
- Wseattleite December 14, 2021 (12:46 pm)
  
  I also will continue to use these streets. To DRIVE on.
  - Reed December 14, 2021 (1:09 pm)
    
    That’s fine, you do you, but don’t expect me to get out of your way.

MWest December 13, 2021 (10:50 pm)

The “stay healthy” streets had to be one of the most moronic ideas implemented by the city. As someone who actually commuted to a job throughout the entire pandemic, it just caused more headache on top of an already stressful situation. Get the signs out of the road that taxpayers pay to use.

Reed December 14, 2021 (6:57 am)

I also commuted to a job throughout the entire pandemic, on a bicycle. Some of these streets made it less stressful for me. I’m also a “taxpayer” (blog ranter translation = wealthy single family homeowner with multiple cars), and I say leave the signs where they are. Actually, no, making these permanent, especially Alki!
reed December 14, 2021 (10:56 am)

I commuted to a job through most of the pandemic, on a bicycle, and found many of these streets made my ride less stressful. I’m a taxpayer as well, and I say not only leave them open permanently, but add more of them!

MG December 14, 2021 (7:46 am)

I agree to opening the streets back up and put the speed limits back where they were before all these stupid decisions were made. WTH!

Lola December 14, 2021 (7:49 am)

Dani, same here. I pay taxes to use all of the streets not just some of them. Open them back up. We have sidewalks for pedestrians to use on all of the ones that I have seen closed.

STEPHEN J WINSTON December 14, 2021 (9:05 am)

If streets have sidewalks, they don’t need to be closed to vehicles. I’m a walker and we walkers have sidewalks, stairways and trails to use. We don’t need streets to wander down. The worse closure is Beach Drive/Alki which is purely and simply a land grab by a handful of local residents.

reed December 14, 2021 (11:23 am)

Disagree about beach drive. I run or ride my bike down there pretty much everyday, but live a few miles away, so it isn’t a land grab. The sidewalk there isn’t remotely wide enough for all the pedestrian traffic on that corridor. I’d bet dollars to doughnuts the Alki Point stay healthy street will be made permeant with significant alterations to how cars will be able to pass through there. All the car-centric complainers on here are going to lose on this one, so you might as well start driving around and take 63rd.
- alki_2008 December 14, 2021 (7:25 pm)
  
  If people on Alki Point would use both sidewalks, not just the one on the waterfront side of the street, then there is plenty of space. But no, walkers want to only walk on the waterfront side so they can have the better view. What Alki Point is trying to do is keep the cars from gathering, which are mostly people from other neighborhoods that people living nearby do not want to have parked in THEIR neighborhood.
  .
  There is no need for someone who’s commuting to travel the Alki Point safe street. If someone is commuting around the area then they would take 63rd.
Ripster December 14, 2021 (9:37 pm)

How about cyclists? Should they be on the sidewalk along with the pedestrians? And have you considered how cars have access to pretty much everywhere, with only a teeny tiny portion of paved trails reserved for walkers and bikers? Kinda silly how so very few miles of roads are reserved for something other than cars. Give it some thought.

Chris Hoffman December 14, 2021 (12:56 pm)

I live on Trenton and for one I am happy with the “Stay Healthy” street here. It keeps most drivers with a moral compass off of our neighborhood streets and on the arterials where they belong. I walk my dog on Cloverdale quite a bit and I’m always amazed how fast the cut through drivers drive on that neighborhood street. I’ve almost been hit several times. If that behavior is indicative of what will happen if Trenton is opened up then no thanks!

Kyle December 14, 2021 (9:02 pm)

Use the sidewalks on Trenton.

TrentonRes December 14, 2021 (3:34 pm)

I live on Trenton and do not appreciate having to navigate around “Road Closed” signage while dodging school busses, delivery trucks, firetrucks, waste disposal trucks and my neighbors cars trying to do the same. Since the signs were installed I’ve had extremely rude cyclist scream at me that I’m not supposed to be driving on this street. I’d appreciate if you’d come get your signs out of my way please and let us use our street safely and peacefully.

Ed December 14, 2021 (8:44 pm)

It’s time to return our streets back to everyone. This “idea” has done nothing but push higher traffic to other streets where driving the speed limit is apparently an option and traffic is unnecessarily higher. It provides relief to only certain streets vis-a-vis people; in a city that touts “we are here for all communities” 🤔 The idea is tired. It’s time. The time is now. This is evident by the entitlement of some commenters who solely benefit.

reed December 15, 2021 (8:30 am)

The problem is not the idea of limiting car access on certain streets, the problem is overdependency on cars. Couple that problem with peoples inability to properly manage their time, and you get the speeding through neighborhoods, accidents, road rage, etc. The idea that a modern, growing city needs to bend over backwards to accommodate cars is tired. It’s time. The time is now to move forward and create more available space for things other than cars. The entitlement of car drivers and the benefits they get over all other users is evident.

Sorry, comment time is over.