We photographed that crew working today at 35th/Avalon, and already had an inquiry out to SDOT after a tip Monday from Jon. Today, SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson gave us this outline of what’s changing there – and nearby:
Our traffic signals crews are currently working to replace signal-control equipment and make operational improvements at three nearby intersections. If all goes well, we expect the work at all three signals will likely be completed by the end of the day:
35th Ave SW & SW Avalon Way: We are replacing signal-control equipment and adding a northbound right-turn arrow at 35th Ave SW and SW Avalon Way. This improvement was requested by King County Metro to help with transit operations.
35th Ave SW & Fauntleroy Way SW: We are replacing signal-control equipment and adding a leading pedestrian interval (also sometimes called a pedestrian-first walk signal) to the intersection of 35th Ave SW and Fauntleroy Way SW. This is a safety improvement that gives people walking across the street a few seconds head start before cars get a green light, making pedestrians more visible to people driving. Citywide collision data indicates there has been a 50% drop in pedestrian turning collisions at the intersections where we’ve added this safety feature.
SW Avalon Way & Fauntleroy Way SW: We are replacing signal-control equipment, but there will not be a noticeable change to the way the signal operates from the public’s perspective.
Note: We already added leading pedestrian intervals to the other two intersections a few months ago. We have also recently readjusted the signal timing to give pedestrians more time to cross the street at all three locations.
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