FOLLOWUP: SDOT reiterates it’s building Alki Point Healthy Street as designed, soon

Despite the latest round of community concern, SDOT has reiterated that the final Alki Point Healthy Street design will be built, as first reported here last December.

In a reminder email sent Wednesday to those who had previously signed up for the project mailing list, SDOT’s project team recapped the design announced last winter, including some parking removal, and confirmed to WSB this morning that nothing has changed since the winter update. For example, here’s how the Beach Drive section north/west of 64th works now:

And here’s what it’ll be changed to:

All the cross-section renderings remain available on the Alki Point Healthy Street webpage. The last point of clarification we’ve been seeking from SDOT is how soon construction will start – Wednesday’s email to the list simply said “spring,” which could be any time in the next three months. SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson told WSB this morning that it’s not imminent but won’t have to go out to bid: “This will be an SDOT crew-delivered project. We have not scheduled the exact date yet, and are currently working to determine the schedule. It will likely be in the next few months, depending on crew availability.”

Tony March 21, 2024 (12:14 pm)

Good.

K March 21, 2024 (12:20 pm)

Good.

DC March 21, 2024 (12:21 pm)

What excellent news! Excited to visit and have more usable space on this wonderful stretch of Beach Drive. Thanks for sharing WSB!

Molly March 21, 2024 (1:50 pm)

It’s been 100% usable for the last 4 years as is. Don’t know why they need to make it even more private for the people who own properties here.

Seth March 21, 2024 (12:31 pm)

Jeff March 21, 2024 (12:34 pm)

Just get rid of the signs… they get in the way of cycling and don’t have a purpose. Definitely down with removing parking and lanes…. need less cars over there.

Al King March 21, 2024 (12:39 pm)

SDOT certainly doesn’t care about public input-regardless of whether it’s for/against. They have our money so they’re going to do whatever they feel like. Sure wish they felt responsible to maintain our existing roads and bridges before spending money on their pet projects.

Darren March 21, 2024 (12:45 pm)

City did not listen to the concerns, Rob did nothing, will remember next election I’ve asked formally if the enclave of expensive homes will be reassessed for property taxesi know this is a huge surprise no response from city or Robagain privileged have a different set of rules and advocacy by internal policy makers shameful

Derp March 21, 2024 (3:20 pm)

Come on now, give Rob a break. How long has he been in office for him to get a real grasp on everything. I’m kidding of course, settle down. Bwahhhhh

sam-c March 21, 2024 (12:56 pm)

Wait-I’ll admit I hadn’t looked too closely at the plans previously but I’m looking now and am a little surprised. They’re doing all this work and they aren’t even widening the water-side sidewalk? Looks like it’s 6′ wide now and will be 6′ wide when the project’s done. What’s the point ?!? jeez…

Laura March 22, 2024 (5:51 am)

Agree. Pretty much the only thing wrong with that area currently is the water side sidewalk being too narrow (almost always have to step down onto street to let others pass, especially with strollers etc). I guess the new electric scooter lane (?!) will essentially be the new walking lane.
- Curious March 22, 2024 (10:14 am)
  
  Yes, according to the plan, “the 10 feet of additional space is for people walking, biking, and rolling next to the existing sidewalk.”

Rhonda March 21, 2024 (12:56 pm)

I hope the Seal-Sitters petition turns unto a full-blown lawsuit. This ridiculous project should be blocked. Libraries and other city services are being cut due to the city’s $2 million budget shortfall, so this land-grab has no business even being considered.

K March 21, 2024 (4:32 pm)

Or they could fund the libraries by trimming wasteful spending at SPD. SDoT isn’t the only one who should have to sacrifice for libraries.
- Rhonda March 21, 2024 (4:52 pm)
  
  Libraries have a funding levy that was approved by taxpayers via an election, yet they’re still seeing cuts with the $200 million budget shortfall. SPD is short several hundred officers and the city’s murders have doubled since 2020.
  - bill March 21, 2024 (7:41 pm)
    
    Rhonda: Of course the city’s murders have doubled since [pick a date]. The unfilled SPD positions are funded. Do you have any intellectually substantial points?
    - Rhonda March 21, 2024 (9:55 pm)
      
      bill, there’s no separate levy that voters approved to fund SPD the way Seattle Public Libraries has. SPL is funded both directly and by levies yet they are taking cuts. SPD is not (because more people would die). If you can’t see that disparity, that’s on you.
  - K March 23, 2024 (11:44 am)
    
    So what you’re saying is SPD has some extra money floating around because of vacancies but they’re not sharing the money with other departments? Or are you suggesting SPD should be funded by levies? Seattle had the same number of murders in 2023 as it did in 1994 when Seattle had 200,000 fewer residents and a fully-staffed police force. Staffing at SPD historically no impact on the murder rate. The per capita murder rate is actually lower now with the shortages than 1994 when they were fully staffed. And sharing the money with libraries when they have extra would be nice of them to do.
bill March 21, 2024 (7:38 pm)

Rhonda: Umm, the city is grabbing city land from whom? Itself? How does that work?
WarOnCars March 23, 2024 (9:48 pm)

Rhonda is exercising the fundamental misconception car owners make: public streets aren’t private property for car storage. they’re so lost in the sauce that they legitimately believe an organization that used the parking spaces has a legal standing to sue… what silliness

Mark Schletty March 21, 2024 (1:04 pm)

Once again SDOT proves that it only listens to special interest groups and activists.

Tony March 21, 2024 (2:09 pm)

Clearly not, as it looks like they completely ignored that silly “activist” petition that tried to stop this.

Actually Mike March 21, 2024 (1:05 pm)

What we’ve got here is failure to communicate. Of course, it’s hard to communicate with a city that doesn’t want to hear what we’re saying. Nyah, Nyah, Nyah–we can’t hear you!

Niko March 21, 2024 (1:13 pm)

Time to do work stopping protests

PSPS March 21, 2024 (1:20 pm)

“Despite the latest round of community concern…” LOL. It’s only the wealthy landowners on the street that hold sway. They’ll get their private drive that will be maintained at the taxpayers’ expense.

Reed March 21, 2024 (2:11 pm)

You do realize there are many people who live miles away that support this as well, right?
- K March 21, 2024 (3:45 pm)
  
  Hear, hear. I’m one of them!

heartless March 21, 2024 (1:43 pm)

This is probably my favorite type of comment section, where you get someone posting about how the city didn’t listen to the Seal-Sitters organization, followed directly by a different commenter complaining that the city ONLY listens to special interest groups. And never the twain shall meet… Love it.

Mark Schletty March 21, 2024 (2:28 pm)

Heartless – my comment about special interests and activist meant the wealthy home owners in the affected area “special interests” and the bicycle “activists” that jammed this horrible redo of a much loved area down the rest of our throats.
- Jort March 21, 2024 (4:12 pm)
  
  It’s always the jamming down the throats, isn’t it? “Jamming this down our throats.” That should go in the hall of fame along with the hyperbolic use of the word “destroyed” to describe the effects of literally any evolution of the character of the urban environment, no matter how small. So much jamming. So many throats.

B March 21, 2024 (1:45 pm)

Went down last weekend and it was great; There was plenty of parking along 63rd and a steady stream of bicyclists/pedestrians enjoying each other’s company along Beach Drive. Very few cars were passing through, and fewer idling motorists scrolling on their phones. The natural sounds of the tide could be heard instead of stereo music and car explosions.

Rhonda March 21, 2024 (2:00 pm)

Sounds like you weren’t there over the unseasonably-warm weekend when EVERY available parking space was taken by happy motorists.
- B March 21, 2024 (5:13 pm)
  
  I WAS one of those happy motorists 😉. I’ve been driving/walking/busing down to Alki for years and never had an issue parking on 63rd rain or shine morning noon or night.

Molly March 21, 2024 (1:54 pm)

Wouldn’t it be better for them to turn the area by the alki/harbor avenue to a healthy street, where people are both speeding/racing and going so fast that they go into the water? Because I’d rather THAT area be one lane so that it keeps all the annoying people from coming to alki beach in the summer months, than this two block area that is already great how it is right now. I’ve joined whale watchers on that stretch to watch the orcas- without parking it makes it SO much harder for them to get there.

Neighbor March 21, 2024 (2:29 pm)

Molly, no, because Beach Drive is already full of people doing very similar activity to what you see on Harbor and closing down that access will just cause worse impacts elsewhere in WS. They can do traffic calming on Harbor but we need the healthy street by the park too.
- Daniel March 21, 2024 (7:08 pm)
  
  Also logistically, converting the Alki/Harbor point into a similar setup doesn’t work because there isn’t a similar place like 63rd on Beach/Alki to route the through traffic. Hill’s too steep up there

Donna, The Whale Trail March 21, 2024 (2:07 pm)

SDOT is pushing this project through with blinders on. We’ve asked the City to halt this project until its impacts are fully considered. Please sign and share our petition at change.org. More than 1000 people have already signed. Add your voices to ours. This isn’t over!

https://bit.ly/3vonQOK

Dan with the Plan March 21, 2024 (2:29 pm)

Donna, you can get to Alki Point without having to drive, and you can certainly park elsewhere (in addition to all the parking they’re still keeping there). It’s not very environmental to prioritize cars.
- Donna, The Whale Trail March 21, 2024 (6:04 pm)
  
  We think the greater good is served by making sure that people can access and enjoy this public shoreline and city park, as they have for generations.
- Jim March 21, 2024 (6:50 pm)
  
  Not everyone has the option of just taking a bus down there or something that don’t have very many stops and run infrequently. There’s many people who come here in the summer time to enjoy the public beach and the people who live on Alki Point shouldn’t get a private drive paying for by taxpayers
Curious March 21, 2024 (2:55 pm)

As mentioned in previous posts, Seal Sitters will still have access to park on Beach Drive at the top of the two ramps from the beach to the street that they may need to use to transport an animal in need of care. Also, the stretch of Beach Drive from 64th to 63rd is not part of any planned changes. Cars and buses will still be able to park beachside for a full block by Constellation Park.

James Walker March 21, 2024 (2:21 pm)

Thanks to SDOT for finding a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist…

Neighbor March 21, 2024 (2:27 pm)

Does someone in the city have money in e-scooters? Why is there a dedicated scooter lane and bikes are stuck in the road with cars? This is actually worse for bicycles than the current setup because there’s no room for aggressive drivers to pass. I’ll be biking in the “scooter” lane. Will there be enforcement to prevent the inevitable pileup of abandoned lime scooters blocking every path?

Daniel March 21, 2024 (7:11 pm)

Pretty sure that’s not literally a scooter lane, just poorly labeled. The text description on the SDOT page says “biking” and “rolling”.
- 1994 March 21, 2024 (9:51 pm)
  
  Yes, poorly labeled by SDOT indeed. Instead of focusing on actual improvements we have to live with poorly labeled and fake improvements. Those healthy streets will end up being a liability for the city – lawsuit waiting to happen encouraging people to get healthy in the streets. Remember poorly labeled?

SLJ March 21, 2024 (2:37 pm)

We walk there multiple times a week, or drive if we’re bringing paddleboards (only in the summer), for the last decade without any issues. The city just reported that 25% of Seattle streets don’t have sidewalks–but this is a priority?? It’s fine the way it is and maybe some of that money should go to areas that need it.

WSRob March 21, 2024 (2:41 pm)

The war on cars and common sense continues…

Jeff March 21, 2024 (3:55 pm)

Your sentence is an oxymoron
WarOnCars March 23, 2024 (10:16 pm)

Good :)

Francis Parkman March 21, 2024 (3:12 pm)

GOOD! Gotta love all the FAUX Environmentalists who’ve been adamantly pushing car culture! What about the birds, folks?

admiral admirable March 21, 2024 (3:12 pm)

The crying and wailing over losing a few parking spots is so typical for WS. Thank goodness SDOT didn’t cave to these loudmouths who can’t be bothered to cross the street. No one enjoys having to walk around someone sitting in their idling parked car. There aren’t supposed to be cars parked on this ‘closed street’ at all!

MMM March 21, 2024 (5:01 pm)

Good for SDOT! SDOT’s plan also helps the marine mammals as there are 14 storm water drains on Beach Drive that flow directly into the Sound UNTREATED. More cars on that street bring oil and contaminants directly into the marine preserve, harming whales and seals. Good for walkers, rollers AND marine mammals.

April March 21, 2024 (3:16 pm)

SDOT not listening again. ugghhhh. Ruining more of our precious West Seattle area.

Jort March 21, 2024 (7:11 pm)

You think that some parking spots are a “precious west Seattle area?” Oh man, that is just such a sad way to see our beautiful neighborhood. “Precious” parking spots? Wow.

T Anderson March 21, 2024 (3:20 pm)

Please fix drag racing, reckless driving and unmuffled cars on Harbor and Alki before you consider fixing something that isn’t broken on Beach Drive

Rz March 22, 2024 (7:45 am)

Ok, but when they installed the speed bumps down Harbor (am I remembering it right) it brought me such joy to watch the public adapt to them (get launched to the fricken moon when they hit them going 50+)… Hopefully SDOT’s grand plan will include traffic calming. I would have loved a serpentine slalom like configuration, that’d be comedy for years.

TheSattleBubble March 21, 2024 (3:21 pm)

Ban the bikes! Oh wait, let me check my Blue Seattle social media page for direction….I meant ban the cars! Group think at its absolute finest! Please comment so I know which way to think going forward

Kyle March 21, 2024 (3:24 pm)

What a tone deaf agency. With this much legit push back on equity issues the status quo makes more sense. SDOT caved to special interest groups of people.who can afford to live within walking distance and don’t like car club riff raff.

Alki Seltzer March 21, 2024 (3:32 pm)

Funny, in a corrupt way, how the residents with the luxury waterfront homes aren’t losing their street curb parking but the working-class public is.

K March 21, 2024 (3:43 pm)

Good to see this happening as planned. I sent my support to SDOT as did a few others I know.

Math Teacher March 21, 2024 (4:24 pm)

Look closely. SDOT published a picture saying that the two sidewalks allow15000 people per hour each, the scooter lane 12000 per hour. Sure, with those volumes you probably do need to lose the parking. It’s really weird that SDOT put out a plan that has bikes sharing the single lane that has cars traveling both directions.

Al King March 21, 2024 (4:24 pm)

Where’s Heather Marx when you need her.

WSB March 21, 2024 (4:39 pm)

She is expected to accompany Councilmember Rob Saka at tonight’s Alki Community Council, as she did at last week’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, so you can certainly catch up with her there.

ACG March 21, 2024 (4:34 pm)

Wow. All this money to create an even more private setting to an area that already has infrastructure and traffic blocked from the roadway. I simply wish for a sidewalk in my neighborhood (we have NONE!) so that I and other neighbors can walk safely. I guess myself and my neighbors aren’t wealthy enough to get that extra special treatment of even basic infrastructure, much less a car free street.

Al King March 21, 2024 (5:36 pm)

ACG. Last nights news quoted SDOT saying sidewalks cost $200,000 to $400,00 PER BLOCK to put in. Don’t hold your breath you’ll see one in your lifetime. There are too many important projects like this that have priority.

Brandon March 21, 2024 (5:05 pm)

I love how “not in my backyard” is used as a criticism for people objecting to the light rail in West Seattle, but when a change is blatantly beneficial to the landowners on alki point to get a more private place with less tourists, its full-on support from those same people who just judged others. Oh Seattle… you never fail to make me laugh.

WarOnCars March 23, 2024 (10:13 pm)

your fundamental mistake is extrapolating your experience of only getting around by car to everyone, so you think any reduction in car access will reduce people access. plenty of people visit parks all over Seattle by bus or other non-car means. this area will have much more people milling about after it is complete, so the idea it will give nearby owners more privacy doesn’t make sense. tho it’d be nice if the car maximalists would get on the same page: we have you saying it’ll benefit the property owners, others say the restrictions around cars will reduce the price of the property they own. seems like y’all are just leaning into which ever thought you come up with first.

Bill March 21, 2024 (5:18 pm)

Two way traffic on a one lane road? Genius.

WS Grown March 21, 2024 (8:29 pm)

It only benefits a handful of homeowners on this street by jacking up their property values while reducing access to this stretch of Alki for the rest of us. Short-sighted and a waste of resources. Absolutely infuriating

summer bummer March 22, 2024 (8:44 am)

I might be missing something but all of this is public, right? the homeowners here can’t restrict access to this area
Jort March 22, 2024 (2:50 pm)

You literally can park one block away and walk to it. It’s not that complicated. Nobody’s access is “reduced.” CAR access is reduced. Unless we think cars are now people, too?

Kathy March 21, 2024 (11:26 pm)

Don’t worry, all this complaining will vanish once the project is complete. Remember the safety project on Admiral Way to add bike lanes and safer crossings? Oh, the whinging and crying we endured. All the negative comments on the Blog. It took 5 public outreach meetings for SDOT to calm down the outraged public over the loss of parking spaces. Once complete, all the furor died down. Thank you WSB for giving them a platform to get all that anger out of their systems.

Jay March 22, 2024 (7:46 am)

Excellent, now the wealthy people won’t have to be bothered by the taking and laughing of hundreds of kids and parents at Seattle Aquarium nature events. It’s always good to put the needs of a few wealthy individuals over the general population.

Jort March 22, 2024 (9:56 am)

Are children incapable of walking now?

War on walkers March 22, 2024 (8:23 am)

It sure looks like the people that walk/skate board/roller blade are not being considered in this plan, it looks like it’s focussed on bicycles only. We all see how crowded the sidewalks are on the rest of the beach and this plan doesn’t seem look at that. I don’t know if the property taxes will go up for the home owners, I sure wouldn’t choose to live on a street that has restriction “if” I had the kind of money it takes to buy one of those beautiful homes, I’d look elsewhere.

Curious March 22, 2024 (10:04 am)

The plan describes the section next to the sidewalk to be used as follows: “cross-section shows the 10 feet of additional space for people walking, biking, and rolling next to the existing sidewalk”. So, while the diagram shows a scooter, it is in fact more inclusive.
WarOnCars March 23, 2024 (10:04 pm)

lol, this is a fun comment. it comes from someone who obviously doesn’t do any walking, boarding, or blading whatsoever b/c all the folks that do those activities know that having more space for people and not cars to exist improves the experience. we got car maximalists conjuring up fantastical nonsense to find some talking point that’ll stick

ws gal March 22, 2024 (8:34 am)

I mean, maybe I am an outlier here but I’m really excited for this change! we need to prioritize pedestrians and those who are in smaller modes of transportation (bikes, scooters, etc) rather than cars. Sure it might take a little more effort driving over to Alki and parking but it likely won’t be much more complicated, and you will have a much more enjoyable time on the waterfront.

Scarlett March 22, 2024 (10:15 am)

Newsflash: Your precription for enjoying a public beach may be different than others. Some simply want to pull up and watch ships sail by without feeling like a personna non grata, a pariah. Let them.
- Curious March 22, 2024 (10:54 am)
  
  Newsflash, the section of Beach Drive between 64th and 63rd (aka Constellation Park) will remain unchanged. It’s marked as ‘future project.’ So, for the time being, cars, buses full of kids visiting the beach, and Seal Sitters will still be able to park beachside.
  - WSB March 22, 2024 (12:52 pm)
    
    It won’t remain unchanged but they’re not doing anything to it now because it’ll be dug up for a utility project: “We are still evaluating additional design work and crossing improvements for one block of the permanent Healthy Street on Beach Dr from 63rd Ave SW to 64th Ave SW. We will share an update about these options at a later date, in order to coordinate with a King County stormwater treatment project.” The info on that project (including maps of where they’ll be working in the street) is here.
    https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SDOT/Stay%20Healthy%20Street/AlkiPoint_KingCty-Stormwater-Project-Mailer.pdf
    Separate followup to come.
- ws gal March 22, 2024 (10:18 pm)
  
  yes and there will still be parking so you can still park there.
- WarOnCars March 23, 2024 (9:56 pm)
  
  okay, but why cater a large public space to what an individual wants to do? may more people can be enjoying the space a single person is using because they want to bring their living room with them to the beach. it’s hilarious you think you’re the social pariah when what you are enjoying is being able to be isolated from the surrounding community and just get out of it what you want with upmost convenience. the amount of hand wringing over the idea of having to be in the community you’re intentionally going to to experience instead of hermetically sealed off from it really explains the chronic anti-social and NIMBY behavior of Seattle…
Marc Milrod March 22, 2024 (2:24 pm)

Any fiction you choose.Believing this will be a minor change is a tad shortsighted.

Will of Wisp March 22, 2024 (10:24 am)

Glad to see more safe area for walking folks. Sidewalk now is too narrow. This will become more and more a part of the Alki Trail.

sam-c March 22, 2024 (11:51 am)

I agree that the sidewalk now is currently too narrow. But, FYI they are not actually widening the sidewalks. They are designating a 10′ portion of the existing street for “additional space for people walking, biking, and rolling next to the existing sidewalk ” So a combined path in the street, but same sidewalk.

Marc Milrod March 22, 2024 (2:00 pm)

What can a concerned citizen do, when they see their Elected Officials making what is considered, a huge AND expensive miatake?I guess, protest. But, we’ve done that already. When asked, told them not to do this. Many of the property holders acted in concert with the, “don’t fix what ain’t broken” agenda. With a $2 million deficit, THIS is what they choose to do? So much of this was initiated by street racing. By eliminating other places it could happen, many low riding speedsters hung out by Constellation Park. Now it’ll be a tribute to ride-share scooters, and low tide attendance will be a thing of the past. The main body of my discussion, Ed. TR couldn’t print for profanity. Makes leaving Seattle just that much more appealing, as when other idiots got me to sell my small holding rentals at 60% market rent.Stuff rolling downhill lands somewhere.Right now, in a lovely spot that will turn into something other than lovely. Best of luck.

DeadEnder March 22, 2024 (2:30 pm)

Where do those who need scooters to safely enjoy Constellation Park, park? my guess is that SDOT wants them to stay at home. Putting cyclists with the only lane of auto traffic just boggles the mind.

sam-c March 22, 2024 (3:09 pm)

The drawings above dedicate the 10′ separated lane for scooters but the additional info on the project page call out: people walking, biking, and rolling next to the existing sidewalk

DeeJaa March 22, 2024 (4:29 pm)

Your tax dollars at waste (I mean at work…oops). there is no reason for this whatsoever. this is one of the least busy areas in West Seattle as it’s just too far from the businesses, restaurants, bars, etc. I suspect this idea was presented by some residential homeowners wanting even less cars to their benefit. Therefore, I hope the County taxes the F out of them for the convenience, and all the taxpayer money to fund this “much needed safety project”