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Alki Point Healthy Street opponents announce Tuesday community meeting

May 13, 2024 9:49 am
|      180 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(Added, WSB photo: SDOT truck at project site this morning)

Just announced by the coalition opposing the Alki Point Healthy Street plan, with SDOT planning to launch major construction shortly – a community meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, May 14):

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT
What: Alki Point For All Presentation and Community Meeting
Where: C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW
When: Tuesday May 14th, 6:30 to 8:30
Doors open 6 PM
Tickets: FREE
Prergister at brownpapertickets.com – Pre-registration recommended but not required.

Alki Point is one of the places that sets Seattle apart. A public shoreline and city park offer spectacular views of Puget Sound, adjacent to a marine reserve. People come from all over the world to visit the Lighthouse; to storm-watch, bird-watch, whale-watch, and go tide-pooling; to walk, bike, skate, run or simply enjoy the view. Alki Point has provided respite and recreation for generations.

For nonprofit organizations and schools, Alki Point offers a unique opportunity to educate and inspire. From octopus to orcas, the site offers direct and easy access to a marine ecosystem a front door to the Salish Sea.

That’s all about to change. As early as this week, Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will begin construction on a project that will radically alter the use of this public space. SDOT will replace most of the parking on the beach side of the street with a 10-ft-wide “walking, jogging, rolling” lane. The harmful impacts of this change haven’t been considered, and key questions haven’t been answered.

For example, the loss of parking means that even fewer people will be able to visit Alki Point. Traffic will be pushed into nearby neighborhoods, where parking is already a problem. ADA parking spaces will only be on the east side of the street, away from benches, the beach and the view. Where will the school busses park? Marine conservation and outreach will be crippled.

Join us Tuesday night at C&P to discuss these and other changes. In February the Alki Point for All coalition launched a petition directed to Mayor Harrell, asking that the City halt this project until its impacts were fully considered. More than 1350 people have signed the petition so far. change.org/AlkiPointforAll.

The group will present updates about their efforts, including a recent meeting with SDOT. The group will also share their ideas for how street art could be used to calm traffic, increase safety, and create a Healthy Street that better serves the needs of the wider community.

There is no charge for this event. Pre-registration is recommended but not required. Pregistering will help us estimate how many people to expect.

The Alki Point for All coalition consists of organizations (The Whale Trail and Seal Sitters) and individuals (Vlad Oustimovitch, Leo Shaw, Bill Rogers.) Hope to see you there!

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180 Replies to "Alki Point Healthy Street opponents announce Tuesday community meeting"

  • walkerws May 13, 2024 (10:00 am)

    Haters gonna hate. I’m personally in the majority that’s super excited for Constellation Park to have even fewer cars.

    • Todd May 13, 2024 (10:31 am)

      100%Truly a waste of everyone’s time. This makes the park MORE accessible, not less. 

    • onion May 13, 2024 (11:24 am)

      Walkerws: I missed the vote you are alluding to.  Many of us who may have voted in favor of pedestrian safety improvements don’t believe this project is a good use of those funds.

      • Jalki May 13, 2024 (1:14 pm)

        The majority that Walkerws
        refers to is our historic system  that includes voting for our leaders as a representative form of government. 

        Change.org digital responses are not votes.
        They are casually written and easily manipulated.  
        We have no idea, they may be generated by bots in China. 

        This small group of activists have apparently adopted the successful polemics of Lincoln Park nature activists.  
        I am surprise to see Vlad on the list and would appreciate him responding with “The harmfully impacts of this change?”
        Certainly, the busses do not need to stay idling on Beach Drive?  Groups can be dropped off and picked up which would be safer, less congesting and less polluting.  

        The claim that Marine conservation and outreach will be crippled (how?)  is remarkable for its unsupported hyperbole.  

        • Lura May 13, 2024 (6:05 pm)

          The design does not include a bus drop-off zone,

          • Don Brubeck May 14, 2024 (11:51 am)

            There is no bus drop off zone now, either.

        • alkibambi May 14, 2024 (7:32 am)

          Shh! Let the elitists talk. Nobody wants non locals who can’t taxi to/from the beach

    • Rhonda May 13, 2024 (12:39 pm)

      Speak for yourself, walkerws. There was never a vote. This area belongs to all Seattleites, car owners, and visitors, not you.

      • walkerws May 13, 2024 (1:18 pm)

        Rhonda: You have a right to use the street as you see fit. Your privately owned vehicle does not. Sorry not sorry.

        • Kyle May 13, 2024 (2:05 pm)

          Why doesn’t SDOT put there proposal vs. leave as is to a vote?

          • walkerws May 13, 2024 (2:14 pm)

            Because not every single little thing can be put to a vote if we want to have a functioning society. Especially things like this – the most-used “Stay Healthy Street” in the entire program – which are supported by the vast majority.

          • Jalki May 13, 2024 (5:38 pm)

            Put it to vote?  
            What vote is Kyle thinking of?  
            Seattle City general elections?  
            King County Ballot?  
            If  “Alki Point for All” formulated their concerns into an actual initiative with members cajoling registered voters to sign their names to a legal initiative.  
            Change.org is not to be confused with our governance. .

          • Kyle May 13, 2024 (7:48 pm)

            A simple survey from SDOT that had “leave as is” as an option would suffice. Not that biased one that had action has a foregone conclusion from last year.

        • Rhonda May 13, 2024 (5:13 pm)

          walkerws, I pay annual registration on my vehicles which entitle me to drive and park on ANY public street whether you like it or not……and so do roughly 2 million Washington State residents. #PetitionSigned

          • K May 13, 2024 (6:45 pm)

            Um, wow, no, you are not “entitled” to drive anywhere or park anywhere you want just because you pay taxes.  As a law enforcement officer, I would *hope* you are aware that there are plenty of lawfully-created restrictions on where people can drive and park their vehicles, including on public streets.  Please tell me your comment is a joke.  Smh.

    • Jim May 14, 2024 (10:53 am)

      If you think you’re in the majority you’re kidding yourself it’s not a majority of people that want this

  • AMD May 13, 2024 (10:05 am)

    Anyone who cares about the environment should be cheering on any removal of any parking space.  Seattle has nearly 2.5 parking spaces for every man, woman, and child in the city, one of the highest ratios in the nation.  Enough already with the parking space obsession.  

    • junctioneer May 13, 2024 (12:12 pm)

      Help me understand the appeal of removing parking spaces arbitrarily. If you want to add a forcing function for people to stop driving cars, fine. But shouldn’t public parks be at the bottom of the list? Doesn’t encouraging folks to use public parks also create folks dedicated to their preservation and beauty?

      We should probably remove some of the parking lots at Rainier too. Too many cars.

      • Bird May 13, 2024 (1:57 pm)

        Perhaps you’re being sarcastic but yes we absolutely should remove a lot of parking at Rainier and replace it with shuttles, as they do at Zion and other parks. 

        • flimflam May 13, 2024 (2:19 pm)

          The shuttle at Zion is great – I’ll admit, I thought I’d hate it as I’m more of a solo traveler but it was great to be able to hop on and off easily and regularly. Now, if you need to drive to the park itself it’s completely necessary to be there almost as soon as it opens as the parking lot fills up…

        • junctioneer May 13, 2024 (9:58 pm)

          You make an excellent point regarding the Zion shuttle, even if I disagree. I retract my sarcastic example.

  • k May 13, 2024 (10:12 am)

    Alki Point for All! My! Emissions!

  • Alki Neighbor May 13, 2024 (10:33 am)

    “Marine conservation and outreach will be crippled.” You can’t park your car across this street, so you can’t do your ‘important work’? Really?…Really?   Sounds like you just need actual able bodied volunteers who can walk more than a couple blocks.  Someone needs to create a change.org petition in support of the change to the road so we can show that the MAJORITY of people actually want this. 

    • Quiz May 13, 2024 (12:01 pm)

      Most people do not want this. It’s a waste of money on a completely unneeded change.

      • Yep May 14, 2024 (12:57 am)

        +1

  • Foop May 13, 2024 (10:40 am)

    Ada parking is across the street. Do folks with physical disabilities live in their cars? How do they get to the bathroom?

    • NoLegToStandOn May 13, 2024 (2:17 pm)

       Typical comment from someone who can get around easily. Try getting around Seattle in a wheelchair for just one day. Half of the curbs aren’t ADA.  Everyone is expected to ride a bike, which is difficult to do when you can’t use your legs. Try pushing yourself around in a wheelchair for blocks up hill and down. I’ve been hit by bicyclist and scooter on the side walks. Yep make it more difficult for older people in wheelchairs to do anything. What do you care, this is all about what you want. 

      • Car-Free Alki Now May 13, 2024 (2:41 pm)

        this change literally gives more space to wheelchair users

        • JH May 13, 2024 (7:22 pm)

          Not if they can’t drive close to the area or have parking in the immediate area.

        • NoLegToStandOn May 14, 2024 (7:11 am)

            Another opinion from an able body person.  . ADA parking spaces will only be on the east side of the street, away from benches, the beach and the view. 

          • Car-Free Alki Now May 15, 2024 (11:21 am)

            the fact that your point relies on this absurd idea that the “view” only exists on one side of the street is asinie and self defeating.There will be ADA parking spots available, and users of those spots can cross at crosswalks. Further, it is legal to pull over and stop to unload a passenger, barring “No Stops” signs.It is disgusting and ironic for you to:1) make assumptions about anyone’s able-bodiness to discount their valid points2) use the disabled community as a means to prop up your own pointa large amount of people with disabilities don’t even have access to cars, and your myopic and privileged view that cars are the only way anyone with disabilities can travel betrays your true stance that you really only care about no disruptions to your personal enjoyment, no matter the cost to other people.

  • LM May 13, 2024 (10:44 am)

    Some people really want to park and idle their cars I guess. I’d love to see that whole street become entirely closed to motorized vehicles, at least sometimes, like Lake Washington Boulevard.  I’m really disappointed that orgs like Seal Sitters and Whale Trail are on the wrong side of history – and conservation – on this one.

    • Donna, The Whale Trail May 13, 2024 (11:49 am)

      Alki Point is poorly served by public transportation, and the only way that most people can get there, for now, is by car.

      For us, the greater good is served by helping as many people as possible connect to the Salish Sea and its creatures, especially endangered southern resident orcas. People protect what they love, and many people have been inspired to protect southern residents after watching them at Alki Point.

      We wonder how many people will be using the skating lane October through February, when the southern residents are most likely to be here. The cost / benefit of that tradeoff does not bear out.

      • Duwamesque May 13, 2024 (12:13 pm)

        Lots of people take public transit to and from Alki and get by without owning a car (I’m one of them). It’s pretty ironic using wildlife conservation as a fig leaf for defending the dominance of car culture. Fossil fuel emissions and run off pollution from vehicles are poisoning the Salish Sea and driving down the salmon population that supports the endangered Southern resident Orca. You can’t have your cake and it eat it too.

      • Jalki May 13, 2024 (12:41 pm)

        I am just wondering how Donna connects traffic jams (fed by orca media) at Alki Point in October through February to protecting orcas?  
        When I ride up on my bicycle and see the hoards of whale watchers race up and park facing the wrong way to jump out and  get their sighting.  
        No opposition mention of the inconsiderate and dangerous wrong way driving and parking along the west side (I have never witnessed any enforcement).
        We have strong laws that protect the orcas, the publicity and rush to view by land or sea simply add to  the carbon footprint that actually harms orcas and all life.  
        The cost benefit of lower eco footprint should be considered.  I am surprised by such opposition to what is a safety enhancement and environmentally responsible.  

        • Jenna S May 13, 2024 (1:39 pm)

          I witness the same behavior.  Well said.  Spoken like an actual wildlife activist. 

      • Beachcombover May 13, 2024 (1:30 pm)

        Donna do you ever provide data or is it just about asking open-ended questions? How does putting more cars on a street that has unfiltered drainage into the Puget Sound help the Orcas and the salmon they feed off of?

      • Evin May 13, 2024 (1:36 pm)

        Maybe you should ask King County Metro to improve bus service to Alki (especially on weekends) so it’s more convenient for people to ride the bus instead of drive to Alki? That will reduce the need for parking spaces, which are already hard to come by. 

        That would do more to improve the environment than preserving parking spaces for the most environmentally unfriendly and most space inefficient form of transportation.

      • Pam May 13, 2024 (2:16 pm)

        So instead of advocating for better public transportation and shuttle buses you push for parking? You know what would really help the parking situation for Whale Trail, Seal Sitters, and ADA folk… making it permit only parking and creating a more robust public transportation system. 

      • Pickles May 13, 2024 (7:07 pm)

        There is literally a free bus that loops Alki and West Seattle on top of 2 different city lines, a multi use trail, and the water taxi. Its harf to think of many other beaches in the country with better transit access. Also the worst thing for sea life is extra pollutants that come from things like cars. 

  • TK May 13, 2024 (10:48 am)

    Why not make a One-Way street for the whole point? It would need only 1 lane for driving, one lane  for viewing/parking (the west/beach side lane, please!) plus extra bonus lanes for walking/bicycles, etc. I used to drive my 95 year-old mother to the point every week to go for a short walk (she uses a walker), but many times just to sit & enjoy the view from the car. She especially liked the windy wet days from inside the car. If the new plan is implemented, that will be the end of those shared times enjoying the view, if limited parking is only on the inland side. What a shame!

    • TinycondoAlkiPoint May 13, 2024 (12:55 pm)

      I have lived in a tiny condo on the point for 15 years and have always thought the road around the point needs to be 1 way. 100% agree!

    • 1994 May 13, 2024 (10:42 pm)

      1 way with a bicycle Sunday closure thrown in every other Sunday June to September.  Lake WA Blvd has bicycle Sundays where a stretch of that street is closed to cars between certain hours on certain Sundays – why couldn’t SDOT give that a try for Alki?

  • admiral admirable May 13, 2024 (10:53 am)

    Yes I love squeezing single file on a narrow sidewalk while people sit in their cars idling – it’s such a premier natural experience. How dare someone suggest cars not be front and center of our lives in every possible way.

    • Bob May 13, 2024 (12:21 pm)

      Ah yes, let’s prioritize the rich folks property value by decreasing accessibility to a public space. Great call. I’m all for TKs solution of reducing to one-way but it’s laughable that people inexplicably want to keep giving rich water front folks the benefits of our tax dollars. Madness.

      • walkerws May 13, 2024 (1:21 pm)

        “Bob”, if a few peoples’ property values are increased by something that like this that also benefits all of us, so what? So what if a few people get a side benefit while all of us get the main benefit of a Constellation Park that is drastically improved with fewer cars.

        • 937 May 14, 2024 (3:40 pm)

          Waterview Constellation Park Resident spotted!

          Hey – City’s giving me a property upgrade! I’ll take it! (meanwhile pretending it better for the “environment”)

          Is that YOUR pickleball court painted on 64th?

      • Evin May 13, 2024 (1:44 pm)

        This project will make it more convenient and easier to ride your bike here, so it’s not like you’re really reducing access to this area. I would also like to see improved bus access and maybe even more frequent service on the water taxi to make it easier to get to Alki from downtown. I was amazed to discover a few months back that the 50 only runs every half hour on Saturday evenings. It got completely filled up after the first two stops going east from Alki, so it could really justify more frequent service. Hopefully Metro can hire more bus drivers in order to make that happen…

        • Plf May 13, 2024 (4:33 pm)

          Everyone is mobile enough, or even has a bike?  Rather naïve comment.  Reality is, I won’t be able to go there  if I can’t park ,  not enough Ada spaces an relegated to the east side of the street.  Guess you would like senior disabled citizens to disappear, we feel invisible already

  • WSB_Enjoyer May 13, 2024 (10:55 am)

    It’s a shame this group of people is trying to block a really cool safety project. Making this street more accessible for all people will allow for more visitors to visit the beach than a handful of parking stalls. We need to continue to make West Seattle safer for people to walk and roll around.

    • Alki resident May 13, 2024 (12:38 pm)

      Safer from what? Name ONE incident that’s happened there in the last 35 years? 

      • walkerws May 13, 2024 (1:22 pm)

        I was almost hit by a car there two weeks ago. And all users’ are harmed by having a less pleasant experience there next to idling cars. 

        • Alki resident May 13, 2024 (3:05 pm)

          I was almost hit by a car in Westwood. Should we shut down the parking lot and ban cars? I take responsibility for almost getting hit. I don’t get in front of cars until they are stopped and they see me. 

          • walkerws May 13, 2024 (3:40 pm)

            Westwood Village is a shopping center. Constellation Park is a park. False equivalency is a hallmark of a weak argument.

          • Alki resident May 13, 2024 (6:01 pm)

            Constellation Park is a beach. We knew it as “ rocky beach” since the 70’s. Again, zero deaths or injuries all of those years. Yes there are a couple park benches and a concrete path to the water but it’s not much of a park and it has been well loved by us locals for many moons. . 

        • Kyle May 13, 2024 (3:09 pm)

          Unless you were walking in the street, I doubt it. Just walk on the existing sidewalk. All the incidents residents complained about were the car clubs gathering, listening to music etc. This all seems designed to keep people who don’t live here from being able to access it. I agree cars should shut off their engines but the parking access makes this a unique spot for visitors that isn’t served at other locations in the city.

  • Marine mammal advocate May 13, 2024 (11:00 am)

    The removal of parking actually helps marine mammals- the outfalls from the street run directly into the Sound untreated harming seals and whales with runoff pollution from cars.  

  • Stephen May 13, 2024 (11:04 am)

    Can’t wait for these improvements, we’re down there all the time with the kids and our bikes and will appreciate safer options to roll and scoot. The bold-faced lies about no parking and “crippling conservation groups” are laughable when the goal of this is to encourage more car use, and making this an issue about accessibility (when there will clearly be ADA spots) is frankly offensive.

  • Marcus May 13, 2024 (11:10 am)

    Love the closure.  Move forward on the plan.

  • DRW May 13, 2024 (11:15 am)

    West Seattle is going crazy. Wanting to remove a lane of traffic from Highland Park Dr and then wanting to take public access to parks. I just wonder what it’s going to be like in 20 years. Will everyone be riding a bike? Hopefully we get those flying cars.

    • NimbySlayer May 13, 2024 (11:28 am)

      We’re making it easier to get around the city without a car. That’s a good thing, as not everyone can afford or use a car

      • Alki resident May 13, 2024 (12:41 pm)

        How is that a good thing? People rely on their cars. We have every right to drive our cars anywhere we like without so many of you shouting your anti car hate. Go ride your bike. We’ll be driving our cars. 

        • walkerws May 13, 2024 (1:30 pm)

          Alki Resident, despite the percentage of your life that you dedicate to the rights of cars on WSB, most of us care about people and not cars. You indeed have your rights to drive your car anywhere that it is legally allowed – which soon enough will not include Constellation Park lol. You have no right whatsoever to be free from hearing anti car criticism.

          • Canton May 13, 2024 (2:50 pm)

            YOU have no right to tell anyone; how they ARE going to commute. Why in the world would anyone bend a knee to your omnipotence, and serve you as master? You do you. The gall of people telling others how they need to live!?!

          • Alki resident May 13, 2024 (3:11 pm)

            Believe it or not, you can care about people and cars. Not one person wanting this street shut down, can name a time a death or injury occurred on this street from a car. Once again, this park means a lot to quite a few people who’ve resorted to this location for one reason or another. Generations of families have ties to it as well and there’s zero reason to waste money on something that doesn’t need fixing. You folks want so badly to make up things to make it look like this is a good idea but it’s not. 

        • cwit May 13, 2024 (1:36 pm)

          “We have every right to drive our cars anywhere we like without so many of you shouting your anti car hate.” No, you don’t have every right to drive your cars anywhere you like. Are you for real? 

          • Alki resident May 13, 2024 (6:06 pm)

            Are you for real? I pay my taxes and expect to drive on the roads in our state that have been car friendly. Feel free to walk everywhere you feel. I don’t have that kind of time in my day to walk across West Seattle to do my errands and then take a bus out of West Seattle to do my shopping and seeing family. My tax dollars paved that road and maintained that road. 

          • cwit May 14, 2024 (2:38 pm)

            Yes, I’m for real.  Of course, you’ve amended your statement to be more specific than ‘anywhere we like’.  My tax dollars paved that road and maintain it, also – I’m good with the changes they’re planning to make. If and when it’s done – I’ll go down there and enjoy it via walking, biking, or automobile.  See ya down there! If you can squeeze it into your busy schedule, that is.

        • Another One May 13, 2024 (1:51 pm)

          I’m just wondering, do you ever consider the future? Like how many people are driving cars today, and traffic is bad. Then in 5 years, how many more residents will we have, and 10 years after that. What do you think is going to happen? Where will all those cars go? Does anything like that ever occur to you? 

          • walkerws May 13, 2024 (2:15 pm)

            Yes, I consider the future all the time. Which is why I advocate for scaling up our public transit, as our failed car-centric infrastructure cannot and should not scale with a growing population.

        • Car-Free Alki Now May 13, 2024 (2:20 pm)

          Do you acknowledge at all that some people do not have the luxury of driving?Do you acknowledge that at all that encouraging everyone to drive all the time is an unsustainable practice?Those are serious questions.Driving to Alki is still going to be an option. Get a grip. All this project does it make non-car options more accessible.

        • Pam May 13, 2024 (2:28 pm)

          “How is that a good thing? People rely on their cars.” In response to, “We’re making it easier to get around the city without a car.” …that’s a good thing because then people won’t need to rely on their cars? It takes me 10 minutes to drive to Alki vs 30 minutes by bus. I would love for those times to be equal so I don’t have to rely on my car. I’m not grocery shopping at Alki. I shouldn’t need to rely on having a car to enjoy it. 

  • Lagartija Nick May 13, 2024 (11:32 am)

    “Alki Point for All”. What in the Orwellian Newspeak is this bull pucky? Seems more like “Alki Point for All Cars” to me.

    • Layne May 13, 2024 (1:24 pm)

      Right? This reads so much like a similar sentiment expressed when people were sad the viaduct was going away.

    • Evin May 13, 2024 (1:46 pm)

      Agreed 100%

  • Rob May 13, 2024 (11:37 am)

    Any one know where to park to vist the light house?

    • WSB May 13, 2024 (12:00 pm)

      There is a small parking lot right next to it.

  • Orca man May 13, 2024 (11:53 am)

    Seriously?! Why would whale trail and seal sitter want more cars near the sea life? They are abusing their power of environmental friendly organizations to solve a personal interest conflict. Shame on them! Question directly to Donna, why do you want more cars? 

    • Lola May 13, 2024 (1:14 pm)

      Orca Man,Seal Sitters already explained in a comment months ago that they have equipment and stuff that they sometimes need to bring down to the beach.  Having to park blocks away and then carry everything in by hand is a daunting task.  They are not abusing their power of the organization.  If anything the Rich Folks who live down by this may be abusing their power by wanting fewer cars across from their view. 

      • Jalki May 13, 2024 (1:40 pm)

        So many questions for Lola and Seal Sitters:
        Why can’t the Seal Sitters simply drive up,unload and then park?  
        What is this equipment that is being alluded to?         <
        How often does this organization unload this equipment at this area? 

        Please support your comment about rich people being behind this?  
        What power do they have and how are they abusing it?

      • Car-Free Alki Now May 13, 2024 (2:20 pm)

        It’s not “blocks away” it’s across the street.

        • Niko May 14, 2024 (10:56 am)

          “just across the street” unless it’s packed full of cars in the summertime because they’re taking away parking then what do you expect them to do just block the road while they offload equipment?!

          • Car-Free Alki Now May 15, 2024 (11:22 am)

            I expect them to accept SDOT’s offer for designated parking lmao. This is an entirely self-inflicted problem.

  • gaylle hollister May 13, 2024 (12:00 pm)

    we need parking there!!!!leave this point the way it is

    • Orca man May 13, 2024 (12:13 pm)

      You still can park on beach dr. Less parking does not mean no parking. Nobody is taking away your rights to drive or park on beach dr. 

      • Alki resident May 13, 2024 (6:09 pm)

        My friends live on Beach Drive at the end of Constellation Park. There isn’t parking aplenty on that road. There are homes and apartments that rely on that street parking. 

  • namercury May 13, 2024 (12:00 pm)

    The Alki Point Healthy Street project is unconstitutional.  Article II, Amendment to the Washington State Constitution (Article II, Section 40 specifies that using Highway Funds for other than highway purposes (like making a street a health park) is forbidden.  I wrote 3 letter to the City making this point and never got a substantive response.  

    • Lagartija Nick May 13, 2024 (12:35 pm)

      You never got a substantive response because your assertion is ridiculous. Beach Drive is not a highway and SDOT is not WSDOT, they don’t build highways and they don’t use highway funds.

    • walkerws May 13, 2024 (1:23 pm)

      A substantive response requires a substantive inquiry.

  • Kyle May 13, 2024 (12:01 pm)

    Parking spaces here help folks from less affluent areas visit this beautiful location. Signed the petition. 

    • Orca man May 13, 2024 (12:11 pm)

      Having healthy street means you still can drive to Beach dr, you still can drive on Beach dr, you still can park on beach dr (just not on the designated path side). Is this explanation simple enough for you? 

      • Kyle May 13, 2024 (12:39 pm)

        There already isn’t enough parking on summer weekends. So folks with less money who can’t live here won’t visit and this park will only be for those who can afford to live within walking distance. That’s the real reason right? Too much “riff raff”.

        • Car-Free Alki Now May 13, 2024 (2:45 pm)

          “There already isn’t enough parking” yet people still manage to arrive somehow.It has been proven time and again that reducing street parking, especially when it’s given directly to more efficient travel modes, increases the amount of visitors a location can support.

      • Lola May 14, 2024 (8:14 am)

        Orca Man, Why are the streets not healthy enough for us now?  You want us the Car People to pay for all the roads but then you want to make them healthy streets just for Bikers, Walkers, Rollers to use out in the middle of the street to make a hazard to us who drive cars.  It is Crazy When do the Walkers, Bikers, Rollers have to pay for the streets that they keep taking away from the cars?  Less spots to park for one, take my car road money to fix the streets but not for me to drive on.  Make this stop as we do not need these streets.  It is why we have built sidewalks for the people to Run, Jog, they are also building them ADA so crossing is easier for the disabled.  If anything use my money to make it safer for the disabled not for the Joggers, Walkers and Bike Riders. 

        • Orca man May 14, 2024 (1:20 pm)

          The path is not in the middle of the street and you, a car person, still can drive on this road.  The bikers, walkers, and rollers will use a designated path so that they are not a hazard to YOU who drive cars. And they have used your money to put disabled parking on beach dr already.  You still can drive on this road! You still can park on this road! Everyone can use this street! EVERYONE PAYS TAXES SO PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS ARGUMENT AGAINST ME!

    • Evin May 13, 2024 (1:50 pm)

      They can also take the bus or ride a bike, the latter of which will be easier when this protect is complete. Also, many poor people can barely afford cars and the maintenance involved with them.

      • Kyle May 13, 2024 (2:07 pm)

        A bus ride from white center would be an hour plus one way with a transfer. You’d have to be in very good shape to bike that distance and hills. Reality is lower income folks just won’t visit with so many barriers and that seems to be what the proponents want.

        • walkerws May 13, 2024 (2:11 pm)

          Any park is going to take longer to get to by bus. There are also closer parks to those areas – it is very quick to get from White Center to Lincoln Park by bus. No one is trying to keep lower income folks out. People like “Kyle” who don’t have a genuine care for low income folks are using them for their concern trolling instead.

          • Kyle May 13, 2024 (3:00 pm)

            So you agree it will reduce access? People like “walkerws” pretend to care about the environment but instead use it as cover to reduce access for people who can’t afford to live nearby. We should all just stay away from Alki and go to our “closer parks”.

  • dave May 13, 2024 (12:12 pm)

    so….all cars that park there leave them idling…outrageous statement..uhhh

  • Beachcombover May 13, 2024 (12:42 pm)

    Why does this group never give any data to support these tropes?  They say the the street is less accessible yet according to SDOT (on the Alki Point Healthy Street web page), “Our observations and evaluation showed that the Alki Keep Moving Street had the highest usage among any Keep Moving Street or Stay Healthy Street in the city.” Also, an SDOT survey with 2,050 responses revealed that 67% of respondents agreed that since it became a Stay Healthy Street they have “better access”, not equal or less. And 77% of people “feel welcome” on the street. How about evidence from this group, not conjecture and hate?

    • Car-Free Alki Now May 13, 2024 (2:47 pm)

      I hope you attend this event and put their feet to the fire with these facts.

  • Jethro Marx May 13, 2024 (12:59 pm)

    Between this and pickleball fights we have reached a real interesting point in the oddness of our community engagement. I think any normal person will have a hard time taking this meeting seriously.

    • walkerws May 13, 2024 (1:27 pm)

      Not only this and pickleball, but we also have the crowd that is trying to prevent Fauntleroy dock from being updated to reduce the idling line of cars along Lincoln Park. 

  • Jon Wright May 13, 2024 (1:20 pm)

    Alki Point For All (Who Agree With Us)

    • Canton May 13, 2024 (11:56 pm)

      Yes sir, Alki point for ALL… Including neighboring cities, counties, and every visiting individual of the world… Alki is a community resource, and the pubic owns it, not the entitled few.

  • Jack May 13, 2024 (1:27 pm)

    Imagine thinking a walking, jogging, and rolling lane is a harmful impact compared to a cars parked/idling on the side of the road. I’m glad they are creating a new outdoor space for people to use! Better for the community and the environment. There are plenty of walk, bike, and bus trips to get you to this destination (but still not nearly enough). The outdoors are for the people – not for parking cars. Put me on the side of opposing the opposition!

    • reed May 13, 2024 (3:53 pm)

      Agreed, the argument is completely asinine.

  • H20K9 May 13, 2024 (1:35 pm)

    As Seattle grows we make it less accessible and reduce street capacity?Got it.

    • Car-Free Alki Now May 13, 2024 (2:22 pm)

      This is more accessible! It’s great!It also increases street capacity way more people fit when walking and rolling than they do in a car.This is pretty basic stuff.Can’t wait for these improvements!! 🥳🎊🎈🎉

  • namercury May 13, 2024 (1:35 pm)

    The restrictions in the Washington Constitution (Amendment, Article II, Section 40) follow hiway funding and SDOT uses this funding.   

  • New Deal May 13, 2024 (2:08 pm)

    Another example of Seattle spending money to fix a problem that doesn’t exist.  That street is plenty wide for everyone to use how they see fit and safely.  Drive, park ( on the water side for the wonderful experience) bike, walk.  I suppose you could rollerblade but to where –  It is disconnected from Alki trail. We don’t need to change a thing but let’s change it and get people upset.  No need to polarize people further.  I wish I could attend the meeting but have previous commitments.  Thank You Alki Point for All.  

  • walkerws May 13, 2024 (2:19 pm)

    You know that it is possible to not need to “fix a problem” but instead to “make a good thing better.” This is an example of the latter – a good thing (Constellation Park) is being made better (by getting cars out of it)!

    • Car-Free Alki Now May 13, 2024 (2:23 pm)

      hear, hear

    • Kyle May 13, 2024 (3:13 pm)

      Glad we fixed all the problems in Seattle first.

  • Star55 May 13, 2024 (2:27 pm)

    Dumbest thing ever. What a waste of money and only serves the people who live on the block. 

  • Jason May 13, 2024 (2:38 pm)

    Maybe this will help with discouraging the disrespectful dog owners who think they are above the rules and allow their dogs to roam free on Constellation from coming. I’m ok with less parking. But the construction will be very annoying, and knowing Seattle this will  probably take double the amount of time to finish then they say.

  • EvK May 13, 2024 (3:09 pm)

    The amount of entitlement required in opposing a public space improvement for pedestrians is truly astounding. If you think your car is entitled to public space, I suggest a large reassessment of your priorities

    • Niko May 14, 2024 (11:08 am)

      You believe it’s entitlement to restrict people from being able to visit Alki at the benefit of people who live there?! There’s people who jog or ride their bikes in the warmer months but we don’t exactly have nice weather here for most of the year. I’d say 70% of the year when I go down there I don’t even see a single bicyclist or jogger

  • Jort May 13, 2024 (3:13 pm)

    Once again we see that the quickest way to shortcut the portions of the brain that handle reason and logic is to propose taking away a parking spot. It is just a feral reaction, right to the core of the lizard brain. Nothing is so universally triggering to people than issues around parking. It is remarkable. 

  • New Deal May 13, 2024 (3:28 pm)

    As a cyclist, if Seattle was interested in improving the safety of cyclists, they would take the money from this project and spend it fixing the potholes and pavement cracks on Beach Drive.  I am almost hit there every time I ride because motorists don’t understand that I have to dodge all the potholes.  I have NEVER been almost hit at Constellation Park.

  • New Deal May 13, 2024 (3:33 pm)

    As a rollerblader, if Seattle were interested in improving safety of rollers, they would take the money from this project and spend it fixing the heaved pavement, cracks and debris from Alki Trail.  They would also improve the car crossings so that I am not hit by a car when the path crosses at Don Armeni or Saltys.  There are plenty of better places to spend this money to improve existing infrastructure.  

  • Marine Mammal Advocate May 13, 2024 (3:37 pm)

    Since this advocacy for more parking actually harms marine life, did the Board of Trustees of Whale Trail and Seal Sitters  authorize this activity through a Board Resolution?  What did the resolution say?   I know Whale Trail is a registered 501(c)3 – so should have Board Authorization for this activity.   Is Seal Sitters even a registered 501(c)3?  What is the organizational structure of Seal Sitters?  Who authorized Seal Sitters to pursue this?  WSB can you provide this basic background information about these organizations, who runs them and where do  they report the amount and use of the funds they receive?   Thank you for providing context and background through your investigative reporting on this matter. 

    • CuriouslyGeorge May 13, 2024 (4:22 pm)

      Excellent questions! I’d also like to know, do all the members of these organizations feel the same way as the individual leaders of Whale Trails and Seal Sitters do? Do all the members believe that no parking should be removed AND want to repeal the Healthy Street status and open this non-arterial street back up to unlimited cars and traffic? 

  • Vee May 13, 2024 (3:48 pm)

    It’s a,waste of money, I walk there a lot, have to drive to get there, it’s fine the way it is, not busy and most are considerate, spend the money on the WS bridge, potholes are terrible and can barely see the fading white lines, these are real safety issues 

  • VN May 13, 2024 (3:49 pm)

    Regarding Beachcombover- you asked an important question about whether the Street Closed signs affected visitors coming to the park.  According to the SDOT web page “Alki Point KMS” 7-day average number of vehicles in May 2015 was 1,687.  After the Street Closed signs went up, this same 7-day average analysis (April 2022) dropped 43% or 725 vehicles.  The survey you referenced was taken during COVID when people were avoiding public spaces like parks, so the primary respondents were local residents.  Major stakeholders were not included in this survey such as The Whale Trail, Seal Sitters, our public schools with their marine education programs, family beach naturalist programs and retirement homes.  Since Constellation Park is a rare marine reserve and premier tidal pool beach in Seattle, it draws people from around the region.   Considering thousands of West Seattle residents have no (#37) or minimal bus service, for the majority participating in these programs, it can require a vehicle.  (I would add that SDOT claims that the designation of “Healthy Street” never removes legal public parking. ( HealthyStreets_2023_FAQ.pdf (seattle.gov))  

    • Beachcombover May 13, 2024 (5:42 pm)

      VN I think you have the right data but you’re reading it wrong and your math is incorrect. The SDOT study found that “Vehicles Per Day (7-Day Average)” dropped from 1,687 in May of 2015 to 725 in April of 2022.  So traffic dropped by 57% or by 962 vehicles per day.  So even more than you suggest. Imagine if the street did return to 2015 levels then 351,130 more cars per year would drive around Alki Point. Does Whale Trails or Seal Sitters or any environmental group think that the increased pollution. toxins and noise that come with that vehicular traffic just feet from the puget sound benefit wildlife? Also, you suggest that the online survey I referenced that was open to responses from September 3 to December 21 of 2021 was primarily local residents because people were avoiding public spaces like parks due to covid?  I don’t know about you but in 2021 I was outside in public spaces like parks more than ever! Outside at parks seemed like one of the only safe places during covid. The city recognized this and it was one of the primary motivations for creating the Stay Healthy and Keep Moving Streets. So people could “Stay Healthy” and “Keep Moving” during covid. Make sense?  Even so I’m not sure how you leap to saying only people who lived nearby didn’t complete an online survey that was promoted by SDOT in multiple cities and multiple times in this blog because they weren’t visiting public spaces. To your other point, the Whale Trail and Seal Sitters were involved in the 2+ years of outreach and have been mentioned specifically by SDOT Here’s a link to a presentation by Summer Jawson of SDOT where they were mentioned specifically: https://youtu.be/TrRVV9xNmTw?si=38AoP6AcPeeoazPY&t=1h32m24s  Whale Trails and Seal Sitters did comment. They did participate in outreach. They were simply overwhelmingly outnumbered by people who wanted the Healthy Street option made permanent. In the same survey mentioned above, the option to make this a permanent Healthy Street received more first choice votes than the other two options that would have opened the street back up to unlimited traffic COMBINED. We can make up misleading arguments and tropes to incite anger and outrage or we can rely on data and common sense as SDOT did in making their decision.

  • PotKettleBlack May 13, 2024 (3:57 pm)

    Let’s be honest for a second. This whole thing has nothing to do with safety or access or marine life. It’s purely to keep “brown” kids away. Parking by the beach and listening to loud music in fast cars is about as American as apple pie… until “brown” kids start doing it. Then it’s suddenly a problem. Probably more so for the house flying the MAGA flags.

  • West Seattlite May 13, 2024 (4:00 pm)

    If this goes through, I will certainly be at this “healthy street” to do long, smokey burnouts and play astoundingly loud music daily to make sure “walkerws” and her cronies that live on the street hear the improvement they voted for daily. This is the biggest waste of taxpayer money I’ve ever seen. Crippling opioid crisis, horrible bridges and infrastructure, giant budget short comings for our schools. High school aged students average in the 30-50% percentiles in seattle schools in math, science and reading skills. They are closing and consolidating schools and yet you people want $1,000,000+ tax dollars spent on this? You guys must be so privileged that you’ve become out of touch with reality. 

    • New Deal May 13, 2024 (5:09 pm)

      How about we propose a light rail station near Constellation Park?  Then all of us could arrive by public transportation.  A few of those folks will lose their homes but, oh well.  The fact that some people and businesses have been in limbo for years about the fate of their home while these people are getting a publicly funded private street is sickening.  

      • walkerws May 13, 2024 (5:33 pm)

        You seem to be awfully bothered that some people might get a property value increase. Should we never do anything that improves places because people nearby might benefit as well? Who cares.

    • AlkiRez May 13, 2024 (8:59 pm)

      💯 agree

    • MH May 14, 2024 (10:25 am)

      Yes!!! This. The money for this project should go into improving our schools or at least fix some of the potholes on West Seattle Bridge. I just hate seen good condition street get digged up, while run down street never get fixed. 

  • Marine Mammal Advocate May 13, 2024 (4:01 pm)

    WSB-Can you provide context/ information on the following questions regarding Seal Sitters and The Whale Trail:  how are they structured? Are they 501(c)3s? Who is on the Board? Did the Board Authorize this pro-parking advocacy activity? Can they provide the Board Resolutions authorizing their advocating for something that harms marine life? Finally, where do they report the money they receive and how they spend it? Can that be made available to your readers or can you tell us where to find the info.  Thanks for providing the information before tomorrow night’s meeting.  

    • Disappointing May 13, 2024 (6:49 pm)

      They’ve really exposed themselves as faux environmentalists. My attitude towards them has completely flipped as a result of this selfish action they’re taking that seems completely contrary to their stated goals. 

    • Kathy May 13, 2024 (7:46 pm)

      Just google it! Tracy and gang have more important things to do than research something you can easily research yourself. They have contacts on their website that you can ask these questions and they both solicit donations under 501(c)3.

      • 3M May 14, 2024 (6:10 pm)

        Already did and  guess what – they don’t have that information on their websites.    That’s why I asked.  Maybe you should look it up on the website,  too.    Then you can also read the articles and citations on their websites indicating how much run-off pollution harms whales and seals.   Both Seal Sitter and Whale Trail  repeatedly cite the research several times on their own websites .  Donna has even published OP/ED pieces in the Seattle Times stating how  run-off pollution from untreated drains is a huge problem for the health of whales in the Sound. 

  • Mikey T 206 May 13, 2024 (4:42 pm)

    The people who truly benefit from this waste of tax payer money are the multi million dollar home owners across the street. I live in West Seattle and have been going to this beach over the last 40 years. I was just there this weekend for low tide and there’s no more marine life like starfish, clams, oysters and crab. Their manipulative reasons to remove parking are to have better access to monitor seals and sea life…which is a flat out lie. Thanks for the post WS blog. I’ll be at the meeting tomorrow!

    • walkerws May 13, 2024 (5:30 pm)

      The people who truly benefit from this use of tax payer money are everyone who gets to enjoy a nicer park as a result! If a few homeowners happen to also benefit, that’s a drop in the bucket of the huge gains everyone gets.

      • Mikey T 206 May 13, 2024 (7:26 pm)

        What benefits do you or I get from this? We can still use and walk the park any day of the week. If this happens, I’ll have to drive around the neighborhood trying to find parking… creating even more pollution along with everyone else.

  • Brandon May 13, 2024 (5:00 pm)

    Pitch a healthy street idea on a main drag along alki. Limit the parking and make it bike only. How do you think that will impact the businesses down there that rely on the traffic and commerce of more people?  Imagine making it more difficult to visit, you think people are going to go through the trouble? I definitely wouldn’t.  Not convinced? Eliminate a parking lot from south center. How many of you are going to go there by bike or bus?

    Now apply the common sense to a park. No I’m not going to engage in commerce. I’m going for recreation. But if I can’t even get down there to park and explore because it’s a pain in the ass, I’m not going to show up.  Guess who wins? The locals in proximity.

    The logic is the same. If you wouldn’t subject these road disimprovements to areas of commerce, you wouldn’t do them to a public park. If the goal is to change the dynamic of the area then you’re already admitting the idea is to change attendance of the park. You can’t at the same time say it’s not going to do that when that’s the intended goal. You’re making it safe? How was it unsafe? Cars? The means of transportation for people to get there? Oh you’re eliminating those? So you’re gonna have less people? Oh wait, you’ll have MORE because people will toss away their personal property that gives them safety, timeliness, and responsibiltiy, and utilize public transportation instead?

    Geez. Youd think it’s recess with these rationalizations. Actually, this is a no brainer for a 5th grader too – tell them you can’t take them to the actual park because people want to play in the adjacent street instead of the park.

    • walkerws May 13, 2024 (5:29 pm)

      Where driving/parking has been limited along main drags like Alki Beach in other cities, it has statistically benefitted businesses there. See, for example, Church Street in Burlington VT or Pearl Street in Boulder CO. Not saying Alki is like those (it would be a dream and a huge benefit for West Seattle if California was fully and permanently closed to cars between Oregon and Edmunds, though!). But businesses would not across the board lose in this case. There would be gains and losses. Likewise, while parking is restricted at Constellation Park there is still plenty nearby, and the park is made to be a nicer place. Gains and losses – with the gains being greater!

      • RJ May 13, 2024 (7:36 pm)

        And what businesses are along Constellation park? Weak argument walkerws.

  • TJ May 13, 2024 (6:41 pm)

    How and why would it be a huge benefit to have California Avenue closed through the junction? Not to the businesses, and that’s not even debatable. Unless I’m missing something, walking on the sidewalk there isn’t a issue. And don’t try to equate how great it is in the summer for a few days during the street fair when the street is full of vendors to doing it full time. Weird that some people want more density in what is a dense area while also wanting to limit transportation thinking we could be some European town square 

    • Walkerws May 13, 2024 (8:25 pm)

      Closing California at the junction to cars would allow for more outdoor dining and vending, increase foot traffic, and as a result increase business revenues. This has been proven all over the US where it has happened. Sorry, the facts don’t care about your feelings. 

  • The bus sucks May 13, 2024 (6:56 pm)

    The bus routes are terrible to visit up there.

  • RJ May 13, 2024 (7:03 pm)

    I’m against the Stay Healthy Street because I live on 63rd Ave SW. From the beginning the majority of cars are racing down our block even though the posted speed limit is 20 mph. While our neighbors to the west enjoy their gated community, we suffer the consequences. Where’s the equity in that? SMH!

    • Kathy May 13, 2024 (7:52 pm)

      Huh? People would avoid the arterial on 63rd by driving around the point? Those people speeding are obviously in a hurry and would have no motivation to do a big detour like that. I live on Admiral Way and I feel your pain, though. 

      • RJ May 13, 2024 (8:22 pm)

        Yes! I’ve been here since ‘95 and I’d say more than half of the cars would continue on Alki Ave and around the Point.

        • Alki Local May 13, 2024 (9:21 pm)

          Nah, don’t think so.

    • Jalki May 14, 2024 (9:24 am)

      RJ,
      That is the first I have heard about a gated community!

      Is there really going to be gate to allow only community members in?

      • WSB May 14, 2024 (10:31 am)

        Before someone fails to recognize your question as facetious (which I’ve seen far too often) in response to an erroneous assertion, NO, there is not and will not be a gate.

  • Kathy May 13, 2024 (7:42 pm)

    I suggest this group put some energy into lobbying Metro KC  and the City to bring back the 37 bus route that was disappeared during Covid 19 in order to improve access to Constellation Park.

  • Jay May 13, 2024 (8:17 pm)

    I go to this spot frequently and bike through all the time. It feels like people claiming this area is dangerous to walk or bike through are trolling. The area has almost no car traffic at all unless there is an aquarium tide pool walk. There’s like a hundred comments claiming this project is needed and will improve safety… I just don’t see how it’s such a high priority and justifies such an urgent response from SDOT. They’re doing nothing about the street racing hot spots. Nothing about dangerous intersections to walk across. Nothing about the incredibly dangerous disappearing bike lane when you come up admiral. Nothing about neighborhood speeding. Why is this spot the city’s highest priority right now? I’m rabidly anti car and pro biking and I think this project is pointless.

    • Not a 1%-er May 13, 2024 (9:02 pm)

      How is this the city’s “highest priority?” And what “urgency?” It’s been years in the making.  I totally agree that the city needs to deal with the other things you mention too, but I also believe it’s possible to attend to more than one issue at a time.   Should we really not pursue any low-stakes projects until all higher-stakes issues are resolved? 

    • Walker May 13, 2024 (9:13 pm)

      As a walker, the sidewalk is not wide enough to allow people to pass easily. Pre-pandemic I often had to move onto the street, and around any cars that may be parked there, to give sufficient room for oncoming couples walking or jogging, especially with dogs in tow. With the Healthy Street designation that’s been in place since the pandemic, I can walk in the street if vehicles follow the rules. And, no, I don’t live on Beach Drive.

  • Not a 1%-er May 13, 2024 (8:49 pm)

    After every post about this project, someone rages in the comments about how the adjacent homeowners are behind it so they can have their “personal park” or “gated community” or “private road.”  Are there any actual facts supporting this conclusion? Or is it just mad people being mad? Just because the homeowners will benefit doesn’t mean they’re secretly paying off the city. None of us have an absolute right to drive and park our cars whenever we want to, able-bodied or not.  All this plan does is prioritize pedestrian access over vehicle access on a side road next to a marine park – an incredibly logical location to prioritize feet over tires.  If it also incidentally benefits the 1%, fine. 

  • Matt May 13, 2024 (8:58 pm)

    The park will be much more enjoyable with fewer cars. These petitioners don’t speak for me. 

    • Regular visitor May 14, 2024 (8:11 am)

      There are virtually no cars there. I visit this place regularly all throughout the year. In the winter months it’s dead and in summer passing cars stop by for some time to take pictures and then leave. Local residents jog along and the path is wide enough for them

      • matt May 14, 2024 (9:39 am)

        Then repurposing unused parking should be no problem.  

  • Rocky bullwinkle May 13, 2024 (9:00 pm)

    Yay for healthy streets!Yay for more room for pedestrians. Yay for no more idling cars on beach side!Yay for no more cars that drive a little too fast in a place where people like to walk. Yay for no more groups smoking lots of weed while people stroll by to naturally relax by the beach.Yay yay yay!

  • Arbor Heights Resident May 13, 2024 (9:03 pm)

    The founding fathers warned us about these evil monsters trying to steal our precious parking. A 10ft walking jogging and rolling lane straight to hell! My pearls have never been white-knuckled harder. This issue is the great battle of our time.

  • KA May 13, 2024 (10:29 pm)

    Rich homeowners trying to keep the rest of us away.

    • Not a 1%-er May 14, 2024 (10:30 am)

      What is the basis for this statement? Anything factual? 

  • GreenLakesLover May 13, 2024 (11:45 pm)

    It’s really quite simple.  All are welcome. Find a spot to park your car. Enjoy  the park and peaceful street. 

    • Niko May 14, 2024 (11:04 am)

      I’ll find a spot to park my car on a road that I legally paid for even if it means parking in the bike lane

  • Tenlow May 14, 2024 (1:57 am)

    As someone who lives on 64th, there won’t be fewer people going to Alki point, there will be fewer people parking on beach drive, which means local roads (such as 64th Ave) will be overrun with all of the people who can no longer park in the currently clearly designated parking areas on beach drive finding literally anywhere else to park. The wealthy people who live on beach drive who lobbied the city to make these changes will reap the benefits of their property values increasing while anyone who lives within walking distance of the water will have to deal with the added congestion at which point people who don’t even live in West Seattle will try to lecture those of us who do on why this is good for everyone. 

  • AlkiRenter May 14, 2024 (6:59 am)

    Hot take: this makes Alki Point more accessible. Today, the sidewalk is so narrow that anyone using a mobility device will take up enough of the sidewalk that foot traffic coming toward them generally has to step off the sidewalk to respectfully pass them. I’ve seen/experienced it dozens of times. What are people stepping into when they do that? Parked and/or moving vehicles that aren’t looking for them. Bike traffic has to use the street, as they should, but here again people driving motor vehicles aren’t looking out for others seemingly more so here. Visited on a bike last week and was almost hit twice and “doored” twice just along the “healthy streets” portion. One thing that baffles me is why we don’t consider more one way roads with angled back-in parking on one side of the street. That would address most all of the issues on Alki Point and 59th/60th/Stevens.

  • MH May 14, 2024 (10:13 am)

    Of all the streets in Seattle that need fixing, this street/park is at the bottle of that list. Been coming here for 20+ years. My Dad used to drop us off here when it was low tide. Took him here for his daily walk, away from the crowd, after his stoke. Now I take the kids here when it’s low tide. The street is perfect as it’s, why try to fix something that is NOT broken? Stop wasting money!! If you like to walk, the sidewalk is wide enough for 2 people to walk pass each other without hitting one another. If you have a big group, learn to share the sidewalk and just move over a bit to let each other pass by. If you want to bike or rollerblade, Beach Dr have a lane for that and a separate lane for walker, so you guys wouldn’t run each other over. You guys just needed to learn to share the lane and street. 

    • John May 14, 2024 (11:00 am)

      Very well said and I completely agree with you! I’ve been going down there my entire life and last year during the low tides there were so many people down there that both sides of the street were full thankfully I have a friend who lives in the area or I wouldn’t have been able to find parking. So I can only imagine the impact that taking away all these spaces will have. Plies although there’s mention of ADA parking spots they’ll still be limited and there may not be enough for everybody who is disabled to be able to park

  • Gary May 14, 2024 (12:38 pm)

    This strip has always had plenty of parking. And now they want to get rid of the surplus parking for safety. The strip has been one of the safest and the concerns exaggerated.Do this instead, carve out some gated underground public parking under the hill next to Bar-S field with tunnel access to both the baseball fields and beach drive.(The lowest cost 14 foot diameter tunnel is now around $10 million per mile)Then install artificial reef art all over the place to be enjoyed by low tiders, mid tide canoers, and high tide divers.An extra thick saltwater-concrete breakwater could be pre-cast, starting near the apartments at the south end, extending our 50 yards, curving northbound, and parallel to shore for about 100 yards. Each segment floated, and anchored, stocked with giant potted trees, and raised garden beds, pedestrian/bike ways, sheltered green-roofed awnings with picnic tables, and multiple points to fish, and crab.The middle of the strip would widen up for gatherings with the option for temporary modular add-ons.Further offshore, create an permit only kelp forest preserve which can help create abundant marine growth and provide plenty of fish to catch inland.Additional marine sanctuary concepts could be added to make it a divers tourism attraction.When the late fall storms approach, city park crews can go setup large ballistic glass shields to protect the greenery from damage and saltwater infusion.Other preserving features include embedded insulation and heat strips in the pots and garden beds to keep the frost away during soil freezing weather.Another nice feature might include concerts and festivals at the Bar-S or at the offshore gathering location.Could this be a commercial real estate dream that enhances community life? Or would the floating pontoons be too close to shore and block the beautiful views across the water?

  • Gary May 14, 2024 (12:43 pm)

    BAR-S / BEACH DRIVE PARKDo this instead, carve out some gated underground public parking under the hill next to Bar-S field with tunnel access to both the baseball fields and beach drive.(The lowest cost 14 foot diameter tunnel is now around $10 million per mile)Then install artificial reef art all over the place to be enjoyed by low tiders, mid tide canoers, and high tide divers.An extra thick saltwater-concrete breakwater could be pre-cast, starting near the apartments at the south end, extending our 50 yards, curving northbound, and parallel to shore for about 100 yards. Each segment floated, and anchored, stocked with giant potted trees, and raised garden beds, pedestrian/bike ways, sheltered green-roofed awnings with picnic tables, and multiple points to fish, and crab.The middle of the strip would widen up for gatherings with the option for temporary modular add-ons.Further offshore, create an permit only kelp forest preserve which can help create abundant marine growth and provide plenty of fish to catch inland.Additional marine sanctuary concepts could be added to make it a divers tourism attraction.When the late fall storms approach, city park crews can go setup large ballistic glass shields to protect the greenery from damage and saltwater infusion.Other preserving features include embedded insulation and heat strips in the pots and garden beds to keep the frost away during soil freezing weather.Another nice feature might include concerts and festivals at the Bar-S or at the offshore gathering location.Could this be a commercial real estate dream that enhances community life? Or would the floating pontoons be too close to shore and block the beautiful views across the water?

  • JM May 14, 2024 (1:35 pm)

    The minimum width for an ADA-compliant sidewalk is 36 inches (3 feet), although sidewalks can be constructed wider than this.The sidewalk in front of Constellation Park measures 72 inches wide.  I’m confused as to why so many people seem to think the sidewalk is too narrow.  I don’t believe SDOT would install a sidewalk that is not compliant with their own regulations.

  • TZ May 14, 2024 (3:08 pm)

    I don’t understand how the decision was made to allocate such resources to this healthy street project. The safety risks in the area are relatively non-existent compared to those you’ll face on long stretches of Alki and Harbor Aves with no traffic calming or pedestrian safety measures in place. I’ve requested a crosswalk on Harbor Ave or a sign to alert drivers of
    pedestrians and been told no by SDOT. When I look at this closed healthy street and see further development plans here, I can only assume people are in cahoots or that there is major oversight. SDOT and Project Zero don’t appear to be taking a common-sense approach to the allocation of resources.

  • Gary May 14, 2024 (5:17 pm)

    Don’t be fooled by some of the comments. If you can, just come down, if possible, more than once, and read the comments again to make your own judgement.Everyone has their own colored opinion and that’s great. I just don’t care for some comments that tell the truth but seems to leave out details that would draw a more accurate picture.I give props to JM for pointing out that the sidewalk is ADA compliant. If I was stuck in a motorized wheelchair, I would also want as many of the same benefits as what others are reaching for and not just a limited slice. And, it would be a waste of my time to hear arguments for ADA people that only give out breadcrumbs the same way that class action lawsuits pay lawyers more than the clients breadcrumbs. It just seems like a lack of authenticity flourishing in a sea of outside observers.I lived in that neighborhood for roughly 85% of my childhood. And, double that time as an inclusion of my adult time there. I disagree with the proponents claims on the grounds of insubstantial fluff that really seems self serving and doesn’t truly represent the future negatives.

  • Gary May 14, 2024 (5:17 pm)

    Don’t be fooled by some of the comments. If you can, just come down, if possible, more than once, and read the comments again to make your own judgement.  Everyone has their own colored opinion and that’s great. I just don’t care for some comments that tell the truth but seems to leave out details that would draw a more accurate picture.I give props to JM for pointing out that the sidewalk is ADA compliant. If I was stuck in a motorized wheelchair, I would also want as many of the same benefits as what others are reaching for and not just a limited slice. And, it would be a waste of my time to hear arguments for ADA people that only give out breadcrumbs the same way that class action lawsuits pay lawyers more than the clients breadcrumbs. It just seems like a lack of authenticity flourishing in a sea of outside observers.I lived in that neighborhood for roughly 85% of my childhood. And, double that time as an inclusion of my adult time there. I disagree with the proponents claims on the grounds of insubstantial fluff that really seems self serving and doesn’t truly represent the future negatives.

    • Know Your Facts May 14, 2024 (6:35 pm)

      The Federal Highway Administration requires the following: Sidewalks require a minimum width of 5.0 feet if set back from the curb or 6.0 feet if at the curb face.

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