FOLLOWUP: Big changes for part of 16th SW in White Center are progressing. See plans Wednesday

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news | White Center

We first reported two years ago on King County Road Services‘ plan to narrow 16th Avenue SW between SW 100th and SW 107th to improve safety on a stretch notorious for pedestrian deaths and injuries. The project is of interest to West Seattleites too, particularly with 107th connecting westward to Arbor Heights. Planning on the project has continued, and the county now plans on construction next year (one year later than originally announced). County spokesperson Brent Champaco summarizes where it’s at now:

To reduce speeds and calm traffic, which makes the area safer for pedestrians, the project narrows the road from four lanes to two and includes a two-way center turning lane. It adds many pedestrian safety features like bumped out sloped curbs at corners and traffic crossing lights with flashing beacons.

The project does not remove the total number of parking spots in the project corridor. Currently there are 43 existing on-street parking spots between SW 100th and SW 107th streets. The design option with bike lanes on both sides adds a total of three spaces to bring the total number of on-street parking spaces to 46. It also moves parking spots around, depending on the block, to accommodate travel lanes and bike lanes.

The design option with no bike lanes brings the total number of parking spots to 67, again, up from 43. It also moves parking spots around, depending on the block, to accommodate travel lanes.

We did community surveys and outreach in 2022 and got to a 30-50% design. It was during the peak of COVID so in-person outreach was difficult. We are holding another meeting, at the community’s request, on July 24 to share updated information about the two options.

If you are interested in seeing the latest plans and asking questions, that meeting is happening this Wednesday (July 24), 6:30 pm, at the White Center Food Bank headquarters, which is in the future project zone – 10016 16th SW. The meeting will also be accessible online; the link is on this page. The project cost is just under $2 million, funded by a federal grant.

P.S. The latest online survey for the project is open, too – find it here.

Jeepney July 22, 2024 (12:34 pm)

One blurb I found noteworthy: We did community surveys and outreach in 2022 and got to a 30-50% design. It was during the peak of COVID so in-person outreach was difficult..I thought 2020 was peak covid?

Brian July 22, 2024 (1:07 pm)

Timelines are strange like that. You might say we are in the peak of Covid right now.
- ARPigeonPoint July 23, 2024 (9:16 am)
  
  What Brian said.

snowskier July 22, 2024 (1:18 pm)

Please no more bike lanes on primary arterials. Quite side streets or secondary streets such as 15th are such better options. The curb bulbs plus lights at intersections should help those trying to cross. As for those who stumble into traffic midblock…….I don’t think traffic engineering can help them.

Matt July 22, 2024 (3:16 pm)

The city of Hoboken has completely eliminated traffic deaths (including pedestrian deaths) on their roads, mostly through better street design. White Center can and should be doing the same!

Matt July 22, 2024 (1:56 pm)

This is a stretch that I bike regularly, and any safety improvements will be hugely welcome. Cycling on this part of 16th is just too dangerous due to speeding drivers and lack of infrastructure. Usually I ride on 15th instead, which is much calmer but puts me in conflict with buses and doesn’t give easy access to all the businesses on 16th.

Adding more parking and making the street pleasant to walk along (like the existing blocks north of 100th) should also help the businesses there.

Justin July 22, 2024 (2:08 pm)

WHY?! 35th is a nightmare due to the ‘safety changes’ making it a two lane road. Who are these people?

Driver July 22, 2024 (2:22 pm)

Couldn’t agree with you more.
OneTimeCharley July 22, 2024 (3:38 pm)

They are the Overeachers….they are as prolific as they are unable to read a room.
Jort July 22, 2024 (3:46 pm)

Justin, why is 35th a “nightmare?” Because you sometimes have to drive slower? Please. Help me understand. Why is it a “nightmare?”
- platypus July 22, 2024 (3:55 pm)
  
  Nightmare (noun): Driving the posted reasonable speed limit, while listening to their favorite music, seated comfortably in a climate controlled box.
Lauren July 22, 2024 (5:15 pm)

I vastly prefer the new 35th design to the old. Really hoping they continue the efforts north of Morgan.
Peter July 22, 2024 (7:00 pm)

The part of 35th that is a nightmare is the four lane section between Holly and Fauntleroy. That design encourages excessive speed and requires unsafe swerving just to stay in your lane. It is everything one would do if they were trying to make a street as dangerous as possible. As a pedestrian and driver, the two lane section south of Holly is much much much much much better. There’s no excuse for the city not changing the Holly to Fauntleroy portion to two lanes. It needs to be done. The neighborhood deserves it, and all road users deserves to be safer rather then endangers by the ridiculous current street design.
jissy July 22, 2024 (8:41 pm)

Such a mis-guided plan, will ruin this thoroughfare but of course it’s a Federal dollars money grab. I work along this stretch and besides the biking landscaper, the very infrequent bikers I see just use the sidewalk which works fine b/c there are VERY few pedestrians in this area. And I find most people and bicyclists use 15th anyway. DUMB DUMB DUMB.
- platypus July 22, 2024 (9:44 pm)
  
  There are pedestrians because the street is terrible, dangerous and people have literally died. This is a very reasonable redesign that won’t impede traffic because there is plenty of space. Hopefully the more people using the street will bring more businesses.
- Jort July 23, 2024 (11:09 am)
  
  Please help me understand how this will “ruin” this “thoroughfare.” Honestly. I’d like to know why think this will “ruin” it. Seriously! Why?

Whisky Woods July 22, 2024 (2:26 pm)

Another waste of tax payer money!

Spooled July 22, 2024 (2:57 pm)

Looks like 17th just became the new arterial. Not sorry.

K July 24, 2024 (8:48 am)

Haha! No better way to tell people you don’t know this neighborhood than suggesting anyone would use 17th to bypass these four blocks, lol. Thanks for the laugh!

L salter July 22, 2024 (3:11 pm)

Bike lanes always! Any way to make our city and neighborhood more friendly to alternative transportation!

k July 22, 2024 (3:29 pm)

These comments feel like a lot of reaction from pro-car folks feeling like something is being taken from them, who had to have spent little to no time on the road in question to be making some of the ridiculous claims they are. This is a good plan that will make the road safer for pedestrians and bikes, more welcoming to foot traffic for local businesses, and even offer more parking for cars. Literally everyone wins (except those who want to go 50 on a 30).

Steve July 22, 2024 (4:11 pm)

I have lived in Arbor Heights over 50 years. I cannot count how many times I have driven on this road and Ambaum to Burien. Now I will not drive on Ambaum after they added the bus lane on each side and instead take 4th ave. There is nothing wrong with this stretch of road through White Center. It actually moves cars through quicker because of the four lanes. There are deep sidewalks on both sides of the street. Not sure what you are talking about with increased foot traffic.
- Lauren July 22, 2024 (5:17 pm)
  
  “Move cars through faster” seems pretty unimportant when compared with reducing pedestrian deaths, wouldn’t you think? Especially since you’ll probably be slowed by 5mph through this stretch, at most. (I guess unless you’re driving 50mph down the stretch at the moment…)
- Bill#1 July 23, 2024 (10:14 pm)
  
  You’re wasting your time!

platypus July 22, 2024 (3:59 pm)

This design is nice. There isn’t enough traffic on that road to justify that many lanes, no one is losing parking, actually gaining 3, and no bikes are a better option to get to those businesses. Wins all around.

Steph July 22, 2024 (4:28 pm)

Saying it again: we’re being trapped by Seattle’s road engineering. In an emergency we can’t evacuate. Plus the tax waste is astronomical for all these projects that Do Not Benefit Taxpayers.

Lauren July 22, 2024 (5:22 pm)

Steph, genuinely curious: what disaster do you foresee where everyone would need to evacuate via car and we’d be trapped? Most likely scenario that comes to my mind is earthquake, in which case the roads are likely to be useless anyway.
Derp July 22, 2024 (5:40 pm)

The article says this is King County, not the City of Seattle. Nor is this location in Seattle. Nice try though

Jen V. July 22, 2024 (4:38 pm)

The Survey they did showed the MAJORITY of those that use this stretch did not wan treduced lanes. They have already made 16th & Ambaum horrible with the traffic back up and have made that stretch in Burien less safe. King County i notorious for not listening to those they serve and pushing to % design phases before getting feedback or taking into consideration what the community needs. Hope who made this decision loses their job either through the backlash or voted out of office. Lees lanes do not eqaute to safer streets, the way Seattle and County have Not improved roads have made them less safe and traffic way worse (i thought green house gases and idling were one of their focuses in the past). Road rage increased with their changes and is just getting worse, WAY TO GO KC

Jort July 22, 2024 (5:31 pm)

If you took a poll of drivers the “MAJORITY” would split thinking either the speed limit should be 60 mph or that there should be NO speed limits. There’s a reason we don’t design our society around issue-by-issue votes — because people, individually, will consider their own perspective and self-interest and be dismissive and callous about the cumulative societal effects of their individual priorities. And what you’ve said, about “less lanes do not equate to safer streets,” this is an outright lie; it’s just flatly false. Reduced speeds and lane reductions have across-the-board safer outcomes in every city in the world that has done them. If having to drive the speed limit is forcing drivers into some kind of uncontrollable “road rage,” then that’s perhaps the moment when drivers should consider hanging up the keys and buying a monthly Metro pass.

Bbron July 22, 2024 (4:57 pm)

what do driver’s lose in these so called “nightmare” scenarios when the road changes? is an additional 15-20 seconds on your commute not worth the trade off of providing equal amount of infrastructure to other modes of travel so folks have a greater freedom of choice in how they move?

Hammer in Hand July 22, 2024 (6:42 pm)

I am all for designated bike lanes. But put them on the side streets not on main streetsTake away parking on one side of the street less traffic will be safer. Otherwise it’s like putting railroad tracks down the middle of the airport run way and wondering why it’s not safe

Brandon July 22, 2024 (7:01 pm)

Reduce traffic lanes for bikes. Get rid of airports for train stations. Same concept.

SoLongDelridge July 22, 2024 (11:55 pm)

Don’t threaten me with a good time!

K July 22, 2024 (8:16 pm)

We’re literally talking about four blocks road, in unincorporated King County, that never have more than like 3 cars sitting at a light because traffic is so sparse, narrowing down to two lanes in hopes that people will go something closer to the posted speed limit rather than the 40+MPH that a four-lane road with no traffic on it encourages, and you guys are losing your minds like the King County Sherriff is going to sit at the city lines with a shot gun, waiting to shoot out your tires the second you cross the line, order you out of your car, and force you to crawl to Arbor Heights on your hands and knees. Get a grip, people! It’s not even being paid for by local taxes. The feds are paying for these improvements. You’re not losing anything. Half of you don’t even seem to realize this project isn’t in Seattle!

Bill#1 July 23, 2024 (10:46 pm)

Oh! that’s the bottom line here folks! The Feds are paying for it!

SoLongDelridge July 23, 2024 (12:07 am)

There is no chance that biking can take hold without bike parking. These retail corridors need to have adequate bike parking available and yet I don’t see it in the design.

Arash Sarraf July 23, 2024 (1:08 pm)

fix ROXBURY! Roxbury has needed repairs since 2017.

Kyle July 23, 2024 (8:01 pm)

I thought about this. The road is dieted on both sides so it’s not the end of the world if this goes down to one lane too. I like the more parking option since White Center parking is a disaster. I will say, multiple lanes are not the reason we can’t slow down cars. The junction has four lanes and is pedestrian friendly. Some raised cross walks and cross walk lights would be actual pedestrian safety improvements. The road diet for no bus gain is just kind of dumb.

Bill#1 July 23, 2024 (10:52 pm)

“.. since White Center parking is a disaster. ” Relative to what? Alaska junction? Downtown Seattle? Lake City? –Burien? – Actually White Center is more parking open than almost any other part of the Seattle – Sea-Tac area! I smell developer stench approaching!
- Kyle July 24, 2024 (8:52 am)
  
  Have you tried to park in downtown White Center on a Friday night?
  - K July 24, 2024 (6:27 pm)
    
    There is a lot more in White Center than Beer Star. These changes don’t affect 16th through downtown White Center, and will add parking spots.

D-Mom July 25, 2024 (11:11 pm)

I am so incredibly tired of this city’s war on cars. We do actually have to get places. When you restrict traffic it increases aggression. Stop with the road diets and speed bumps already!

Sorry, comment time is over.