7:37 PM: Thanks to Ian for sending the photo. A multi-car crash is blocking the east/northbound side of the 3200 block of SW Avalon Way [map]. Apparently no injuries of note, though, as SFD was not dispatched.
8:26 PM: Added overhead view, also sent by a reader. Meantime, the scene is reported to have been cleaned (of broken glass) and cleared.
I cant imagine having to park along avalon there. That whole project was poorly designed for cars and bikes. It will be exciting to see what a mess the light rail is going to make of avalon
I agree, they should have taken away the street parking entirely to have a fully protected bike lane.
Nobody *has* to park anywhere, especially not on the street. Most of that street parking should not exist or should be load only. I really wish we had the system Japan has where you have to prove you own your own spot to park before you are allowed to buy a car. The cops come out and measure it to prove it’s large enough for your car. And they don’t have street parking at all, and parking laws are very strictly enforced.
The light rail will take cars off that street and make it safer.
Not even Sound Transit in the 18 YEARS that is has been involved with Link Light Rail (LLR) has EVER made or promoted the claim that LLR will reduce congestion or “get cars off the street.”
If they reconfigure the street to accommodate the station, and leave out the street parking lane when they do so, they will most definitely be getting cars off the street, whether they phrase it that way or not.
Speed kills, and the point of this project is to slow traffic down. This is what happens when cars don’t slow down. But at least it’s hitting parked cars instead of people
The parked cars serve as an effective safety buffer for the bike lane. I’m not aware of any car/bike collisions in this area since the rebuild despite the heavy bike traffic. So I think it works.
We should probably use bollards or jersey barriers instead of cars for that purpose. The bikes seem scared to use the lane as they are probably worried about getting doored. I think they should use it anyway but I get the concern.
FWIW, these types of bike lanes are massively preferred for me when I ride. I’m less likely to get doored with the paint and post buffer than when I’m riding in a general purpose lane, hugging the right side of the street next to the parked cars. I can’t ride as quickly as others on a manual bike, so I get punishment passed often in a general purpose lane. Plus, so many vehicles are single occupancy so the chances of getting doored by someone getting out of the right side of the vehicle is lower. I really like the protection the parked cars provide, assuming they are parked legally (a problem on Avalon—and everywhere pretty much).
Parking legally is the problem. Most don’t. Cars are not supposed to be in the buffer zone. The buffer zone provides room for a passenger to safely open a door. The way most drivers park, a door will entirely block the bike lane. The downhill side is a tragedy waiting to happen. It baffles me that Parking Enforcement does not ticket these cars. This is low hanging fruit!
People…..the light rail is not going up Avalon. There will be a station at the intersection with 35th, but will mostly be on the entrance road (Fauntleroy?) to the bridge.
Streets were very slick at 7:30am, daily struggle trying to pull out of garage onto Avalon horrible design.
Same trying to get out, but it would be way better if people were not constantly parking illegally in the bike lane or spending all night in the 3 minute load zone.
As of 11AM the scene was most definitely not cleaned of broken glass! As usual cyclists get no consideration. Your front tire suddenly flatting in the narrow channel been the curb and parked cars would be extremely hazardous. Hoping my picture attaches.
You need to use 35mm+ tires. So many cyclists ride on those slim Tour de France type death traps.
35mm+ tires are not immune from flats from running thru a pile of broken glass!
Sorry, comment time is over.
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