Fauntleroy/Rose crossing design unveiled, with median: Morgan Community Association meeting report #2

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

We’re continuing our reports on major updates from this week’s Morgan Community Association meeting. On Thursday we updated the Morgan Junction EV charging lot plan; today, the Fauntleroy/Rose crossing (which has been a focus for the neighboring Fauntleroy Community Association too).

(Southward view from the ferry-queue lane on the Lincoln Park side of Fauntleroy Way)

The intersection with Lincoln Park on the west side and a RapidRide C Line stop on the east side used to have a marked crosswalk; we briefly noted its removal in this 2007 report. Community advocates have long lobbied to get it back. And they were repeatedly told (here’s a 2021 example) by SDOT that it wouldn’t happen.

But finally the city relented (as announced in early 2024), and has been working on a plan. SDOT’s Ching Chan attended Wednesday’s MoCA meeting remotely to present an update on the design, which is more than a crosswalk – it will include pushbutton-activated lighting and a raised median to provide “a safe refuge” for pedestrians. The median will not be between north and south travel lanes, but rather between the ferry-queue lane and the travel lanes:

(SDOT-provided renderings above and below; see PDF versions here)

This will narrow vehicle travel lanes a bit, from 12 feet wide to 11 feet wide. It will also expand parking restrictions – about 26′ north of Rose, 140′ south, Chan said.

Concerns surfaced during the meeting included ensuring that any vegetation in the median wouldn’t become overgrown like Delridge Way and Harbor Avenue meetings, as well as whether SDOT is collaborating with WSDOT on traffic-flow effects, given the project planned later this year to signalize the Fauntleroy Way intersection at the ferry dock’s entrance/exit (Chan did not know). As for the timeline, Chan said they hope to build this by summer 2026, but the bus shelter requires collaboration with Metro, so that may have a timeline of its own.

NEXT REPORT: MoCA’s meeting also included guests from Seattle Parks to discuss the status of the Morgan Junction Park addition, which has stalled because of internal city issues regarding the removal of soil contaminated in the site’s past; we’ll have that story later today/tonight.

ryan July 18, 2025 (12:10 pm)

I love the crosswalk design! thank you for including that diagram.

Admiral-2009 July 18, 2025 (12:25 pm)

This is a terrible plan and fails to address the fact this corridor is heavily used by bicyclists as a shared facility, 12′ lanes provide for a reasonable buffer space the proposed reduction in the width to 11′ is not acceptable!

CarDriver July 18, 2025 (1:24 pm)

Bicycles can use the sidewalk, yielding to pedestrians.
- Seattlite July 18, 2025 (2:55 pm)
  
  Bicycles on sidewalks will then put pedestrians in danger of fast bicyclists. That is not good for seniors, moms pushing baby strollers, kids of all ages who regularly use sidewalks.
- bill July 18, 2025 (4:48 pm)
  
  Bicycles will use the narrow vehicle lane, with drivers yielding to bicycles. See RCW 46.61.770 (1)(d).
  - Amy July 18, 2025 (6:45 pm)
    
    HA-sure, that seems safe.

Bicyclist will be affected July 18, 2025 (1:35 pm)

It doesn’t appear designer considered the bicyclists that use this corridor. Agree 11’ is too narrow for bus and bikes

bolo July 19, 2025 (10:32 am)

As an avid cyclist, I’d even be happy even if SDOT could repaint the worn away bicycle sharrow markings.

Shelter? July 18, 2025 (1:39 pm)

If median width is based on future shelter, Suggest reconsidering if shelter for southbound is needed. This is near end of line so most are not going to be waiting to head southbound?. Shelter would be more used for northbound riders.

EJ July 18, 2025 (2:02 pm)

This is so stupid. As if having a crosswalk with a light a whopping two blocks away is too far for people to walk? Give me a break.

Bus rider July 19, 2025 (1:37 pm)

Are you serious? There’s a major bus stop there. People are not going to (and should not have to) walk that additional distance to catch the bus when they’re going to/leaving the park. They might as well take the Rose stop across from Lincoln Park away without a crosswalk there.
- EJ July 19, 2025 (2:11 pm)
  
  Literally could not care less where a crosswalk is located. I’m just saying it’s absurd to have two—one with a light, then all this proposed median BS—within two blocks of each other. This proposal died back in the day for a reason. Now it’s being revived after they’ve already constructed a crosswalk two blocks north. If this proposal goes through, they *should* remove the one located at Kenyon.

Meeeee July 18, 2025 (2:39 pm)

If drivers would learn that EVERY intersection, whether marked with a crosswalk or not, is a legal crosswalk and you must stop for pedestrians we wouldn’t have to put a marked crosswalk here. And yes, a T intersection such as this one makes my wanting to cross here a crosswalk you must stop at.

AnonDog July 19, 2025 (3:24 am)

As a life long resident of West Seattle I hate to tell you that we JUST figured out those white lines were meant as pedestrian crossings. Expecting people to realize all intersections are crosswalks will probably be another 20 years. Point is, teach your kids to proceed with caution when entering the street. You can be right, but do you want to be dead right?
- Kathy July 19, 2025 (2:02 pm)
  
  Is following the driver’s manual/test they had to study/pass to get a license too much trouble for most Seattle motorists?

redfolder July 18, 2025 (7:25 pm)

This intersection is within MoCA and not FCA?

WSB July 18, 2025 (7:35 pm)

As mentioned in the story, they’ve both been advocating for this.
- redfolder July 19, 2025 (11:06 am)
  
  I understood both have been advocating for this but is the intersection in MoCA or FCA?

Eric1 July 18, 2025 (8:12 pm)

What is the point of a “pedestrian safety island” if pedestrians still have to cross the same two lanes of active traffic to get to it? Presumably, traffic is not normally moving on the ferry queue side so where is the safety gain above simply installing a proper traffic light controlled crosswalk? It would be safest if they simply kept bus stop and actually prevent ferry traffic from parking in the area (while adding a crosswalk). If installing an island for pedestrians is truly necessary, actually put it in between the active traffic lanes and make the ferry queue zone the travel lane keeping them 12 feet wide in that area. Why should the local residents be inconvenienced by the vehicle drivers on the ferry who cannot process what the white stripes in front of bus stops and driveways mean?

Big 5 Guy July 18, 2025 (8:30 pm)

This is ridiculously stupid. It puts a dangerous and unnecessary curve in a perfectly straight roadway while also making it narrower.

anonyme July 19, 2025 (6:08 am)

As there are few intersections along this long section of park, it’s almost impossible for pedestrians to get across this street at all, much less safely. That said, I think that the above design is expensive overkill that will do little to protect pedestrians. If there were two marked, maybe flashing, crossing points along that stretch it would be sufficient.

Bill July 19, 2025 (6:25 am)

Anxious drivers are going to zoom down the ferry line anyways. 90 percent of cars don’t obey the 25 mile per hour limit. Put a stop light and camera there.

VapoCOOL July 19, 2025 (7:45 am)

Where’s the ferry traffic going to line up, I seen it backed up all the way to the 76 gas station.

Jay July 20, 2025 (9:30 am)

So Seattle is just like the rest of the country in the end: Stupid people winning.

Brian July 21, 2025 (4:52 pm)

The narrowing of the lanes will not help traffic, pedestrians and bicyclists. A more cost effective solution would be to put a stop light with a push button activator like at Cloverdale, Kenyon and Webster. The frequency of pedestrians is sufficiently light that they could activate a stop light to cross and traffic for Buses, autos and bicyclists will be better able to get through. The impacts to the already limited parking will be less as well. We are going to see a new signal at the ferry dock soon, a different solution should be looked at.

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