FOLLOWUP: What’s ahead for traffic-calming on 16th SW and elsewhere around West Seattle

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, Tuesday)

After tips about the speed cushions that have just been installed on 16th Avenue SW in the Cloverdale/Trenton vicinity, we sent inquiries to SDOT regarding why, and regarding what else is ahead, there and anywhere else in West Seattle, for “traffic-calming.” We received a detailed reply, first about the 16th SW additions:

(About the newly installed speed cushions), those will be part of a Safe Routes to School project, and will include 3 speed cushions near Highland Park Elementary School on 16th Ave SW between SW Sullivan St and SW Henderson St.

The project also includes repainting the parking-edge line to narrow travel lanes to 11 feet on 16th Ave SW between SW Holden St and SW Henderson St. Narrowing lanes in combination with the speed cushions should slow down driver speeds and make 16th more comfortable to cross.

You can expect to see 5 more speed cushions on 16th Ave SW as part of the Vision Zero street-calming project between SW Brandon St to SW Roxbury St. That includes:

-4 new speed cushions north of SW Holly St
-1 speed cushion south of SW Othello St

That project also includes safety enhancements to improve visibility for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians at 12 intersections on 16th Ave SW (between SW Findlay St and SW Cambridge St), as well as centerline raised pavement markers (between SW Brandon St and SW Roxbury St).

So that’s what’s ahead for 16th SW. As for the rest of West Seattle:

Additional speed cushions coming to West Seattle:

*On SW Trenton St between 35th Ave SW to Delridge Way SW.

*On 62nd, 61st and 60th Aves SW in Alki.

Some of those streets already have speed cushions, so we’re pursuing details on exact locations. Last but not least, from SDOT’s reply:

Additional Safe Routes to School projects that we expect to build this year in West Seattle include:

–Madison Middle School – push button crossing beacon (i.e., RRFB) at California/Hinds and California/Spokane and intersection daylighting (paint/post bulbs that make people crossing easier to see) to improve the Madison School Street crossings [45th SW in front of the school]

–Pathfinder K-8 – curb ramps adjacent to the school at 19th Ave SW and SW Genesee St

-West Seattle Elementary – All-way stops adjacent to the school

SDOT’s reply also mentioned one school-safety project for Concord International Elementary in South Park, “curb bulbs adjacent to the school (on 7th/Henderson and 8th/Henderson) and a separate walkway with trees on S Henderson St between 12th and 14th Ave S (currently under construction).

We have a standing request with SDOT for the construction notices on projects like all of these, typically just sent to neighbors in the immediate area but often of interest far beyond; we don’t always get them, so your collaboration is appreciated – let us know if you get a notice and/or see pre-construction markings!

Lucy July 9, 2025 (12:51 pm)

So, I live on Alki and have not noticed a big difference in noise and racing since the speed pillows were installed this past year. There MAY be fewer cars racing, but the motorcycles simply split the humps and are even LOUDER than before. And faster. Do we have any empirical evidence these speed pillows are helping?

Jay July 9, 2025 (2:25 pm)

The speed pillows don’t slow trucks, SUVs, or late-model sedans. If it can actually slow traffic, Seattle Fire Department won’t sign off on it. We can only have visual cues.
EJ July 9, 2025 (4:45 pm)

Same thing in Arbor Heights near the elementary school. One @$# in particular—on his black and lime green sportbike—splits the pillows daily. I’m not exaggerating when I say he regularly gets up to 70mph. It’s a miracle he hasn’t taken someone out yet. I’ve tried to get his license plate (if he even has one) but he simply goes too fast to capture.

WSHS62 July 9, 2025 (1:22 pm)

Cheers to SDOT for the speed cushions installed on Trenton north of Westwood Village and the cushions on California between Othello and Myrtle. In both locations pedestrians and drivers are safer. Great work for our community!

MIke July 9, 2025 (1:24 pm)

We live on 48th at the bottom of Erskine, other wise known as the West Seattle raceway. I can attest to the fact that speed cushions to do nothing to slow down speeders. IMO – if a reason larger speed bumps are not installed is due to a delay in emergency response, that is a very poor reason. A fire engine/aid vehicle might be delayed by some seconds, surely not minutes navigating larger speed bumps. Last year a speeder killed themselves colliding with a parked car further south. This might have been prevented had the driver not been able to reach killing speed. Which is the great evil?

Anne July 9, 2025 (2:04 pm)

Obviously you’ve decided-slow down emergency response.
- bill July 10, 2025 (8:16 am)
  
  Mike is asking which is the real danger? Not slowing emergency response is the knee-jerk answer, but when drivers are endangering the community every minute of the day more effective speed deterrents may be the more rational option.

DRW July 9, 2025 (3:43 pm)

Great! Now lets get some on SW Henderson St. between 16th Ave SW and Delridge Way SW!

Hey hey ho ho vision z has got to go July 9, 2025 (5:44 pm)

Vision Zero: a plan in which we cannot punish excessive speeders with, say, extended jail time (how about 1 year for every mile over 5 over the limit?) but we CAN punish every (law abiding) driver by making driving less comfortable and damaging their vehicles. I’ll look (in vain) for elected candidates who oppose SDOT and Vision Zero, and support strong enforcement of laws.

EJ July 9, 2025 (6:06 pm)

Yes, let’s charge speeders with felonies. That will solve everything!
Vizion July 9, 2025 (6:30 pm)

driving should be uncomfortable. comfort leads to complacency.
- WS Person July 9, 2025 (8:14 pm)
  
  That is just a ridiculous statement “driving should be uncomfortable”…. Whatever.
bill July 10, 2025 (8:11 am)

How the heck fast are you hitting speed cushions to damage your car? You are exactly the type of driver those things are intended for.
Rag July 10, 2025 (9:11 am)

If you were driving safely those speed cushions would be neither uncomfortable nor damaging to your car. The fact they’re causing you problems shows they’re working, and the fact you’re unaware that your driving is a problem demonstrates the importance of this kind of infrastructure, since drivers lack the self-awareness to be responsible on their own.

Foop July 9, 2025 (6:24 pm)

Can we get a curb protected bike lane on 16th? St least make it easier and safer to get to the 21st Ave greenway since they took the Delridge NB bike lane away from us? Narrowing the roads helps with traffic calming far more than some lumps of asphalt.

Allistu July 13, 2025 (8:04 pm)

Hi Foop,I recommend riding 17th. It is a neighborhood Greenway and is very pleasant and quiet. Although there are stop signs on aii of cross streets don’t count on some drivers to stop. Another point of concern on 16th is that the street narrows at cross streets that have refuge islands. If a driver is not paying attention there is a chance that they would drive into the sharrow side of the lane without seeing you.

Mellow Kitty July 9, 2025 (8:12 pm)

Until the bumps/cushions are a solid piece across the road, drivers will thread the gaps.Currently they give the illusion of prevention being done. In reality it makes it more unsafe. The speeders barely hit the breaks going between the gaps. Bring back speed traps.

Speedy G July 10, 2025 (2:33 pm)

Narrowing the lanes between Henderson and Cloverdale will do absolutely zero to slow the chronic speeding along that stretch. At least a couple of speed humps are needed there as well. If you’re going to do something, don’t do it halfway.

40 yrs your Sr July 13, 2025 (6:54 am)

The speed pillows are ridiculous. They’ve been on 16th by South Seattle community college for years and do nothing. 16th by the college is so broken up that the uneven road surface does a better job of slowing people down then the speed pillows ever do. The money should be spent to fix the numerous pot holes and uneven road surface so I can drive to work without spilling my Starbucks.

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