By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Plans and proposals for pedestrian improvements at Fauntleroy/Rose were top of mind, along with final preparations for this Sunday’s big Fauntleroy Fall Festival, as the Fauntleroy Community Association board met Tuesday night at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. 

The meeting was facilitated by FCA vice president Catherine Bailey, who said their October meeting attendance was lighter than usual due to vacations. There were a handful of attendees participating via Zoom, as well. 

Topline summaries below:

NO UPDATE FROM SPD: There’s wasn’t a police representative at the meeting, so no SPD update this month. Board members agreed that there may have been some confusion about the invitation for SPD to join, but they’ll work to address that for the November meeting. 

PUMPKIN HUNT RECAP: As we reported last week, FCA’s annual Great Pumpkin Search was a big success, with 175 pumpkins hidden for searchers to find. Organizer Candace Blue wasn’t able to be at the event, but she prepared a report that was read aloud. Highlights of that: Attendance was strong, with 40 children participating (vs. 6 last year, when weather was an issue, as well as a competing event in the Alaska Junction at the same time).  This year, though, there were sunny skies and no big competing event. Blue thanked the many volunteers who helped with the event, including setup, staffing, tabling and membership recruitment, hiding pumpkins, organizing prizes and many other tasks. Avalon Glassworks donated a glass pumpkin, and pumpkin hunters who found prize cards attached to pumpkins can pick up prizes at the Fall Festival. Follow-up tasks include finalizing the expenses for the event, gathering sign-up sheets and doing FCA membership outreach to those who expressed interest. The group also discussed a suggestion for next year’s hunt: Consider holding the pumpkin search the morning of the Fall Festival, to enable immediate prize pickup and strengthen both events.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: FCA Secretary Meredith Sciarrio provided an update about FCA membership, including a year-end push for renewal reminders (neighhbors can join/renew online).  The group uses PayPal for online payments, but neighbors are welcome to pay by check also. Current residential membership is around 225. Sciarrio said that the group needs to follow-up with businesses who haven’t yet paid for their FCA business memberships. One meeting attendee asked about the eastern boundary of the neighborhood that FCA serves, asking specifically about the 35th & Barton intersection (where crime near the 7-11 store has been an issue) and 34th Ave to the east of that. Board members agreed that 34th Ave is technically outside FCA’s area, but Bailey called it a “squishy boundary” and said the borders are treated flexibly. Board member Bill Wellington noted that the Seattle Comprehensive Plan calls 35th and Barton “Upper Fauntleroy” (which otherwise is generally west of 35th). 

SDOT UPDATE ON FAUNTLEROY/ROSE CHANGES: As FCA discussed briefly in their September meeting (WSB coverage here), the Seattle Department of Transportation is finalizing plans for road/traffic/transit changes at Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Rose St. 

SDOT public engagement lead Ching Chan attended in-person Tuesday night to talk with the FCA group about the near-final design to improve pedestrian safety and transit access at the RapidRide C Line bus stops near Lincoln Park. Chan provided some handouts to the group and gave context about the project, very similar to the update she provided at the Morgan Community Association meeting in back in July. Here are the relevant details and visuals from our WSB coverage of that July meeting:  

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 medians, as well as whether SDOT is collaborating with WSDOT on traffic-flow effects, given the project planned next 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.

On Tuesday night, Chan confirmed the plans and general timeline, and answered questions from FCA board members and meeting attendees. Some highlights:

The project is intended to address the difficulty of crossing to/from bus stops near Lincoln Park, which is a popular destination (along with “our troll” Bruun Idun) for visitors riding the bus to the area. SDOT hopes to complete by next year (2026). Project features include:

• Crossing and signals: Install push-button rapid flashing beacons on both sides (east: residential houses; west: Lincoln Park) to help pedestrians cross all lanes. There will be one “supplemental flasher” on the east side; SDOT will confirm exact signalization (one vs. two lights) and crosswalk placement (north and south of Rose).
• Median and bus stops: Add a raised, curb-protected median island to host the southbound C-Line bus stop (pedestrian refuge and separation from traffic) on the west side. The northbound C-Line bus stop remains at the sidewalk.
• Lane widths and parking: Keep the 9-foot ferry queue lane unchanged. Reduce general-purpose lanes from 12 ft to 11 ft (northbound and southbound).
• Parking impacts: Remove ~46 feet of parking north of Rose, and ~140 feet south of Rose. The ferry queue lane (southbound, on the west side) becomes “no parking” at all times, so the signage will have to change. 
• Safety features: It will be a curb-protected median with ADA curb ramps. Chan said it will likely have the expected reflective raised pavement markers and black-yellow warning signs at median edges.

Some concerns, suggestions, and requests from meeting attendees:

• Ferry queue behavior: Multiple residents reported that drivers in the ferry queue do not yield to pedestrians, even at Cloverdale where a signal light exists. There are strong requests to ensure ferry traffic is explicitly controlled, potentially including options like overhead signals in the ferry lane, raised crosswalks (especially in the ferry lane), speed cushions, and clearer signage.
• Median necessity and safety: Some questioned the need for a median versus a simpler marked/signalized crosswalk. Others supported the median as a safe waiting area and as being a nice complement to C-Line transit operations. One attendee asked about the possibility of extending the median further north to increase protection and reduce potential issues from errant/swerving vehicles, and to add highly visible reflectors and potential car-stopping elements (like bollards).
• Number and placement of crosswalks: There were requests to clarify how many crosswalks and beacons will/should be installed, and there were questions/concerns about how one light could safely control two separate crossings.
• Bicyclist accommodation: With narrowed lanes and parking changes, there were concerns about safe bicycle travel through the area.
• Parking impacts: Removal of popular Lincoln Park overflow parking may push cars into nearby streets; there’s a desire for careful signage and communication.
• Construction coordination and preferences: One attendee asked if streets in the area would be closed for long periods of time during construction.  Chan said the team would utilize “lane shifts” to temporarily move traffic out of impacted lanes, to avoid full closures of Fauntleroy Way.  Another attendee encouraged the SDOT team to coordinate early and often with Washington State Ferries regarding traffic backups, especially in summer and with other nearby construction projects happening (such as the new stoplight near the ferry dock, and culvert construction impacts futher up the road).
• Process and phasing: There was a request to ask SDOT to consider an interim phase of installing the controlled crossing first, to assess effectiveness, before building the median. Also to coordinate bus shelter plans on the Lincoln Park side with Metro (Chan noted that the shelters are a Metro responsibility, and budget constraints may come into play).
• Statements of support: There were concerns amongst attendees about the plan, but also statements in support of the approach. One neighbor who attended online, who lives next to 46th and Rose, said she was “in support of installing a signalized, marked crossing without over-delaying and waiting for a ‘perfect’ solution.”

Follow-up items that Chan said she would work on: Compile answers to questions asked in the meeting (e.g., speed cushions, raised crosswalks, island extension, exact signalization specifics, cyclist treatment, supplemental flasher function, WSF/WSDOT coordination, construction staging, and whether a phased approach with a “controlled crossing” prior to island construction is possible) and send responses to Bailey via email within a couple of weeks (Bailey would then distribute the responses to FCA board members).  Chan said that, depending on timing and team availability, she may return in November (or another future FCA meeting) with more members of the project team.

FALL FESTIVAL FINAL PLANNING: The big event is just days away, on Sunday the 19th from 2–5 pm, and organizers are feeling great about it, according to Reed Haggerty, who was in attendance to provide an update. Volunteer spots to help at the festival are still available: Sign up online here! 

One of the major factors this year will be construction as part of the emergency culvert repairs happening this month, as part of the larger set of culvert work happening in the area. Haggerty said the eastern edge of the church parking lot as well as the upper lot will remain occupied by construction equipment.

He said that many activities are being moved around to different areas this year, to make better use of the available space. The event will be mapped into five “zones,” each with a banner and sponsor recognition, and QR codes linking to current activity maps (this is instead of paper maps, to reduce waste and keep info current). Two inflatables will be moved into the YMCA gym (also a bonus if the weather turns wet); pumpkin painting is relocating to the upper playground by the schoolhouse; bunny petting zoo on the middle lot across the street; cakewalk in the church’s lower room.  Lots of musical performances, including Endolyne Children’s Choir. He added that he expected almost 30 people to be coming to the festival to redeem/pickup prizes that were won at the pumpkin hunt. All neighbors and friends of Fauntleroy are encouraged to come to the festival!

CULVERT PROJECTS: No major updates here, aside from what’s been discussed previously, regarding the major projects involving the culvert that carries Fauntleroy Creek underground to the west. The work crews are very busy this week with the “curing” portion of the emergency culvert project, which (as shared previously by the project teams) can be quite noisy. Haggerty also noticed the strong smell as he was passing the area this week. Other board members noted that the sidewalk detour signs each day have sometimes been confusing.  Bailey noted that, for SPU’s recent gathering to share culvert project information, FCA didn’t have a lot of advance notice, and would have like to be able to promote the meeting more. The culvert project team is planning to table at the Fall Festival this weekend.  Board members agreed that it’s important for agencies to work together to communicate about all concurrent projects in the area (culverts, SDOT crossing at Faultleroy/Rose, and ferry-dock work) in a coordinated, practical way for neighbors.

FERRY TERMINAL PROJECTS: Board members mentioned the recently announced dates for the traffic signal, intersection and and dock construction associated with the ferry terminal. Previously, WSF had talked about building the intersection this fall, but the latest plans now call for it being in spring 2026. For the longer-term terminal-replacement construction, which previously was described as happening at the end of this decade, the current proposals say that project construction will begin in 2028 and the new dock/terminal will open in 2031. The new dock will have a much larger footprint, likely holding almost twice as many vehicles (as many as 155) as the current dock does (80). Many of these topics were also covered in the Tuesday/Wednesday meetings organized by Washington State Ferries (see our coverage here).  Board members emphasized the importance of community communication and involvement as it relates to these projects. 

TREASURER’S REPORT: FCA treasurer Alan Grainger gave a quick update, reporting that the group’s finances and budget are in good shape. He said that for the Fall Festival, most of the expected expenses are already covered (vendors have been pre-paid). 

After a few quick updates and board business items, the meeting adjourned (15 minutes early!), and the group will meet again next month.

The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets on the second Tuesday of most months at 6 pm, usually in-person and online – go here for info. The group will meet in November, skip December, and reconvene in January.