FOLLOWUP: SDOT reveals map of where it’s considering new Arbor Heights sidewalks/walkways

| Arbor Heights | Transportation | West Seattle news

(October WSB photo)

Three months after SDOT‘s Arbor Heights walking tour to talk about possibilities for new sidewalks/pathways (WSB coverage here), the department is out with its report on what it heard and what it plans to do. The report (see it here) includes this map showing blocks “moving into conceptual design” for potential new sidewalks/walkways:

The report was emailed with this brief note from SDOT:

After carefully considering and analyzing all input from the community, we have developed the draft design for the new sidewalks, walkways, and other related Arbor Heights neighborhood improvements.  Please review the attached plan and let us know if you have comments by Tuesday, January 20.

The email didn’t include a specific address or survey link for feedback (we’re following up) but the program’s general feedback address is levysidewalks@seattle.gov – whichever blocks are chosen for new sidewalks/walkways, the funding will come from the voter-approved $1.5 billion, eight-year Seattle Transportation Levy, which included funding for 350 new blocks of sidewalks/walkways citywide.

Lauren January 13, 2026 (5:06 pm)

Omg a continuous sidewalk on 106th would be HUGE!

KT January 13, 2026 (5:37 pm)

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Amen to that and wire with the county to extend it to 26th avenue sw

redfolder January 13, 2026 (6:32 pm)

SW 106th St already has an almost continuous sidewalk on the south side of the street from 35th Ave SW to Marine View Dr SW. One missing section is at the top before you get to 39th Ave SW (the last two houses I believe). The other missing section is right before you get to Marine View Dr SW (the last house). i think both these sections have at street level asphalt. There are already four speed humps/bumps/lumps. Comments stated after the neighborhood walk indicated there would be more discussions but I see they want comments by January 20th.

EJ January 13, 2026 (6:49 pm)

Huge props to the SDOT folks that came out and listened to every concern and request. Thank you!!

Cash January 14, 2026 (9:59 am)

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Roxbury has been waiting since 2017 for pavement. when will this be done?

AH Neighbor January 13, 2026 (7:45 pm)

Did they even bother to cross 35th? We are desperately in need of sidewalks too.

tim January 13, 2026 (8:05 pm)

It’s nice and needed but how much will that raise the property taxes?

WSB January 13, 2026 (8:25 pm)

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These projects are to be funded through the already-approved Seattle Transportation Levy. The levy is raising taxes but for an amount that’s not contingent on specific projects.
K January 13, 2026 (9:49 pm)

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*shakes fist at cloud*

Rob January 13, 2026 (8:17 pm)

Why not down 100th especially in front of the clay place. When all there customers are parked in front you have to walk on to the street to past.

PG January 14, 2026 (7:04 am)

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I live in Arbor Heights and take classes at Rain City Clay. Deb has asked every class this term to please not block the sidewalk in front of the pottery when they park, and has re-painted the signs.

Rhonda January 14, 2026 (12:52 am)

I’m glad they’re leaving those of us east of 35th sidewalk-free.

Atheist January 15, 2026 (1:19 pm)

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@Rhonda Why do you not want sidewalks?

snowskier January 14, 2026 (8:39 am)

Good idea focusing on walking routes to the schools that can and will be used on a daily basis by kids going to and from schools. They are the most important group to keep from walking in the streets, due to their small size and limited experience.

DMartin January 14, 2026 (9:23 am)

Will they pipe the drainage ditches when they put in the sidewalks? I had a friend who used to live in Arbor Heights, and they installed a new sidewalk, yet kept the ditches for some strange reason. The only places I still see ditches outside Seattle, is when I lived in small towns during my younger years.

Greystreet January 14, 2026 (10:10 am)

I second the “why not down 100th”; walking our doggo in the neighborhood is such a lovely treat but 100th is the busiest through-way because of no stop signs and thus rather chaotic without a dedicated sidewalk. We tend to avoid it and either cut our route short and take alternate routes when it is the most direct sometimes. Also, as a runner it is very challenging to run through AH because of the lack of sidewalks and/or stop signs. Actually, it’s always been surprising to me that entire neighborhood was incorporated over the decades WITHOUT dedicated sidewalks ::scratches head:: and stop sign intersections.

Joe Z January 14, 2026 (10:48 am)

Lack of sidewalks was one of the main reasons we decided to move to Gatewood instead of Arbor Heights.

redfolder January 14, 2026 (11:51 am)

Where is the community meeting? It goes from twenty-five walking participants to conceptual design. I hope I am not the only one wanting a community meeting.

J January 15, 2026 (1:34 pm)

maybe I am missing it in the report but bummed that I don’t see on the report more detail about drainage issues that were reported/identified (they are marked on the map as blue dots) but they were not directly addressed in the “What We Heard” section that follows. Flooding and drainage is a huge issue in parts of arbor heights that are not marked to get sidewalks and frequently have flooding and puddling so bad it forces pedestrians into the middle of the street.

Sidewalks4all January 16, 2026 (7:45 pm)

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I believe that this is just a plan for implementing the sidewalks levy. Hopefully they can address the drainage problems with different funds.

DL January 16, 2026 (10:11 pm)

It will not keep people from speeding on 102nd or 100th … I wrote the city to ask for speed bumps and… no funding. I’m also wondering if this will mean construction in front of our houses all summer and for months on end. The way the city makes choices continues to be baffling. But it’s been like this for many years. Why change now ? Sigh.

anonyme January 17, 2026 (7:21 am)

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DL, this is my fear as well. During the sidewalk project just a few years ago, my corner was used as the staging/headquarters area. It was a nightmare of illegal noise (5 am til 10 pm) and destruction that went on for six months. I don’t think I can go through that again. It also gave me a close-up look at SDOT incompetence, waste, and error; eye opening for sure.