VIDEO: ‘Shared streets’ and what else is on the road ahead for SDOT’s safety aspirations, as told to City Council committee

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

As previewed here, the newly expanded-in-scope committee chaired by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka got a general SDOT update during its first meeting of the year. The department’s new director Angela Brady was there for the meeeting of the Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee, but mostly to introduce chief transportation-safety officer Venu Nemani, who led most of the briefing. As shown in the slide deck presented during the meeting, 25 people were killed on Seattle streets last year, mostly people on foot:

In an attempt to reduce that, SDOT has continued expanding a variety of tactics:

It’s added “no right turn on red” signage in more than 800 places, with fewer than 200 left to add, and is planning more “enhanced crossings” with marked crosswalks:

Speed cameras are still in the study mode, so don’t expect to see those soon.

Also of note, the potential implementation of “shared streets,” which sound somewhat like Healthy Streets:

The presentation mentioned only one West Seattle-specific project, the plan to convert the outside downhill lane on Highland Park Way to a bike/foot path, described as in design this year:

(The project website hasn’t been updated since spring.) No votes at this meeting; it was just a briefing, but a window into where SDOT is focused right now.

Vizio. January 20, 2026 (12:23 am)

How do we get SDOT to drop this insane, ideological program? “Vision zero” is a nationwide scam wasting money on diminishing returns instead of providing and maintaining safe functional roads and sidewalks.

North Admiral Cyclist January 20, 2026 (5:52 am)

Glad to see this post with this information. I notice West Seattle has a higher rate of serious and fatal crashes (Slide 14) compared to the rest of the city. As someone on the road almost every day, that looks to me as a result of 1) lack of up-to-date ped/bike infrastructure compared to other neighborhoods; 2) higher percentage of car-brains on West Seattle’s roads (that are still railing against bike/peds and safe streets). Of course it does not help when Rob Saka uses his sway in an attempt to remove street safety infrastructure (“Curby”) on Delridge so he can make it easier to pick up and drop off kids at his daycare.

M January 20, 2026 (6:40 am)

So glad SDOT is pushing forward with safer streets. When I see crime or safety mentioned in our community, most of the time threats and outcomes from aggressive drivers are not mentioned (SPD, crime and safety surveys, local TV media, etc.) and we have some local cases of vehicular violence that have never been prosecuted. It’s one of the issues that makes me feel most threatened in our current society. I would argue SDOT it not going far enough, but it’s hard to push back against default car supremacy in the US.

Churro strength January 20, 2026 (8:51 am)

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I agree! The drivers in Seattle have gotten so aggressive in the last few years, that I no longer feel safe riding my bike, which used to be my main form of transportation. As a pedestrian I feel like I am constantly dodging aggressive and rude drivers. Drivers in Seattle no longer seem to understand that pedestrians have the right of way at crossings. Many drivers slowly push forward while pedestrians are in the crosswalk or zoom around roundabouts without checking first, putting people in danger. It only takes one slip of the foot to kill somebody.

Alki resident January 20, 2026 (7:07 am)

The “No turn on red” policy is a disaster for anyone in a vehicle. This includes buses. It’s causing gridlock all over the city during busy times. And when it isn’t busy, cars are just sitting idling for no reason. It took two hours to get home from Queen Anne the other day. And that was just a regular day, no accidents. What a mess! Another failed progressive policy. It needs to be repealed!

Sam January 20, 2026 (8:31 am)

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I’ve gathered that sitting in a car all day is your paradise so what’s the issue?
Platypus January 20, 2026 (8:53 am)

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“no turn on red” should be implemented state wide at every intersection. It is the single most impactful safety measure and would save many lives. I agree that traffic is slow, but turning on red is a bad and ineffective way to solve that. The only solution to better flowing transportation are better choices than driving. Major and constant investment in bus only lanes, more trains, better bikes routes, better sidewalks, help everyone and speed up car traffic too.
- Adam January 20, 2026 (10:16 am)
  
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  If waiting to safely turn right on red shouldn’t exist anywhere in the state, then I must know your thoughts on stop signs. You use the exact same consideration at a stop sign as you would at a red, if looking to turn right. Thoughts?
- Ivan Weiss January 20, 2026 (1:18 pm)
  
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  @ platypus:”“no turn on red” should be implemented state wide at every intersection. It is the single most impactful safety measure and would save many lives.”
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  My guess is that the ‘single most impactful safety measure’ would be coming to a full stop where a stop is required, and looking in all ways for pedestrians and other traffic before proceeding. Right turns on red are safe enough when drivers do this.
  - Churro strength January 20, 2026 (1:51 pm)
    
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    But Ivan, drivers don’t do this. That’s why a no turn on red law is needed.
Mickymse January 20, 2026 (8:55 am)

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I’m older than laws in most places in the U.S. allowing right runs on red—which happened in the late 1970’s. And, while it wasn’t particularly liberal at the time compared to now, it might surprise you to know that California was the early adopter in the U.S. a couple of decades before. Many historians attribute the change to a misguided belief during the oil crisis that we need to prevent idling cars as much as possible. Of course, back then, most people drove slower than they do today and the cars they drove were much less dangerous to pedestrians. Like everything else, policies are changing because a few people can’t manage to follow the laws, so the rest of us have to suffer the consequences. I can’t tell you how many people I (anecdotally, of course) see in this city who can’t even bother to stop before turning on the red or who blow right through stop signs at intersections. So, yeah, we could stand to stop this at many corners around here.
Cost too high January 20, 2026 (9:16 am)

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The thing is, right turn on red is extremely dangerous for drivers and even worse for anyone outside of a car. The data backs this up, but its pretty intuitive too. How often do you check the crosswalk when you’re turning right on red after you stop? How often do you suppose other drivers do? As someone who bikes, runs, and walks all over this city (especially West Seattle), and very occasionally drives, I don’t think people even fully stop at the red before turning, much less look at anything but oncoming traffic to the left. Most accidental close calls I’ve been involved in include a right turn, and the data shows that isn’t just me.Saving any life at the expense of a few minutes, at most, of my day is worth it, by my calculation, and I reckon it would be yours too when you think about it that way. So much of our built street environment is designed for maximum throughout of single occupancy vehicles at any cost. It may have made sense before we knew that price, but having been served the bill, we need to reassess. From that view, an increase in travel times isn’t an injustice, it is quite tangibly saving a life and righting a long standing wrong.
K. Davis January 20, 2026 (9:36 am)

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I’ll say out loud what most sensible drivers do. We exercise judgment – look to ensure the turn is safe – and then turn right on red notwithstanding the dumb sign.
TP January 20, 2026 (9:59 am)

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Lauren January 20, 2026 (10:12 am)

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“The “No turn on red” policy is a disaster for anyone in a vehicle.” It’s a “disaster” to have to wait in your car for an extra few minutes? Come on. This is a HUGE pedestrian safety issue. If you’ve ever been a pedestrian in downtown Seattle, you know that cars do NOT stop to look if people are crossing before turning right. As a driver, I’m more than happy to be patient to ensure someone else’s safety.
scrimblescrumble January 20, 2026 (10:34 am)

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No turn on red should be the case everywhere. It is already the law in most civilized countries. Too bad the USA isn’t one.

Kyle January 20, 2026 (7:31 am)

SDOT out here practicing abstinence traffic.

Platypus January 20, 2026 (1:44 pm)

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SDOT is for transportation, the transport of humans around their community. This includes all forms of transportation. It is not the department of cars. The cars themself have no rights, no obligations. It is all about humans, community. Traffic time is not the type priority.

Andros January 20, 2026 (8:27 am)

The No Turn on Red signs make sense to me where there is a bike lane crossing. Outside of that, they have gone much too far with the placement of most of these. They are causing huge issues with traffic all over, and in some cases they are so badly placed now, that it makes zero sense as to what there logic is. We didnt vote for this…and SDOT does not represent us that have to drive to function in this city

scrimblescrumble January 20, 2026 (10:35 am)

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No turn on red is not allowed in most major cities outside the US. Free rights one red are one of the leading causes of safety issues for pedestrians, all to coddle drivers’ precious extra few seconds of impatience. SDOT is about *transportation*, not just cars.
Amy January 20, 2026 (11:50 am)

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Gone too far to ensure pedestrian safety……….

Bill January 20, 2026 (8:27 am)

SDOT & city council should start by installing a designated left turn arrow at northbound Fauntleroy Wy and Edmunds St. That is a disaster area for pedestrians and drivers.

wetone January 20, 2026 (9:20 am)

Vision Zero has had just the opposite results as what SDOT has sold the project to have. Injuries, accidents and traffic issues have increased since starting. All the data is there to prove. Just part of the war against cars in Seattle. Program will do little as Seattle has no accountability for bad illegal people behind wheel of vehicles and those not paying attention to their surroundings in public. Seattle roadways are designed differently through out area making it a hard place to drive ;)

Jake January 20, 2026 (12:49 pm)

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Can you prove this exactly? I want to see data on where Vision Zero specifically things like No Right On Red being the cause of accidents, etc.

Chris January 20, 2026 (10:07 am)

As a pedestrian who has been hit by a driver turning right on red (16th and Holden) without bothering to look, I wholeheartedly agree with expanding the no right on red policy across the city.

M. January 20, 2026 (10:54 am)

Allowing turns on red works fine when there are lit and marked (i.e. zebra) crosswalks in the middle of the block. This way a pedestrian has a clear field of vision when looking both ways. Walking across the street at an intersection creates hazards for pedestrians and blindspots for drivers.