FOLLOWUP: Yes, 63rd SW will get speed bumps too, SDOT says

| Transportation | West Seattle news

(Google Maps image, looking north on 63rd from Admiral)

With all the traffic-calming features installed in the Alki area so far, including speed bumps across 60th, 61st, and 62nd, residents have asked why not 63rd too, given its use as a straightaway south of Alki Avenue. We asked SDOT again recently and got an answer today: It will get some too, though not any time soon. That answer came in connection with a package of other traffic calming, according to our response from SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson:

We’ve been focused on traffic calming in the Alki neighborhood and recently installed speed cushions on 60th Ave SW, 61st Ave SW, and 62nd Ave SW to help reduce speeding on nearby north-south streets.

We’re planning to extend similar treatments to 63rd Ave SW between SW Admiral Way and Alki Ave SW, with installation anticipated as early as next year.

Separately, additional traffic calming improvements are under consideration along Alki Ave SW between 58th Ave SW and 63rd Ave SW through the District Project Fund. These could include speed cushions, raised centerlines to encourage slower turns, and intersection visibility upgrades. These proposals are not yet finalized and will ultimately be decided by the City Council.

We also asked about the status of the flashing beacons at 63rd/Beach Drive, where the poles have been up, waiting the lights, for months now, and Bergerson says it could be months more: “We are still awaiting equipment and will move forward with installation once materials arrive, which we expect in the coming months.”

SIDE NOTE: District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka and his staff released a sheaf of updates on other transportation projects this afternoon; we’ll have a report on those later toight.

Actualperson May 6, 2026 (5:43 pm)

WSB. Assuming SDOT’s still studying the dancing people curve? Trying to figure out why a transition from fresh paved curve to old smooth pavement halfway through the curve would cause spinouts.

WSB May 6, 2026 (5:57 pm)

Reply

I have info on that too. Update to come.

Barbara May 6, 2026 (8:59 pm)

WSB, Would you please try to find out why Councilmember Saka included this note in his letter about smaller DOT work planned for our neighborhoods?

“In the spirit of collaboration, I also shared with my two citywide Council colleagues, Councilmembers Dionne Foster and Alexis Rinck, a total of $200,000 each from my office’s $2 million two-year DPF allocation to put forth projects in D1 that their offices choose.”

WSB May 6, 2026 (9:38 pm)

Reply

Because they’re both citywide councilmembers and represent this area too so he decided to have them put forth D-1 projects rather than be totally left out of the process. I don’t know if other district councilmembers have done the same.
- Barbara May 6, 2026 (11:01 pm)
  
  Reply
  
  Thanks that helps and I’ll watch for further news on their spending plans.

Kathy May 6, 2026 (9:42 pm)

Great, hopefully this will discourage some of the drag racing, but it probably won’t stop drivers from peeling out on Admiral Way after the restaurants and bars close.

North Admiral Cyclist May 7, 2026 (5:45 am)

63rd is the main bike lane connecting popular bike lanes on Alki Blvd. and Admiral Way. 63rd also provides the connections to the very popular “shared” bike lanes on Beach Dr. – marked with controversial “sharrows”. There’s a bike lane of sorts designated along 63rd, but it shares the “car door swing” area with parked cars and is not well marked. I hope SDOT freshens up the bike lane markings on 63rd and adds signs for this important connection of bike “infrastructure”. I also see in Saka’s newsletter that plans are made for the Bonair Dr. / Massachusetts St. intersection area. These improvements are much applauded, as the Bonair-Massachusetts route from Alki to Admiral is a cut-through to/from the beach mixing impatient drivers cutting through and the many pedestrians and cyclists in the neighborhood – especially at the top of the hill along Massachusetts.