FOLLOWUP: Permanent no-parking signs imminent for SW Wildwood Place; truck-safety requirement planned

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Two followups on safety measures discussed at last week’s Fauntleroy bicycling-safety forum (WSB coverage here), spurred by the death of Maridee Bonadea on SW Wildwood Place in June:

NO-PARKING ZONE: As we reported, the temporary no-parking signs went up on the south side of Wildwood – where Ms. Bonadea died – the day after the forum. We asked SDOT when the permanent signage would be installed, and today they tell us it’s happening tomorrow:

We can confirm that on Thursday, SDOT plans to make the temporary no-parking restrictions on the south side of SW Wildwood Place permanent. The work will include permanent no-parking signs and interim paint hatching with plastic delineators.

We are continuing to evaluate a potential all-way STOP at Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Wildwood Place, including additional data and operational considerations. We’re also continuing work on other safety improvements in the area and expect to have more information to share soon.

TRUCK SAFETY: Also discussed at the forum: Side guards for trucks. Legislation to require them on trucks used by city contractors is under development, according to a slide in this deck prepared for tomorrow morning’s meeting of the City Council Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee, which is chaired by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka. The committee also is scheduled to discuss a package of other transportation-safety legislation Saka is proposing, according to this announcement.

Jim August 19, 2026 (3:30 pm)

Knee jerk reaction absolutely absurd

Jeremy Cole August 19, 2026 (5:04 pm)

In your opinion, how many people should be killed before changing something meets your definition of not a knee-jerk reaction?
- Flipper August 20, 2026 (6:38 pm)
  
  No he’s right, this reactive approach is not good enough. Protected bike lanes should be installed along ALL major thoroughfares in the city, not just in places where someone has been hurt or killed, and street parking should be removed wherever necessary to make space.

Curious George August 19, 2026 (3:51 pm)

I had to google to find out what a side guard is. My question is how do they determine what type of truck gets them as it could be anything from a small pickup to a semi or any vehicle that has truck plates?

WSB August 19, 2026 (3:58 pm)

The legislation is still being drafted, according to council communications, so we’ll see when it’s available …

Are you there SDOT? It’s me, Seattle August 19, 2026 (3:58 pm)

Wait, what is this SDOT that was able to execute a change in a few weeks and what have you done with our bumbling, unable to compete a project, bent on ignoring public input SDOT?

k August 19, 2026 (5:56 pm)

Last week they decided to end the Pike Place Pedestrian Pilot, despite 98% of visitors AND vendors in favor of keeping Pike Place car-free. So there is that.

The legislation for the side guards is odd; it would not have prevented Ms. Bonadea’s death. I also suspect it will be watered down quite a bit before passing, if at all. This is a hilly city and trucks high center even without them. Passing the cost of retractable side guards onto subcontractors, many of whom use rental vehicles, is quite a big ask. We need road designs that protect bike riders. Not a backup plan that allows the city to keep forcing bikes into close proximity with trucks while simultaneously claiming they care.
- WSB August 19, 2026 (7:45 pm)
  
  The “scaling back” of the Pike Place change hasn’t been finalized yet, according to this report by Ryan Packer, whose work I trust:
  https://www.theurbanist.org/pike-place-pedestrian-pilot-poised-to-scale-back-for-winter/
- North Admiral Cyclist August 19, 2026 (9:18 pm)
  
  I question the feasibility of local (city) rules requiring structural changes to trucks built under federal regulations. It’s probably unrealistic to think this kind of requirement could be made at anything other than the federal level. That said, the truck side guards may well have been effective in preventing this recent tragedy. That’s why they are being used in Europe. The purpose of the side guards is to provide a barrier to make it more difficult for a pedestrian or bicyclist to fall between the front and rear wheels of a truck.

M.B. August 19, 2026 (6:55 pm)

This is absolutely fantastic. People shouldn’t have to die for change but I’m glad that the city is at least making changes. I hope improvements are made along Fauntleroy as well.

Niko August 19, 2026 (10:55 pm)

You want parking taken away all the way along Fauntleroy?!
- Foop August 20, 2026 (6:34 am)
  
  I support parking removal from all arterial streets. These roads are meant to move people, so all lanes should be dedicated to moving people. Bus lanes, bike lanes, wider sidewalks are all better uses of space on arterials than street parking.street parking also impacts visibility making it dangerous for pedestrians to cross and for vehicles to enter the arterial.
- Mike August 20, 2026 (9:46 am)
  
  Anyone who’s biked Fauntleroy northbound from the ferry knows half of it is a deathtrap. It’s unfortunate the bike lane evaporates halfway down.
Rob August 20, 2026 (7:30 am)

What about the other side of the street? What about all along beach drive? For that matter why not every street in WS?
Alex August 20, 2026 (8:47 am)

I’d like to see a roundabout at the gas station and force north bound ferry users to use that to do a UTurn to get into the queue. There should be a tow truck available at 2:00 to move cars parked in the queue lane. The city should give up the parking strip along Lincoln park to establish a queue lane and allow for permanent parking in another lane. Cameras should be deployed for line cutting with a big ticket. The thru lane at the dock needs some type of impediment to stop queuing in the thru lane. The speeding on Fauntleroy and the adjacent residential streets is excessive and speed deterrents are needed. By 2040 WSF estimates 2M cars will use this dock and flood Fauntleroy per annum and with the rezoning of homes along Fauntleroy/Wildwood/Barton from California to 35th into 5 story apartment buildings, 2040 could be mired in congestion.

Steve August 20, 2026 (10:40 am)

This was a horrible tragedy and I don’t want my comments to diminish that. I do, however, find the city’s response to be a little reactionary. Their policies are hypocritical. Developers are no longer required to provide off street parking, home owners are being encouraged to convert their garage (off street parking) into living units and ADUs don’t require any off street parking. The cars are going to go somewhere. Even though I use public transit, I still own a car. I think that is true of most families. Parked cars are dangerous for bikers. Providing off street parking seems to be a good solution but yet the city refuses to require it or even consider it as a safety option.

Foop August 20, 2026 (12:17 pm)

Can you point me to the apartments built on wildwood that didn’t have to have off street parking built?
K August 20, 2026 (12:41 pm)

The answer to your question is that “not required” is not at all the same thing as “not allowed”. People who have cars are still allowed to plan for their cars’ storage on their own property, and encouraged to do so.

Sorry, comment time is over.