Home › Forums › Open Discussion › “Car-Free Days” on Alki Ave SW
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June 27, 2008 at 6:30 pm #587322
KarlMemberMayor wants to close Alki Ave SW to traffic one day a week.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008020287_carfreedays27m.html
June 27, 2008 at 7:12 pm #629233
WSBKeymasterHi, we broke that story here two weeks ago (and discussed it too)
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=8220
What the newspaper apparently didn’t follow up on, was in our followup report
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=8258
–TR (WSB editor)
June 28, 2008 at 5:54 am #629234
WSBKeymasterOh also, just to clarify for anyone who grazes this without following the links. Not one day a week. They are looking at possibly one SINGLE day, one time only, for a closure sometime before the summer’s over. We’ll be continuing to follow up to SDOT to see when they plan to make a decision.
June 28, 2008 at 8:28 pm #629235
KarlMemberThis is the information from the June 27th Times article:
“Lake Washington Boulevard and other Seattle streets are likely to have experimental “car-free days” later this summer as part of Mayor Greg Nickels’ green agenda.
The parks department has told lakeside residents that it proposes limiting traffic to bikes and pedestrians on Thursdays, and to increase the “Bicycle Saturdays and Sundays” to at least one a week.
Alki Avenue Southwest is one of several sites being considered separately for a single car-free day.”
It is clear that the Mayor wishes to expand the Lake Washington Blvd “car-free days” from a weekend event to include a Thursday. Additionally, Alki Ave SW is being considered in the expansion of the Mayor’s program.
“Car-free days” is plural not singular. What is the frequency, intensity, and duration of this event? One day at each of the suggested parks?
Enjoy the grazing :=)
July 30, 2008 at 11:30 pm #629236
KarlMemberSunday September 7th is the appointed day.
July 30, 2008 at 11:34 pm #629237
WSBKeymasterWe reported that last Friday night. Here are our reports on the official announcement today:
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=9404
https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=9407
Note that the city is looking for volunteers to help watch the “water taxi shuttle lane” during the event. The link about that is at the very end of the second WSB link above.
Before ours happens, the Capitol Hill and Rainier Valley events will be the preceding two Sundays, so we’ll be there for a closer look at how it works in those areas – shutting down Rainier for three hours should be interesting, to say the least! – TR
July 30, 2008 at 11:56 pm #629238
KarlMemberAm I allowed to drive down the “water taxi shuttle lane”?
July 31, 2008 at 2:21 am #629239
KarlMemberGuess the city is treating it like the Independence Day “closure”, residents show their ID to access the road blocks.
July 31, 2008 at 3:11 am #629240
WesCAddleMemberridiculous
July 31, 2008 at 3:44 am #629241
ellenaterMemberThis is a bandaid.
July 31, 2008 at 4:29 am #629242
JanSParticipantit’s only 6 hours, and, as was stated, an “experiment” It’s in Seattle, no guarantee of sun…maybe have the family over and wait it out ;-)
They’re going to make exceptions for people who live in the condos and can only get to where they’re going by car…I don’t understand what the big complaint is? I’d hop that little land shuttle and go play, go walk in the street – lol, go to the farmers market, whatever, if I lived down there. Could be a fun day. And if it doesn’t work, they’ll find out, and change things or not do it again.
July 31, 2008 at 4:40 am #629243
HPMemberPerhaps our mayor is using us to build his resume for his next gig…maybe a Gore/Nickles 2012 ticket :)
July 31, 2008 at 4:43 am #629244
JanSParticipantlol…HP…that’s pretty laughable..hmm…wonder what the slogan would be?
July 31, 2008 at 5:11 am #629245
ellenaterMember“Nothing More. Nothing Less. Gore/Nickels 2012”
July 31, 2008 at 6:01 am #629246
JanSParticipanthahaha…ellenator…that’s pretty good :)
July 31, 2008 at 6:40 am #629247
HPMember“Green and Greener . Gore\Nickels 2012”
July 31, 2008 at 8:07 am #629248
acemotelParticipantI know it’s all in fun, but to go from mayor of a medium-sized metropolitan city to vice president of the United States? I don’t think so. He’s been with the city and the county – not even into state affairs, much less national politics, and international not even in the picture. The governor has a better chance of being VP than the mayor.
July 31, 2008 at 9:58 am #629249
WSBKeymasterHowever, I think he may be angling for some sort of federal-level politics. If Patty, Maria, or Congressman Jim ever decided to hang it up, I could see him trying to make a go of it. This morning at the start of the car-free news conference, he went off on this tangent about something that just happened in DC re: highway money and gas costs, and it was such a “this isn’t really a city constituent-level comment” that I wondered what he was trying to do. Now, if none of the above decides to give it up any time soon, he may find himself somewhat like Prince Charles, potentially in line for a throne but waiting for someone to kick the bucket … TR
July 31, 2008 at 8:30 pm #629250
HPMemberAcemotel regardless of your field there is a ladder to climb and we all know this but…he does appear to enjoy the national level attention these things get him and I think he may be doing some posturing. Just a hunch but TR even sees it so I think we may be onto something :)
July 31, 2008 at 8:48 pm #629251
SueParticipantI was reading somewhere that they were going to “consider” adding bus service to Alki that day. Duh … how am I supposed to get to Alki for car-free day without a car if they don’t run buses? Buses from the Junction to Alki is pretty crappy on a good day, and on Sunday it’s even worse. If they had an easy bus from the Junction to Alki, I’d *never* take my car there!
July 31, 2008 at 10:11 pm #629252
ZenguyParticipantThe saying “think globally act locally” comes to mind. Seattle is often on the forefront of new ideas and trends and what we do does have an affect on other cities. Yes, SF was the first US city to ban plastic bags but we were the second and I am sure not the last.
I often disagree with Mayor Nickles (nightclubs for one) but I doubt I could ever say he has not done anything. This program will not reduce carbon emmissions, it is meant to shine a light on not always driving everywhere and to make people think…”can I ride my bike to the store instead”.
Plus I think a day without cars on the beach is great, I for one will be on my bike or rollerblades.
July 31, 2008 at 10:37 pm #629253
CMParticipantOK, here’s what I don’t get. I understand the concept, but not the execution. This won’t be a day without cars at the beach. All the local residents and the water shuttle bus will still be able to drive there albeit probably with some lane restrictions.
They are the people that are going to be there anyway, it’s all the other visitors that come from farther away that won’t be able to drive there. These visitors currently drive to get over to Alki….how many of them will suddenly decide to switch to the bus or simply decide not to go to Alki for one day?
July 31, 2008 at 10:51 pm #629254
ellenaterMemberTR, I agree with that assessment!
We’ll have to wait and see…
What about having better public transportation. Like say, Portland, comes to mind. I remember when the city decided to expand the freeway AND build the train. Gasp. You can ride the trains all over in Portland. My mom takes it to the airport all the time. Point is, if we had trains, people would use them. IMHO, Seattle is spoiled with too much cash and natural beauty and not enough sacrifice to do the right things. Bandaids.
July 31, 2008 at 11:03 pm #629255
ZenguyParticipantA little Seattle history. We had a big train system on the ballot in the early 1970’s, the city was not doing well (Boeing was the only major employer) and voters rejected the plan. The money proposed for our train system went to Atlanta of all places.
We are building trains now (better late than never I guess) but I am continually amazed at the greed of voters unwilling to invest in our city’s infrastructure which is what keeps it running and attracts new business. In late 2009 the train to the airport will be running and get travelers from the airport to downtown in 36 minutes. It is a start and other lines are in the works as well, as long as we fund them.
August 1, 2008 at 2:22 am #629256
JayDeeParticipantFirst of all this is another “feel good” experiment by the Mayor to make him feel better, but not the citizens. The bus service in the entire city not just West Seattle, sucks. Go to Vancouver, a city with even fewer freeways or viaducts–buses run every 10-15 minutes. And these buses run on the streets, often in transit only lanes. I’d rather they use the paint for the “Sharrows” to mark transit only lanes on 1st and 4th aves rather than invest in light rail tunnels.
Hmmm…do you think it will be SRO on the water taxi shuttle that Sunday since no buses run along the beach? Maybe I should drive my car to the Mayor’s ‘hood, park in front of his house and walk down to the water taxi.
Once Sound Transit manages to have the light rail train running, let’s see how it does and if the benefits pan out. A car to Seatac takes 25 minutes from West Seattle. Oh…you mean we cannot take a bus to the light rail station? It may take 1 to 1.25 hours to get to Seatac, adding this time to the post-911 time sink of air travel. Before Sound Transit asks for more regressive sales tax monies, please show us that Sound Transit can even make the first line work.
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