Yesterday, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) announced another expansion of its open streets program, adding pedestrian and cycling priority on neighborhood streets. Joining the ranks are Wallingford and Lake City, plus an extension of an existing “Stay Healthy Street” in Beacon Hill.
Moreover, SDOT unveiled a five-day pilot on a three-mile stretch of Lake Washington Boulevard between Seward Park and Mount Baker Beach, providing some form of pedestrian and cyclist priority. The pilot runs from Thursday, June 25th through Tuesday, June 30th. It’s not clear how exactly this is being implemented, but Seattle Neighborhood Greenways had proposed converting the boulevard to southbound lane for car traffic only to open up the lakeside northbound lane for people walking, rolling, and biking. That way driveway access for lakefront homeowners is maintained. That may be what SDOT has in mind.
Lake Washington Boulevard has been a popular choice for open streets expansion and was the runaway favorite in an online poll that The Seattle Times ran last month. People really want to be able to walk, roll, or bike there safely and they’ve gotten a taste for how pleasant and safe the boulevard can be during Summer Parkways closures in years past.
Also on SDOT’s list is Bell Street, where the department is finishing long planned expansion Bell Street Park, adding four more blocks to the linear park with a quality bike facility. This was already planned as a people street, but it’s great to hear the project will be opening soon.
