Month: March 2017

Delridge Way SW Needs Bike Lanes

The Delridge Rapid Ride H-Line onlne open house is open for comment. Please comment! SDOT and Metro are offering two unacceptable choices for riding on Delridge. Participate and let them know in the last “essay” question that “NONE OF THE ABOVE” is the answer. We expect full implementation of the Bicycle Master Plan with protected bike lanes on Delridge.

https://rapidridehline.participate.online/

Riding a bicycle to and through West Seattle can be challenging due to limited safety provisions for people on bikes, and many hills. Delridge Way Southwest is one of the few north-south connections through West Seattle (along with 35th and Fauntleroy). It is the only major connection for the eastern portion of West Seattle. Delridge Way connects the West Seattle Bridge on the north to White Center on the south, while providing access to other important destinations including the Delridge Library, Boren STEM K-8 school, Southwest Pool, Chief Sealth High School, Denny Middle School, and Westwood Village. It is the only reasonably flat and evenly graded valley route connecting these destinations.

Although the proposed RapidRide H line is promising in terms of overall transportation improvements, there must also be a protected bike lane on the full length of Delridge Way for the people who already use this corridor and ride bicycles, and  more importantly, for people who would if it was safe.

Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan calls for much greater use of bicycles for transportation. The City’s Climate Action Plan goals depend upon a significant increases in bicycle use. We are not yet on track to meet the 2035 goals. The Seattle Bicycle Master Plan calls for protected bike lanes on Delridge to meet these transportation and climate action goals. Provisions for safe bike riding are by far the least expensive way to add capacity to our streets and absorb population growth without adding to traffic congestion. The public health and safety benefits are obvious.

Many parts of Delridge Way SW are very wide, especially the areas north of Kenyon St. to the West Seattle Bridge. These portions could readily include continuous protected bicycle lanes on both directions with minimal disruption to traffic, parking, or existing street trees. On the south portion of the corridor, especially south of Henderson St/Barton Pl, there again are wide streets that can accommodate bicycle infrastructure. We acknowledge that the few blocks immediately to the south of Kenyon St are narrow. We ask that on this short important stretch some parking be removed to provide, at a minimum, standard width bike lanes.

There are no viable alternative routes to Delridge. Members of West Seattle Bike Connections and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways spent considerable effort mapping and then attempting to ride potential alternative, parallel routes. Coming into West Seattle from the north, access to the existing Delridge-Highland Park greenway is immediately challenging because of the steep grade at Andover. Further south, there are multiple further challenges including extreme elevation changes near Sanislo elementary school and unsafe traffic conditions around Dumar. This Greenway, while immensely useful to residents on the east side of West Seattle, does not connect well to destinations in the valley (schools, library, community center, and shopping).

Delridge has the flattest, most even grades up the valley. Nothing “parallel” comes close.

The 26th Ave Greenway provides a valuable parallel route as far south as Juneau, but dead-ends beyond. A steep climb from Juneau along Croft Pl would allow connection to the Delridge-Highland Park Greenway, but the grade is too steep to meet the standards of an all ages, all abilities route. Once Delridge narrows at Kenyon, it is possible to cut over on the unpaved right-of-way at Elmgrove to 22nd. Continuing south on 22nd, there are two major unprotected crossings at Thistle and Trenton, ending at a set of stairs at Barton to reconnect to Delridge or continue south on 21st.

Given no reasonable alternative, Delridge itself requires protected bike lanes. The traffic lanes are wide, so despite recently lowered speed limits, many drivers still pass through the area at uncomfortable speeds for people on bikes. As the flattest route through this part of the city, it is the only logical connection to improve to increase bicycle use for transportation, especially with great connections to schools and other destinations.

City suggested alternate “parallel route”!

We supported the Move Seattle Levy that promised to improve Delridge as a multi-modal corridor. We ask that the City deliver on that promise. We ask that the City follow its plans, and make Delridge a Complete Street.

 

SW Elmgrove from Delridge to 22nd SW
22nd could be OK if an unimproved right of way at Elmgrove was turned into a paved path, but then it ends in steps at Barton. OK for a route to Westwood Village, but does not connect to White Center by bike.

 

Support the Fauntleroy Boulevard Project

Support the Fauntleroy Boulevard Project – Walk & Talk this week with SDOT. Thursday 3/16 12n and Saturday 12/18 at 10am. Meet at LA Fitness, 3900 SW Alaska.

Seeing the design nearing completion, our members from all over the West Seattle peninsula continue to offer strong support for the Fauntleroy Boulevard Project.

Planned with extensive business and resident involvement over many years, this project will create a welcoming entry to West__ Seattle. The street improvements will make it possible for this rapidly developing urban village to absorb more density without increasing traffic congestion. These street improvements must be made as the one- and two-story commercial strip buildings are being replaced by five- and six-story mixed use buildings. By giving people safe and attractive places to walk, wait for a bus, and ride bikes, more people will use those transportation options instead of driving cars alone.

The project will also make it safe and efficient for people traveling to and through the area by bike, bus and truck. Fauntleroy Way SW is a key through-bike commute route, a transit route, a shopping destination, the auto approach to the West Seattle Bridge, and a Major Truck Street. Separation of bike traffic from heavy vehicle traffic here is vital for our safety. There are good reasons the Bicycle Master Plan calls for protected bike lanes on Fauntleroy

These elements in the design are essential for safety for people on bikes and on foot:

  • One-way protected bike lanes each side.
  • Elimination of the sweeping right-turn pocket lane from south-bound Fauntleroy to west-bound SW Oregon. This is an extremely wide and dangerous intersection for pedestrians and cyclists to cross.
  • Squaring up intersections and reducing crosswalk distances.
  • Distinct differences between bike lane and sidewalk, to reduce pedestrian/bike rider conflicts.
  • Safety island at crossing of Fauntleroy at 36th Ave SW, with attention to control of north-east bound vehicle traffic on Fauntleroy.
  • Bike lane striping through intersections and driveway crossings, with sidewalks at new driveways at sidewalk elevation instead of dipping to roadway elevation.
  • A green bike box at the SE corner of the intersection of SW Alaska & Fauntleroy.
  • Consideration of a pedestrian crossing at 37th, especially if that street may be developed as a neighborhood greenway instead of 36th Ave SW.

And last but not least, we would like to point out that riding bikes is good for local businesses! When we ride, we shop locally. When we ride, we save car parking for others.

Needs more than a yellow sign to make this intersection safe for people on foot, in wheelchairs, on bikes.
Sweeping right highway-style turn is unsafe for pedestrian and bike crossing.