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News & ArtsMonday, September 21, 2009
City More Sidewalks and Pedestrian Safety
Posted by Dominic Holden on Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 6:04 PM
The Seattle City Council approved a plan this afternoon to spend up to $15 million annually to make Seattle more walkable and establish priorities for improving pedestrian accommodations. However, the legislation is currently only a resolution and must be followed up with funding in the city budget.
The Pedestrian Master Plan, among other ambitions, would build sidewalks in neighborhoods where Seattlites currently must walk in the street, paint crosswalks, install signals at intersections, and repair crumbling sidewalks.
The plan was developed in conjunction with an advisory committee, including mayoral contender Mike McGinn, and the Seattle Department of Transportation. Mayor Greg Nickels had originally suggested funding only $10 million a year. However, last week in the council's transportation committee meeting, council member Nick Licata introduced an amendment that aimed funding up to $15 million annually.
On Friday, Mayor Greg Nickels is expected to propose next year's budget, which is facing a deficit, and could include funding for the pedestrian accommodations. The council has until the end of November to pass the city budget and thereby fund the pedestrian improvements.
1
This, if enacted, will be quite interesting. Many homeowners who live in sidewalk-free neighborhoods, have done extensive landscaping in the city right-of-way through the years, and guess where those sidewalks will go?
2
Wrong year - needs more study, including funding from the property owners. Typical timid council thing. Where is the vision? Bag tax for sidewalks? Bad joke.
Piddle of money. Time to do a 20 year plan and do it right.
George
Piddle of money. Time to do a 20 year plan and do it right.
George
3
Sidewalks and crosswalks aside, the goals of the Ped Plan are lofty: to become the most walkable city in the nation. Equity and Health aspects of the plan are the most progressive in the nation.
Thanks for reporting on this; it's hard to tell by the title that this is thought of as a catalyst for a new era (not my words) where it's easy to make the choice to walk for transportation, recreation, or anything else.
Thanks for reporting on this; it's hard to tell by the title that this is thought of as a catalyst for a new era (not my words) where it's easy to make the choice to walk for transportation, recreation, or anything else.
5
@2--have you seen the plan? It's pretty thorough plan.
Hmm...if only we had a fund source that was supposed to go to things like pedestrian funding...
Hmm...if only we had a fund source that was supposed to go to things like pedestrian funding...
6
I have studied the open ditches in my neighborhood, 1955 when the sidewalks were first promised would have been a little early, but not too early.
7
@1: in the last 5 years, the city has built new streets that save mature trees by routing the sidewalk path out into the parking lane. the pressing sidewalk issues are roads bordered by open drainage ditches rather than places for humans. there are rarely mature trees in the ditches.
8
Note: If you are looking for the language that Nick Licata added that says we want to fund $15 million a year, you won't find it. The resolution linked here is not the resolution the Council passed, it's the Mayor's proposed resolution. The resolution the Council passed has a lot of changes, one of them being Nick Licata's amendment that we aim for $15 million/year, not just $10 million. The Clerk will get the adopted resolution up in the next few days.
On the funding source question - The City will use funding from the Bridging the Gap Levy (that is if the Council doesn't divert too much of the levy for Mercer costs to come).
About the length of the plan..the plan is through 2020. Below are some of the "near term" improvements planned through 2014.
Sidewalks (a block face equivalent is 330’ x 6’)
158 block face equivalents (26 block face equivalents annually) ~ $50 million
Other engineering improvements ~ $25 million
Significant Crossing Treatments (e.g., signals, crossing islands)at 18 intersections (3 intersections annually)
Smaller Crossing Treatments (e.g., curb ramps, crosswalks)
at 579 intersections (96 intersections annually)
Maintenance - 3,636 block face equivalents (606 block face equivalents annually) sidewalk repair and replacement, asphalt shims, vegetation maintenance and management, and tree pruning
Maintenance - 3,367 intersections (559 intersections annually) crosswalk marking maintenance, repair of tactile warning strips, and signage replacement and repair
This represents a small portion of the potential projects and programs that could improve walkability in Seattle. The Project Prioritization Strategy describes the process that will be used to determine project locations. With more $$, there are many more projects that have been identified using this analysis.
Contact me at: lisa.herbold@seattle.gov if you want either the approved Council-approved resolution or the full implementation matrix through 2020.
More...
On the funding source question - The City will use funding from the Bridging the Gap Levy (that is if the Council doesn't divert too much of the levy for Mercer costs to come).
About the length of the plan..the plan is through 2020. Below are some of the "near term" improvements planned through 2014.
Sidewalks (a block face equivalent is 330’ x 6’)
158 block face equivalents (26 block face equivalents annually) ~ $50 million
Other engineering improvements ~ $25 million
Significant Crossing Treatments (e.g., signals, crossing islands)at 18 intersections (3 intersections annually)
Smaller Crossing Treatments (e.g., curb ramps, crosswalks)
at 579 intersections (96 intersections annually)
Maintenance - 3,636 block face equivalents (606 block face equivalents annually) sidewalk repair and replacement, asphalt shims, vegetation maintenance and management, and tree pruning
Maintenance - 3,367 intersections (559 intersections annually) crosswalk marking maintenance, repair of tactile warning strips, and signage replacement and repair
This represents a small portion of the potential projects and programs that could improve walkability in Seattle. The Project Prioritization Strategy describes the process that will be used to determine project locations. With more $$, there are many more projects that have been identified using this analysis.
Contact me at: lisa.herbold@seattle.gov if you want either the approved Council-approved resolution or the full implementation matrix through 2020.
9
McGinn's good at this stuff. He got the City to finally start putting in sidewalks north of 85th in the few blocks right around his house.
10
People who have done expensive or nonremovable landscaping into the city's right of way where sidewalks would go are stupid.
We need sidewalks more than fewer, sooner than later.
We need sidewalks more than fewer, sooner than later.
11
" He got the City to finally start putting in sidewalks north of 85th in the few blocks right around his house."
I'm sure he's happy but what will all the Greenwood tweakers do with sidewalks? Seriously, most of the twitchy fuckers north of 85th can't walk in straight lines.
Maybe this is McGinn's brilliant way to gentrify Greenwood and drive out the white trash?
I'm sure he's happy but what will all the Greenwood tweakers do with sidewalks? Seriously, most of the twitchy fuckers north of 85th can't walk in straight lines.
Maybe this is McGinn's brilliant way to gentrify Greenwood and drive out the white trash?
12
When I read the Pedestrian Master Plan, it had absolutely nothing in it about enforcement. Most of the dense neighborhoods have people parked on the planting strips and sidewalks, if you call parking enforcement, their backlog for requests is two weeks.
Fat lot of good a sidewalk is if the neighborhood just uses it as paved parking, purposefully lets their hedge grow over it, and every condo and nail salon puts their advertising across it. The PMP also has nothing to offer blocks without sidewalks, which will still last for another fifty years. Any pedestrian plan needs to have some balls in it to make SDOT, DPD and SPD react to pedestrian problems. Without it, just words on paper.
Fat lot of good a sidewalk is if the neighborhood just uses it as paved parking, purposefully lets their hedge grow over it, and every condo and nail salon puts their advertising across it. The PMP also has nothing to offer blocks without sidewalks, which will still last for another fifty years. Any pedestrian plan needs to have some balls in it to make SDOT, DPD and SPD react to pedestrian problems. Without it, just words on paper.
15
If we keep the libraries closed a few more weeks, we'd have lots more money for sidewalks!
Also... it'd be good to cut some of the homeless shelter and youth programs too... and perhaps dip into the police and fire budgets for a few million more.
Sidewalks for all!
Also... it'd be good to cut some of the homeless shelter and youth programs too... and perhaps dip into the police and fire budgets for a few million more.
Sidewalks for all!
16
Tomorrow is World Carfree Day. 72% of the American city is dedicated to private automobiles. Take back your communities.
18
City wide this is not a lot of money - but - in the year when the hole in the budget is 70 millions and food banks are hurting, and unemployment is over 10 per cent - it is a lot of money.
This council is so weak and timid ... of course they all make way over $100,000.00 per yer plus generous benefits.
And a tax on property of just a few cents a month would raise the dollars. Or some other approach that caused some small flow of new money.
Hole in the budget, quit spending. GOD, how hard is that to decipher?
I walk, don't drive, and I can tell you there are some horrid sidewalks - but - again this is a shit program. This council has no brains or courage.
This council is so weak and timid ... of course they all make way over $100,000.00 per yer plus generous benefits.
And a tax on property of just a few cents a month would raise the dollars. Or some other approach that caused some small flow of new money.
Hole in the budget, quit spending. GOD, how hard is that to decipher?
I walk, don't drive, and I can tell you there are some horrid sidewalks - but - again this is a shit program. This council has no brains or courage.
19
There used to be a program where neighborhoods could agree to tax themselves to add amenities. That's how a lot of areas got their electrical wires put underground.
20
@13, 14 - On 15th Ave. NE north of NE 90th, I routinely see wheelchair bound people forced to share the road with cars on a major arterial. I'll let them know that you don't give a fuck, and would rather they just died.
Honestly, get the fuck out of my city.
Honestly, get the fuck out of my city.
21
Pol, pol, settle down. McGinn's years of dedicated pedestrian work representing Greenwood resulted in a few sidewalks finally getting built - starting right outside his own house. That's the sort of thing that begs for a tasteless remark or two.
But if it's important for you to go convince wheelchair users along 15th east of Greenwood that McGinn jokes will kill them all - then I offer much respect for your sense of duty.
But if it's important for you to go convince wheelchair users along 15th east of Greenwood that McGinn jokes will kill them all - then I offer much respect for your sense of duty.
22
Pol Pot @ 20 - There is actually funding reserved for sidewalks on 15th Ave NE north of NE 90th. Unfortunately, though, the homeowners on that section of 15th Ave NE do not want the sidewalks as they would lose parking. Contact Maple Leaf Community Council for more details.
25
Max dear, is some of Our Lesser Neighborhoods, that is exactly what they do. After all, once the yard fill up, they have to park somewhere......
26
Just a silly question:
How can we afford this if Mayor McCheese II (aka Mallahan) bankrupts the city to build a Billionaires Tunnel AND fix the Mercer Mess?
Cause I don't see where the money will come from.
How can we afford this if Mayor McCheese II (aka Mallahan) bankrupts the city to build a Billionaires Tunnel AND fix the Mercer Mess?
Cause I don't see where the money will come from.
27
#20
All the foul stuff does NOT change the fact that ---THEY CAN FORM AN LID, TAX DISTRICT --- and do sidewalks any time they want.
Paying the bill from the general fund is another pocket which is mostly empty ... so the long wait .... gets longer and longer and longer ... like into infinity
All the foul stuff does NOT change the fact that ---THEY CAN FORM AN LID, TAX DISTRICT --- and do sidewalks any time they want.
Paying the bill from the general fund is another pocket which is mostly empty ... so the long wait .... gets longer and longer and longer ... like into infinity
28
@27 - Theoretically, but not in reality. Council has removed funding for the position that facilitates LIDs. LIDs are politically unpopular with Council.
29
@20
Ah, the cripple card. Nicely played, sir.
Yes, we should sidewalk the arterials, but most of this money is for residential streets. See @22 for the reason 15th isn't already sidewalked.
Ah, the cripple card. Nicely played, sir.
Yes, we should sidewalk the arterials, but most of this money is for residential streets. See @22 for the reason 15th isn't already sidewalked.
30
LID's (Local Improvement Districts, for the non-wonkish) were quite popular at one time. I think there was something that encouraged them in the original "Forward Thrust" initiative, and you could also get money from the feds at one time. That's how Leschi originally did their underground utility work - something to do with urban renewal..
31
@ 13, 14 Fuck what you think. I live in the Broadview neighbourhood by Bitter Lake near 133rd. Its quite a nice quiet area, not sure why there was mention of "tweakers" north of 85th. Maybe you mean along Aurora? Anyway, up in Broadview we just got sidewalks last year. The students and staff from Broadview Thompson Elementary, the neighbours, and many of the elderly and wheelchair bound folks in our area are absolutely thrilled. We love these new sidewalks! They are awesome and they also planted some great saplings. Big thanks to whoever made it happen!
33
Mike McGinn was appointed for the Pedestrian Master Plan Advisory Group by Nickels, but he seldom attended and when he did, he was very late. That is who McGinn is...late or missing in action. We sat on that committee for well over 2 years- I think almost 3. I think he made it to maybe 2 for the whole meeting and maybe another 10 late or at the end (so he could sign in). The rest not at all - he missed dozens of meetings. He overcommits in every direction and is unable to focus & deliver. He also has no "vision" because he can't seem to get a handle around bigger pictures. McGinn wouldn't even agree to a support letter for a large planning project (funded by Dept of Neighborhoods) that we applied for (and were awarded no thanks to Mike) called Greenwood Sidewalks where we are currently hiring consultants who are helping us with investigating all funding mechanisms (LIDs included) and creating a guide for Greenwood to use to complete sidewalks on over 200 blocks in 10 years. He was not just "no help", he hindered the process because it didn't have his name all over it. He's part of the planning hell we live in. You get that "what's the deliverable" kind of questioning when you try to plan as opposed to thoughtless one-off capital projects which he likes. And by the way, his sidewalks are ugly around his house and he would not listen to any conversation about making them work and look good. Argh. He just made his deals with SDOT.
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