During RBCA’s June 22 land use public meeting, neighbors learned about three new developments planned for 25th Avenue NE at University Village, across the street where Travelodge and Key Bank are currently located, and between the Burke-Gilman Trail and Travelodge.
For the site next to the Burke-Gilman Trail, draft early design review documents are available online, project 3027312. Preliminary drawings show what the “Trailside” development, which will provide student targeted housing, might look like. It includes a projected 293 residential units and 2,075 square feet of retail space.
A preliminary site plan for the Travelodge/Key Bank site is also available online, project 3027063. The project includes housing and retail.
During the June 22 meeting, developers expressed an interest in creating a seamless bike and pedestrian connection from the Burke-Gilman Trail, across 25th Avenue NE, to University Village.
The RBCA Land Use Committee is hosting a public meeting Thursday to preview several development proposals along 25th Ave NE at U Village and Travelodge sites. Specifically, you will hear from University Village, Greystar (developer for the Travelodge site), and Phoenix (developer for a new residential project behind the Travelodge site.) The goal of the meeting is to provide community members with a holistic view of proposed development slated for 25th Ave NE on these several blocks. We would like to hear from the community, so come give your feedback at the meeting or leave a comment after this post and learn about the changes happening in our neighborhood.
A year ago, neighbors marched along NE 65th Street in the Ravenna and Roosevelt neighborhoods to increase awareness about the many pedestrians, bikers, and motorists who had been sent to the hospital after being involved in collisions on NE 65th Street. The march launched the #Fix65th campaign started by the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association (RBCA), Roosevelt Neighborhood Association (RNA), and NE Seattle Greenways.
June 16, 2016 at the corner of NE 65th Street and 15th Avenue NE. Photo thanks to the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association @roosieseattle
Since then, two pedestrians were killed while crossing in marked crosswalks on NE 65th Street, one in the Ravenna neighborhood and one in the Roosevelt neighborhood.
Since then, the Seattle Department of Transportation launched a NE 65th Street Vision Zero project that included two community forums and some short-term improvements to the road. Plans are being made for further improvements in 2019.
However, RBCA continues to be concerned about the safety of our neighbors who walk, bike, and drive on NE 65th Street. While the short-term improvements are certainly welcome, RBCA is concerned that more people will be seriously injured and killed before large-scale improvements are made.
Today, in partnership with RNA, RBCA sent a letter to City officials in follow-up to the letter sent last July:
June 16, 2017
Dear Mayor Murray and Councilmembers Johnson and O’Brien,
In July of 2016 the Ravenna Bryant Community Association and Roosevelt Neighborhood Association sent a letter expressing our neighborhoods significant safety concerns regarding NE 65th Street and requesting a study of the corridor. We outlined specific issues that needed to be addressed as follows:
Excessive speeding and a lack of enforcement
Insufficient number of safe crossings
Long waits for walk signals
Driving lane orientation
Dangerous intersections
Unsafe sidewalks
Unsafe bicycle infrastructure
Insufficient parking
In response, SDOT committed to fixes that would come in two stages, with quick, short-term fixes happening in 2017. More comprehensive improvements would occur in 2019. The 2017 changes, which are now complete, involved repainting crosswalks, making traffic signals larger, adding flex posts at 65th and Roosevelt, and reducing the speed limit to 25 mph in the Roosevelt business district. But other than the flex posts, we consider this work to be essential maintenance on aging infrastructure.
Increased density along NE 65th Street is not going to wait for 2019. Seattle In Progress shows at least 650 new housing units being built adjacent to 65th, and approximately 1,000 more units pending approval. Most of those buildings include retail and a limited number of parking spaces. The next two years will see dramatically increasing numbers of residents and visitors traveling the corridor by foot, bike, bus, and car.
In the year since we submitted the above referenced letter, two people have died and two more have suffered life-threatening injuries. All of these tragedies have occurred at intersections over a one mile stretch of NE 65th Street and yet there are no further safety improvements planned for two more years. SDOT’s Community Forum on May 18th did not even include potential safety treatments at intersections or future crosswalks, two of the neighborhood’s greatest concerns as determined in surveys by RBCA and SDOT alike.
The short-term fixes are inadequate and fail to address the most dangerous aspects of NE 65th Street. We are painfully aware of what two years can mean for members of our community and are not willing to accept what has been done as an adequate response to a persistent danger to our community. We formally request that the scope of completed work be reviewed and further short-term treatments be developed to address intersections and crossings before the end of July with follow-up work to be completed before the end of the summer.
Seattle University is hosting crime and safety focus groups in June and July. Join the upcoming focus group at the Green Lake Library on July 18, 6:15 p.m. and provide input about crime, safety, and policing in our neighborhood.
The Northeast District Council (NEDC) invites you to meet candidates running for Seattle Mayor at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, June 8, 2017 at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church located at the corner of 35th Avenue NE and NE 80th Street.
Candidates participating include:
Jenny Durkan
Jessyn Farrell
Bob Hasegawa
Michael McGinn
Cary Moon
Nikkita Oliver
The event timeline:
7-8:00 p.m. Candidates introduce themselves and address the question of how they will serve Seattle’s diversity of citizens: age group; neighborhood; income; ethnic background, etc.
6:45: Natalie Quick – Plan for new apartments next to Burke-Gilman
7:15: Roosevelt Urban Village
7:30: Executive Committee Reports
Secretary’s Report: Minutes, Board member contact info
Treasurer’s Report
President’s Report
6-month workplan check-in
Summer meetings: July date/place, August break
CM Johnson D4 meeting
7:40: Committee Reports
Land Use Committee
June 22 Public Meeting re: University Village
Cell Phone Tower Update
Transportation Committee
NE 65th Street Vision Zero Project
NE 50th Street Sidewalk Project
Membership Committee
Board member “introductions”
8:10: Conflict of interest clause
Disclosure of Interests – Disclosure of interests and affiliations of Board Members will help mitigate the appearance of a conflict of interest. Board Members will disclose any interest or affiliation that creates conflict or may cause an appearance of conflict.
Conflict of Interest and Recusal- Board Members will disclose any actual conflicts of interest. A member who has recused himself or herself from a matter before the Board due to a conflict of interest will refrain from participation in Board discussions or votes on the matter, if any.
8:20: Reports from associated groups
All RBCA board meetings are open to the public and all neighbors are encouraged to participate!
On Tuesday August 1, the City of Seattle will celebrate the annual Night Out. The registration link for Night Out 2017 is: https://www.seattle.gov/police/community-policing/night-out. The website includes an invitation template to distribute to neighbors, street closure signs, and a map to see where events will take place.
Night Out is a national event to heighten crime prevention awareness, increase neighborhood support in anti-crime efforts, and unite communities. Neighbor participation in Night Out continues to grow every year. It’s fun, it’s free and it’s a great chance to reconnect with neighbors and share information with each other while learning more about crime prevention. Getting together with your neighbors, re-committing to watch out for each other, and reaffirming you will report suspicious activity to police are ways to show you care about your community.
With two pedestrians killed by motor vehicles within the last nine months, and countless near misses, it’s beyond time to create a safer transportation corridor for all and #Fix65th.
In response to community concerns and advocacy, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) launched the NE 65th Street Vision Zero Project and, within the last few weeks, they made some quick improvements to make the roadway safer.
NE 65th Street & 20th Avenue NE crosswalks were re-painted May 6. In February, an 80 year-old pedestrian was struck and killed by a motor vehicle here. Photo courtesy of Oralea Howard via Twitter.
Re-painted Crosswalks: On Saturday, SDOT repainted crosswalks on NE 65th Street at 15th, 20th, and 25th Avenues NE. Though every corner is a crosswalk, whether marked with paint or not, painted crosswalks remind drivers that pedestrians have the right of way and to look out for people crossing the street.
Graphic courtesy of SDOT: http://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2016/11/07/your-new-vision-zero-speed-limits/
Speed Limit Reductions: SDOT decreased the speed limit to 25 miles per hour between 8th and 12th Avenues NE on NE 65th Street. Higher vehicle speeds are strongly associated with both a greater likelihood of pedestrian crash occurrence and more serious resulting pedestrian injury.
Signal Improvements: Bigger traffic signals with reflective backing were installed to improve visibility, especially at night. Pedestrian countdown timers were added so that all pedestrian signals between NE Ravenna Boulevard and 39th Avenue NE now have them.
Flexible posts recently installed at NE 65th Street & Roosevelt Way NE. Last September, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a motor vehicle here. Photo courtesy of Dongho Chang via Twitter.
Flexible Posts: On NE 65th Street where it intersects with Roosevelt Way, flexible posts separating the east and westbound lanes were installed. The posts reduce speed and angle for motor vehicles turning from southbound Roosevelt Way to eastbound NE 65th Street. The posts prevent drivers from cutting the corner, improving driver visibility of pedestrians in the crosswalk.
More Changes in 2018: To further increase safety along this busy corridor, more changes are in the works. Learn about possible future road design improvements during the May 18 community forum at Roosevelt High School. Drop in anytime between 6-7:30 p.m., view a variety of proposed changes, and have questions answered by SDOT staff.
The recently redeveloped University Village shopping center generates a significant amount of vehicular traffic in close proximity to the Burke-Gilman Trail . . . University Village is surrounded by single-family residential neighborhoods, whose residents are concerned with through traffic and pedestrian safety. Providing safer facilities for each of these transportation modes requires a combination of improvements to the following problem areas:
Crossing conflicts between bicyclists/pedestrians and vehicles on the Burke-Gilman Trail at 25th Avenue NE and 30th Avenue NE.
Inadequate sidewalks and pedestrian facilities north and east of University Village on . . . NE 50th Street from 30th to 35th Avenues NE.
Why is this relevant today, 15 years later? Because despite mitigation funds from University Village that they requested be used for sidewalks on NE 50th Street, despite two Neighborhood Street Fund applications submitted by RBCA for the project, despite studies conducted by SDOT, and despite ongoing advocacy by RBCA members, the neighborhood is still waiting for sidewalks.
In 2016, SDOT conducted a traffic study and among the findings were that almost 2,000 vehicles use the road per day, which is considered high for a non-arterial street, and that about 50% of drivers on the road exceed the speed limit. This did not come as a surprise to neighbors considering NE 50th Street links the University Village area with the Bryant neighborhood and 35th Avenue NE. Many Bryant community members use the street when walking to businesses and to access the Burke-Gilman Trail.
Most recently, it came to RBCA’s attention that the sidewalk funds from University Village were to be diverted to another SDOT project. Upon learning this, RBCA representatives promptly requested a meeting with SDOT and, in follow-up to that meeting, RBCA sent the following letter.
May 8, 2017
Ms. Sara Zora
Seattle Department of Transportation
700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3900
Seattle, WA98124-4996
RE: UATAS Project #31 (Sidewalks on NE 50th Street) and Omission in Pedestrian Master Plan
Dear Ms. Zora,
Thank you for meeting with our representatives from the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association (RBCA) on May 2. As was discussed, the non-arterial NE 50th Street between 30th Avenue NE and 33rd Avenue NE, just east of University Village (U-Village), does not have a sidewalk and suffers from excessive speed and high vehicular traffic. Over the years, RBCA has been promoting the need for a sidewalk and traffic calming measures on NE 50th Street (project) and has pursued neighborhood grants as well as mitigation funds from University Village and Children’s Hospital for improvements.
The RBCA has created a partnership with University Village and successfully negotiated mitigation funds from their Master Use Permits (MUPs) to be assigned to NE 50th Street. However, RBCA recently learned that mitigation funds previously identified for this project were going to be reallocated to another project. In addition, RBCA was disappointed to see that the April 2017 Pedestrian Master Plan omits the need for a sidewalk on NE 50th Street.
The RBCA has long been an advocate for what we are referring to as the NE 50th Street Community Sidewalk Project. This work was originally identified in the 2002 University Area Transportation Study and as Action Strategy Project #31 in the 2008 University Area Transportation Action Strategy Report.
Attached to this letter is a summary of the timeline of events since 2002. This timeline includes previous SDOT studies, plans, action reports, previous drafts of the pedestrian master plan, and vehicular speed and volume counts. All of these previous documents indicate the need for a sidewalk and traffic calming measures on NE 50th Street. As these documents note, nearby University Village is a growing urban village and NE 50th Street is impacted by this growth. The street is used for school bus stops, a direct pedestrian corridor between Children’s Hospital on the east and University Village to the west, and University of Washington family housing to the east.
The RBCA strongly recommends that SDOT:
·Divert back previous mitigation funds to NE 50th Street
·Make corrections to the Pedestrian Master Plan prior to City Council adoption
·Allocate additional University Village mitigation funds to this project
At RBCA, we have been successful in partnering with University Village to secure a great deal of private funding for this project. We are pleased to report that with this partnership we have secured a letter from University Village reaffirming their preference to restore previous mitigation funds and for future mitigation funds to be allocated to this project.
We appreciate your time in this matter and welcome the opportunity to meet with you or with representatives of SDOT to see to that this project is fully funded, advanced, and corrections made to the Pedestrian Master Plan.
Sincerely,
Inga Manskopf, President
Ravenna-Bryant Community Association
cc: Councilmember Rob Johnson
From SDOT 2016 Neighborhood Street Fund report on the NE 50th Street Sidewalk project.
In 2013, when RBCA asked Ravenna-Bryant neighbors if NE 65th Street is safe, 91% said it was safe for driving, parking, and using transit; 88% said it was safe for walking; and 43% said it was safe for biking.
In 2016, when RBCA asked Ravenna-Bryant neighbors to identify their most pressing mobility-related concerns, the most common comments received focused on feeling unsafe as a pedestrian on NE 65th Street.
When SDOT surveyed community members earlier this year about how safe people feel when they walk or bike on NE 65th Street, 57% said they feel unsafe.
After listening to neighborhood concerns, last year RBCA adopted a mobility safety action plan with a focus on advocating for safety-related changes to NE 65th Street. RBCA joined with the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association and NE Seattle Greenways to form the #Fix65th coalition. After many months of raising awareness of safety problems, including two pedestrian deaths after they were struck by motor vehicles on NE 65th Street, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) initiated a Vision Zero project for the busy corridor.
The second Vision Zero community forum will take place May 18 at Roosevelt High School. Neighbors are encouraged to participate and have your voices heard about how to best make NE 65th Street safer for all.
While most (85%) of our neighbors currently get around the neighborhood by personal motor vehicles, only 55% want to get around that way, according to the survey conducted by the Seattle Department of Transportation as part of the NE 65th Street Vision Zero Project. Instead, more of our neighbors want to take public transportation (58%) and bike (51%) than currently do (53% and 39% respectively). Eighty-eight percent currently walk to get around the neighborhood and wish to continue to do so. This is to say that a great many of our neighbors want to get around our neighborhood without a motor vehicle but many don’t because they are concerned about being injured. Sixty-seven percent reported thinking that it is likely that someone will get injured while walking or biking on NE 65th street.
In a 2013 RBCA survey about NE 65th Street, 74% of Ravenna-Bryant residents anticipated using the Roosevelt Link light rail station when it opens with 86% of them planning to walk, bike, or bus to the station.
To learn more about the SDOT survey results and possible solutions for creating a safer NE 65th Street, join RBCA, the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association, and the Seattle Department of Transportation for a community forum on May 18, 6-7:30 p.m. (drop in any time), at Roosevelt High School.
The Ravenna-Bryant Community Association’s annual general membership meeting is Tuesday, April 18, starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center. After 15 minutes of required board business, the Seattle Office of Emergency Management will conduct an emergency preparedness workshop.
One of the business items is a vote on proposed changes to the RBCA bylaws. Current bylaws are available here. Proposed bylaws are below. Paper copies will also be available on April 18.
Proposed Amended Bylaws for the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association
Notes: New section
Preamble
Ravenna-Bryant Community Association (RBCA) activities are guided by a common vision for the future: Ravenna-Bryant is a welcoming, thriving, safe, diverse, and connected neighborhood.
Notes: No change
Article 1: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association (RBCA).
Notes: Similar content, updated language
Article II: Purpose of the Association
To represent the interests of the Ravenna-Bryant community RBCA:
Defines and advocates for proposed action on issues of concern to the community.’
Proposes and/or endorses legislative or governmental action when it relates to the concerns or needs of the community.
Supports or opposes any action, governmental or otherwise, that affects the community or its members.
Informs appropriate governmental bodies, agencies or other entities of the community concern.
Establishes and maintains communication with the community, governmental bodies, agencies, and other entities that relate to the community’s interests.
Notes: New section to more clearly define purpose of the board.
Article III: Purpose of the Board
To create a stronger community, RBCA elects a board whose members guide association activities. The RBCA board:
Establishes and maintains communication channels with the community that may include but are not limited to a website, social media sites, posters in the community, email lists, mailings, flyers, and/or newsletters.
Initiates and coordinates activities within the community.
Actively seeks input and involvement from Ravenna-Bryant neighbors and community organizations.
Notes: No change
Article IV: Geographical Area
RBCA shall serve the area of the city of Seattle within the following boundaries:
15th Ave. NE on the west.
Southward to NE 62nd St.
Southeastward along the northern and eastern edges of Ravenna Park to NE 55 St. & 25th Ave NE
Southward along 25th Ave. NE to NE Blakeley St.
Eastward along NE Blakeley St. to 37th Ave. NE
Northeastward along Sand Point Way NE to 45th Ave. NE
Northward to NE 65th St.
Westward to 40th Ave. NE
Northward to NE 75th St.
Westward to 25th Ave. NE
Northward to NE 85th St.
Westward to Lake City Way NE
Southward to 15th Ave. NE
Notes:
Updated membership definition – removed “owning property” as a separate category
Updated dues information to reflect current practice
Combines resident and business member voting
Article V: Membership and Dues
Membership of the organization shall be comprised of all persons living in or owning a business within the geographical area.
Dues are voluntary. Suggested dues will be set by the board.
Every member shall be entitled to one vote at general membership meetings.
Notes:
Eliminated Second Vice President office
Moved section to precede Officers and their Duties because Officers are bound by duties of board as well as of Officers.
Removes the need for a quorum for the board to meet.
Adds e-mail voting.
Adds activity to recruit people representing Ravenna-Bryant to the board.
Adds attendance requirement.
Adds a 2/3 majority vote on positions/endorsements.
Adds the recording in the minute of individual member’s votes on endorsements.
Article VI: Board, Board Meetings, and Board Duties
The Board will have up to 15 members including officers and at-large members.
Any Board member may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board for failure to carry out the duties of the board member or open disregard for the by-laws of the organization.
Meetings of the Board:
The Board shall meet monthly at a regularly scheduled time and place designated by the President. The President may call additional meetings when needed.
All meetings of the Board are open to everyone.
A quorum for board meeting votes shall be six members of the Board.
Decisions of the Board are approved by a simple majority of members present, unless noted elsewhere in the by-laws.
When decisions must be made prior to a board meeting, they may be made via email. Any motion for an email vote must be sent to all board members’ email on file, include a deadline of no less than five (5) days and be seconded before discussion commences and voting occurs. When a decision is needed in less than five days, the email will include a motion requesting immediate action. Board members must reply to all to discuss and vote on a motion. The vote will be recorded in the next meeting’s minutes. E-mail voting should only occur when necessary and due to time constraints.
4. Duties of the Board. The Board shall, within its discretion:
Actively seek members that represent the diversity of the community including but not limited to race, ethnicity, age, gender, income, and residence type to sit on the board and/or committees.
Perform duties on behalf of the community as defined in the Article III: Purpose of the Board.
Attend a majority of the RBCA board meetings. Any Board member with three unexcused absences in a row or four unexcused absences within a year will no longer be considered a member of the Board.
Appoint representatives to committees and recommend individuals to various governmental/agency bodies for appointment to committees.
Review all work of the committees and of community liaisons.
Approve the disbursement of funds.
Propose statements of position and/or endorse policies relating to issues of interest to the community. Such statements shall be presented for approval at monthly Board meetings or through email when decisions must be made before the next Board meeting (see Article VI: e. email voting). Position statements and policy endorsements require a two-thirds majority vote of the Board. Individual Board member’s votes on endorsements and policy statements will be recorded upon request.
Article VII: Officers and Their Duties
The officers of the organization shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Any officer may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board for failure to carry out the responsibilities of the office or open disregard for the by-laws of the organization.
Duties of the officers:
The President shall preside at meetings and serve as chief executive coordinating all activities and programs of the organization.
The Vice-President shall serve in the absence of the President and shall plan and organize or oversee general membership meetings serving as program chairman.
The Secretary shall maintain a permanent file of all minutes including individual votes on conflicts of interest, and the outcome of electronic votes, unfinished business, and records utilized in the business of the organization. The secretary shall organize clerical services for the organization including keeping a roster of attendance at all meetings.
The Treasurer shall maintain accounting records, receive and disburse funds, prepare financial statements as required by the Board or President, and shall propose criteria for expenditure limits to the Board.
Notes:
Removes term limits
Article VIII: Elections
An election of board members shall be held at the general membership meeting in the spring of each year. Officers will be voted on by the board subsequently.
A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President in spring of each year to seek out and nominate potential board members.
Nominations will be made at the general membership meeting by the nominating committee and may also be made by the general membership from the floor with the consent of the person nominated.
All terms of office are for two years.
Notes: Changes number of members needed for a quorum.
Article IX: General Membership/Community Meetings
General membership meetings shall be held in spring to elect the board and at such times as the Board determines to inform the community on issues of concerns.
A quorum at a general membership meeting shall consist of 20 members.
All members shall sign-in before voting on any issue or candidate.
Notes:
Adds requirement that committee chairs must be members of the board
Defines that community members to be part of committees without being board members
Adds committee reporting expectations to reflect current practice
Adds a standing Membership Committee to conduct duties previously identified under Second VP
Article X: Committees
The Board may establish standing and/or ad hoc committees deemed necessary to carry out the purpose of the Association or of the Board.
Committees are chaired by board members and any community member may serve on a committee.
Committees report their activities at the monthly board meetings.
A standing Membership Committee shall be responsible for membership development and community involvement; maintaining the association membership list; and maintaining a map showing the association boundaries.
Notes: No changes
Article XI: Amendment of By-Laws
Amendments to the by-laws shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board present at a board meeting after reading at one previous board meeting followed by a simple majority of a quorum at a general membership meeting.
The RBCA annual general membership meeting will take place Tuesday, April 18, 6:00 p.m., at Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center. Neighbors are invited to vote for the 2017-18 RBCA board, amendments to the bylaws, and learn how to prepare for an emergency.
The Seattle City Council Human Services and Public Health Committee adopted a resolution last week “expressing the City of Seattle’s commitment to being a more age-friendly city under the criteria established by the World Health Organization and the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities.”
On the same day, the Mayor announced a series of “age-friendly initiatives” to support the health and well-being of older adults in line with the AARP initiative.
What is the AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly Communities? The initiative encourages cities to prepare for the rapid aging of the U.S. population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic, and social factors that affect older adults. They identify eight domains of a community’s livability:
Outdoor spaces and buildings
Transportation
Housing
Social participation
Respect and social inclusion
Civic participation and employment
Communication and information
Community support and health services
What does that mean in Seattle? Among a variety of ways to make the city more age-friendly, Mayor Murray identified sidewalks in particular as important: “A sidewalk free of bulges and holes appeals to everyone in the neighborhood, including the mom pushing her stroller, a child riding a scooter to school, and those who may find walking a challenge. Investing in safe walking routes for all of us should be a top priority for our Age-Friendly city.” The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has been tasked with examining intersections, sidewalks, driver behavior, and public safety and identifying opportunities to improve the pedestrian experience in the city.
Earlier this year, an older adult was struck by a motor vehicle and killed at the intersection of NE 65th Street and 20th Avenue NE. One way to create an age-friendly neighborhood is to ensure our streets are safe for everyone, no matter what age.
What does that mean in Ravenna-Bryant? In 2016, the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association adopted a mobility safety action plan to guide activities for creating a safer neighborhood for pedestrians. These activities align with transportation-related goals of the Age-Friendly initiative. RBCA’s activities include advocating for a safer NE 65th Street and for sidewalks where none currently exist, in particular along NE 50th Street between 30th and 35th Avenues NE.
Making NE 65th Street more age-friendly: SDOT recently started the community outreach phase for developing plans to make NE 65th Street safer for everyone who uses it. To make streets safer for all, including older adults, the AARP initiative recommends that cities consider:
Reducing the width of car lanes and reducing the number of car lanes on a street;
Reducing the length of a crosswalk;
Making crosswalks more visible;
Adding medians or pedestrian islands on busy streets;
Giving walkers a head start at traffic lights;
Banning right turns on red;
Installing speed bumps;
Installing red light cameras;
Enforcing traffic laws.
All of these strategies can be considered as our neighbors think about how to make NE 65th Street, and all of our arterial roads, safer for everyone.
Looking west on NE 50th Street toward University Village: no sidewalks, not age-friendly!
Making NE 50th Street more age-friendly: Though not included in the recently adopted Pedestrian Master Plan, sidewalks are needed on NE 50th Street, south of Calvary Cemetery. The street provides an important link between the Bryant neighborhood, the shops in and around University Village, and the Burke-Gilman Trail. Without sidewalks, this corridor remains unsafe for all pedestrians, including older adults.
In February, people throughout the city submitted ideas for improving streets and parks in their neighborhoods as part of the City’s Your Voice, Your Choice program. In the Ravenna-Bryant neighborhood, three ideas were proposed: two to create safer pedestrian crossings along NE 55th Street and one to increase pedestrian and bike safety on 20th Avenue NE where the street meets the entrance to the footbridge.
As part of the Your Voice, Your Choice initiative, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) shared information about how much street improvements cost. This is important information for Ravenna-Bryant considering the number of street improvements that are needed in addition to those proposed through this initiative.
Concrete Sidewalk – $65,000 to $90,000. (Your Voice, Your Choice projects are those that are less than ⅓ block (110’) in length or locations where a curb already exists and there are no drainage issues.)
Curb Bulb – $50,000 to $80,000.
Curb Ramps – $25,000 per ramp. Typically, projects require ramps to be installed in pairs.
Marked Crosswalk – If a crossing meets national standards, and curb ramps exist, crosswalks can be signed and marked for $8,500. If no curb ramps are present, they must be installed, for an average of $15,000/per ramp. If SDOT determines additional measures are needed, such as an overhead sign, flashing beacons, etc., these may add $25,000 in cost.
Median Island with 2 curb ramps – $40,000, assuming there are no drainage impacts.
Sidewalk Repair – $90,000 or less for a six-foot wide sidewalk on a typical block (330’ long). Costs are higher if trees are present.
Street Trees – $1,000/tree.
Pedestrian Countdown Signal – $7,000 per intersection (4 crossings).
Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) – $50,000 to $70,000 per two-direction approach, for equipment, design and construction only, cost varying depending on installation costs and availability of power source.
Radar Speed Signs – $25,000 to $35,000 includes two radar speed signs.
Speed Humps – $5,000 per speed hump including signs. Speed hump projects usually consist of a minimum of three humps for a total of $15,000.
Traffic Circle – $25,000 to $30,000 but costs vary depending upon landing area, size of the circle, and survey work due to monument resetting.
The Ravenna-Bryant Community Association twice applied for Neighborhood Street Funds (which is now Your Voice, Your Choice) for sidewalks along NE 50th Street, south of Calvary Cemetery. After being identified as one of the top 5 NE Seattle project proposals last year, SDOT created the above drawing for the project.
Sidewalks on NE 50th Street: Last year, as part of the Neighborhood Street Fund program, SDOT estimated that it would cost $848,000 to build new sidewalks on NE 50th Street between 30th Avenue NE and 35th Avenue NE. While RBCA’s proposal was chosen as one of the top five projects in NE Seattle, funding was not provided. RBCA was able to secure mitigation funds from University Village that could cover about $248,000 of project costs and continues to advocate for funds to cover the balance.
On Tuesday August 1, the City of Seattle will celebrate the annual Night Out. The registration link for Night Out 2017 is: https://www.seattle.gov/police/community-policing/night-out. The website includes an invitation template to distribute to neighbors, street closure signs, and a map to see where events will take place.
