1. Overview of Transportation in Greenwood
Rob Fellows GCC President

2. Overview How we got here? Walking, Biking, Crossing, Busing,
The legacy of streetcar suburbs
Where are the sidewalks?
Walking,
Biking,
Crossing,
Busing,
and Driving…
And How can neighbors make a difference?

3. Quick, obvious observations
When you’re in someone else’s neighborhood, transportation is about getting somewhere you need to go
When they’re in your neighborhood, transportation is about the effect they’re having on your life
Streets are more than conveyance; they are also where community happens

4. A Streetcar Suburb
South of 85th St., we have a legacy of streets built for walking
To streetcars
To shopping
We are lucky to have businesses to walk to
If everywhere was so lucky, Americans would drive about half as much as they do

5. Sidewalks North of 85th, sidewalks, drainage, streets all need help
According to a 2010 P-I article:
Before the great recession, annexations were coupled with local improvement districts taxing homeowners for infrastructure
During the recession, homeowners couldn’t pay those bonds and city was on the hook for payments
When the North Seattle annexation occurred in the 1950’s, Seattle balked at new LIDs and bonds
Adding sidewalks now would cost a lot more. Still …

6. Complete Streets Policy
When major projects funded, the project manager fills out a “complete streets checklist” of all project elements needed
Greenwood transit project triggered sidewalk improvements as well as upgraded bus stops
New sidewalks on east side
Designed by unfunded on west side
Not triggered for Greenwood Ave. in Broadview or Aurora repaving projects

7. Other approaches to funding sidewalks
New development funds sidewalks on their property
Grants can fund one block at a time
Incorporated into bond measures
LIDs are still possible, but require a vote of affected property owners
Property owners can fund sidewalks on their block
Seattle could reduce costs to property owners by financing, contracting, funding drainage components

8. Issues for Walking Sidewalk condition Tree Canopy
Waze and cut-through traffic
Long waits to cross 85th
Bike riding on sidewalks
Blockages

9. Biking Seattle’s Bike Master Plan changes how streets work
Cycle track on Greenwood
Neighborhood greenways on
83rd (to Green Lake)
90th (to new schools)
100th (to Link station)
Fremont Ave
Less significant greenways on many other streets

10. Biking Greenwood cycle track Fremont greenway
Will it work through business districts?
How are Roosevelt neighbors feeling about theirs?
Is it necessary to have a greenway and cycle track one block apart?
Fremont greenway
Could it connect better to Interurban Trail to Lynnwood?
Has there been enough done to divert through traffic?
Could it run behind the zoo and connect with Fremont Ave. to downtown?

11. Biking Issues
1st Ave NW
Nobody knew it was coming (not that anyone was upset)
Who is target user? Is it safe for 8 year-olds through the main entrance to Fred Meyer and Bartells?
How will kids interact with cars in narrow sections?
Why not make sidewalk improvements too?
Could we concentrate in a few places for better results?
Do people know how they’re supposed to act when they see bicycle markings, or why they’re there?

12. Bus Riding Buses are getting more full
Buses are getting slower and less reliable
More riders means more delay and variability
Unless in a bus lane (and sometimes not then either,) buses are subject to traffic delay
Seattle has raised local funding for transit service, but it’s not enough

13. Bus Riding
Greenwood has direct bus connections to downtown, Shoreline Community College, Green Lake and University
Ballard, Northgate and Fremont require transfers that are not always convenient
Running Route 40 through Greenwood would connect all three
Link won’t change much for Greenwood when complete
Requires a feeder bus across town to Roosevelt or into Ballard

14. Crossing Accidents happen at crossings
Especially important component of Safe Routes to Schools
New schools on 90th and Meridian opened last Fall
SDOT and the School District pointed fingers at each other
Community members raised a ruckus
Some crossings improved, others still need improvement
Stairways also connect neighborhoods
A stairway here would provide access to Greenwood Ave and transit

15. Crossing
Crossing Greenwood Avenue is becoming more challenging between 80th and 85th where a new park is coming between N 81st and N 82nd streets.
People want to cross at 81st for the Library, and Seattle installed a crosswalk at 84th
Need to cross through queued traffic at 80th and 85th
Drivers can’t see people crossing behind the queue
Pedestrians can’t see fast-moving traffic in the turn lane
82nd would serve the park, while
83rd is on the proposed greenway and serves the Post Office

16. Driving Aurora has become a barrier for east-west trips
Backs up for several cycles, even weekends
Equally true for transit
Overall our radius of accessibility is shrinking
Safety means slower, and multimodal means less capacity
Parking in Fremont and Ballard are more challenging
Poor signal maintenance reduces efficiency
Bad turn detection, old timing plans
Interesting changes to reduce cut-through traffic
On 90th at Dayton and Linden
What will unintended consequences be?

17. Driving There’s not much evidence cars are going away
1/3 of Seattleites work outside of Seattle
Shopping trips
Soccer games
Visiting across town
Out late at night with friends
Getting out of town
How will we accommodate cars?
How will driverless cars affect neighborhoods?
Climate change can’t wait
Electric vehicles will arrive long before land use changes sufficient to make a dent

18. How to be involved Get involved in the Community Council!
Be our transportation chair
Represent us at Greenways meetings and other groups
Monitor transportation issues and update the web page
Organize meetings on a transportation topic
Propose GCC communications and actions
Join the local Greenways group or other transportation advocacy groups
Write your elected leaders
Let us know how we can help