The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is seeking public comments on its recently released SR 520 Westside Design Report, which includes recommendations related to bicycle and pedestrian connections throughout the Seattle-side of the SR 520 project.
Over the past year, WSDOT has been working with the public and stakeholders to refine key elements of the SR 520 corridor, and today at 10:30 a.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, the Seattle City Council was briefed on the results of this process. Ultimately, the City Council will make recommendations to WSDOT specific to the proposed designs and connections.
With critical connections – like a bicycle and pedestrian trail along the Portage Bay Bridge – still up for discussion, we need your voices to ensure that the State and City move forward with designs for SR 520 and nearby neighborhoods that reflect a future where people of all ages and abilities can safely and efficiently travel by bike and foot.
Comments on the Draft Design Report will be accepted until Friday, Oct. 5. We strongly encourage you to take the time to submit comments by:
- Filling out the State’s online survey (read below for our recommendations on filling in the survey)
- Submitting an email with your comments to: SeattleCommunityDesign@wsdot.wa.gov
I’ve written about the SR 520 project and Cascade’s recommendations in the past (here and here); however, I thought it would be helpful to summarize our recommendations related to bicycle connectivity for purposes of filling out the State’s (rather intimidating) online public input survey, or to submit your public comments by e-mail.
Because we have a rather lengthy list of recommendations, we want to call attention to our primary recommendation at this point in the State’s process: ensuring that a 14-foot bicycle and pedestrian trail is integrated within the Portage Bay Bridge design. This connection is not currently in the Baseline Design and yet has the potential to serve thousands of people wanting to bicycle and walk to destinations across Seattle and the Eastside.
The survey is divided into the following focus areas: Roanoke Area, Portage Bay Bridge, Montlake Area, West Approach Bridge, and finally, Bicycle and Pedestrian Connections. We will focus on Roanoke Area, Portage Bay Bridge, Montlake Area, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Connections.
Roanoke Area: For the Roanoke Area, we have the following recommendations, many of which are identified in the survey:
- Provide a separated bicycle and pedestrian facility across I-5 with intuitive connections to Harvard Ave E, 10th Ave E, the 10th and Delmar lidded area, and ultimately a new Portage Bay Bridge Trail.
- Design key intersections along the Roanoke corridor to facilitate safe transitions for bicyclists and pedestrians, specifically 10th and Roanoke, Roanoke and Harvard Ave E, and Boylston and Roanoke St. Specific to the survey, we support the proposal to improve the “T” intersection design at 10th Ave E and Delmar Dr E.
- Provide bicycle and pedestrian shared-use trails across the 10th and Delmar Lid, including a non-motorized connection to Federal Ave E.
- Ensure seamless, comfortable and convenient connections between the new Portage Bay Bridge Trail, Delmar Dr E, Interlaken, the 10th and Delmar Lid, 10th Ave E, and the new bicycle connections along E Roanoke St.
- Upgrade existing bicycle corridors – such as Delmar Dr E – to provide a safe and comfortable experience for people bicycling.
Portage Bay Bridge: Our primary recommendation for the Portage Bay Bridge is to integrate a 14-foot bicycle and pedestrian trail with safe and convenient access at both ends. This is reflected in “Preference 8” in the online survey.
Montlake Area: Our primary recommendations for the Montlake Area, many of which are identified in the survey, include:
- Montlake Blvd E: Improve bicycle and pedestrian access on the east and west sides of Montlake Blvd E – specifically, evaluate the application of separated bicycle facilities to meet the existing and future demand for bicycling along this corridor.
- Canal Reserve: Lower the westbound off-ramps under 24th Ave E to improve the bicycle and pedestrian experience along 24th Ave E.
- East Montlake Park: Provide only bicycle and pedestrian access to East Montlake Park from 24th Avenue East.
- 24th Ave E: Include separated bicycle facilities (possibly bi-directional) along 24th Ave E to retain a high-quality bicycle connection across SR 520, providing access to the new SR 520 trail, the Montlake neighborhood, and points north of SR 520.
- Montlake Lid: promote bicycling across the Lid through connected trails, wayfinding, and state-of-the-art bicycle parking and amenities.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Connections: We’ve articulated our main recommendations above, but if you’re filling out the survey, we’d suggest reiterating the importance of (1) providing a 14-foot shared-use trail along the future Portage Bay Bridge and (2) designing all bicycle connections to meet future demand and encourage use by people of all ages and abilities.
We appreciate your continued involvement in this process! If you have any questions when filling out the survey or drafting public comments, please post a comment below.
A bridge without accommodations for pedestrians and bicycles is not a bridge at all. We, the People with two feet and/or two wheels would definitely accrue further health benefits by being able to take a pleasant walk or ride along the proposed I-520 bridge project. Some of us are interested in our long term health, saving our local atmosphere from unnecessary pollution, and inreducing health care costs in general. Exercise for the masses ought to be more than a tertiary concern for our public officials and for the SDOT. Build pedestrian and bicycle lanes and they will come.
Do the Right Thing. Build a bridge that will allow pedestrians and cyclist to cross 520.
Future and current citizens will applaud your good judgement and forward thinking.
Done, it was long and I sure appreciated your suggestions, although I found then confusing with regard to the “Montlake Area” as there seemed to be many more places for input then you provided suggestions for. Thanks for helping us with this.
A 50-year problem needs a 100-year vision.
The mental model of a public conveyance, “roadway for cars/buses only” is dead. As we build infrastructure to support movement of people, and their goods, it is imperative we expand our definition of a shared public conveyance, and build solutions that allow safe travel for any mode of transport whether it be fossil fuel powered or human powered.
I am very concerned that there is no solution to the problem of bringing riders from the 520/lid to the portage bay trail with out at least two stop lights to wait for.
I am also concerned about the intersection of montlake blvd and pacific street, where the powers that be insist on an entrance to the south parking lot. A study of traffic flow will demonstrate that there is no need for this intersection and that the stoplight will continue to cause a backflow on the bridge that hurts bus flow.
I suppose every one has herd my tirade for switching the 520 bike lane to the south side.
apparently you haven’t used the bridges during a winter storm: the great majority of storms are from the southwest, which means that the south side of the bridges get the brunt of the wind and waves. no way i’d want to be riding on the south side during any kind of storm from the south. the few storms from the north also are generally less severe.
the ped-bike facility on the old I-90 bridge was on the south side, and was very deliberately placed on the north side of the new bridge when the original I-90 bridge sank in a storm; and winds from the south are stronger at the 520 bridge than the I-90 bridge.
Addenum to the above.
The light at the parking lot enterance at the montlake/pacific intersection is not only needless and slows car/bus traffic, it is a big hazard to cyclists and will be more so when we ride down the ramp that they are building to see the light change to red. How many. Ollege kids will run that light that rarely has cars exiting? Meanwhile the law abiding will feel anger as the break for a needless crossing for years.
[...] Cascade Bicycle Club’s 520 public comment. [...]
What is the Portage Bay Bridge?
the section of 520 between I-5 and Montlake Blvd.