Tag Archive for 'sidewalks'

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Testing another way to repair sidewalks

SDOT is testing a different method for repairing sidewalks in a sample area in Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill Seattle interviews SDOT for details on this process:

The work on Broadway near Roy is a trial effort for repairing sidewalks. Instead of using asphalt to fill gaps, this approach sawcuts lifted areas of concrete using a patented process. The approach could allow us to create walkway fixes that looks great and meet ADA standards for walkways.

We are testing it as a technique for sidewalk repair on three blocks on Broadway and will determine if it is a cost effective solution for maintaining walkways.

It’s good to see that different ideas are being explored in order to bring us pedestrians safer and smoother sidewalks. Visit Capitol Hill Seattle for photos.

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More Ballard ped improvements

Ballard is getting another improvement to its pedestrian experience.


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SDOT’s crews will install a curb between NW 56th and 57th on both sides of the street and the one-half block just south of 56th Street on the eastside of the street. The curb will provide a better walking environment by creating a buffer between the sidewalk and the street, and will provide a protected area for landscaping by preventing cars from parking on the planting strip area. This fall, trees will be planted on both sides of the street.

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New sidewalk in Lake City

Another sidewalk project has recently been completed:

SDOT has just completed building a beautiful block-long sidewalk on NE 127th Street between 28th Avenue NE and 27th Avenue NE. If you’re in the neighborhood, the spanking new walkway will take you right to the weekly Thursday Lake City Farmers’ Market.


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How to submit a sidewalk or signal request to SDOT

The Seattle Department of Transportation has an online form that allows you to easily report issues that you may come across while walking in the city.

For example, you can report an uneven sidewalk and SDOT will examine the issue within days and then schedule the sidewalk for repair. This most likely means one sidewalk tile will be shaved so that it’s not a trip hazard or that a patch of asphalt will be installed to smooth the sidewalk.

Or, if there is a signal that isn’t timed right, submit a request and the traffic department will install equipment to monitor the intersection. This process takes a couple months for them to install the equipment, gather data on the usage patterns of the signal, and then analyze the data and determine what action to take. From there, it can take another month for any changes will be made to the intersection.

A fair warning, for a signal to be deserving of an automatic pedestrian crosswalk, SDOT’s standards may be higher than yours. Though some urban intersections have frequent pedestrian traffic during most hours, SDOT’s policy seems to require that push-button signals be used in most cases. Still, it may be worth submitting the request to have them study it.

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New sidewalks at Junction Plaza Park

If you’re strolling in West Seattle, you might notice the new Junction Plaza Park, but also be sure to note the new sidewalks (SDOT).

If you stop on the way to the West Seattle Junction to enjoy the handsome new Junction Plaza Park at 42nd and SW Alaska Street, you might notice that there are also new sidewalks along the street surrounding the park. The sidewalks are the handiwork of SDOT’s South Concrete Paving Crews, happy to have a part in the creation of the community’s newest attraction, dedicated on Tuesday, June 29. The park provides an enjoyable pass-through retreat on the way to shopping or parking, as well as providing a location for small performances or festivals.

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Re-paving a pedestrian pathway

SDOT’s blog shows the makeover of a sidewalk along Northgate Way. The asphalt had degraded as greenery had grown onto the path and after receiving a request, SDOT repaved it with funds from the Bridging the Gap initiative.

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15th Ave NE Bridge closure

The 15th Ave NE bridge over Thornton Creek near 105th St will be closed for the next 11 months for repair and pedestrian improvements.


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For anyone trying to walk across the bridge, the closest crossing is along Roosevelt Way, which is parallel to 15th and about a 5 minute walk west. This area has a walkscore of 78, so the bridge may likely be frequented by people who live in the area. However, the inconvenience to these pedestrians is not without benefit, as when the bridge re-opens, there will be a railing to separate vehicle traffic from the sidewalk.

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SDOT installing more curb ramps

The SDOT blog mentions that more curb ramps (inclined planes) will be installed this summer:

As previously reported here, SDOT is busy installing inclined planes, which we call curb ramps, throughout the city. As a result, we are creating a barrier-free environment for all and improving our pedestrian system in the process.

SDOT crews will focus much of their efforts on Aurora Avenue North this summer. More than 30 new ramps will be installed to ease access to transit and local businesses. These new ramps will be constructed between N 85th St and N 100th St.

But Aurora isn’t the only place where you’ll see new inclined planes popping up. Our crews will be installing these ramps from 14th Ave S to 20th Ave E to 33rd Ave W this year. So whether you’re travelling via wheelchair, pushing a stroller, or carting groceries back home, be thankful for the inclined plane.

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Fighting for sidewalks along Aurora

In the 1950s, Seattle annexed unincorporated land between N 85th St and N 145th St. However, with no local jurisdiction, much of that area was not developed with sidewalks and according to local resident Richard Dyksterhuis, little has changed since then. Like the Bitter Lake resident who wants to make his neighborhood more walkable, Dyksterhuis wants to make this part of town better for walking.

For the past five years, Dyksterhuis, 83, has rallied neighbors and contacted city officials numerous times to call attention to the lack of sidewalks on his street. “Between 800 and 1,200 low income elderly live in the Linden Avenue area,” said Dyksterhuis, who wants to make it into a complete neighborhood street where his peers can walk or use their wheelchairs safely.

There has been some improvement recently:

A 100-foot stretch of gravel and potholes has been asphalted and a line painted on the pavement to mark the path for pedestrians. Further north, bewteen 143rd and 145th streets, an 8-foot-wide sidewalk was built last fall, three years after Dyksterhuis and other neighborhood activists got Mayor Nickels to pay a visit and the project was included in the city’s budget.

However, more could be done to transform the area by making it more walkable:

But opportunity for change has opened since two car dealerships have gone out of business and the big lots have been put up for sale. “I want you to find a developer with a heart, compassion, sense of beauty and commitment to social change,” said Dyksterhuis, who envisions a residential complex with a 18-story apartment building, a European-style plaza and small businesses. “It would help transform Aurora Avenue North.”

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SDOT sidewalk repairs

Here’s an interesting look into an SDOT project to repair a West Seattle sidewalk.

Property owners are required to maintain sidewalks around their property, except where damage is caused by the city or a tree. In this case, the city and property owner worked together:

By sharing the cost of the sidewalk, rather than just making repairs around the tree base which the BTG funding would cover, the property owners and SDOT were able to expand the scope of the work to repair the entire sidewalk length of the block from curb to the building, preserving street trees and giving them a better growing space for years to come.

This blog entry from SDOT has some more interesting information on sidewalks, including how sidewalk repairs are prioritized and the huge need:

SDOT Pavement Management estimates there are well over 7 million square feet of sidewalk that need fixing throughout Seattle.

To report any concerns you have or suggest a repair, use the Street Maintenance Online Request Form.

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