Thank-you for the overwhelming support (76 responses!) and the personal stories shared in response to our online letter of support for safety improvements crossing 14th Ave NW at NW 62nd. On Dec 17, The EBCA submitted a grant application for Bridging the Gap Neighborhood Street Fund Projects to enhance safety for all users crossing 14th Ave NW at NW 62nd St. The proposal closely replicates the intersection treatment currently at 14th Ave NW and NW 58th installed in 2007 with SDOT/DON funding and would feature traffic-calming curb bulbs, a pedestrian-refuge median, an elevated crosswalk on the North, and an extension of the bicycle improvements on 14th Ave NW consistent with the Bike Master Plan. The curb-bulbs would feature rain gardens to collect project area and offsite stormwater runoff for water quality treatment and infiltration. These proposed safety improvements at NW 62nd are also an important piece of the neighborhood’s larger vision for a safe sustainable 14th Ave NW mile-long corridor between NW 65th to the Ship Canal.
Your input to our online letter of support was a very important element to our grant application. We loved your stories and comments so much, we couldn’t resist sharing a few from neighbors who live very close to this intersection:
“I live on the northeast corner of 14th Ave NW and NW 62nd St and having a crosswalk there would make it a much safer intersection for my 3 year old son and I to cross when we explore the neighbourhood. We frequently cross this intersection because we like to use RapidRide on 15th Ave. The current state of the intersection makes it difficult for drivers to see us when we are crossing which means they are unlikely to stop.”
“A crosswalk at 14th Ave NW and NW 62nd St is very much needed. As a pedestrian walking home from the bus stop I constantly dodge traffic. As a driver, there are times when I don’t see pedestrians and bicyclists very well due to the way cars and trucks are parked. I see neighbors with children trying to maneuver crossing the street safely on a regular basis. A second crosswalk will encourage drivers to realize that they are driving through a neighborhood and hopefully it will slow some drivers down (lots of drivers are traveling over the speed limit on 14th Ave NW).”
Click here, to view all comments and stories submitted by your neighbors.
What’s next?
January – Participating neighborhood District Councils select their top three projects.
February – May – SDOT completes a high level scope & cost estimate of the projects selected by neighborhood District Councils (up to 39 projects in all).
June – List of top projects are prioritized by neighborhood District Councils.
July – Bridging the Gap Oversight Committee evaluates and prioritizes projects for funding.
August –Oversight committee makes funding recommendations to the Mayor & City Council.
September – 2014 Budget adopted.
October/November – SDOT begins planning and design work.