Walking is the most affordable, climate-friendly way to get around town, and under Mayor Greg Nickels’ leadership, Seattle has made unprecedented investments in building sidewalks and improving pedestrian safety.
As more residents choose to give their cars a break, the Mayor, an avid walker himself, has made pedestrian safety a priority—improving the city’s sidewalks, crosswalks and trails.
“We’re determined to make our neighborhoods accessible and to help people cross our intersections safely and comfortably,” said Nickels.
Seattle has built more sidewalks under Mayor Nickels’ leadership than during any other recent administration. Prior to 2002, the city built an average of nine blocks per year. Under Mayor Nickels, the city has constructed 287 blocks of sidewalk, or about 48 per year.
In addition to building sidewalks or improving pedestrian areas, another component essential to the Mayor’s pedestrian safety plan is sidewalk maintenance. Every year, the Seattle Department of Transportation spends about $2 million on sidewalk repairs and maintenance.
School zone safety
The Mayor has put special emphasis on safety in school zones. “Walking to school should not be the most challenging part of a student’s day,” Nickels said.
The Safe Routes to School program is improving pedestrian and bicycle safety through construction projects, education, and enforcement. Improving safety on school routes will encourage more students to walk or bike to school, promoting healthy, active lifestyles.
In 2008, the city completed projects at Sanislo Elementary, Broadview Thomson Elementary, Dunlap Elementary, Bailey Gatzert Elementary and Summit K-12 School. For 2009, the Mayor announced that the city will upgrade walkways and crossings at Sacajawea Elementary, North Beach Elementary, Blaine K-8, Kimball Elementary and Concord Elementary
Mayor’s 10-point plan
Based on the success of the Bicycle Master Plan, the city of Seattle is engaging residents in developing a Pedestrian Master Plan. Mayor Nickels has also developed a 10-point plan to improve pedestrian safety:
- Install signs in busy pedestrian corridors.
- Create billboards that will reinforce these signs and remind motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists of the importance of road safety.
- Improve walking routes to schools.
- Visit children at schools and community centers, to discuss crosswalk and pedestrian safety.
- SPD will step up enforcement of pedestrian safety laws.
- Stiffen the penalties for drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians.
- Upgrade and improve the visibility of 110 crosswalks at 50 intersections.
- Continue red-light camera and speed van enforcement projects.
- Rotate speed limit trailers throughout the city to remind speeding drivers to slow down.
- Issue public service announcements to alert drivers and pedestrians of the three most common pedestrian v. auto accidents intersections.
Slower cars, safer pedestrians
One of the biggest barriers to pedestrian safety and comfort is the speed of passing cars. The city has a well-established traffic-calming program that aims to encourage vehicles to travel at posted speeds.
The Seattle Department of Transportation has installed traffic circles, speed humps and tapered road segments throughout the neighborhoods. The city also has installed signs that use radar to show drivers how fast they are traveling, prompting speeding motorists to slow down.
To promote safety in school areas, the Mayor introduced the Seattle Police Department’s photo-radar enforcement program. The photo-radar equipped van is designed to catch school-zone speeders, improving overall safety for children who walk and bike to school. The van rotates among eight designated schools.
Safety at intersections
Seattle is making great strides in improving safety at intersections, with the installation of signs, crosswalk beacons, pedestrian countdown signals and curb ramps. The city has installed:
- 150 curb ramps each year, to improve accessibility for individuals with limited mobility.
- New marked crosswalks at more than 50 locations
- 560 new pedestrian countdown signals, telling pedestrians how much time they have to cross the street.
