September Traffic Safety Meeting Recap
Updated: 3 days ago
Update on Sept 27th:
We are sharing one more reminder to submit feedback to SDOT (Seattle Department of Transportation) on the Lakeside Ave Improvement Plan! The Leschi community can submit feedback using the form or email SDOT directly at VZ_SaferSpeeds@seattle.gov. Please do so by September 30th EOD.
Here is a copy of the proposed plan:
If community members are interested in viewing more of the traffic data, you can find the studies here, as well as a demo video on this page on how to use the platform.
After the feedback is collected, SDOT expects the project concept to go through internal review this fall. They will share the final concept with the community once that review is complete. After the project is completed, SDOT will evaluate the improvements to make sure they are working as intended.
Additionally, SDOT provided responses to questions from the September LCC meeting that were not answered fully during the meeting. Please read below for their answers.
Could we explore getting the speed limit in the Leschi business district reduced to 20 mph?
Answer: We can explore reducing the speed limit to 20 mph. The traffic calming improvements planned for the area could support a lower speed limit, but the change would first need to be reviewed and approved by our engineering team.
Regarding lane narrowing at Main Street, that is a pretty wide part of the road, and neighbors agree that folks speed up there coming out of the business district. Folks are concerned that paint won’t be sufficient to slow traffic – can the team explore other solutions here? To add some specifics, would upright traffic delineators or road buttons be possible solutions for the lane narrowing at Lakeside and Main Street?
Answer: In addition to narrowing lanes, we will be installing speed cushions on every block of Lakeside to consistently slow speeds through the corridor. We also plan to install raised markers on the street to improve visibility of the center lane line (known as raised pavement markers), similar to the reflectors that Jim shared. We can explore the use of plastic posts to delineate the painted buffer area from the vehicle lane.
Regarding the proposed changes at 35th and Lane, can we please get clarity about what problem SDOT observed there and how the proposed change would address that?
Answer: We identified a potential conflict at Lakeside Ave and 35th Ave where drivers turning left onto northbound 35th Ave may enter space that is also used by southbound traffic on Lakeside Ave. The existing stop sign and pavement markings may also make it unclear where drivers should travel.
The proposed change is intended to make the intersection easier to understand and reduce potential conflicts. Drivers accessing 35th Ave would still be able to do so by making a short detour and turning left onto Lane St.
There is some concern about calming efforts pushing traffic to nearby routes. A number of neighbors asked for SDOT to observe 35th and consider calming (such as speed cushions) there.
Answer: The funding allocated to this project is only for improvements on the Lakeside Ave corridor. SDOT has other programs that can install traffic calming measures on other streets like 35th Ave. However, SDOT makes decisions based on data such as vehicle speeds, crash history, and equity needs for streets around the city. There is no guarantee that nearby streets will be a priority for traffic calming in the near future.
What about raised crosswalks like at Powell Barnett Park? SDOT noted that these can be costly, but agreed to check on this.
Answer: Raised crosswalks require more extensive design and construction than the improvements currently proposed for this project. They can affect drainage and must meet accessibility requirements, which can make them more costly. Given the project's available budget, we are focusing on improvements that can be delivered within the current scope.
Can you please share your data and insights that show how speed cushions have been effective at delivering speed limit compliance?
Answer: Based on data from several SDOT traffic-calming projects installed in 2024 and 2025, speed cushions reduced vehicle speeds by about 5 mph on average. At those locations, speeds dropped from about 32 mph to 27 mph. Speed cushions are most effective when they are spaced regularly along a corridor, about every one to two blocks. For more information on speed cushions, see our website.
Original post on Sept 9th:
At the September 2nd Leschi Community Council meeting, members of SDOT (Seattle Department of Transportation) joined about 50 community members to provide an update on the Lakeside Avenue Improvement Plan. The plan had been shared out with the community via email, the LCC blog and LCC kiosk, and the LCC Board collected feedback via a survey ahead of the meeting. Some attendees at the community meeting participated in the survey, while others did not. The survey results were then shared with SDOT for them to consider the feedback and respond.
SDOT will collect community feedback through Sept 30th, so please read on to view the plan, review the meeting recap, and submit your own feedback.
Here is a copy of the proposed plan:
Sept 2nd Community Meeting Recap:
Overall, the meeting was productive, with SDOT providing further insights into their decision-making. The meeting was a valuable time for community members to share more on their perspectives. Key themes from this meeting included an appreciation that change is happening in the neighborhood. Several residents expressed that this work has been necessary for years. At the same time, concerns emerged around back-end parking in front of Leschi market for north-bound traffic. SDOT assured residents that this is a parking system that works in other parts of the city and has to be validated by their engineering and safety team, and they noted this concern as they continue shaping the plan. There was also concern that the traffic calming efforts in various areas, particularly the Lakeside Ave and Dearborn ones, may push safety issues further up the hill. SDOT also fielded questions about how effectively speed cushions will deter speeding in the area. SDOT shared that solutions that may be desired by the community, such as flashing pedestrian signals and signs, must meet certain criteria for funding (such as volume of traffic or history of crashes). SDOT emphasized that they do collect data to assess efficacy of safety solutions and will do so after construction is complete.
The project will be worked on in 2027 and into 2028, beginning with the northern portion. SDOT is welcoming further community feedback, which folks can submit through September 30th. SDOT will incorporate community feedback into their final planning. The LCC Board will share out updates via email and online.
How to Submit Feedback:
The Leschi community can submit feedback using this form or email SDOT directly at VZ_SaferSpeeds@seattle.gov. SDOT will also respond to the questions asked at the meeting, and we will post a follow up on this blog with their response. The deadline for community feedback is Sept 30th.
Questions captured at the meeting. We'll post responses from SDOT when available.
Could we explore getting the speed limit in the Leschi business district reduced to 20 mph?
Regarding lane narrowing at Main Street, that is a pretty wide part of the road, and neighbors agree that folks speed up there coming out of the business district. Folks are concerned that paint won’t be sufficient to slow traffic – can the team explore other solutions here?
Regarding the proposed changes at 35th and Lane, can we please get clarity about what problem SDOT observed there and how the proposed change would address that?
There is some concern about calming efforts pushing traffic to nearby routes. A number of neighbors asked for SDOT to observe 35th and consider calming (such as speed cushions) there.
What about raised crosswalks like at Powell Barnett Park? SDOT noted that these can be costly, but agreed to check on this.
Can you please share your data and insights that show how speed cushions have been effective at delivering speed limit compliance?
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