They might not be OUR top priority projects but it’s still always good to see projects in the area…
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will construct new sidewalks this year on two Northgate area streets, 15th Avenue NE and First Avenue NE, connecting existing sidewalks. The work will improve pedestrian safety and make it easier and more comfortable to walk along these busy streets.
The new sidewalk on 15th Avenue NE will be on the east side of the street between the bridge at NE 105th Street and NE Northgate Way. On First Avenue NE, the new sidewalks will also be on the east side of the street, between NE 92nd Street and the Northgate Transit Center, filling the gaps in the existing sidewalk network. The start date for construction has not yet been set. Watch for “no-parking” signs at the sites a few days before work begins.
These improvements are among the 15 blocks of new sidewalks that SDOT is constructing this year, selected using Seattle’s newly-adopted Pedestrian Master Plan, designed to make Seattle the most walkable city in the nation. The plan prioritizes sidewalk projects in high priority areas for pedestrian improvements and on busy streets where there are gaps in the sidewalk network. Funding is provided by the Bridging the Gap levy passed by Seattle voters in 2006.
See the program website at http://www.cityofseattle.net/transportation/btg_newsidewalks.htm
This is great news, especially for people who take the buses that normally run along 15th Ave NE south of Northgate Way. I think these sidewalks have been planned and funded for many years, but had been delayed due to concerns over loss of parking spaces.
There was a mistake in the SDOT release which I have corrected above. The bridge is at NE 105th St, south of Northgate Way, not at NE 115th St.
One other street that really needs sidewalks in our area is 125th St from 5th Ave NE to Roosevelt.
what about the 115th street between 5th ave ne and 8th ave ne? I heard a rumer that they are putting sidewalk on 4th ave ne.. is that true?
There isn’t any news on that yet. It was selected as the top priority for the North District in our ranking of the Neighborhood Street Fund projects.
http://www.pinehurstseattle.org/2010/04/07/north-district-council-and-ne-115th-sidewalk/
But it still has to go through the city and there isn’t any guarantee that it will get done. There are a lot of other factors still like other projects in the other districts and whether they can do this project in the budget allocated.