A neighbor asked us to post information about her request to SDOT that they study the intersection of 15th Ave NE and NE 120th St.
I asked Seattle Department of Transportation to do a traffic study on the corner of NE 120th St. and 15th Av NE. The traffic light is for the north and south bound traffic only. NE 120th St has stop signs on both the east and west side of the street. The problem is during morning and evening rush hour you cannot get out onto 15th Av NE from NE 120th St. It can be so bad that some people get out of their cars and push the pedestrian button to make the light change. The other safety issue is that when the cars are stopped at that light, you cannot see when the light turns from red to green from NE 120th St. I called last week and they are on it already.
Thanks for requesting this! During the morning commute, this can be a really hectic corner. I’m surprised there are not more accidents from people west-bound on 120th turning left onto 15th. This also explains the mystery of the trsffic counter box that appeared last week.
It’s too bad folks are cutting across 120th when they should be using 125th, an arterial. Putting a 4 way light there will just encourage more abuse. Did it occur to you that the reason they so quickly want to study your suggestion is thet realize that if 125th does to 2 lanes 120th will get hammered? Honestly, you folks are making some really foolish choices regarding this whole area.
Sue, I Couldn’t agree with you more.
I would guess that just about everyone who goes through that intersection is either starting or ending their trip in the neighborhood. Specifically, they are in the area bounded by Lake City Way, 15th, 115th and 125th.
So, the change on 125th may actually cut down on folks cutting across. Right now, people inside that area rarely take a left onto 125th. It is just too difficult and too dangerous. With a center turn lane, things change. Now, people can take that left and get on an arterial much faster. So, for example, if you are on 123rd and 23rd and want to go the Crest Theater, you will just head towards 125th and take a left instead of going on 20th.
115th is a different matter. People treat that street like an arterial and things aren’t going to change unless significant changes are made (like speed bumps).
Actually Sue, what occurred to me is that when I asked them to put a crosswalk in at that intersection, they were on it right away. When we got signatures for a traffic light because drivers weren’t stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk, they heard us again. I don’t think your reason has anything to do with it. Every time I talk to them about a safety issue they are on it really quickly. When I call about the shelterhouse being tagged, they are out painting over it the same day. When I called them to paint the yellow trim around the circle at NE 123rd St. and 14th Av NE, they did it within two days.
They may find that the stop signs are working well enough at this intersection, but I can’t get out of my street safely because the traffic is so heavy. Period.
Jeanne – Thank you for all of your work in that part of the neighborhood to make it safer to walk. That stop light at 15th and 120th was a godsend. If anything, we need more stop lights along 15th and Pinehurst Way. I agree that only people who live in the neighborhood are going to use that light. It is not at all faster to go through that way than to use NE 125th. 115th, maybe. 120th, no.
Jeanne, I owe you a belated thank you for that pedestrian light on 15th! I remember zooming across that street with my child in a stroller trying to get to the park. It is so much easier to walk to the kids to the park with that light.
I live near 120th and 20th. It is so hard to turn left onto 15th from 120th that most times I don’t even try. Instead I drive all the down to Northgate Way and turn right. It will be interesting to find out the results of the study.
I live on 115th and traveling from NE 115th to Pinehurst Way or just to continue east is nothing but a nightmare as well. Again there is an akward light for pedestrians there, and we are talking school kids which could be really dangerous. Don’t think I don’t “feel you” I know however that moving that light to 115th would make 115th even worse if that is possible.
It is good they are studying the area Just keep it real folks.