The city is planning changes to Roosevelt Way Northeast aimed at making the road safer for cyclists, but some residents are concerned about effects on parking.
A neighborhood open house on the idea is set for 5-7 p.m. Monday, July 12, in the auditorium at Fairview Christian School, 844 N.E. 78th St.
The proposal includes:
• Removal of on-street parking on the west side of the street between Northeast 75th and Northeast 85th.
• A dedicated bike lane in the uphill sections with a shared car-bike lane (sharrows) downhill between 75th and Northeast 115th streets.
• A new marked crosswalk at Roosevelt and Northeast 90th Street (between the Perkins School and Maple Leaf Ace Hardware).
Plans will be available for viewing at the open house, and project staff will be on hand to hear comments and answer questions. You can also contact the Seattle Department of Transportation on this issue at walkandbike@seattle.gov, or 206-684-7583.
We previously wrote about the issue here.
If this proposal goes through as planned, my family will lose easy access to the front door (and main floor) of our house. This will prevent grandparents from visiting in the short term, and prevent us from staying here in the long term. Removing this residential parking will push out families and seniors. It is not good for the health of the neighborhood.
Also, if SDOT follows through with this plan as it is currently designed, the result will be increased traffic on Roosevelt. Right now, traffic is worst during the morning commute, when drivers are heading south down Roosevelt. Many drivers take a right on 75th in order to get onto I-5. These drivers currently have a right turn lane on Roosevelt as they approach 75th to turn. This turn lane will be removed according to the plan. If removed, the backup of southbound cars during the morning commute will be substantially increased, and buses will be slowed down significantly.
Lastly, the narrow width of Roosevelt between 75th and 85th, along with the high amount of bus traffic present, makes it a dangerous place for a minimum-width bike lane. The proposed lane would barely meet the federal guideline for minimum width. Car doors and buses are still going to present a huge danger along this stretch. I hope cyclists understand this. This dedicated bike lane would be much more dangerous than most (although it would appear much the same).
I recommend sharrows be added to both sides, as well as a dedicated northbound lane be added to a wider, less dangerous adjacent street (such as 15th, once the bridge is completed). This would avoid taking parking away from residents and visitors. It would also prevent cyclists from being hurt in a dedicated lane that is much more dangerous than it appears.
I’m very excited to hear about the proposed changes to Roosevelt. I bike to work (downtown) and my husband bikes to work (Cap Hill) several times a week and legitimate bike lanes would be a great bonus to us and other cyclists. It also sends a signal to other folks that Maple Leaf supports bike commuters and green living in general. This is great news!
I welcome all of these suggested changes. Many drivers will, as usual, object to the bike lanes and sharrows, but I think overall they improve safety for everyone and are kind of a no-brainer. The removal of parking will actually help people turning onto Roosevelt from the side streets (which is quite perilous due to low visibility right now). I think Maple Leafers are VERY loyal to their neighborhood businesses, however, and I doubt very much less parking on Roosevelt will impact businesses in those blocks much.