January 23

How are those new Maple Leaf crosswalks working for ya?

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24  comments

It’s been a little over a month since the last signed crosswalks went in on Roosevelt Way Northeast, at Northeast 90th, 92nd and 97th Streets.

Today we stood partway into the street at 92nd and watched some half-dozen cars ignore us entirely.

But that’s nothing. Here’s a comment from Donna last month:

I’ve stood at the corner of 90th and Roosevelt and had to wait for 34 cars before they stopped for me (yes, I count, what else am I to do?). Yesterday, for the first time, I went to the corner and the first cars coming each direction stopped! I don’t think this will always happen, I do think the painted crosswalk had something to do with it. I like to think that anyway.

Who else has experience with the new crosswalks?

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Sara W

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  1. @MapleLeafBob

    Walking a couple of extra blocks isn’t the issue. I can’t speak to the bus routes other than the 77, but the current 77 bus route on Roosevelt is NOT the same as the 77 bus route on 15th. It takes about twice as long because rather than going straight down 15th and getting on I-5 from Lake City Way, it must cut up to Roosevelt and then it goes down and gets on I-5 at 65th, which, of course, includes considerably more traffic signals. When your travel time doubles because of a route change over “a couple of blocks”, you look forward to it returning.

  2. As someone that is a pedestrian most of the time, I would welcome the police to start cracking down on people not stopping for pedestrians. I think a couple days of patrols a month would help train people to stop, including Metro bus drivers. However I understand this is highly unlikely given budget cuts the city is doing and the more serious crimes that are taking place in the neighborhood. Logically though as a community we should probably start lobbying for pedestrian lights and hope we can get them by 2020.

  3. @MapleleafJill –

    Yup. I actually meant to say walking a couple extra blocks to Roosevelt and not 15th. My mistake. With the section of 15th from Lake city to Northgate way being sandwiched between Lake City and Roosevelt, I don’t see why we need buses on 15th. As long as the appropriate routes are offered on those streets, having to walk up to Roosevelt or down to Lake city depending on which is closer, does not seem like a big deal. From pretty much any point on 15th you are only a couple blocks from Roosevelt and when you get down towards the bridge, if you have to walk to Lake City its all downhill on streets like 98th and not a hard walk. But apparently from some of the comments on here, walking is a big deal.

  4. Thanks Mary for the enlightening the confused Mapleleaf residents-drivers/pedestrians! Unfortunately the need to cross the street is a reality. I believe most of the Mapleleaf resident drivers/pedestrians are pretty aware of the dos and dont’s when driving or crossing.
    1. Safety first, look both ways again and again…
    2. At some point the foot needs to step into the street to show intent.
    3.Intent is shown in a vehicle by slowing and or stopping for that pedestrian.
    Sounds like- what comes first chicken or the egg?
    Perhaps you can enlighten us with the most opportune time of day to cross Roosevelt Way.
    I’ll give it a try!

  5. Dear mapleleafbob,
    Regarding your comment-
    We have some “big” problems in this community if people complain about having to walk a couple extra blocks up to 15th. Just my 2 cents!

    Doesn’t that work the same way for those who complain about having to walk a couple extra blocks to Roosevelt Way? Having a bus on 15th eliminates some bus traffic and a more direct route thru our neighborhood for those just passing thru. I’m glad we have other options.

  6. I can’t wait for the buses to return to 15th. It is a far enough walk from Meadowbrook. There were buses on 15th that go where I need to go unlike Lake City or 35th. It is almost impossible to get to Northgate or the Seattle Center from Meadowbrook.

  7. Crossing Roosevelt is ridiculous for sure, especially at rush hour. I on the other hand cannot wait for the buses to stop back on 15th. Roosevelt is way too narrow for them and with all the foot traffic drivers are increasingly impatient for the buses and speed around them into oncomming traffic. I am also confused as a driver as to the correct center line when it’s night and raining. The lane shifts abruptly in front of Cloud City and with the reflections from the scraped-up painted lines to the new and all the traffic uuugh! It’ll mellow out big time when 15th opens back up.

  8. Kudos Simon! I actually pulled over and talked to a dog walker who had a light on. I gave her much love for having a light.

    I, too, walk my pooch around the neighborhood. In winter I put on an $8 reflective vest that I got from Home Despot (spelling intentional) and a lighted dog collar from petsmart at Aurora & 125th. I also carry a flashlight. I do this because as I driver I know how hard it can be to see dark forms in the dark.

    As far as the crosswalks go, I do not tend to stop when there is an opening behind me. Sorry. But if traffic is heavy, you bet that I’ll stop for you! (traffic be dammed)

  9. If you pick up a $5 LED flashlight at ACE to keep in your pocket and then crossing aim it obviously not to blind drivers but so that they can see you waiting on the kerb, the drivers always stop for me.

  10. I think people on this board, and in the city generally, are confused as to what the law requires. It does NOT require a vehicle to stop simply because a pedestrian is standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street at a crosswalk. It only requires that a vehicle stop once a pedestrian has entered the crosswalk (that is, the street) and by so doing has indicated an intention to cross. If a pedestrian enters a crosswalk right in front of an approaching vehicle, it is the pedestrian, not the vehicle driver, who has violated the law.

    Personally, I find it dangerous and ill-advised to even attempt to step into the crosswalk until after making sure it’s safe to do so, and I don’t even like to enter the crosswalk if a car stops to “wave” me through because I don’t trust other approaching vehicles who aren’t aware of what’s going on.

  11. So many years waiting for the visible crosswalks. I hope the paint does not fade too quickly.
    As a Mapleleaf resident and frequent driver of Roosevelt Way I do my best to stop for folks crossing. I know the frustration of waiting for cars to stop when walking the dog and I do enjoy the surprised smile on faces.
    As I slowdown and stop for pedestrians, I’m hoping not to be rear ended or taken mistakingly for turning (no signals on) drivers have passed me on either side!! I now strategically need to see the pedestrian, be in the center of lane, check the rear view mirror for the distance and speed of the driver behind me as well as negotiate the on coming cars which head into each other at particular location because of the maladjusted center line while making sure I’m really seeing the correct center line. Oh and I don’t want to hit a bike rider in the hard to see false sense of protected bike lane.
    I admit there are a few distractions on Roosevelt, oh did I mention the wayward yellow reflective bumps(they’ve taken up residence between NE 103 @ NE 102. And this is in daylight.Please don’t get me started about night driving or having a teenage driver!!
    I digress sorry.
    Crosswalks only work when you’ve made it across safely and I truly believe our families and children in Mapleleaf will need to continue to be on high alert when crossing Roosevelt Way in those crosswalks or any street corner. Roosevelt Way Speedway has become increasingly a challenge for all. Perhaps Mayor McGinn would like to ride his bike across Maple leaf and join us for the safety meeting!!

  12. As a driver, I have to admit that I sometimes miss pedestrians lurking on the kerb on Roosevelt unless they are making a point of indicating that they are crossing. (As a frustrated pedestrian, I know it’s hard to be aware of what you actually look like from inside a car traveling 30 miles an hour down a gray, visually cluttered straightaway: yet another small, ill-lit vertical object among many. Yes, I think a 30mph speed limit is too high in that area, but there you go.) I suspect that drivers denying the right of way to pedestrians is the kind of complex social/spatial problem that won’t be solved with crosswalks alone, but I *really* appreciate the visible signage.

  13. I think the cross walks are working well. It will NEVER be perfect and you will never have everyone stopping, but I think the improvements are noticeable. I agree with MLResident’s post above, there is a lot going on with cars pulling out of parking places, buses, traffic, crosswalks, and pedestrians not using crosswalks that people should give drivers a little break now and then. A 90% to 95% stoppage rate at the crosswalks is a great percentage.

    Also, in regards to a couple other posts above, I think the buses should stay on Roosevelt and not come back to 15th. Roosevelt is a commercial street full of businesses and it makes more sense than running buses between Lake City and Northgate Way on 15th. We have some “big” problems in this community if people complain about having to walk a couple extra blocks up to 15th. Just my 2 cents!

  14. Honestly, as a driver, I am so focused on following the new washed-away lane lines and jogging back and forth to avoid the new bike lane that by the time I notice the pedestrians off to the side of the road, it’s sometimes almost too late to safely stop. I’d say I stop probably 90% of the time, but I do miss them occasionally. There’s just too much going on in the road to be fully focused on what’s on the sidewalk.

    I think the crosswalk at 92nd St. is on the north side of the intersection because there is better visibility what with parked cars, and too much traffic coming out of 7-Eleven to make it safe.

  15. I am the counter, and while I can’t speak for the ones at 92nd and 97th, but I have found the one at 90th has helped. I now count about 4 cars now before someone stops and my previous counts were averaged 11 (yes, not only do I count, but I used to keep track of them on a postit note on my desk too). It hasn’t been in too long, but I have been surprised and pleased it dropped that much. There will always be rude people (on wheels AND on feet) and I silently curse them, but I can get across faster than before and for that I am happy.

    And as much as a quiet 15th has been nice for crossing there, I am looking forward to Roosevelt becoming a bit less traffic-ridden.

  16. J. Hansen-Murray – I had the same question about the bike lane paint that you made and I spoke with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) leadership about it. What I learned is that when SDOT first stripes certain significant new channelization changes, they do so with water-based paint. This is so they can make sure that the changes work and create the intended results. Once the test is over, they repaint the final markings with permanent paint. This should occur on Roosevelt Way in the spring.

  17. This is a good thing to bring up during the public safety portion of the General Meeting on Wednesday. 7-9pm at Olympic Elementary with licensed child care on site.

    Councilmember Tim Burgess is chair of the Public Safety committee and perhaps, with his help, we can get some targeted enforcement on Roosevelt and 5th.

    Also, for what it is worth, EVERY corner on EVERY street is a presumed pedestrian crossing point – not just the painted ones. If you see a pedestrian moving to cross the street, city and state law require you to stop and yield.

    The only exception is a signalized crosswalk where you obey the signals.

  18. The painted cross-walks are, I’m afraid, a waste of tax dollars. You still need to stand in the street & HOPE someone stops; it’s not very safe (and suicidal at night). I can’t wait for the Metro buses to move back to 15th; they are some of the worst offenders (not stopping and speeding). And, has anyone else noticed how worn-off the bike lane paint is, already?!

  19. My wife and I moved to mapleleaf from the burbs (Kenmore) about 9 months ago. The crosswalk sitch may not be ideal but it is leaps and bounds better than car-centric suburbia where no one ever stops for pedestrians (even w/ a stroller). Crossing the streets there is like playing frogger. Not perfect here but to me it seems amazing when i get a stop and a smile… my 2 cents

  20. I had the same kind of problem on 5th and …87th I think it was? It was a crosswalk, but no one stopped! I may as well have been jaywalking. Whatever happened to pedestrians having the right of way?

  21. I don’t understand why the one at 92nd isn’t on the south side of the intersection. I would guess that at least 99 people out of 100 there are going to the 7-11, or Blue Saucer, not the dentist or the townhouses. Is there a rule about where crosswalks go? Even the rogue flags were on the 7-11 side of the intersection. It’s weird.

  22. As a major N-S artery, we need more than painted crossings; we need traffic lights and/or pedestrian actuated lights like at 88th and further up the road to the North.

    I often must cross Roosevelt and often with a 3 year-old. It is disgusting how few stop as required by law.

    These crossings don’t cut the mustard.

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