Closing the bridge over Thornton Creek has dramatically slashed traffic on 15th Avenue Northeast, but residents have long complained of speeders on the road.
Before the bridge reopens next year, the Maple Leaf Community Council hopes to have a new tool to fight speed, an electronic speed sign similar to the one show here.
Other cities have had success with radar speed signs in slowing traffic. Two years ago, we won a city funds competition to have one installed on 15th Ave NE. These signs will say “Speed Limit 30 mph. Your Speed is ____”. A radar unit in the signs fills in the passing car’s speed. (Note: This is not a photo radar speed enforcement unit.)
Unfortunately, we only received funding for one sign. We need your input on where on 15th NE the sign should appear. Installation is planned for later in 2010.
You can leave suggestions in the comments here or e-mail them to the Community Council at MLCC@MapleLeafCommunity.org.
At least one reader certainly agrees with the council. In a comment on an earlier story on Northeast 125th Street, Pinehurst.Resident wrote: “The 15th Ave arterial is in more desperate need of traffic modification than 125th, in my opinion. 15th Ave NE from 125th to Northgate is entirely residential – condos and apartments, but all residential, except a small strip mall. Cars race each other down the street on a regular basis and motorcycles think it’s a raceway.”
15th between 94th and 86th flattens out; cars climbing the hill from either direction take off in this section. I’ve been passed by other cars on the left in this section as if it were a highway. My opinion is that the electronic signs should go up at 94th and 87th. Cars travelling 50 mph on this 30 mph street are typical.
It should be at 15th & 100th (where the Eckstein bus drops off students)…
Closing the bridge is just making everyone turn up the street right before it…to cut over to Roosevelt…and that is a serious drag to all of us who live there.
Geez Dan- last I checked there were actually businesses and sidewalks on Roosevelt. What’s on 15th in Maple Leaf? A church? Between Northgate way and Lake City- I’d say 15th is 99% residential. Closing the 15th Ave bridge would just keep the east side of Maple Leaf a little quieter and safer for peds/kids. Roosevelt has always been busier than 15th- or at least in the past 30 years I’ve lived in the area. Because it’s a straight shot to Eastlake- it has also been a viable alternative to I-5. Sorry you didn’t know that before moving near Roosevelt.
I live on 15th and 92nd and can say for sure there are lots of speeding cars past here, especially at night. I think the speed sign should go somewhere around 88th to 92nd (northbound) because it seems that is where drivers are picking up speed coming up the hill. But when the bridge is open, cars are also speeding southbound. There should also be a crosswalk somewhere on 15th hill. Lots of children around here with no safe place to cross the street.
Your right 15th Ave Resident because Roosevelt is so much fun to drive on and live nearby. Heck, why don’t we close down I-5 and divert it to Roosevelt.
Sign? I live on 15th- the best way to reduce traffic is to NOT replace the bridge! I vote keep it down. I love living on 15th now! Seriously though, are the any studies that show that the 15th Ave bridge is needed? How about diverting the funds to the South Park bridge repair? I think our fellow Seattlites in South Park would appreciate their bridge completed first.
I think the sign should go up in the 90’s on the crest of the hill. Not sure if northbound or southbound would be better. My guess is traffic speeds are probably greater between the top of the hill and Northgate Way, but it seems to me more pedestrains are trying to cross up there. But pretty much any place would help.
And I wouldn’t call 15th between 125th and Northgate Way “entirely residential” by a long shot. Maybe they meant 115th? I was assuming this project was for the Maple Leaf stretch of 15th, though.
Although I normally drive slower than a lot of frantic racers, I respectfully disagree that the majority of us are being speed demons along this stretch of Roosevelt.
Do I allow my car to coast along the downhill more than 30 mph? Absolutely! Do I allow it to go over 40? No. Even on my bicycle I can get 38 plus.
I have been on this stretch of road for more than 30 years. The biggest problem that I have seen has been motorists that refuse to wait for traffic to ebb. The people that refuse to wait for the last car in the train to pass before pulling out into the lane of traffic are much more of a problem than a bit of going over 30mph.
The speed signs will be permanent and will look like this:
http://www.zillow.com/blog/can-a-radar-speed-sign-change-a-neighborhood/2008/09/17/
I have pictures of what happens when a car does 130 mph down Roosevelt and hits a rock wall. I can share if anyone would like to see them.
It’s also a race from Roosevelt and Northgate Way up the hill to where it turns into one lane all day long.
I really think we need the cameras. Sorry but it’s the only way anyone will slow down for sure. I don’t like the idea any more that you but it would finally put a stop to the race car madness.
I wonder if the speeding is faster on 15th north of 100th or south of 100th. A part of me thinks a good spot for the sign would be around the Methodist church, but then a lot of traffic slows through that stretch for people turning onto 98th. However, the downhill stretch from 100th to the bridge is more dangerous because gravity seems to speed up even nonspeeders and because there are NO sidewalks or bike lanes.
The worst stretches of speeding in the greater Northgate area seem to be on Pinehurst Way NE between NE 117th and Northgate Way and on 125th from I-5 to Lake City. I see people going 50 to 65 MPH all the time on these stretches in our residential neighborhood.