January 30

Maple Leaf Community Council meeting digs into transportation

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Traffic was all the rage for the first hour and a half of the Maple Leaf Community Council’s January general meeting.

Still to come are discussions of the Reservoir Park – opening this summer, and emergency preparedness.

But right now, transportation is the key for the four dozen or so neighbors attending.

“Moms, on cell phones, taking their kids to Olympic View Elementary, are the No. 1 speeders on Northeast 97th Street,” one neighbor said.

There was discussion of the recent “vigilantes” on Northeast 103rd and 105th streets, the problems with Banner Way and merging onto Interstate 5, the “rabbit warren” of side streets between Northeast 75th and Northeast Northgate Way, traffic muddles at Northeast 105th Street and Roosevelt Way Northeast, and additional traffic from growth.

The community council is taking notes. We will, too. What’s your favorite/hated traffic issue in Maple Leaf?

About the author 

Sara W

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  1. I sure would like to see a pedestrian crossing on 15th between ~83rd and 90th (I won’t stint on exactly where. Bus riders heading home have NO safe crosswalk at either the 85th or 90th street stops…

  2. Has anybody tried to cross Banner Way at 80th as a pededstrian (over I-5)? Traffic coming from the West to head Southeast onto Banner does not yield for pedestrians, joggers with strollers, etc. VERY DANGEROUS . . . . I received two 1-finger salutes this morning trying to cross there with my 2 year old son in a stroller, when the crosswalk sign was illuminated. My hope is that the people that “saluted” me were merely passing through our neighborhood . . . . I’d love to see a SPD safety/citation patrol set-up here to protect pedestrians.

  3. If it was a serious question about why 105th I can answer. Its because if you are heading north on Roosevelt its the last chance to bail before Northgate Way. I’ll tell you something else. That isn’t anywhere near as bad as cut thru on NE 115th where I live . We hoped that removing the park and ride would help but it made no difference that I could tell. The key is making Northgate Way tolerable and folks wouldn’t be trying so hard to avoid it.

  4. General gripe: disconnect between permitting allowing subdividng lots/townhomes and traffic planners. Seems city constantly surprised when traffic problems arise–yet they are the ones permitting the construction to increase density.

    Agree w/ 5th & Banner. Fortunately not in my usual drive, and I avoid whenever I can!

    Other thought: why does school bus go down 104th between 15th & Roosevelt–why not 103rd that doesn’t have traffic circle and reduced visibility at intersection with 12th?

    And increase parking enforcement. More houses w/ more cars + vehicles that can’t move = big parking trouble. (I’m one of few in area that can actually park in their garage!).

  5. 5th and Banner Way is horrible. It was more bearable prior to the bike lane being installed when two cars abreast could safely and legally proceed through the intersection. Now it needs a light.

  6. I agree about 5th and Banner. It sure looks like there is only one lane for traffic southbound on 5th. Too often I see a car in the bike lane sneaking through alongside a car in the proper lane, just asking to be hit by someone headed east on Banner.

  7. I second the comment about the dangers of Banner Way and 5th Ave. This intersection is way too busy to be a four way stop. I often see near misses, and was 2 cars behind a t-bone accident once. Very scary. The police officer who I spoke to about witnessing the accident noted that the intersection is a known issue.

  8. My least favorite spot has to be 5th and Banner Way. A four way stop? Should really be a stoplight, as impatient drivers are backed up to nearly 80th street. I have seen several accidents and near misses here. It’s a known problem, but when will it be a priority enough to be fixed?

  9. Why is NE 105th the default route between Roosevelt and 5th NE?

    Every street that crosses 8th NE from 80th to Northgate Way has traffic calming devices in the form of traffic circles or “Do Not Enter” signs. NE 103rd has a four way stop.

    This tends to move everybody towards NE 105th Street, which, as I have described in other posts: has a ten foot wide road bed bounded on the south by a drop off into Thornton Creek, on the north by a sewer pipe/bulkhead that is used by pedestrians as a bridge, neither side of the “road” has a guardrail, and there is no railing to keep people from falling into the creek.

    Close the street until they fund widening it to accommodate two way traffic and improving it to modern standards with a sidewalk, curb, guardrails and a railing. It is substandard and inadequate now.

    We were supposed to get a 3/12 wheelchair accessible pedestrian path on NE 105th by the Library, but nooooo, the price of steel spiked, and this planned safety and convenience improvement was sacrificed to balance the budget.

    How about that steel plate at the intersection of NE 105th and 8th NE, held in place by a car axle? That is the quality of “repair” you get in Northgate, it has been there for twenty years! We need to insist on a comprehensive plan for traffic and pedestrian access between Roosevelt and 5th. Light rail is coming, along with thousands more pedestrians and cars cutting through the neighborhood.

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