Broadway protected-lefts, ‘BUS ONLY’ lane join busy mix of transit, bikes, pedestrians, and cars at Capitol Hill Station

(Image: CHS)

 

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It took years — plus a few extra months — to make it happen but the “Broadway and John Street Signal” project is transforming the busy intersection’s traffic patterns.

The new “BUS ONLY/ONLY BUS” markings are applied restricting left turns onto Broadway from John to only transit. The rest of the project includes new protected left-turns on Broadway along with all the necessary markings and signal changes required to make it work.

CHS reported here in June on the planned two-month construction project’s long-anticipated start. The Seattle Department of Transportation couldn’t exactly explain why the work dragged on four months — “Project construction was originally anticipated to last approximately 3-4 months,” a spokesperson said, despite what the department said this summer. “The start of work was delayed about one month due to finalizing the signal design and weather,” they added.

The original vision has been boiled down by time and shifting funding sources after originally being raised as a community priority to improve safety in the area around Capitol Hill Station.

The final project has included rebuilding the traffic signals at the intersection of Broadway and E Olive Way/E John, adding new “left turn pockets” and a “separated signal phase” for eastbound traffic on E Olive Way, installing a new transit-only left turn lane for westbound E John, and removing an area of in-street bike parking “to accommodate transit turning movements.” Continue reading

After years of plans, new ‘protected left’ signals and transit-only turn lane coming to busy intersection of Broadway, John, and E Olive Way

(Image: CHS)

The Seattle Department of Transportation is finally ready to complete the long-awaited “Broadway and John Street Signal” project. Construction will begin later in June on a two-month project to create new protected left-turns and a “transit only left-turn lane” at the heavily used intersection fronting Capitol Hill Station and the concentration of Metro bus stops serving the area.

Boiled down by time and shifting funding sources, the proposal born years ago from community feedback will finally take shape this month to make the busy mix of pedestrians, bikers, and drivers at the intersection of Broadway, John, and E Olive Way a safer space.

Starting the week of June 19th, crews will begin work to rebuild the traffic signals to have protected left turns “where left turning drivers have the red while people walking and biking as well as oncoming traffic have the green,” SDOT says.

The project will include rebuilding the traffic signals at the intersection of Broadway and E Olive Way/E John, adding new “left turn pockets” and a “separated signal phase” for eastbound traffic on E Olive Way, installing a new transit-only left turn lane for westbound E John, and removing an area of in-street bike parking “to accommodate transit turning movements.”

For people on foot and bikes outside the busy transit station, the changes are hoped to bring more time and safer crossings while the new transit-only lane will help ease the way for buses. Continue reading

Chin up, this neighbor has added a new place to work out at their Capitol Hill corner

Lots of neighborhood mysteries pop up in the CHS Facebook GroupWhat were those sirens? Why is that business closed? When will that business open? — but a recent post had neighbors stumped.

What is this structure at the corner of 19th and John Thomas?

“At first I thought it was a pull-up bar and dip bars .. so I was like: ‘Oh sweet … the city is installing some sort of fitness trail around the neighborhood,'” the poster wrote. “But at second glance the pull-up bar is awfully high … So now I’m wondering if these are some sort of structures installed by the homeowner to grow plants around.” Continue reading

What the 15th and John Safeway redevelopment — Greystar Capitol Hill? — will look like

The future view from E John

Plans are taking shape for the new Safeway-and-apartment complex set to rise on what is now just a Safeway at 15th Ave E and E John. The project also now has a name. Depending on how a major lawsuit over rental price fixing allegations shakes out, Greystar Capitol Hill could end up an infamous entry into the neighborhood’s mixed-use development branding hall of fame.

The proposal has been making its way through the design review process, and is now scheduled for what could be its final meeting before the East Design Review Board. After rounds of refinements, developer Greystar and architects Weber Thompson have landed on a final proposal.


Design Review: 1410 E John St

Land Use application to allow 2, 5-story apartment buildings (336 units total) with retail. Parking for 373 vehicles proposed. Existing building to be demolished. Early Design Guidance conducted under 3038145-EG. View Design Proposal  (49 MB)    

Review Meeting
February 15, 2023 5:00 PM Meeting: https://bit.ly/Mtg3038146

Listen Line: 206-207-1700 Passcode: 2481 882 5283
Comment Sign Up: https://bit.ly/Comment3038146
Review Phase
REC–Recommendation

Project Number

Planner
David Sachs

The existing Safeway and its adjoining surface parking lot will be demolished. In its place will rise a pair of 5-story buildings. A new Safeway will be built on the ground floor, facing John and wrapping around to 14th Ave E. Along 15th, there will be space for a handful of small retailers. Plans have three areas carved out for retail space, but two of the three seem large enough that they might be able to be split up, so there could be up to five stores along 15th.

Above it all will be 336 apartment units. The units are planned to be a mix of studio, open 1-bedroom, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom. Below ground, there are plans for about 373 parking stalls, 150 of which will be dedicated to the grocery store. Continue reading

Police investigate gunfire at 10th and John

There were 911 reports of gunfire and a person shouting they had been shot but police found no victims in a Sunday night incident near 10th and John.

Callers reported the gunfire and shouting in an altercation reported just after 11 PM Sunday. Arriving police found the parties in the dispute and located a .45 caliber handgun in one of their vehicles. At least one shell casing was located nearby on the northeast corner of 10th and John, according to East Precinct radio updates.

Police reported they were in contact with the belligerents and said there were no reported injuries at the scene.

No immediate arrests were reported.

 

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Developer to hold ‘neighborhood discussions’ as final design for Capitol Hill Safeway redevelopment is pounded out

A rendering of the E John facade (Images: Weber Thompson)

A draft proposal for the February design review shows the current concept for the project (Images: Weber Thompson)

Developers of the project to redevelop the Capitol Hill Safeway with a new 50,000-square-foot grocery store, housing, and massive underground parking lot won’t face the final round of the city’s design review process until next month but they aren’t leaving anything to chance.

Developer Greystar and architect Weber Thompson will hold two “virtual neighborhood discussions” this week as they pound out the final proposal for the design to create two new five-story buildings including the new grocery, around 334 400 market rate apartment units, some new, smaller retail spaces, and an underground parking lot for about 350 cars.

“During the Virtual Open House, we will present materials related to our project and proposed neighborhood benefits and answer any questions you may have. We will also have a project survey on the website that you can fill out to communicate what is important to you,” Greystar says in the announcement: Continue reading

One of Seattle’s most dangerous intersections for red-light crashes, 23rd and John finally gets safety upgrades including new protected turn signals

(Image: SDOT)

(Image: @Spottnik)

The Seattle Department of Transportation still has a long road ahead to meeting the city’s “Vision Zero” goals but new street projects are addressing some of the most notoriously dangerous intersections around Capitol Hill.

Over the weekend, SDOT crews tackled work to finally overhaul the busy 23rd and John intersection, adding new protected turn signals and new pedestrian safety elements to one of the crossings with the most red-light crashes in the city.

“The new intersection will have protected left turns for northbound, southbound, and eastbound traffic,” SDOT said about the work. “People making a left turn from northbound or southbound 23rd Ave E and from eastbound E John St will have a separated turn lane and dedicated turn signal.” Continue reading

Design review: With ‘quirkiness’ and trees on the table, eight stories proposed at 13th and John

The concept for 13th and John

Part of the new wave of eight-story — and smaller —  projects coming to the E Olive Way-E John corridor

Capitol Hill’s East John-East Olive Way corridor continues to fill with redevelopment including an eight-story 13th Ave E project slated to come before the East Design Review Board later this week.

The board will also be considering a proposal for neighbors in Eastlake that will replace a commercial strip home to a grocery market and restaurants with a new six-story apartment building.

Nearly a year after its first go-round, a plan to bring an 8-story, 49 unit building to 13th Ave E will come before the board. The proposal, which had its first design review meeting last October, is proposed by G2 Development and designed by Skidmore Janette.

The site is at 131 13th Ave E., just south of the corner of East John. On the block currently are a mix of single-family and multi-family homes. The proposal calls for tearing down an existing two-story building and detached garage. The structure was built as a single-family home in 1912, but has since been carved up into three apartments. The 1903-built single family home on the corner would remain in place and neighbor the new project. Continue reading

Seattle Fire handles blaze in 11th Ave E house lined up to be demolished for apartment development north of Cal Anderson

Seattle Fire responded to a fire Thursday afternoon in one of the remaining single family style home mid-block along 11th Ave E between E John and Denny just north of Cal Anderson. The old home is one of a handful lined up to be demolished to make way for a new housing development.

SFD said the fire was quickly brought under control and there were no reported injuries in the just before 3 PM response.

E John was closed in all directions as Seattle Fire vehicles filled the area during the response. Continue reading

Man charged in apartment building gunfire that locked down blocks of Capitol Hill

Image sent to CHS by a resident in a neighboring building of SWAT officers outside the Holiday Apartments building during Saturday’s lockdown

Police say the multi-hour search and standoff at a Capitol Hill apartment building last Saturday night was sparked by gunfire from a fourth floor balcony that damaged two apartment units and the gunman’s threat against a building resident who came into the building hallway only to find the suspect pointing a gun at him.

Nile Wenzlick, 58, has been charged with second degree assault, malicious mischief, and one count of discharging a firearm in the incident that played out after reports of gunfire from a balcony of the Holiday Apartments at 10th and John.

During the outburst, police say Wenzlick fired shots that damaged a fourth and second floor apartment unit before knocking on the door of a second floor unit. The resident told police he opened his door and saw his third floor neighbor standing in front of his doorway with a pistol at his hip, pointing the gun directly at the man. The resident quickly slammed and locked the door. Continue reading