A century ago, Capitol Hill’s cobblestone streets eased transportation woes — Now, their purpose is preservation

Sometimes green and a little Pacific Northwest mossy, sometimes just bumpy, there are still stretches of cobblestone streets around Capitol Hill in 2024.

Seattle is home to about 100 blocks of cobblestone streets, including east of 23rd Ave and on Mercer, Roy, Valley and Ward streets. Similarly to other cities across the country in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the cobblestones replaced dirt or plank roads — the original roads of Seattle — but as the city turned to asphalt and became more concretely paved, some historically stoned streets have survived.

“Many people who live near or travel on these streets appreciate their aesthetic quality and historic significance, and the city has generally attempted to preserve these cobblestone streets to the extent possible,” a Seattle Department of Transportation representative told CHS.

Formerly known as the Seattle Engineering Department, SDOT and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods signed an agreement that set out guidelines for the preservation and maintenance of cobblestone streets in 1996. Continue reading

City says work starting on latest 23rd Ave overhaul adding bus-friendly traffic signals, safer crossings, and a short stretch of ‘transit-only’ lanes

(Image: SDOT)

The city’s department of transportation is following up on the 23rd Ave corridor’s road diet with a scaled-back project to improve bus service through the busy route connecting the coming soon Judkins Park Station and the Central District to the University of Washington across the backside of Capitol HIll.

The Seattle Department of Transportation isn’t saying when work will wrap up as crews have begun digging in on the north end of the $2.6 million Route 48 – Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor project that will add limited bus-only lanes to separate transit from traffic, improve crossings at intersections “to help people access transit safely,” and add new optimized and “smart” traffic signals “that prioritize transit with queue jumps that give buses a head start and “activate or extend green lights for buses” to the route.

“We are excited to announce that construction on the Route 48 Transit-Plus Multimodal Corridor project’s North Segment is kicking off,” the announcement from SDOT reads. “We’re making these improvements to reduce bus travel times, increase bus service reliability, and make street crossings safer for people getting to bus stops.”

UPDATE: SDOT tells CHS they hope to have the completed “the majority of the work” by the end of 2024.

The upgrades will be missing one key component. Continue reading

Between Capitol Hill and downtown, it is now west on Pine, east on Pike

(Image: SDOT)

West on Pine, east on Pike.

Pine Street is now one-way between the base of Capitol Hill and downtown. The Seattle Department of Transportation says crews were working this weekend to finalize the overhaul to make Pine the westbound component in the new couplet configuration with Pike.

CHS reported here on the $17.45 million project to transform Pike and Pine into one-way streets below Bellevue Ave with protected bike lanes and safety improvements including wider sidewalks as part of the city’s waterfront improvements. 18 months of scheduled work on the project began late last year. Continue reading

Man hit by driver in November collision on 23rd Ave died of his injuries

Osoteo

A man struck by a driver in a “significant impact” collision while crossing busy 23rd Ave in November died of his injuries, according to state records.

The Washington State Patrol says Mario Osoteo died in the days following the Monday night, November 27th collision.

Seattle Fire and Seattle Police responded to the scene along 23rd Ave just south of E Madison where the man was struck by the northbound driver while crossing behind the nearby Safeway just after 5 PM. The victim was struck in a “high impact” collision and was found unconscious and bleeding heavily by arriving responders. According to emergency radio updates, the victim suffered leg fractures and other injuries in the crash. Seattle Fire transported him to Harborview where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The driver remained at the scene and was interviewed by police in the area that can be busy with traffic, restaurant and grocery delivery vehicles, and people crossing near the supermarket. According to city records, the license plate of the vehicle indicated the car was a four-door Toyota sedan. At the time, police said there were no signs of impairment. CHS is not aware of any charges related to the incident.

Osoteo, who has been a past Seattle area resident and has family in South King County, would have been 47 in December.

Earlier this year, the city completed a six-year overhaul of 23rd Ave to make safety and transit improvements along the heavily traveled route between the Central District and 520.

 

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Madison RapidRide G construction still has a year to go — Madison Valley businesses say they might not make it

Work on the route through downtown is pretty much complete (Image: Seattle Department of Transportation)

By CHS’s calculations, construction along the Madison corridor to create the new RapidRide G bus line has another year to go. But a merchant group representing businesses along the route says patience with the construction mess, utility shutdowns, and transit impacts has run out.

“The RapidRide G – Madison St project now sits at 75% completion!,” the Seattle Department of Transportation announced in its latest construction update this week on the 2.4-mile route promising six-minute service during most hours of the day between 1st Ave downtown and MLK Jr Way in Madison Valley with stops across First Hill and Capitol Hill along the way.

But the Madison Valley Merchants Association isn’t celebrating. The group is calling on the city and Mayor Bruce Harrell to implement a small business council to address “the city’s lack of communication and planning regarding the Madison BRT project,” Marceil Van Camp, board member and owner of Kamp Social House, tells CHS.

The association cites “a substantial loss of 20% of the businesses along the Madison Avenue corridor, spanning from 24th Avenue East to 32nd Avenue East” and says  “an additional loss of 10% is anticipated by the conclusion of 2023” in a letter documenting its complaints. “This persistent decline is unsustainable for the well-being of the Madison Valley community, especially when weighed against the benefits derived from the Madison Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) – RapidRide G Line project,” it reads.

Van Camp says other areas along Madison have also met with the Greater Seattle Business Association about the challenges.

The full letter can be found at the end of this report.

While the letter also cites some familiar, sometimes shortsighted concerns around things like the loss of street parking, there are plenty of more substantial issues raised in the letter including the haphazard re-routes and wholesale loss of transit service by existing key routes in the area. In its latest construction update, SDOT says the detour of Route 8 away from Madison Valley will last for months into 2024.

Unfortunately, the pains for those living along the route of the Madison project are not new. Continue reading

Hope that benefits will shine through construction and parking worries for one-way Pike and Pine

Work is already complete to transform Melrose — but SDOT is going back to finish the job

The Melrose Promenade needs a redo. The Madison bus RapidRide construction has been a pain. With the Seattle Department of Transportation’s recent track record for the area, Capitol Hill businesses along the stretches of Pike and Pine being transformed to one-way streets with protected bike lanes are hoping for a smoother ride through the changes.

It’s not clear the hoped benefits of the work — wider sidewalks, better bike protections, safer driving conditions — have fully hit home as construction has begun and the changes are underway.

“They gave us a flyer letting us know that these changes would impact traffic in the area so we’re sending out messages to our clients to let them know of the change,” Chenelle Basurto, front desk lead at Vain Hair salon, said. “The area itself is already incredibly difficult to find parking and navigate for our clients. This is impacting us kind of negatively in that regard, it’s just an added stressor for the people trying to get to our location.”

The Pike and Pine construction now underway between I-5 and Bellevue Ave is the beginning of 18 months of scheduled work as the city will continue to install new bike lane protections, from downtown to Capitol Hill. The project itself came from a business focus group, Downtown Seattle Association started their Pike Pine Renaissance Project back in 2013.

“They did a lot of different engagements to talk about how to make the Pike-Pine Corridor sort of stand out,” Brie Gyncild , co-chair of Central Seattle Greenways, said. “A lot of that was done with the intention of making it a better environment for the businesses.” Continue reading

It is only three blocks but Pike readied for big, bike-friendly one-way change on Capitol Hill

A rendering of the plans for Pike (Image: Waterfront Seattle)

(Image: Waterfront Seattle)

The Seattle Department of Transportation says it is time to begin the transition that will change Pike and Pine between the waterfront and Capitol Hill into one-way streets.

Pike, you’ll go first.

“As early as” this Saturday — depending on weather and the construction schedule — westbound vehicle access to Pike on Capitol Hill between Terry and Bellevue will come to an end.

“This is the first step in making Pike and Pine streets one-way from 1st Ave to Bellevue Ave, Pike St one-way eastbound, and Pine St one-way westbound,” the city says. “Westbound bike travel on Pike St will remain accessible during construction until improved routing to Pine St is established.” Continue reading

Work to complete one-way Pike and Pine and new bike lanes crossing onto Capitol Hill

(Image: Office of the Waterfront)

The work to install new bike lane protections and rework Pike and Pine in downtown and on Capitol Hill below Bellevue into one-way streets has crossed I-5. The city has announced crews will begin the major changes work beginning soon to permanently remove the westbound lane on Pike between Bellevue Hubbell.

The Seattle Department of Transportation says the work should begin “as soon as November” to complete new roadway painting and update traffic signals.

“Once work is complete, you will see the following improvements between 9th and Melrose avenues: wider sidewalks buffering pedestrians from freeway noise and higher railings with integrated lighting on the bridges over I-5, increased landscaping and protected bike lanes separated from traffic by curbed buffers and planters,” the city says. Continue reading

Seattle City Council notes: ‘Full-time’ traffic camera legislation passes, disagreement on I-5 lid resolution

Here are a few updates from this week’s activities at the Seattle City Council:

  • I-5 lid resolution: The Seattle City Council voted Tuesday to approve a resolution supporting efforts to lid I-5. CHS reported here on the resolution reviving legislative efforts to spark what could be massively expensive — and possibly massively lucrative — developments and tying together neighborhoods in the city’s core. The resolution is hoped to set the next stage in moving efforts to lid the freeway into real plans. CHS reported here in 2019 on a $1.5 million study that explored the technical feasibility of building a lid with possible green spaces and public parks, schools, and affordable housing developments. Federal money may be available to help boost the effort. The projects could also present the city with vital revenue opportunities as it looks to manage an increasingly challenging budgetary environment. Councilmembers Sara Nelson and Alex Pedersen abstained from the vote, continuing their practice in opposition to the council’s non-binding resolutions. District 3’s Kshama Sawant was not present for the vote. Continue reading

As new year begins, Seattle School Traffic Safety Committee says better systems in place but 2023/2024 problems include a slow SDOT and disappearing ticket revenue

(Image: Seattle School Traffic Safety Committee)

Wednesday’s first day of classes for Seattle’s public school kids begins with city streets that still need important safety improvements but with a better path forward to achieve safety goals, a city report says.

The Seattle School Traffic Safety Committee report (PDF) cites the addition of a new “Safe Routes to School” coordinator funded by the city and new policies at the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections intended to make it easier for school campuses to implement safety and traffic improvements as important changes in 2023 that should put Seattle on route for safety streets for school kids in coming years.

More immediate improvements have come through Seattle Public Schools with increased bike parking capacity and new and renovated campuses, increased and improved bike education as part of PE classes, and a much improved bussing systems under the contract with Zum, a new provider.

The 2023/2024 school year will also be the first in which all students ride free on public transportation under the new statewide program put in place last year. Continue reading