Central District Pedestrian Improvements (Martin Luther King Way between E Alder Street & E Jefferson St)

June 18 , 2009

This project is complete. Final inspection will happen in June with any outstanding items being taken care of by the end of July

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is making pedestrian improvements adjacent to Powell Barnett Park on Martin Luther King Jr Way.

This project was requested by the Leschi Community Council through the Neighborhood Street Fund (NSF). NSF is a community-based program that is administered by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and funded by the “Bridging the Gap” transportation levy approved by Seattle voters in November 2006.

Improvements include:

• Raised crosswalk at E Alder Street to reduce vehicle speeds at the intersection where pedestrians are crossing.
• Median island at E Jefferson Street.

Median islands are considered very effective for pedestrian crossings on multi-lane streets. They provide a protected place for a pedestrian to stand mid-point when crossing the street. This allows pedestrians to negotiate one direction of traffic at a time. In addition, the median island can have a traffic calming affect by visually narrowing the roadway; a reduction in vehicle speeds may be noticed.

Construction is scheduled to begin in mid May and should last 3-4 weeks. No parking signs will be placed in the project area three days before construction begins.

What to Expect During Construction

• Pedestrian detours
• Parking restrictions
• Moderate to high construction noise and dust for a short period of time
• Typical work hours 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM - Monday thru Friday

For construction access issues, please contact Gary Merlino Construction, Brian Smedley at (206) 762-9125 (office) or (206) 730-0642 (cell).

Thérèse Casper, SDOT Project Manager, (206) 684-8764, therese.casper@seattle.gov