Pedestrian Refuge Islands

October 1, 2026 

What's Happening Now?

As of Summer 2026, we completed construction on the Pedestrian Refuge Islands projects. As we round out the year, you may see coordinated efforts to make the crossings safer, such as grading the edges of these structures or relocating the flashing beacons. However, the installation of these crucial infrastructure pieces is finished. 

Project Overview 

Crosswalks allow you to travel (i.e., walk, roll, jog, shuffle, etc.) from one side of a street to the other. Basically, they help you get safely from Point A to Point B. Sometimes, a crosswalk could be safer, though. Sometimes pedestrians take longer to cross.  Other times, travelers are not as visible to people in cars or on bikes.  

We have a few different ways to make crossing safer. One is by installing a Rectangular Rapidly Flashing Beacon (or RRFB). This is a sign with a flashing light that alerts drivers when a pedestrian enters the crosswalk. You’ll see these typically with a pedestrian push-button (or as we call it, a PPB) so that people can press the button and the light begins flashing.

A crosswalk with a Rapidly Flashing Beacon.
  
Another way we make crossings safer is by installing pedestrian refuge islands (see the example above). These concrete medians let travelers cross streets with many lanes. Pedestrian refuge islands are usually out on streets where traffic flows in opposite directions. To use them, a person would cross the first part of the street to reach the island. After that, they would either continue or wait for traffic to allow them to cross to the other side. 

A crosswalk on a busy street with a pedestrian refuge island.

Project Locations 

^{Map of the locations of the pedestrian refuge island locations, with purple numbered dots showing completed projects}

1. 11th Ave & E Pike St (Capitol Hill)
   • + Pedestrian Ramps  
2. 6th Ave W & W Nickerson St (Queen Anne)
   • + Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, and Pedestrian Push-Buttons
3. 12th Ave & E Alder St (First Hill)
   • + Pedestrian Ramps, and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons 
4. 23rd Ave S & S Main St (Central District)
   • + Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
5. Stone Way N & N 41st S St (Wallingford)
6. 2nd Ave NE & NE 45th St (Wallingford)
   • + Pedestrian Ramps, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons, and Pedestrian Push-Buttons
7. Meridian Ave N & N 107th St (Northgate)
8. College Way N & N 103rd St (Northgate)

Project Schedule 

Construction is complete, as of Summer 2026. We may perform sporadic changes and adjustments where needed, however.

Funding 

• 2020 WSDOT City Safety Grant
• Vision Zero  

Outreach Materials  

• Construction Mailer (December 2025)