Home Zone: Aurora-Licton Urban Village
Updated: March 2024
Draft Home Zone
Background
The home zone process in the Aurora-Licton Urban Village was started in the summer of 2022. A steering committee made up of community members has been established and is meeting monthly. Community representatives led four Walking Tours of the home zone area in August and September. Seventy-two participants shared over 200 comments about their concerns and ideas throughout the neighborhood, which were recorded on an Interactive Map.
Seattle Blocks
Over 11,000 blocks citywide currently have no sidewalks. This is nearly 25% of the city’s blocks. Each new sidewalk is a major undertaking, requiring significant time and funds. Completing the pedestrian network with traditional sidewalks will take hundreds of years.
Typical Residential Street Without Sidewalk
What are alternative walkways?
Alternative walkways respond to the high cost of a traditional raised concrete sidewalk. Alternative walkways are about ¼ the cost of a traditional sidewalk. These walkways are typically constructed with asphalt and are separated from vehicles with a planting strip and pre-cast concrete curbs. Parking is generally included on at least one side of the street and this results in a narrower roadway, which slows traffic and increases pedestrian comfort.
Typical alternative walkway
What are pedestrian lanes?
Pedestrian lanes are another alternative to traditional sidewalks. Pedestrian lanes are about 1/10th the cost of a traditional sidewalk. Pedestrian lanes involve installation of precast concrete curbs on the existing roadway. Parking is restricted to only one side of the street and access to driveways is maintained. Where feasible, planting and trees are included to improve the neighborhood and pedestrian experience. This treatment does not preclude future improvements of an alternative walkway or a traditional sidewalk.
Typical pedestrian lane
April 11, 2023 Steering Committee Presentation
March 21, 2023 Steering Committee Presentation
January 31, 2023 Steering Committee Presentation
November 29th, 2022 Steering Committee Presentation
October 25th, 2022 Steering Committe Presentation
September 27th, 2022 Steering Committee Presentation
Questions or comments about the Aurora-Licton Steering Committe? Email Tom at nwgreenway@gmail.com
Prior Home Zone Drafts
Explore this interactive map of the comments that were compiled during the community walks in Summer of 2022. This map serves as the foundation for all future Draft Home Zones
Additional Resources
Curious about what a Home Zone means for your neighborhood? Take a look at the Home Zone Toolkit to see the kinds of projects that may be possible
SDOT is currently working on a larger, corridor-wide project to increase safety and accessiblity on Aurora Avenue. This project will also bring improvements to the Aurora-Licton Urban Village, to learn more about it click here