Seattle Right of Way Improvements Manual: 10-Year Update

Director’s Rule for Streets Illustrated: Seattle’s Right-of-Way Improvements Manual State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Review

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has determined that the Director’s Rule for Streets Illustrated: Seattle’s Right-of-Way Improvements Manual will not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment. As a result, SDOT issued a Determination of Non-significance (DNS) on August 7, 2017. This decision was made after review of a completed environmental checklist. The DNS and checklist may be examined through the links below.

The public is invited to provide comments on the DNS and checklist. Comments must be provided no later than 5:00 pm, August 21, 2017.

In addition, any interested person may appeal this DNS by submitting a Notice of Appeal and a filing fee to the Office of the Hearing Examiner no later than 5:00 PM on August 28, 2017. Please see the DNS for more information on providing comments and submitting appeals.

The new and improved Right-of-Way Improvements Manual includes:

Street Type Map: New Street Types for every Seattle street are depicted on an interactive map which incorporate arterials and non-arterials as well as land use and designated urban centers and villages.

Screenshot of new map

Street Type Standards: Illustrative images on Street Type pages show standard dimensions for different elements for each street type.

example of Downtown Neighborhood
 

Bicycle Design Guidance: An updated bicycle section includes design guidance for protected bike lanes, minor separation lanes, shared lanes, intersection design, and parking for bicycles. Streets Illustrated also includes guidance on designing multimodal streets – design elements for bicycles and transit service, as well as bicycles and freight service.

example of Bicycle Design Guidance

Freight Design Guidance: The updated freight guidance reflects the newly adopted Freight Master Plan and shows how the Street Types work with the Freight Network classification streets.

Transit Design Guidance: The new transit design section includes guidance on station design, clearances, pedestrian access, and interaction of multiple modes in coordination with King County Metro.

Example of Transit Guidance

Fire Station Area Design Guidance: Fire station design standards are reflected in the Street Type map with design criteria for specific street segments around fire stations for ensuring swift emergency response rates.

Accessibility Design Guidance: An access criteria section provides links to different national, state, and city design requirements.

Example of ADA guidance

Downtown Design Standards: Downtown design standard are updated with paving, planting, lighting and tree requirements.

Urban Design Section: This new section has guidance on adaptive design, programming public space, street concept plans, and green streets.

Check out this short film staring SDOT employees and produced by Reel Grrls, a production company that supports and mentors young people in media production.

Transportation

Greg Spotts, Director
Address: 700 5th Ave, Suite 3800, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34996, Seattle, WA, 98124-4996
Phone: (206) 684-7623
684-Road@seattle.gov

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The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is on a mission to deliver a transportation system that provides safe and affordable access to places and opportunities for everyone as we work to achieve our vision of Seattle as a thriving, equitable community powered by dependable transportation.