The City of Seattle joined cities around the world last Friday, September 18 in hosting its ninth-annual PARK(ing) Day event. On-street parking spaces across the city were temporarily converted to pop-up installations where local community groups and businesses interacted with the public.

50 pop-ups participated this year, which made it the largest event to date. Pop-ups included games, art installations and local organizations and groups.

“This annual global event raises awareness about the importance of walkable and healthy cities, and helps people re-think how their city streets can be used,” said SDOT Director Scott Kubly. “PARK(ing) Day highlights Seattle’s public spaces and how they can be used to better connect people.”

The City reported that the event was also a way to celebrate the eight parklets and streateries that have been installed in the city. The open spaces grew from pilot programs that were initialized through Park(ing) Day.

“Seattle is already innovating new uses for our right-of-way with parklets and sidewalk cafes in places in need of more open space,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “PARK(ing) Day lets folks experiment with other ideas to see what really connects with people.”

There were at least nine pop-up clustered throughout Ballard. On Ballard Avenue there were three.

Smaller Smarter Seattle set up a 150-square-foot model of a tiny house at Ballard Avenue NW and NW Market Street. Citizens walked through the space and got a feel for what living in a small space would be like.

Katie Sheehy, an Urban Planner for the City, spoke to citizens about how living in smaller spaces and being more efficient can curb the City’s carbon footprint. The City’s Climate Action Plan has a goal of Seattle becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

“We put it together with the intention of getting people to think about living smaller and to live more efficiently, particularly as Seattle is growing,” said Sheehy.

She reported that 40 years ago households were larger and lived in smaller houses and that today household sizes are smaller but people live in much larger spaces. Sheehy said that with Seattle expected to have another 120,000 people living here in the next 20 years, how we live and the space we occupy can make all the difference.

People living in spaces of this size this could help the City reach its goal in the Climate Action Plan of Seattle becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

“It might not be for everyone, but it’s definitely something we need to start thinking about. …Ultimately a lot of people will need to live in smaller spaces. I certainly choose to live in a smaller space.”

“Smaller living is part of the solution to the density issue in Seattle, so is living more efficiently. … We can’t continue this trend of fewer people living in bigger spaces to actually become carbon neutral.”

Connect Ballard, a pedestrian and cyclist advocacy group associated with Cascadia Bicycle Club, set up an installation at 17th Avenue NW and Shilshole Avenue NW. Using white tape they made a temporary bicycle lane that connected the Burke Gilman trail to 17th Avenue NW. The trail ends roughly after NW 45th Street connects with Shilshole Avenue NW on the west side of the Ballard Bridge. The City is planning to build a Green Way on 17th Avenue NW later this year, but riders using the trail have no connection to it after the Burke Gilman tapers off. Shilsole Avenue NW is a heavy freight route, and the trail ends at a hard bend in the road making crossing the street treacherous for some.

“We really need to fix that and come up with a solution so people can cross safety,” said Brock Howell, a representative for Connect Ballard.

However, Howell said that connecting that small portion of the trail is a lower priority compared to finishing the Burke Gilman Trail and fixing the tight sidewalk space on the Ballard Bridge.

The sidewalk has been the site of numerous accidents and injuries in the past. The narrow path is just over three feet across. That space barely leaves room for more than two bicycles or pedestrians to pass safety. Being a main route for commuters, individuals intersect all the time, and they find that the only thing separating them from cars moving upwards of 35 miles per hour is a 10-inch concrete curb. There is no railing. Haley Woods of Peddler Brewery made two films that depict the dangers for pedestrians on the Ballard Bridge that can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcbStPM7wZs&feature=youtu.be.

Howell also mentioned that safety improvements would likely come from a levy like the Bridging the Gap Levy, which is about to end at the end of the year. About one-quarter of the City’s transportation budget comes from the nine-year levy. Howell advocated for Proposition 1, which would replace the levy for the next nine years at the added cost to tax payers of $12 a month. The new levy would fund things like the completion of the Burke Gilman Trail, repaving roads, seismic retrofitting of bridges and complete seven Rapid Ride corridors.

“Hopefully the installation opens some peoples’ eyes, and we can make at least this connection safe. It may not be this and that’s perfectly okay as long as we come up with a safe solution. … We obviously need to redesign our streets to make sure everybody is safe.”