At a January 10 meeting of Seattle Greenway Organizers at the Beacon Hill Library, Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, chair of the newly formed Seattle City Council’s Parks and Neighborhoods, announced a set of pilot Neighborhood Greenways being planned by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) this coming year.

“Greenways connect parks and schools, community centers and neighborhood business districts. Neighborhood Greenways help with transportation, and they help with getting people where they want to go within their own communities," said Bagshaw in an announcement

Watch a YouTube video of Councilmember Bagshaw’s announcement,here.

Neighborhood Greenways are slow-speed, low-traffic residential streets near major arterials which provide a safe option for people to bike or walk.

By adding new park-like amenities and limiting cut-through traffic, Greenways are naturally attractive both for families, and for anyone seeking a safer, more connected community experience.

While many new dedicated walking and bicycling trails are beyond the reach of our City’s budget, 10 miles of Greenways can be built for the cost of a single mile of new trail, offering the potential to bring a high-quality network to all Seattle neighborhoods at a comparatively low cost.

Motivated by concerns for public safety and a grassroots movement of citizens across Seattle demanding greater community connection, SDOT staff has been studying how other cities link people with their desired neighborhood destinations.

The Neighborhood Greenways under SDOT will review a total of 11 miles of Greenways: seven miles in Ballard, Beacon Hill, Greenwood, North Delridge, Wallingford, and the University District and an additional four miles in Laurelhurst (funded by Seattle Children’s Hospital).

These projects are intended to form the backbone of a new network of Greenways that effectively connect people to the places they want to go by giving them a choice to travel on quieter, safer streets around the city. 

In Ballard, the street under consideration is NW 57th Street from Seaview Avenue to 17th Avenue NW and NW 58th Street from 17th Avenue NW to 4th Avenue NW.

Formed in August 2011, Seattle Greenway Organizers is a rapidly growing coalition representing neighborhoods across Seattle to plan and advocate for safe and comfortable streets connecting us to the places we use, whether we walk, drive, ride a bike, push a stroller, or move by wheelchair.

Greenway organizers continue to meet frequently within their own neighborhoods around Seattle to plan community connections. To learn more about Ballard Greenways attend Sustainable Ballard's monthly meeting on February 27.