information from SDOT

Addressing concerns raised by residents, Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews are moving forward with in-street work to improve roadway safety on SW Roxbury Street and 35th Avenue SW. To make the roads safer for all users, SDOT crews are modifying current pavement markings and adding new 30 m.p.h. speed limit signs.

This work is part of the 35th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury Street Road Safety Corridor Project, which aims to make streets safer and more accessible for everyone. Using proven methods to lower vehicular speeds and reduce collisions, the on-street changes will feature one travel lane in each direction, a center turn lane to accommodate left turning vehicles and new transit lanes. Residents will also see longer signal cycles for pedestrians and vehicles, along with new transit signal systems and signs.

“At our community meetings this summer, residents were vocal in their support for safer streets in West Seattle,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “We are reducing speeds and changing lane configurations to make us all safer – drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.”
The work is expected to last two to three weeks depending on weather conditions. All roadways will remain open to traffic during construction, but periodic lane closures are expected. Access to businesses and residences will be maintained during construction with temporary parking restrictions.

“Driven by our focus on Vision Zero, this project addresses high rates of speed and collisions on 35th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury Street,” said SDOT Director Scott Kubly. “These community endorsed improvements will help make two key West Seattle corridors safer for everyone.”

Safety is a top priority for the City and it is committed to improving safety for all by reducing speeding and the number of collisions on our streets. Collision data indicates the majority of collisions are caused by driver behavior such as speeding, distraction and impairment. SDOT is pairing roadway modifications with new enforcement strategies and area-specific educational outreach to meet safety goals set forth in the Vision Zero plan. For more information, please visit the website here: http://www.seattle.gov/visionzero.