When voters approved the "Bridging the Gap" program to improve transportation in Seattle, a special fund was set up with $4.5 million for neighborhood transportation projects.

A half dozen types of transportation projects are eligible. They include street resurfacing, traffic calming, pedestrian improvements, sidewalks, trails and stairs, and lighting.

The Seattle Department of Transportation held public workshops around town to find out which neighborhood improvement projects people most want.

West Seattle residents attended a workshop at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Twenty-nine projects have been proposed in West Seattle but the wish list vastly exceeds the $4.5 million available. Projects proposed for West Seattle alone would cost an estimated $60 million to $77 million. Meanwhile residents in other parts of Seattle have wishlists of their own.

The least expensive project proposed for West Seattle is an 8-foot-wide asphalt path to lead pedestrians and bicyclists from West Marginal Way about 600 feet up Highland Park Way to connect to trails in the West Duwamish greenbelt. The project is estimated to cost in the range of $90,000 to $130,000.

At an estimated cost range of $8.3 million to $10.2 million, the most expensive project proposed for West Seattle would be to build sidewalks on both sides of 18th Avenue Southwest in the Puget Ridge neighborhood. The project would run from Dawson to Orchard streets - about 1.24 miles - and include parking strips, curbs and curb ramps at intersections.

Another sidewalk project is proposed near Arbor Heights Elementary School and it too is at the high end of cost.

This project pertains to about 3,300 linear feet of 35th Avenue Southwest, between Southwest 97th and 107th streets. A 4-foot gravel parking strip on the east side of 35th would be paved and the west side would be widened 8 feet. Those additions would meet the city's street-width standard of 32 feet.

Included in the project would be concrete curb and gutter, a planting strip and a 6-foot-wide sidewalk along the west side of 35th. A retaining wall, catch basins and a storm sewer would be installed. An overlay of pavement would be laid on 35th Avenue from 97th to 100th streets. The project is estimated to cost between $6.7 million and $8.4 million.

Another of the bigger proposals is to install a 10-foot-wide median planted with trees on stretches of Delridge Way from Andover to Myrtle streets. The landscaped median would be on sections of Delridge Way where there are no left turns necessary.

The estimated cost of this idea would range from $6.8 million to $8.3 million.

Mayor Greg Nickels announced he is adding $2 million to the city's 2008 budget for the Neighborhood Street Fund. If approved by the City Council, that will mean $10 million for the neighborhood street fund for the next three years.

A citywide committee of residents is examining project recommendations gathered at the recent workshops and will prepare recommendations for the mayor.

Tim St. Clair can be contacted at 932-0300 or timstc@robinsonnews.com