A coalition of neighbors and community organizations has formed to oppose the Seattle Department of Transportation's (SDOT) plan to implement the Healthy Streets permanent closure of Alki Point to through traffic. That initiative is part of a larger plan by SDOT across the city to close certain neighborhood streets to enable more walking and cycling. The Alki Point For All coalition is comprised of Victoria Nelson of Seal Sitters, architect Vlad Oustimovitch, Donna Sandstrom of the Whale Trail and others.

They maintain that the information driving the choice of the space along Beach Drive SW that leads around Alki Point based on a survey that represented a small segment of the West Seattle population.

The preferred alternative called for the removal of 5 parking spaces along Alki Ave SW. The decision to remove an additional 62 parking spaces along Beach Drive was not announced until the design was final. What was driving that change? 

The coalition points to the decision to remove the parking spaces that is shown on the  Alki Point Healthy Street website. "The issue is that it was a big change from their previous preferred alternative, which called for the removal of only  5 parking spaces (see SDOT's Evaluation 2022). Also, the decision to remove the additional 62 spaces was not announced until the design was final," they said in a statement shared via email with Westside Seattle.

The city's project website states:

"While people can still drive to destinations on the street, using the street as a cut-through is discouraged so that it stays calmer and safer for all users – especially people biking, walking, or using a foot scooter.

After we installed the Healthy Street in 2020, we heard from many community members who wanted to keep the Healthy Street permanent.

In 2021 and 2022, we completed an outreach process and received comments from more than 2,000 people. After reviewing the public input, we announced in October that the Alki Point Healthy Street will be permanent."

The coaltion has created an online petition to drum up support here:

https://chng.it/jcPZB55HmL

From the petition language:

In 2020, Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) designated Alki Point a “Keep Moving Street.” Vehicle traffic was limited to local access only. Street Closed signs effectively kept most of the public away, creating a semi-private park for nearby residents.

In 2022, with strong encouragement from local homeowners, the closure became permanent, and Alki Point became a “Healthy Street.” As part of its final design, SDOT plans to remove 62 parking spaces from the west side of Beach Drive—a drastic change. Construction is planned to begin in Spring 2024.

Harmful Impacts. The loss of parking means that even fewer people will be able to visit Alki Point. Traffic will be pushed into nearby neighborhoods, where parking is already a problem, especially in summer and during special events. ADA parking spaces will only be on the east side of the street, away from benches, the beach and the view. The removal of parking on this scale contradicts SDOT's own guidelines for Healthy Streets.

Skewed Data. To gauge public opinion, SDOT relied heavily on a 2021 public survey. Only 2050 people participated, representing less than 3% of the West Seattle population. Of those, 58% of the respondents lived nearby. 

By design, the survey did not include an option to revert the street to its previous use. West Seattle never got to answer the question: Should Alki Point be converted to a Healthy Street?

We believe that the City has erred in closing these streets, and in removing the parking spaces along Beach Drive. This soul-nurturing view, and access to marine life, should not belong to a privileged few. Converting Alki Point to a “Healthy Street” has made it less accessible, less diverse, and less safe.

Further, we believe the analysis and decision-making process was seriously flawed, and insufficient for a change of this scale. For example, where are the studies showing the impact on nearby neighborhoods when the parking spaces are removed? How are the impacts of the Street Closed signs being measured? Where will school buses park?

The coaltion has not indicated they would seek injuctive relief.

"Our goal is to halt this project until the impacts are fully evaluated and understood," they said.