By Gwen Davis

The West Seattle Transportation Coalition (WSTC) is looking for a new plan to better integrate the Peninsula.

In recent periods, the WSTC has focused on drawing attention to West Seattle’s limited ingress/egress options. It wants to better integrate the Peninsula and beyond. The coalition went ahead and called upon the city to come up with short and long term solutions that do not rely solely on funding from Sound Transit.

In response to this call, and with the direction from the mayor and CM Rasmussen, a list of potential solutions was prepared by SDOT and an interdepartmental team.

The culmination of the new “West Seattle Bridge/Duwamish Waterway Corridor Whitepaper and Recommended Project List” would add $700,000 into the 2016-2017 budget. The amount will help implement mobility and create strategies to reduce congestion, according to the WSTC.

The WSTC is asking its members to look at the proposed projects and email or call the Seattle City Council to let them know that they should support this action by Nov. 13.

Condensed summary of the project list:

To be initiated within one year:

Paint a red bus lane on the West Seattle Bridge, invest in transit services such as Rapid Ride C and restructure the C Line. Feasibility studies would also be done, as well as a string of operational, training and tow truck response improvements. Intelligent transportation system (ITS) equipment would be installed, as well as other improvements.

To be initiated within one to three years:

Create a two-way Columbia Street Project, make interim pathways transit improvements, improve 4th Ave S. transit, improve the Delridge Way Rapid Ride, expand the water taxi service and create arterial paving on S. Spokane Street, among other initiatives.

To be initiated within four to six years:

Create a bicycle/pedestrian connection from the West Seattle, Duwamish and Alki trails that eliminates the need for cyclists to navigate four-way intersections, create a direct ramp connection from 4th Ave. to the Spokane Street Viaduct and install cameral reinforcement in the West Seattle bus lane, among other improvements.

To be initiative within seven to 10 years:

Elevate crossing from existing Terminal 5 to the Alki trail, connect West Seattle to the downtown light rail, and other initiatives.