If you drive in West Seattle you are aware of the changes made to 35th SW, the conversion to three lanes for much of its length and the reduced speed. There's more coming in the near future. This came before the September announcement by Seattle's Transportation Director and two City Council members who plan to reduce speed limits by 5 miles an hour. The proposal cut speed limits on residential streets from 25 to 20 mph, and in the city center from 35 to 30 mph.

You likely found that the time it takes to get from south to north in West Seattle took more time. Many people chose Delridge Way SW whose speeds were higher. That's going to change.

On Tuesday, December 20, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will lower the speed limit on Delridge Way SW as part of the city’s Vision Zero initiative aimed at enhancing transportation safety and saving lives.

In a press release about the change SDOT said:

"The speed limit will be changed to 30 mph for a 3.5-mile stretch of Delridge Way SW between SW Henderson Street and the West Seattle Bridge. The speed limit is currently 35 mph on this segment of Delridge despite mainly single family homes and the presence of parks and schools adjacent to the corridor. This change will create a consistent 30 mph speed limit for the entire Delridge corridor.

Data collected on this section of Delridge shows most drivers are currently driving slower than the existing 35 mph speed limit. In fact, the 85th percentile speed at SW Trenton Street has been measured at exactly 30 mph so this should not be a significant change for people that drive this roadway often. The speed limit change will help reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions. This is especially true for vulnerable users like pedestrians since lower speeds significantly increase the survivability of crashes.

“The Delridge speed limit adjustment will help enhance safety on this corridor where more than 300 crashes have occurred in the last three years resulting in 148 injuries, six serious injuries and one death,” said SDOT Director Scott Kubly. “These changes will significantly help people walking and biking to schools, parks, transit and other destinations.”

Travelers on Delridge Way SW can expect to see new speed limit signs installed this week. SDOT will also deploy the Speed Watch Trailer to the corridor to provide feedback to drivers about their speed and highlight the new speed limit.

SDOT’s Vision Zero Team began evaluating speed limits on arterial streets in 2015 and recently adjusted arterial speed limits in central Seattle and on corridors like Rainier Avenue S and 35th Avenue SW.
For more information on Vision Zero, visit www.seattle.gov/visionzero. "