Map of the car-free part.
54 years after the primary Bicycle Sunday on Lake Washington Boulevard, the car-free occasion has lengthy solidified as a beloved custom. As was the case in 2021, SDOT and Seattle Parks will develop Bicycle Sundays into what they’re now calling “Bicycle Weekends,” a collection of car-free weekends throughout the summer season. The primary 2022 Bicycle Weekend is Might 20–23. Right here’s the 2022 schedule:
- Might 20–23; 27–31
- June 10–13; 24–27
- July 1–5; 15–18
- August 12–15; 19–22
- September 2–6; 16–19
After a half century, public assist has grown for making a everlasting car-free house on the scenic and historic lakeside roadway. A 2021 on-line survey discovered overwhelming assist for a permanently-car-free Lake Washington Boulevard. Although on-line surveys are a restricted instrument for amassing public sentiments, this one obtained 6,701 responses, 2,244 of which have been from individuals residing within the native 98118 zip code. That’s a variety of responses. Beneath are the outcomes:
SDOT launched an analysis report (PDF) in February of the 2020 and 2021 Maintain Transferring Streets program on Lake Washington Boulevard.
“At a excessive degree, we discovered a considerable variety of individuals strolling and biking on Lake Washington Blvd throughout the closures this summer season (for instance throughout the weekend of July 10-11, there have been a complete of three,911 individuals counted biking on the Maintain Transferring Road),” SDOT workers wrote within the report. “We additionally discovered car site visitors on aspect streets was not increased throughout the weekend closures than throughout weekday non-closures, excluding Hunter Blvd S/S thirty eighth St.” The report consists of concepts for easy methods to forestall cut-through site visitors on Hunter.
With all this latest knowledge and public suggestions in hand, SDOT has introduced a brand new “visioning course of” for the the road. This course of is deliberate to take all of 2022. Town has not introduced a date for when avenue adjustments would possibly happen, presumably as a result of that relies on what comes from the method, however hopefully this can set the stage for everlasting adjustments to the road in 2023.
“Within the coming weeks, in partnership with the Southeast Seattle neighborhood, the Seattle Division of Transportation (SDOT) will start a visioning course of for Lake Washington Blvd,” SDOT wrote in a weblog publish. “This course of will proceed by the tip of 2022 and end in a framework for the way the Metropolis of Seattle will make future selections on what driving, biking, strolling, and rolling shall be like on Lake Washington Blvd.” Extra particulars from the SDOT Weblog:
For the visioning course of, the Southeast Seattle neighborhood shall be actively concerned in shaping the framework. We worth your historical past and views on Lake Washington Blvd. You’ll have a number of alternatives this summer season to share your experiences and priorities for Lake Washington Blvd.
We’re designing the outreach and engagement course of from the bottom up. Now we have requested a bunch of Southeast Seattle neighborhood members that signify long-time residents, folks that journey bicycles, and neighborhood neighborhood organizations to assist us design a neighborhood outreach course of that can kick off this summer season. We hope you’ll take part within the engagement actions after they begin this summer season.
We anticipate outreach and engagement will embody a of combine neighborhood conferences, electronic mail updates, and in-person occasions in Southeast Seattle with alternatives to be taught extra and meet Metropolis of Seattle workers to debate concepts, ask questions, and supply suggestions.
