This week, Seattle is observing World Remembrance Day and commemorating the 240 people who died in traffic incidents over the past 10 years. On Thursday, families who have lost loved ones, city employees, and first responders gathered at City Hall at an event organized by Seattle Neighborhood Greenways for a public memorial with silhouette cut-outs to represent those we’ve lost.
SDOT Traffic Safety Coordinator Jim Curtin speaking at City Hall memorial 11/17
This Sunday, November 20, local Greenways coalition member groups will hold events throughout the city to install the silhouettes as a public reminder, and come together as a community to commit to doing better:
- Ballard/Aurora/Fremont noon Peddler Brewing Company 1514 NW Leary Way
- Beacon Hill/Mt. Baker 10AM The Station 2533 16th Ave S
- Central/Capitol Hill noon Victrola Coffee Roasters 310 E. Pike St.
- Crown Hill/Broadview noon Holy Grounds 9000 Holman Way NW
- Downtown/Belltown 10AM Uptown Espresso 2504 4th Ave
- Lake City/Northgate 10AM Kaffeeklatsch 12513 Lake City Way NE
- Queen Anne/Magnolia 10AM Starbucks 2135 Queen Anne Ave N
- Ravenna/Roosevelt 10AM Third Place Cafe 6504 20th Ave NE
- West Seattle 10AM Ampersand Café 2536 Alki Ave SW
- Rainier Valley 10:15AM Bike Works 3711 S Hudson St. (back entrance to warehouse)
- Duwamish Valley noon Oxbow Park (Hat & Boots) 6430 Corson Ave S
As a city, we’ve committed to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030 through our Vision Zero initiative. These tragedies mostly aren’t “accidents,” but preventable incidents caused by poor behaviors and unforgiving roadway designs.
Earlier this month, we instituted lower speed limits – arterials in central Seattle were reduced from 30mph to 25, residential streets throughout the city from 25mph to 20 – an adjustment proven to increase crash survival rates. And over the last year, we’ve made significant investments in our Safe Routes to School program to make it easier and safer for students to walk and bike. These efforts were funded through the 2015 voter approved Levy to Move Seattle, which has supported safety and infrastructure improvements throughout the city.
By working with community groups, health-care professionals, university researchers, and local corporate partners, we can eliminate death and serious injuries on our streets.