With the recent snow and ice storm, we thought it would be a good idea to share a friendly reminder that we all need to keep our sidewalks clear. 

If you have a sidewalk in front of your property, it’s your responsibility to remove snow and ice so it doesn’t pose a hazard for people using the sidewalk.   This rule applies to removing other things from the sidewalk too, like leaves and branches, as well as maintaining the planting strip.

It keeps the sidewalk safe, it looks better and it’s certainly the neighborly thing to do.  

Plus it’s the law. 

Some might think that it’s the City’s responsibility to keep the sidewalks clear since sidewalks are part of the public right-of-way, like streets.   But this isn’t the case. 

Let’s get just a bit wonky for a moment… When a property is developed, part of the property is dedicated as public right-of-way for streets, sidewalks, planting strips, utilities and other things which benefit everyone in the community.  However, the responsibility to maintain the sidewalk area stays with the property owner. 

It’s also the responsibility of property owners to repair their sidewalks when they are damaged.  

More info on these rules is available for residents and business owners.  Also check out yesterday’s blog post about overgrown vegetation and sidewalks.

So, now you’re in the know in case of more snow!  Thanks for doing your part, neighbor.

As part of the Center City Holiday Pedestrian Safety Campaign, on Saturday, December 10, SDOT joined forces with the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and Feet First to remind drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to take it slow and pay attention. Peter Hahn, SDOT Director, Kate Joncas, DSA President and CEO, and, Ross Bentley race car driver and author, gave brief presentations after a crosswalk action.

A group of people, including police, the Metropolitan Improvement District, volunteers and the Feet First chicken participated in the crosswalk action. The walkers were highly visible in bright color vests; some held crosswalk flags and others carried signs with the safely campaign slogan and some saying “Slow Down”, “Watch Out For Me”, among others.

Walkers holding signs waiting patiently to cross the street (photo courtesy of Feet First)

The chicken crossed the road safely! (photo courtesy of Feet First)

Well, if you are asking yourself “What can I do?” here are a few things to consider:

Practice Safe Behavior

Oh the weather outside is frightful, ‘
But Downtown Seattle’s so delightful,
With so many nice places to go,
Take it slow! Take it slow! Take it slow!

Know the rules of the road. Together we can make this a safe Seattle season.

Take the Safety Pledge – If you are shopping at Pacific Place or in Pioneer Square, visit participating stores and take our safety pledge to cross safely at identified crosswalks, watch for cars when walking and take extra precautions when driving, biking and walking. If you take the pledge you’ll be entered to win a $500 gift certificate. Read the contest rules.

Visit SDOT’s Holiday Pedestrian Safety Campaign site for tips for driving, walking and biking safely during the busy holiday season (and beyond!).  See you in the crosswalk!

This past week we’ve been seeing headlines in the local media about the arrival of heavy rains, windstorms and even snow.  Just in time, SDOT’s annual Winter Weather brochures are also arriving!   Every year the department prints thousands of brochures which are delivered to Seattle’s elementary schools for the children to take home to their parents.  A total of 30,000 brochures have been delivered to the schools, and parents can expect to find a brochure in their children’s backpacks this week or next week. The brochures are also free and available at city Neighborhood Services Centers and libraries.

The annual winter weather brochure, which is available in multiple languages, has a large map of Seattle’s snow and ice routes, lists of important telephone numbers and web sites to use during winter storms, and offers preparedness tips.

You can find also this handy information on our website.  The snow maps are available and downloadable by district:  Northwest Seattle, Northeast Seattle, Downtown, Central-South Seattle, and Southwest Seattle.  Fact sheets are  offered on the website in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, Somali and Korean.

Be sure to check out the information so you are ready for whatever Mother Nature blows at us!

Access Road Area - AFTER

Access Road Area - BEFORE

Opening last Saturday with a ribbon cutting and community event led by Mayor Mike McGinn and Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith, this new segment of trail is writing a new chapter in the life of the East Duwamish Greenbelt. 

The cutting of the ribbon October 29, 2011 was a joint effort by the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust Executive Director Cynthia Welti; Beacon Alliance of Neighbors Representative Craig Thompson; SDOT Project Manager Terry Plumb; and Mayor Mike McGinn. 

Following the snip of that appropriately “green” ribbon, Mayor McGinn led a tour of the new multi-use Beacon Hill trail that extends from Jose Rizal Bridge west along the south side of I-90 and south along I-5 to the South Holgate Bridge.  The Washington Department of Transportation designed the trail with oversight from SDOT and also managed the construction contractor.  All who participated in the trail tour got a first-hand look at some of the amazing “after” views.  Of course, they are even more compelling when compared to the “before” shots, such as the photos from under the Jose Rizal Bridge, shown directly below.

As mentioned earlier, the before and after pictures are startling, in a good way, showing the effectiveness of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.  These include natural surveillance allowing people to see and be seen.  To that point, this is the first City of Seattle trail to utilize street lights; placed every 160-feet or so, they illuminate the entire area.  Add to that open fencing and landscaping and this urban forest becomes an accessible and usable neighborhood greenspace.  Features of the new ¾ mile of trail include: 

• 12 feet wide paved and level surface for walking, biking, and running

• Fencing along both sides of the trail (fencing to be completed now that configuration for 4.1 acre off-leash area is finalized)

Approaching Bridge - BEFORE

Approaching Bridge - AFTER

Before and after photos to the left show the trail area near the Holgate entrance – yet another stunning comparison of how access is greatly improved.

The purpose of this project was to extend the multi-use trail to connect with transit, other trails, and Seattle communities.  It is also part of the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan.  The majority of funding ($1.8 million) for this $2.58 million project came from the City’s eight-year Pro Parks Levy, which passed in 2000.  WSDOT also provided funds during design.  Then an $810,000 federal grant through the Puget Sound Regional Council made up the remaining difference, allowing construction to move forward.

The Mountains to Sound Trail is part of the larger Mountains to Sound Greenway effort that has helped create 100 miles of trail along I-90 from Central Washington to Seattle.  

Thank you WSDOT for the majority of the photos!

Happy Trails…

What’s not to love about Seattle’s hills, with their great views of the water and mountains?

Well, here’s something: landslides.  

Depending on the amount rain and their intensity,  landslides can be a big problem, causing major damage to public and private property.  

Last year SDOT’s Street Maintenance crew responded to more than 20 landslides.   The most severe landslide last year was on Lake Dell Ave, an arterial with a bus route, which was closed for ten days due to three separate slides on the same slope in one day.

Take a look at how SDOT recently secured a chronic landslide area:

The west side of Lakeside Ave S, just a few blocks north of I-90, had sloughed onto the street for over a decade, requiring Street Maintenance crews to clean debris from the street every year.  Slides here are an extra concern because the road is curved, limiting sight distance.  A serious slide here could block the street, cause a serious accident and eventually undermine a home above.  Last winter the problem got worse and it was time for a long-term fix.

BEFORE: Lakeside Ave S with debris from landslide

To prevent future slides, this fall SDOT’s Roadway Structures crew built a wall.  A serious wall– 42 feet long, three to seven feet high, made of reinforced concrete panels and steel piles.  This thing is expected to last 100 years.

Before building the wall, crews removed about two dump truck loads (about 20 cubic yards) of debris which had sloughed off the slope.  SDOT will no longer need to spend resources  to clean up landslide debris here each year.   Most importantly, everyone is safer. 

AFTER: New wall prevents slides onto the street