Did you have such a good holiday weekend that you feel like dancing in the street? Well you’re in luck. SDOT is very pleased to announce that due to its popularity we are extending our Play Streets pilot program until April 2016! So far, over 75 of your Seattle friends and neighbors have joined the fun and hosted their own Play Street, each offering its own unique flair.
In case you’re not familiar with the program, Play Streets are like mini block parties that open the streets up to local residents for a variety of activities. Hosts of Play Streets obtain a permit from SDOT to temporarily close the street to through traffic with removable barricades for hours defined by the permit. To be approved, any Play Street must meet the following four criteria:
- The Play Street should be no more than one block long.
- The street should be a non-arterial street (click here to learn your street classification).
- There must be clear visibility from each intersection.
- The play street must have neighbor support.
Most of the time, Play Streets are developed around the idea of providing more community play space for kids, but adults often get in on the fun too. Some recent Play Street themes have included bicycle courses, street dances, and hopscotch courts. We have even seen people of all ages come together to do yoga in their Play Street!
To provide people with a better idea of what the Play Streets pilot program is all about, our fabulous multimedia folks recently put together a video featuring Play Street hosts and SDOT staff (and kids playing in the street!) telling stories about their experiences with the program:
Our team also produced the following three videos, each featuring a specific idea for Play Street programming:
Bike Rodeo –
Instrument Making –
Craft Tutorial –
Are you interested in hosting a Play Street yourself? Visit our Play Streets webpage here, for more information. Ready to apply to host a Play Street? Download the application here. We are currently accepting applications and can’t wait to see all the creative ideas you have for activities on your new Play Street!