The unexpected closure of the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge dramatically impacted West Seattle and the nearby Duwamish Valley communities.
Today we are launching Reconnect West Seattle and your voice is needed before July 31 deadline.
We have a vision to restore travel across the Duwamish to similar levels seen before the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge closure. At the same time, we want to reduce the impact of detour traffic in Duwamish Valley neighborhoods such as Highland Park and South Park.
As one part of a broader effort to achieve this vision, we need your help in identifying challenges, prioritizing solutions, and creating a plan that will help more people safely ride the bus, bike, walk, or take a water taxi as the phased reopening of our economy continues.
The best way to do that is by taking one or both of the two surveys SDOT launched today, before they close on July 31:
- Reconnect West Seattle Survey: This survey is for everyone who lives or works in West Seattle. Read on for more details below.
- Neighborhood Prioritization Process Ballots: These ballots are for people who specifically live or work in Roxhill, Highland Park, Riverview, South Delridge, SODO, Georgetown, or South Park. Read on for more details below.
Prior to the bridge closure, a vast majority of people in West Seattle drove cars on and off the peninsula as their primary means of transportation.
For example, in 2019 over 80 percent of morning commuters heading eastbound drove, while just 17 percent took the bus. Now that the bridge is closed, there are not enough travel lanes to support the same travel habits and number of cars on the road.
We need as many people as possible who previously drove to start thinking about other ways to move around. SDOT and our partners stand ready to take action to support this change, but we want to know what you would need to make that change.
Your voice is needed!
Your participation in the Reconnect West Seattle Survey and Neighborhood Prioritization Ballots will help us prioritize the right improvements in a highly resource constrained environment due to COVID-19 impacts.
If you live or work in West Seattle, please take the Reconnect West Seattle Survey!
We have gathered great input from the community, but we want to make sure our list is complete and no ideas are overlooked.
This survey is your chance to let SDOT and our partners know what you need to move on and off the West Seattle peninsula at similar rates to before the High-Rise Bridge closure, but with a significant reduction in travel lanes.
Just as there are many ways to get around, there are many committed transportation partners in our shared Reconnect West Seattle effort. We will share the results of this survey and work closely with King County Metro, the Washington State Ferries, the Washington State Department of Transportation, Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle/Northwest Seaport Alliance.
The survey will be open until July 31 and is available in English, Español, 繁體中文, af Soomaali, 한국어, Tiếng Việt, Oromiffa, and ភាសាខ្មែរ
Learn more about the Reconnect West Seattle Mobility Action Plan on our website.
Additionally, if you live or work in one of the following neighborhoods, please fill out your Neighborhood Prioritization Process Ballots
The people who live and work in these neighborhoods know best when it comes to what their community needs. These Neighborhood Prioritization Process Ballots enable your neighborhood to choose which projects you feel will best address the impacts of the High-Bridge closure.
From over three dozen town halls and community forums, we have heard and gathered proposals and feedback directly from community members in these neighborhoods who are deeply and rightfully concerned about how they will get around, the availability of buses, cut-through traffic, pedestrian safety, and increased pollution in their neighborhoods.
The ballots include lists of potential projects that were generated from ideas we have received from community, along with some of our own ideas, and projects from existing transportation and neighborhood plans. While a much larger mix of projects remain on our radar, we recognize the need for immediate action. Therefore, the lists include projects that can be completed quickly and cost less than $100,000.
The ballots will be open until July 31 and are available in multiple languages
Roxhill, Highland Park, Riverview, & South Delridge Ballot: English, Español, 繁體中文, af Soomaali, Tiếng Việt, Oromiffa, ភាសាខ្មែរ
Georgetown Ballot: English, Español, 繁體中文, af Soomaali, 한국어, Tiếng Việt
SODO Ballot: English, Español, 繁體中文, Tiếng Việt
South Park Ballot: English, Español, 繁體中文,af Soomaali, Tiếng Việt, ភាសាខ្មែរ
Learn more about the Neighborhood Prioritization Process Ballots on our website.
If you have questions, please do be in touch.
Sign up for email updates and learn more about the Reconnect West Seattle Mobility Action Plan and Neighborhood Prioritization Process on our website.
If you have any other questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us. Paper surveys and ballots are available upon request at westseattlebridge@seattle.gov or 206.400.7511.