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New speed radar signs coming to Sylvan Way SW to slow down speeders

A speed radar sign, similar to those to be installed on Sylvan Way SW

Today, July 31, 2020, is the last day to fill out your Reconnect West Seattle Survey and Neighborhood Prioritization Ballots.

The online surveys and ballots close at midnight tonight. Paper ballots and surveys will still be accepted.


We’re working every angle to keep people moving across the Duwamish and throughout West Seattle. While Reconnect West Seattle and the neighborhood mitigation plans will advance these efforts, outside of this framework we continue to take immediate actions to address emerging needs as they arise, to the best of our abilities. Some examples of this nimble approach are:  

  • Planned Projects: We made the deliberate decision to continue a major project along Delridge Way SW to ensure added capacity for West Seattle once the bridge is reopened and are maintaining a north and south bound lane of traffic during the day.  
  • Emerging needs: We’ve prioritized safety issues that have come up along detour routes with increased traffic.  
Vision zero sign placed in a community member's yard.
Vision zero sign placed in a community member’s yard.

We heard you and are taking action to improve safety on Sylvan Way SW.  

Today, we wanted to share another important example of how we will continue to take action as emerging needs of the community are made known. We have and will continue to undertake a series of improvements on Sylvan Way SW.  

Sylvan Way SW is a sloped and curvy road the connects 35th Ave SW and Delridge Way SW and is along the detour route to the 1st Ave Bridge.  

Unfortunately, drivers have been taking the hill too aggressively, and there has been a recent increase in crashes.  

As public safety is our number one priority, we jumped into action and set a plan to address the safety features of the corridor.  

  • We ordered four speed radar signs that will be installed in the coming weeks. These signs will show drivers their speed as they zip down the hill and encourage them to slow down.  
  • We distributed Vision Zero signs for neighbors to place in their yard to remind drivers to slow down. 
  • This weekend on Sunday, August 2nd, our landscape crews will cut back vegetation and trees to improve sightlines on Sylvan Way SW between Delridge Way SW and SW Holly Street.

    Traffic will be reduced to one lane between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm while work is happening. Please contact 206-684-ROAD or 684-ROAD@Seattle.gov with any questions.

We know that slower speeds save lives.  

A person walking, rolling, or biking is twice as likely to be killed if they are hit by a person driving 30 MPH than someone going 25 MPH. 90% of people hit by cars going 20 MPH survive.  

Reducing speeds is especially important to the area right now because about a quarter of the time we spend sitting in traffic is due to crashes. We’ve seen big reductions in crashes after installing 25 mph speed limit signs. So we expect that these speed radar signs will be an essential part of our plan to keep West Seattle moving, in addition to enhancing safety.  

We’re also adding two speed radar signs on the West Seattle Low Bridge and we’re looking at ways to increase safety along West Marginal Way. In the next few weeks we should have more information to share about our plans for the West Marginal Way corridor. 

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