People dining at an outdoor café on Ballard Ave NW in July 2022. Photo: SDOT Earlier this month, we completed interim street improvements on Ballard Ave NW between 20th Ave NW and 22nd Ave NW. Our goal with these changes is to make Ballard Ave more people-friendly and improve access to local businesses by creating better spaces to walk, roll, and enjoy Ballard Ave.
Read on for more information about the project and an opportunity to share your feedback about the Ballard Ave café street!
We began this effort in 2020 when restaurants and other businesses built curbside cafes, also known as pergolas, along the street on Ballard Ave NW, under the Safe Starts Permit Program.
In August 2022, we tidied up these changes by:
- Updating the striping on Ballard Ave NW to reflect the existing one-way northbound street. New striping and painted areas on the street help make these changes clear
- Adding interim “curb bulbs” with paint, flexible posts, and planters to open up intersections and crosswalks so people walking are more visible to people driving
- Converting the intersections on Ballard Ave NW at 22nd Ave NW, NW Vernon Pl, and 20th Ave NW to all-way stops
- Painting parking areas on Ballard Ave NW between street cafes for easier access
- Clarifying vehicle loading locations and hours based on ongoing conversations with local businesses
Later this summer, we will improve street tree pits with a firm and level walking surface. We won’t affect planting areas maintained by adjacent businesses.
“Ballard Avenue has seen some exciting changes over the last two years, and we recently implemented changes that were created during our design charrette last year. We are going to host a follow-up design charrette next month and we would love to hear what you think so we can make appropriate alterations. What is working well? What needs improvement? Is there anything we should scrap entirely or missed in our implementation plan? I’d love to receive your input ahead of our next charrette!” – Seattle City Councilmember Dan Strauss
Share your feedback!
Along with our ongoing engagement with businesses and property owners on Ballard Ave, we want to hear directly from people who visit, shop, and dine in the area about these changes. Please take our survey to share your thoughts about how Ballard Ave is working for you. This will help us determine what’s working well, and what could be further improved along the corridor, and inform similar concepts in other neighborhoods across Seattle.
The survey is currently active and will close on September 9. Your participation is appreciated!
