New sidewalks on Greenwood Ave N. Summary
- Sidewalks create direct connections to key destinations, including safe and convenient ways for people of all ages and abilities to travel along and cross the street.
- Thanks to Seattle voters, the Levy to Move Seattle allows us to contribute more time and resources towards improving the city’s sidewalks than in previous years.
- Since 2015, we have built more than 200 new blocks of sidewalks in places where there were none before.
- Just last year, we built over 20 new blocks of sidewalks. This year, we have at least 25 blocks of new sidewalk on deck to be completed, including projects on Greenwood Ave N, Luther Ave S, and 24th Ave SW. These improvements go beyond constructing and repairing sidewalks and include other measures such as accessible curb ramps and crossing improvements making walking and rolling easier and safer for shorter trips and accessing transit.
We’re all pedestrians, so sidewalks make a difference to help everyone get around safely and comfortably in our daily lives.
Whether you’re running to catch the bus, headed to the grocery store, or walking and rolling with your family, we are all pedestrians from time to time! Along with accessible curb ramps and crossing improvements, sidewalks make walking and rolling easier and safer for shorter trips and accessing transit. Thanks to the voter-approved Levy to Move Seattle, we’ve been able to contribute more time and resources towards improving our sidewalks.
Since 2015, we have built more than 200 new blocks of sidewalks in places where there were none before. Thanks to Seattle voters, the Levy to Move Seattle allows us to contribute more time and resources towards improving the city’s sidewalks than in previous years.
Some examples of recent sidewalk projects include:
Greenwood Ave N
We built 11 blocks of sidewalks from NE 117th St to NE 125th St. We also added new ADA-accessible curb ramps, pedestrian signal improvements, new landscaping, and more.
“Yesterday, Sunday I had to be somewhere at 2 pm, I missed the bus (my error), therefore knowing that the next # 5 would show up in about 25 minutes, I just kept walking on the west side of Greenwood going south. The sidewalks are all done, the trees have been planted, there are some etched signs in the sidewalks that read “Seattle move” and the fences of the homes have been completely redone. It all looked so good and it was so simple to keep walking from 130th to 110th, then the bus came by. I did not have to walk on the street, dodging traffic or avoiding cars who used to be right on the sidewalks. It took a while, and now it’s done. Thank you all.” – Seattle resident.
Southwest Seattle
We built a half-block of sidewalk on SW Barton St between 23rd Ave SW and 24th Ave SW. This provides an improved street crossing for pedestrians as well as a smoother route for people to walk and roll along.
Lake City Way
We built 3 blocks of sidewalk on Lake City Way NE between NE 91st St and NE 95th St. This was part of a larger project in partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation on Lake City Way. This is one of many Levy-funded projects grounded in our Vision Zero commitment and focused on transforming major arterial streets to make them safer and more accessible for people walking and rolling. The project also included new curb ramps, new traffic signals, and safer crossings at several intersections along Lake City Way.
South Seattle
We built 6 blocks of cost-effective sidewalk on 6th Ave S between S Michigan St and S Orcas St. The sidewalks create a separated space for pedestrians to travel at the same level as the street.
South Park
We are also building new sidewalks as part of the South Park Drainage and Roadway Partnership Project. The project is being built in partnership between SDOT and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU). We have been working with the South Park community in planning these drainage, stormwater, and street improvements since 2015.
In 2022, we made over 17,000 repairs to damaged sidewalks, which covered the equivalent area of about 28 blocks.
These spot improvements include installing sidewalk shims (placed over sidewalk cracks and areas where the sidewalk has lifted up) and bevels (grinding to create a level surface) and repairing curbs. In total, we’ve repaired almost 192 blocks of sidewalks during the Levy.
Some examples from 2022 include:
We also made sidewalk repairs on Aurora Ave N between N 80th St and N 103rd St. We responded to community feedback to repair sidewalks while also preserving mature and healthy trees. Read more in this SDOT blog post about the project!
In total, we’ve repaired almost 192 blocks of sidewalks during the Levy.
In 2023, we have at least 25 blocks of sidewalk that have been or will be completed.
You’ll see more sidewalks pop up in 2023 all over town. Here are just some of the new sidewalks we will be working on!
- Improved sidewalk connections in the Rainier View neighborhood which will fill in the gaps in the current sidewalk network.
- Sidewalk improvements along Kenyon Way S which will provide enhanced connections to Wing Luke Elementary School and the surrounding neighborhood.
- A new sidewalk installation and natural drainage system on 24th Ave SW between SW Thistle St and SW Barton St.
- New sidewalks as part of the South Park Drainage and Roadway Partnership Project. This project is in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU).
- New sidewalks and sidewalk widening on Greenwood Ave N to provide improved connection to Broadview Thompson K-8 School.
You can keep up to date with projects near you by checking out Current Projects – Transportation | seattle.gov.
Sidewalks create direct connections to key destinations, including safe and convenient ways for people of all ages and abilities to travel along and cross the street.
Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable travelers, and improving sidewalks is an important way to make sure that they can travel safely to work, school, and recreation.
We align our sidewalk improvement projects with the Pedestrian Master Plan (PMP) to ensure equitable coverage of sidewalks across Seattle. This plan uses a racial equity assessment to evaluate how SDOT can better prioritize underserved communities.
Approved by voters in November 2015, the 9-year, $930 million Levy to Move Seattle provides funding to improve safety for all travelers, maintain our streets and bridges, and invest in reliable, affordable travel options for a growing city. Learn more at www.seattle.gov/LevytoMoveSeattle