Tactical Urbanism Creates Permanent Places
- Aug. 25, 2016
August 25, 2016
PARKing Day Plus 2015 project leads to new Burke Gilman Trail design from SDOT Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has stepped out of their box, and into an intersection full of psychedelic circles. A recent article at The Urbanist highlights SDOT plans to construct an exciting new protected intersection at the Burke Gilman Trail crossing of 40th Ave NE. The safety design for 40th Ave NE is based on one of five Tactical Urbanism road safety improvements, funded and showcased by Seattle Neighborhood Greenways PARKing Day Plus Design Competition. NE Seattle Greenways volunteers Kenneth Trease, Jen Goldman, and Andres Salomon teamed up with Seattle Children's Hospital Transportation staff Jamie Cheney and Drew Dresman to build and monitor this one-day project built of traffic cones and chalk. SDOT's recreation of the PARKing Day Plus design is built of flex-posts and thermoplastic and will keep people safe at a highly problematic trail crossing. The use of just cones to simulate curb bulbs – and a few “stop for pedestrian” signs at the crossing and along the trail – had people approaching the crosswalk more cautiously in cars and on bikes. This crosswalk had been the site of a recent serious injury collision between a car driver and bicycle rider. Staff from Seattle Children’s Hospital joined as volunteers at the information table with NE Seattle Greenways members. Jen Goldman, one of the Protected Intersection project leads said,
“Our biggest take-home – we did not have one complaint about the crossing through the day. All feedback for the curb bulbs was favorable. People agreed that the crossing was dangerous as is. Granted, we were more able to speak with people walking and biking by vs driving, but some people who stopped and chatted mentioned they had driven through earlier in the day as well. The Metropolitan Market manager had reservations when discussing the project at first, but was pleased when seeing it.”
Jen’s daughter Maggie who celebrated her 6th birthday at the intersection crossing with cupcakes, thought it was a splendid place for a party for a girl who likes to walk and bike!
We couldn't be happier to see a community-designed tactical urbanism project be transformed into a colorful permanent safety improvement!
PARKing Day Plus 2015 volunteers observed traffic and people walking & biking across the trail