• Aug. 9, 2021

All people deserve traffic signals that allow them to walk and roll safely, conveniently, and with dignity. But right now, too many traffic signals…

1. Don’t give you enough time to cross the street safely
2. Take forever to let you cross
3. Make you push a button to get a walk light

So last year, in response to advocates like you, the City Council directed SDOT to come up with a new comprehensive traffic signals policy that fixes these issues.

This year, SDOT has developed a new draft signals policy that gives people enough time to cross the street, but still prioritizes cars.

It would allow traffic signals to make people wait for over two and a half minutes to cross the street in Columbia City, Rainier Beach, Lake City, Uptown, South Park, and the Central District. Meanwhile, SDOT is busy planning to spend more than ten times the annual sidewalk and crosswalk budget to create a dangerous highway-style intersection at the south end of the Ballard Bridge to theoretically save drivers two and a half minutes. We think your time matters, whether you are trying to catch a bus, rolling home to take care of your kids, or running errands on foot.

That’s why we’re asking SDOT to use nationally established best practices to limit wait times to no more than 90 seconds, except in rare circumstances, and to make automatic crosswalk lights the default.

Click here to tell SDOT we need a signals policy that puts people first. Your time should matter just as much, if not more, when you are walking or rolling as when you are driving. Thank you for speaking up!

Thank you for your continued advocacy!