Deadly corridor getting facelift in South Seattle
Aug 4, 2015, 10:23 PM | Updated: Aug 5, 2015, 5:33 am
Rainier Avenue accounted for two vehicular fatalities between 2011 and 2014. The road is undergoing improvements in August. (SDOT)
(SDOT)
The sound of sirens are a common tune on Rainier Avenue. The heavily-used road accounts for hundreds of injuries and two fatalities in just a few years.
But now, the dangerous stretch of South Seattle roadway is undergoing improvements that city officials hope will reduce its bloody reputation.
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Crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation are making changes to Rainier Avenue South. The goal is to make the road safer by reducing speeds between Letitia Avenue South Seward Park Avenue South, improving crossings for pedestrians and movement at intersections.
It’s a project that some may be in disbelief over.
“It’s kind of hard to believe changes are really happening on Rainier,” Tom Fucoloro of the Seattle Bike Blog wrote.
According to Fucoloro, people have asked for improvements to Rainier Avenue for years. The road, however, seemed too big of a challenge to overcome and Seattle City Hall seemed to ignore “demands for real action,” he wrote.
The road carries an average of 19,700 to 26,600 cars per weekday, according to SDOT. It also accounted for 1,243 collisions, 620 injuries and two fatalities between January 2011 through September 2014.
Fucoloro credits neighbors and the organizational leadership from Rainier Valley Greenways, Bike Works, and the Cascade Bicycle Club for bringing about the change to Rainier.
Painting was underway on Monday. Plans call for the removal of existing pavement markings and the installation of new ones; including one travel lane in each direction, a center turn lane, and new transit lanes. New transit signal systems and signs will also be installed. Signals will have longer cycles for traffic and pedestrians, too.
Though there are no bike lanes, Fucoloro says the project is a “step in the right direction.” Making parking easier and calming traffic will make things safer for everyone.
“Of course, I’m disappointed that bike lanes are not going to be included in this phase of work, especially since there is no bike route alternative to Rainier,” Fucoloro wrote. He is also concerned that the lane width (12 feet) will encourage speeding and dangerous behavior.
The first phase of work between South Alaska and South Kenny streets is expected to be finished by August 14. However, SDOT estimates work on Rainier will continue into 2016.
