Seattle offers permits to close streets for play
Jun 2, 2014, 10:41 AM | Updated: 11:39 am
Kids might be able to play a street hockey game without fear of cars with the Seattle Department of Transportation's new "Play Street" program. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
“Game on.”
Kids may not have to interrupt their games for cars anymore with the new “Play Streets” program in Seattle.
The Seattle Department of Transportation is taking applications now from people who want to shut down their streets so kids can play.
“It’s a free application. It’s a free permit,” says Jennifer Wieland, Public Space Program Manager at SDOT. “We ask for some very simple information. We need the location that people want to use. We need to understand how often you want to close the street, what hours, have you talked to your neighbors about it, and then what do you want to do in the street.”
Wieland says they then have a quick review process to determine whether to close the street.
The first Seattle play street closure happened Friday at St. Therese Catholic Academy where they closed a portion of 35th Ave. for several hours so kids could play in the street during field day.
Weiland says play streets are not unique to Seattle, and New York has actually had a play streets program since the early 1900s. Weiland says the First Lady is also a big fan of play streets.
“As part of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative, which strives to reduce childhood obesity, she has helped to start play streets programs in ten U.S. cities.”
So far, Weiland says reception of the new program in Seattle has been positive.
“I think the idea of having space for kids to play, and kids of all ages, and getting people out and active and really building that sense of community and really building strong neighborhoods, is something that people really support.”
For more information about the program and an application visit SDOT’s play street page.
