Seattle street improvements complete at 51st Ave, Renton Ave

Major street improvements at 51st Avenue S and Renton Avenue S are now complete, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT,) with new crosswalks, signage, and roadway striping.

The intersection is now open and provides safer crossing and travel for people walking, biking, rolling, and driving. It is a skewed, four-way stop that intersects with S Roxbury Street just south of the main junction.

North Cascades Highway reopens, look out for maintenance

There have been over 240 collisions at this intersection and adjacent areas since 2004, and community members have identified notable congestion during peak hours. The revised concept also maintains access and turns for all drivers and deliveries.

In 2019, the safety enhancements were among 15 selected by the Levy to Move Seattle Oversight Committee to be funded through SDOT’s Neighborhood Street Fund (NSF) Program.

The 2008 Southeast Transportation Study proposed replacing the intersection with a new double roundabout, with construction anticipated for 2010. The project failed after the rising cost of real estate made it infeasible to acquire land for the proposed roundabouts.

The original project in 2019 included a new traffic signal at the intersection of 51st Avenue S and Renton Avenue S.

After further review of this location, traffic patterns, and collision history, SDOT developed a revised concept that maintained the existing all-way stop at the intersection and added a new one at Renton Avenue S and S Roxbury Street.

Elements

• Maintain all-way stop at 51st Ave S and Renton Ave S
• New all-way stop at Renton Ave S and S Roxbury St
• New expanded center island to improve access for people walking
• Curb bulbs and bus stop improvements on 51st Ave
• New curb ramps and marked crosswalks