The unexpected closure of the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge has dramatically impacted West Seattle and the nearby Duwamish Valley communities. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has launched Reconnect West Seattle. To provide the public with SDOT’s vision to restore travel across the Duwamish to similar levels seen before the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge closure. At the same time, we want to reduce the impact of increased detour traffic in the Duwamish Valley neighborhoods like Highland Park and South Park.
To achieve this vision, SDPT is asking for public input in identifying challenges, prioritizing solutions, and creating a plan that will help people safely ride the bus, bike, walk, or take a water taxi as the phased reopening of our economy continues.
HOW TO INFLUENCE SDOT aka How to Help Shape Decisions
1. Take the Reconnect West Seattle Survey
This survey is for everyone who lives or works in West Seattle. The survey is the community’s chance to let SDOT and our partners know what you need to move on and off the West Seattle peninsula at similar rates to before the High-Rise Bridge closure, but with a significant reduction in travel lanes.
If you live or work in West Seattle, please take the Reconnect West Seattle Survey by July 31st!
Your participation will help SDOT prioritize the right improvements in a highly resource constrained environment due to COVID-19 impacts.
2. If you live or work in one of the following neighborhoods, please fill out your Neighborhood Prioritization Process Ballot by July 31.
The Neighborhood Prioritization Process Ballots enables your neighborhood to prioritize which projects you feel, as a community, will best address the impacts of the High-Bridge closure. The ballots include lists of potential projects that were generated from ideas SDOT received from community, along with some of their own ideas, and projects from existing transportation and neighborhood plans. While a much larger mix of projects remain on SDOT’s radar, they recognize the need for immediate action. Therefore, the lists include projects that can be completed quickly and cost less than $100,000.
Please visit www.seattle.gov/reconnectwestseattle for more information and to access all materials in multiple languages. Paper copies of the survey and ballot are available by request at westseattlebridge@seattle.gov or by calling 206-400-7511.
SDOT TIMELINE
- July 10: Neighborhood Plans are released to community and ballots open
- July 10 – 31: With SDOT playing a support role, community organizations and neighborhoods will prioritize a list of potential actions and projects specific to their neighborhood.
- August: SDOT and WSB Community Task Force analyze community feedback
- September: Reconnect West Seattle Plan
Next Steps:
Sign-up for West Seattle Bridge updates and emails www.seattle.gov/reconnectwestseattle
• Consider bicycle trips where and when possible
• If driving, please do so outside of the peak commute hours (6-9 am and 4-7 pm)
HPAC 