Improve Seattle s Mobility Addressing Congestion and Safety Seattle is growing and evolving rapidly. To keep a thriving economy and a robust civic identity, our transportation system needs to evolve as well. Seattle s transportation system should reflect the city it serves in values, innovation, and performance. It needs to uphold the character that makes our home unique, yet also lift our economy, function sustainably, and be accessible and affordable to all who move within and throughout our city. With continued growth and several major constructions projects happening in the near future light rail and streetcar expansion, Convention Center expansion, removal of the Alaskan Way viaduct we must prepare now for how we will manage the impacts. If elected Mayor, Jenny commits to: Operate our Streets More Efficiently to Increase Mobility and Address Congestion We can immediately do a better job of coordinating public and private construction over the next decade: First, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) must immediately rededicate its work with the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) to plan for construction sequencing to minimize the impact of sidewalk, street use and lane closures. In addition, we will: Consider requiring more mitigation of impacts on surrounding businesses as permit conditions. Consider requiring neighborhood and construction impact representatives in contracts for each large right-of-way project. Consider creating an Angie s List - type website for neighbors and business to rate contractors for major projects based on their neighborhood relationships. Consider expanding the construction hub coordinators to reduce community and small business concerns. Require construction enforcement officers to check that construction permit requirements are being met. Commit to building the One Center City Initiative: This joint planning effort between King County Metro, SDOT, Sound Transit, and the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) will address both the most pressing mobility issues facing downtown Seattle in the next few years, as well as develop a community-driven vision for a vibrant Center City over the next few decades. Set priorities and coordinate the public improvements with planned investments in the light rail through Sound Transit 3 and bus expansion through Metro Connects. Commit to building near-term transit, bike and pedestrian improvements supported by the One Center Initiative partners to ensure mobility during this period of constraint in downtown Seattle. Consider opening non-downtown HOV lanes 3+ vehicles and shuttles, such as 15th Avenue and Aurora Avenue. HOV lanes can carry even more people if we opened them to vanpools,
private shuttles, and transportation networking companies (ie Uber, Lyft) that can document 3+ paying passengers. Non-public transit vehicles would not be able to pick up or drop off in HOV lanes. Develop Automated Transit Lane Enforcement/Block the Intersection Enforcement: Blocked intersections during peak commute times slows down transit and causes dangerous conditions for pedestrians. However, enforcement of drivers whose vehicles block intersection or get in transit-only lanes with Seattle Police officers is cost prohibitive and disruptive to traffic. With authorization from the state legislature, SDOT could pilot automated block the intersection and transit lane enforcement with cameras and radar. Create drop-off zones for transportation network companies (TNCs) and increase zones for taxis. TNCs are an alternative to single occupancy vehicles that provide some mobility benefits, yet they account for 10% of all the traffic in downtown as they drive around waiting or looking for customers. The city could designate pick up and drop off zones on block faces throughout downtown to simplify and make pick-up and drop-off process more efficient think bus stops for TNCs and taxis. Expand Traffic Demand Management efforts: Continue to reach out to small, medium and large businesses to educate their employees about programs to provide or subsidize ORCA passes, encourage staggered work hours, and telecommute options to also address air quality and energy conservation. Increase Investment in Transit The rapid growth of Seattle s population and jobs requires more frequent and reliable bus service in more areas. Jenny has already laid out a vision for speeding up construction of light rail, including increasing transit service. In addition, Jenny will: Improve bus service on high-demand routes and consider expanding service to come as frequently, and with as much reliability, as light rail. Have SDOT and Metro identify a prioritized list of problematic intersections and opportunities for bus-only lanes in the C, D and E-line corridors to be upgraded to improve RapidRide speed and reliability. Consider low-cost reliability improvements for these lines (red paint, transit-only light signalization) Consider technological improvements such as off board payments, real-time communications such as apps and reader boards and improved signage. Expand Transit fare programs such as ORCA LIFT and reduced fares for students, people with disabilities, and seniors are an important tool to increase transit access. Expand and Discount Youth ORCA. The City of Seattle is already supporting transit passes for students. This initiative will reduce the fare year-round and expand eligibility for free Youth ORCA. Create ORCA LIFT for Transportation Network Companies and Carshare. Currently ORCA LIFT provides discounted fares on transit based on income eligibility. This program would be funded through fees paid by the companies Expand ORCA LIFT access. Partner with affordable housing providers to increase ORCA LIFT enrollment especially for housing near frequent transit service.
Provide pedestrian and bicycle route improvements Everyone in the city walks whether to home, to school, to work or just around the block. The city has long promised better sidewalks and safer routes for school children, the elderly and the disabled. Here are some specific steps the Durkan administration would implement. Improve the building of sidewalks and safe street to schools. Identify finishing sidewalks to all Seattle public schools as a top priority for Move Seattle levy sidewalk funds. Have SPU and SDOT study innovative green techniques (Woonerfs) to create safe and protected paths or walkways in areas of the city that need sidewalk and drainage improvements. These could both prevent runoffs into Puget Sound and create paths for walking. Craft a comprehensive pedestrian safety program that would bolster the City s Vision Zero effort and address disparities in low-income and racially diverse neighborhoods. This plan could include the following elements: Reduce speeds and redesign streets: Implement design changes to reduce speed on non-arterial streets to 20 mph citywide. This would be implemented as streets are repaved or when undergoing major projects. Any deviation would require a Director review. Pedestrian Traffic Managers: Consider hiring civilians (not SPOG) to assist pedestrians at high pedestrian/vehicles crash sites and times and to assist pedestrians around construction zones. (SPOG needed when traffic lights are countermanded) Automated Bike/Ped Detection: Install automated bicycle and pedestrian detectors on Mercer and other corridors with adaptive signal control systems to ensure that pedestrians benefit from traffic flow as well as cars and transit. Pilot Lighted Crosswalks: Consider adding lights to crosswalks that are embedded in the street. They are easily viewed by cars and pedestrians as the crosswalks are lit from below and increases visibility of pedestrians in the crosswalk. https://www.curbed.com/2017/1/4/14159986/pedestrian-safetydesign-lighted-zebra-crossing Flashing Yellows for Turning Vehicles: Currently cars get a "green" ball or arrow to turn which causes some drivers to not pay attention to check for possible pedestrians in crosswalks. Creating a flashing yellow for right hand turns has been proven to improve pedestrian safety. Identify intersections with high congestion (e.g. at every freeway on ramp) or accident rates and install green arrows to reduce traffic/pedestrian conflicts. Change Walk signs to give pedestrians a heads start. Establish a citywide policy for marked and signalized pedestrian crossing in dense pedestrian rich neighborhoods of no more than 3 seconds that allows pedestrian to enter the crosswalk before the lights change for traffic. Deviation would require a Director review. Implement All Walk in 10 suitable intersections in downtown; like the allwalk intersections on First Avenue by the Pike Place Market, the Seattle Art Museum/Harbor Steps and Pioneer Square.. We must also focus on building a safe bike network by emphasizing high-quality, connected facilities. More people are using bicycles as a mode of transportation and we should create
safe, connected and protected bike lanes. Working in conjunction with major construction projects and mobility needs, priorities include: Pike/Pine connection to Capitol Hill; The connection from south downtown through the International District to the Rainier Valley; The 2-way protected facility on 4th Ave; The goal of improving existing bike facilities to high-quality cycle tracks in high use corridors. Improve Freight Corridors to reduce accidents and improve freight mobility Ensuring that we can move goods to and from our Port, our industrial centers and across the city is critical to our economy. As Mayor, Jenny will: Implement the Freight Mobility Master plan to: Target and fix spot improvements in freight corridors and intersections; Rebuild East Marginal Way to move freight efficiently; Ensure the Lander Street Overpass is completed on time and on budget; Identify critical bridges that need to be repaired or replaced with a funding plan to allow construction to begin by 2024. As Mayor Jenny will also convene regular Mayoral meetings with key employers and businesses where freight movement is critical to their success. Embed Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) into transportation investment priorities and investment planning By embedding this policy into planning, the City can set priorities on investments in communities that have been historically underserved. The next Mayor will shape the funds of Move Seattle and the STBD and by embedding this policy into planning, the City s RSJI analysis can help can set priorities on investments in areas of the city that have been historically underinvested. Improve and expand inclusive community engagement. To address barriers to transportation, the City of Seattle must commit to ongoing dialog with many, diverse communities to understand what current barriers they face, and what other solutions they would like to see. Support the SDOT Transportation Equity Agenda: SDOT has taken an important first step with the creation of the new low-income program and its commitment to develop a community-driven Transportation Equity agenda (see Transportation Equity resolution that is going through City Council right now). Harness new mobility solutions to address transportation equity The City of Seattle has recently released their New Mobility Playbook that provides a framework for how new shared transportation options that are powered by digital technology can be leveraged to expand access for communities across the city. Increase digital equity: Ensure that emerging technological solutions are available to everyone regardless of access to a private computer, smartphone, internet access.
Increase access to smart phones. Working with mobile carriers, increase access to discounted or free devices and mobile phone services to facilitate greater access to transportation services and apps. Consider using ROW/pole attachment authority or City purchasing power to help leverage these public benefits. Develop a Digital Onboarding program. This program would help residents without access to smart phones or the know how learn how to access new transportation services through their smart phones. Improve language access. Incentivize all private operators to provide apps that meet the language needs of residents (i.e Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Somali, Chinese, Korean, Ukrainian.) Ensure accessibility - for those who are elderly, blind, deaf, physically disabled, or otherwise differently abled. Ensure comparable service for those who need special vehicles.