SDOT set to start Aurora-Licton Springs healthy streets upgrades on N 100th St, Fremont Ave N

| Posted

October 28, 2024

Map of the full Aurora-Licton Springs healthy streets project. The segments soon to be completed are on N 100th Street from 1st Ave NW to Linden Ave N and Fremont Ave N from N 87th Street to the Interurban Trail at N 110th Street. — Work on segments with orange outlines will begin soon while segments with yellow outlines are scheduled for 2025. Map from SDOT.

SDOT is starting work on a series of new and upgraded healthy streets in the Aurora-Licton Springs area that will connect to the existing 1st Avenue NW healthy street and upgrade the regional Interurban North bike route on Fremont Avenue N. Planned upgrades to connect the route to the John Lewis Memorial walk/bike bridge to Northgate Station and along Ashworth Avenue N near Licton Springs Park are scheduled for 2025.

The biggest improvements will likely be new “modal filters” at key locations that are designed to allow people bike through but create physical barriers to prevent turning or cut-through car traffic. Neither upgrade changes existing rules, but they will hopefully improve compliance and better separate the biking and driving spaces. SDOT crews will also update the signage to make the new no right turns rule more clear. These filters are simple little curbs that could make a big difference because these healthy streets only work if traffic is very low. Only people accessing a home or destination on these streets should be driving there. They should never be useful for avoiding traffic on a nearby arterial. SDOT is installing these new filters at N 100th Street/Greenwood Avenue N and N 105th Street/Fremont Avenue N. Unfortunately, the project stops short of reaching 85th/Fremont, which could use a similar upgrade.

Top-down diagram of the new modal filter design at 100th and Greenwood. A new curb a few feet wide creates space for a bike lane but no general purpose lane for turning from Greenwood onto 100th.

Top-down diagram of the new modal filter design at 105th and Fremont Avenue. A new curb a few feet wide creates space for a bike lane but no general purpose lane for turning from 105th onto Fremont.

More details on the upcoming work from SDOT:

— Advertisement —

We are excited to share an update for the Aurora-Licton Springs Healthy Street!

As soon as late October, we will start construction on the permanent installation of the Aurora-Licton Springs Healthy Street on N 100th St and Fremont Ave N. 

We will install permanent signage with a concrete block base and newly painted curb space around it at each intersection along the Healthy Street. At intersections where Aurora-Licton Springs neighbors requested planters, we will install the permanent signage with a planter sign base. Unauthorized on-street parking located within 20 feet of the intersection will be removed for the permanent sign installation.  

To further improve safety for people walking and biking along the Aurora-Licton Springs Healthy Street and discourage cut-through traffic, we will construct additional safety enhancements at the intersection of Fremont Ave N and N 105th St. These enhancements will include installing new medians on the north and south sides with cut-throughs for people biking, restricting vehicle turns from N 105th St onto Fremont Ave N, and maintaining existing left and right turn only restrictions for vehicles on Fremont Ave N at N 105th St.

We designed these enhancements to discourage pass-through vehicle traffic along the Healthy Street, improve access to the Interurban Trail, and provide safe space for people walking and biking. Visit our project webpage to learn more about the enhancements coming to six different intersections along the Aurora-Licton Springs Healthy Street.

About the author:

Tom Fucoloro is the Founder and Editor of Seattle Bike Blog. He is also the author of Biking Uphill in the Rain: The Story of Seattle from behind the Handlebars.

Tags:

healthy streets, licton springs, sdot

4 responses to “SDOT set to start Aurora-Licton Springs healthy streets upgrades on N 100th St, Fremont Ave N”

Peri Hartman

October 28, 2024

While I think this will be a great improvement for peds and bikes crossing aurora, the highway will still be a very unpleasant place to be. How can we grow a community around a place people want to avoid ?

I’d really like to see funding – whatever it takes – to put in a cut & cover tunnel from greenlake to about 130th. In the tunnel would be one lane in each direction with a center emergency lane. Exit ramps about every 20 blocks. On the surface – this is the cool part – would be wide sidewalk, trees, bike lane, parking, bus lane, general traffic lane, in each directions – at 25 mph.

Now you can have a neighborhood. Lots of them. Let your imagination take this to fruition.

Reply
1. Al Dimond
  
  October 29, 2024
  
  I don’t think tunnels like this work out so cleanly in reality. Ramps to and from the surface take up space on both levels and once drivers arriving at the surface have the space to merge and change lanes for the turns they need to take, I’m not sure you’re getting much out of it beyond giving through-drivers a bypass… and one that’s confusing for people that aren’t used to it. Or at least the promise of one. If maneuvers on the surface back up into the tunnel it could cause dangerous conditions at the exits. Tunnels have a lot of safety challenges, including fire safety and access for emergency services. Having a large number of mistake-prone drivers in tunnels can really amplify these challenges and risks.
  
  This was basically the concept behind the multi-level Wacker Drive in Chicago. Upper Wacker has never become the park space that was envisioned — nor has Chicago’s riverfront. But Lower Wacker sure is a highway bypass, beloved by experienced Chicago drivers. I don’t know that this necessarily would have to work out exactly like Wacker. For one thing, Lower Wacker isn’t truly buried as much as the normal downtown street level is elevated, so it’s right at the level of the riverfront. Aurora wouldn’t have that problem at least. Aurora doesn’t have Wacker’s curves — that might cut both ways, since the curviness of Wacker slows drivers down. It’s possible that an arrow-straight bypass tunnel could induce really outrageous speeds. Overall I think there are pretty good reasons more cities haven’t tried to emulate Wacker Drive.
  
  Reply
  1. Peri Hartman
    
    October 29, 2024
    
    Those are good points, Al. I don’t think the ramps would be a problem, once every 20 blocks. But you’re probably right about the speeding. And, yes, fire and other emergency service is always more difficult than on the surface.
    
    I wish there were a way to get the traffic off the surface. But, for various reasons, I don’t see that traffic going away, even if a bit slower. I fear it turning into something like Mercer, between 5th N and I5. Prettier but not slower or safer.
Roberto

October 31, 2024

Deep, heavy sigh… I just looked at the “six other intersections with traffic control elements” page for this project and realized that my pleas for some kind of controlled intersection at N95th and Fremont Ave N have once again been ignored. I live on 95th between Lynden and Fremont, and because of the traffic light at 95th and Aurora, we see a steady stream of cars cutting through our block between Aurora and Greenwood Ave. They are always in a hurry and like to speed through WAAY over 20mph. I have almost been hit on Fremont and 95th on at least four occasions (twice accompanied by a finger gesture or obscene shout from the driver for daring to actually use the Healthy street).

I was really hoping that SDOT would figure out a way to slow down or prevent that cut-through vehicle traffic from, well… cutting through a Stay Healthy street at 30-35mph, never mind the traffic circle and Stop signs.

I look at the 105th and 100th crossings with admiration and jealousy. If only they looked at protecting those of us who dare to live next to and travel on the Not-So-Healthy street just five blocks further south…

Reply