35th Ave SW is not an Interstate. It’s not even a state highway. So when neighbors refer to this city street as “I-35,” you know there’s a serious speeding and traffic safety problem.

And those neighbors are not being as hyperbolic as it sounds. There is a collision every couple days on 35th Ave SW. Someone is injured every week.

And in the past decade, five people have died. One of those people was James St. Clair, who was killed while walking across the street a few months ago. Family and neighbors gathered in January to walk in his memory and call for safety so nobody else is killed or seriously injured on this notoriously-dangerous street.

West Seattle resident and City Council Transportation Committee Chair Tom Rasmussen was there, too, and he called on the city to study the street and recommend solutions. The Road Safety Corridor team got on the case and reported their initial concepts (PDF) for safety changes this week (see coverage of Tuesday’s meeting via West Seattle Blog).

All options would significantly reduce collisions, speeding and serious injuries on 35th. Neighbors may need to retire the name I-35 when the changes go into effect later this year and early 2016.

You can learn more at their second meeting 3:15 – 5:15 p.m. Thursday at the Southwest Library Second Floor Meeting Room. (more…)