From project inception, a variety of public outreach efforts have been done. To date, efforts have included online surveys, various City forums for public comment, and small listening sessions.
1. Sound Transit conducted an online open house between July 26-August 23rd of 2019
During that open house, a survey was able to draw in over 2,600 survey responses on the various projects. As part of the grant funding pursued by the City, The Citywide Bicycle Improvements Project was included in the Sound Transit survey. A total of 318 responses specific to the Citywide Bicycle Improvements project were collected. Respondents rated the project as either Very Important, Important or Not Important. Results showed 31% of the respondents indicated the Citywide Bicycle Improvements project as Very Important, 29% as Important, and 40% as Not Important.
A link to survey results can be found here.
2. City Council heard public comments on July 21st, 2020, July 28th, 2020, and August 4th, 2020.
The City Council heard public comments during its meetings. Audience members could participate in the comment portion of the meeting and were able to submit public comment on the project. 108 individuals submitted comments to the City, and these were taken into consideration in conceptual planning phases of the project.
3. City Staff conducted listening sessions on 12/10/2020
These listening sessions were organized and facilitated by City Staff. Members of the public who had submitted public comments or have reached out to the City in the past were invited to small group, 45-minute listening sessions. The project was described at a high level and comments and concerns were collected. These were analyzed and the input was provided to the design team as they developed the design alternatives and preliminary design. Please see the follow list of questions asked by citizens and answers provided by City staff.
The City of Edmonds has been awarded a grant from Sound Transit to improve bicycle facilities on various streets. On December 10th, 2020, City engineering staff held a listening session to learn what residents would like to see in the project. A number of questions came up during the meeting that are summarized and answered below.
Many thanks to our engaged citizens for taking the time to visit with us and share their concerns.
Will crosswalks and ramps be added on the affected routes? Specifically on Bowdoin?
City engineering staff are actively looking at these stretches of road to assess suitability of crosswalks. The City’s concrete crew is building new ramps on various streets around town where none currently exist. They should get to this stretch of Bowdoin in the next few years.
What is going to be done about speeding? Will speed limits be reduced?
Speed limits won’t be reduced along any stretches as part of this project. We do, however, expect vehicle speeds will be reduced upon project completion based on various national studies that show lower travel speeds when lane widths are reduced. These improvements will then create safer conditions for all modes of transportation within the transportation system. The potential addition of bulb-outs at certain cross streets where pedestrian improvements may be completed would further reduce those speeds. The lower speed conditions will then provide easier / safer on-street access from the side streets and your driveway.
Currently, the travel lanes along 9th & 100th are 14’ and reduced to 11’ upon project completion (=> 3’ reduction). Along Walnut / Bowdoin where parking stalls currently aren’t striped, vehicles have almost 20’ travel lanes when parked vehicles aren’t present. With this project (considering additional parking stall markings and bike lanes), those lanes will be reduced to 11’ lanes (=> ~ 9’ reduction).
What is going to be done about parking?
Bicycle lanes are planned for these routes but there is some flexibility, yet, in maintaining parking lanes on one side of the road. We’re using data on parking utilization to optimize where parking is kept.
Why isn’t the project taking bicyclists downtown to the train station?
As part of the Bike-2-Health project completed in 2018, way-finding signs were installed to guide cyclists from Walnut @ 9th Ave. to the various destination points within Downtown Edmonds such as Ferry Terminal, Civic Park, Library and the train station. Parking demand west of 9th Ave. S / Downtown Edmonds is much greater than east of 9th Ave. S due to all the commercial businesses, library, parks, etc. The installation of bike lanes west of 9th Ave. S would remove an extensive number of high demand parking stalls, often occupied at all times of the day.
Why were Bowdoin and Walnut chosen rather than Main?
Multiple factors are at play in this decision including grades, overall elevation change, and traffic volumes.
Bowdoin and Walnut have significantly flatter grades than Main St.
Main St has two notable hills:
- 10% grade for approximately 1700’ from the 1000 block to just west of Maplewood
- 9% grade for approximately 600’ from the Pine Ridge Park tunnel to 210th Pl
Walnut and Bowdoin only have two hills each of which carries a 10% grade for only 200’.
Walnut and Bowdoin also have a lower overall climb than Main St. Walnut and Bowdoin have a total climb of 145’ feet while Main St has a total climb of 285’.
Vehicular volumes are another reason why Bowdoin / Walnut is the better option. The volumes along Main St are approximately 2.5 times greater than along Walnut / Bowdoin (8,000 vehicles per day along Main St. compared to 3,000 vehicles per day along Walnut / Bowdoin). Most bike riders feel much more comfortable riding their bikes along streets with lighter vehicular volumes.
Main Street’s significantly higher vehicle traffic and total overall climb combined with extended stretches of steep grade make it a far more difficult and dangerous route for bicyclists. Main may, eventually, get bicycle lanes if bicycle rider volume here dictates.
Why is the project stopping at Walnut rather than taking bicyclists to Dayton or Main?
In 2012, the northbound and southbound movements at 9th Ave. S @ Walnut St. were converted from one lane in each direction to two lanes in each direction in order to improve intersection delay (Level of Service / LOS). The new through lanes would have to be removed for bike lanes to be added at that intersection meaning that the intersection delay would go back to what it was before. The bike lane addition would actually make the intersection delay even worse than before the lane addition. Prior to those improvements, vehicles making right turns in the northbound and southbound lanes were able to go around the vehicle queues to make those turns (due to wide approach). The bike lane addition would restrict this from happening. Bike lane addition while maintaining the two northbound and southbound lanes would require roadway widening (no included as part of the scope of work).
Why is 9th getting bike lanes? Isn’t it a residential street?
9th Ave is used extensively by commuters and by motorists accessing downtown Edmonds from the south. This results in heavier traffic volumes than one would see on a strictly residential street. 9th Ave S is, consequently, classified as a minor arterial.
How will sight distance from my driveway be impacted by the proposed improvements?
The addition of bike lanes will provide additional space to edge out (compared to current conditions) and improve your sight lines. In addition, on the stretches where parking will be removed, sight lines will be greatly improved since no vehicles will be present within proximity of the driveway.
