No bike lanes, less parking, but plenty of frustration over Northeast Seattle street plan

There’s something for everyone to hate about Seattle’s "compromise" over bike lanes on 35th Avenue Northeast.

For bicyclists: There are no bike lanes. At all. For people worried about parking: No parking on one side of the street from Northeast 47th to Northeast 85th streets. The compromise was announced Tuesday by the Seattle Department of Transportation. Already there’s anger. Those who saw the original plan as a victory for their transportation and environmental goals are feeling betrayed.

Here in Seattle we could really use an actual #climatemayor.



Or at least one who understands that being really, really loud--as the opponents of the 35th Ave bike lane were--doesn't add up to a vision for a livable, equitable future. https://t.co/AMHvcaV4QY — Dave McCaul (@AwokenActivist) March 26, 2019

Doesn't me biking in the middle of the travel lane slow traffic? I guess that is what they were going for. 12mph 35th Ave NE — Char Q (@lurkingpigeon) March 26, 2019

But business owners who feared they would lose customers over parking aren’t likely to be happy either. The debate over the bike lanes has been going on for years. The dispute got so heated last year the city resorted to hiring a mediator, leading to the decision Tuesday.

For its part, SDOT says that 35th Avenue Northeast will be safer for everyone under the new plan. It says a center turn lane will help, as will “slowing vehicle speeds and better defining the travel lanes.” Seattle Department of transportation spokesperson Mirabel Cruz says the safety improvements include "better pedestrian crossings, and narrower streets which are going to reduce speeds along the corridor." Jordan Royer, who helped start a political action committee to fight the bike lane called "Neighborhoods for Smart Streets" sees the new plan as a victory for motorists. Royer also said the safety improvements will make a difference for all residents, including cyclists. Bike advocate Lolly Kunkler said she and other Northeast Seattle residents were deeply disappointed and blamed the city's reversal on Mayor Jenny Durkan. She "caved to the loudest voices," Kunkler said. Kunkler also said she's disappointed that Seattle is not in this instance living up to its promises on climate change and the environment. There's no reference to how the plan will serve the city's stated goals of reducing carbon output. Here’s a pertinent part in the update on the SDOT website: Design Update Since the early stages of the 35th Ave NE Project, we've heard support from the community for changes to the street that improve safety. When the project began, the goal was to better organize the street, increasing safety for everyone. To meet this goal, we proposed a design that included bike lanes consistent with recommendations in the Bike Master Plan.