In partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and the community, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is leading and managing improvements to Lake Washington Boulevard that will help promote pedestrian and bicycle activity and enhance safety for everyone that travels and visits along Lake Washington Boulevard.
When the Olmsted Brothers developed the comprehensive plan for Seattle’s park system in 1903, boulevards were intended to not only act as the connective tissue for people to get to and from parks, but also to serve as an extension of the park experience. Whether visiting or traveling by walking, rolling, biking, driving, or by any other means, Lake Washington Boulevard is a cherished community asset that plays an important role in providing access to green space and to Lake Washington’s public shore for communities in southeast Seattle and beyond.
In 2022, SDOT assembled a Task Force of community stakeholders to conduct the Visioning Process for Lake Washington Boulevard to explore the right balance of street closures and potential permanent operational changes to promote more and safer walking, rolling and biking on Lake Washington Boulevard. The culmination of this process resulted in the Lake Washington Boulevard Visioning Process and Recommendations Report created by the Task Force, which will inform this phase of the SPR-led project.
The Lake Washington Boulevard Task Force voted nearly unanimously to approve the following recommendations:
- Adding traffic calming infrastructure, including stop signs, speed humps, raised crosswalks, etc.
- Improving sidewalks and pedestrian paths to be ADA-compliant.
- Creating a consistent and predictable bicycle day/weekend program.
- During SPR-led implementation, continuing to conduct robust community engagement that targets historically underserved and under-resourced communities in South Seattle.
Visit SDOT’s latest blog post to learn more about the Community Task Force and the Lake Washington Boulevard Visioning Process and Recommendations Report. Through a community-centered process that prioritizes the voices of historically underserved and under-represented communities in south Seattle, SPR will be hosting pop-up outreach tables and attending community events this summer to engage with the public.
It is important for us to meet the community where they are. Come talk to us at the following engagement opportunities this summer:
- July 16 – Seward Park – 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. (*Bicycle Weekend)
- July 23 – Seward Park – 12 p.m.-4 p.m. (Open to vehicle traffic)
- August 6 – Umoja Fest (Judkins Park)
- August 13 – Othello Park International Festival (Othello Park)
- August 16 – Columbia City Farmer’s Market (Columbia Park)
- August 19 – Big Day of Play (Rainier Playfields/Mount Baker Rowing & Sailing Center)
- September 2 – Genesee Park/Stan Sayres Boat Launch – 12 p.m.-4 p.m. (*Bicycle Weekend)
- September 9 – Genesee Park/Stan Sayres Boat Launch – 12 p.m.-4 p.m. (Open to vehicle traffic)
In this phase of the project, SPR will be out in the community to talk with people and inform them about the upcoming improvements planned for Lake Washington Boulevard. Together with our presence in the community, we’ve created an Engagement Hub for the Lake Washington Boulevard Renovations Project to provide more information and to hold space for community discourse.
We will be working closely with SDOT on developing a design for Lake Washington Boulevard that best serves the range of needs in the community. Throughout the initial community outreach and design phases of the project, Seattle Parks and Recreation will be implementing accessibility spot improvements on the pathway that runs along Lake Washington Boulevard.
For additional information, visit the Lake Washington Boulevard Engagement Hub or contact Jordan Hoy at jordan.hoy@seattle.gov.