- Phase 3 of the Lake Washington Blvd Renovations Project starts this week, be alert for construction
- Data collected over the past 2-3 years indicates people lowered driving speeds where cushions were installed
- New swing gates are being designed and installed this summer to make street operations more intuitive during Bicycle Weekends. The gates will be located at Mt. Baker Beach, S. Horton St., and 43rd Ave. S. Please see the swing gate map for more details. The gates will go into use next year, in 2027.
Phase 3 of the Lake Washington Boulevard Renovations Project (scroll down on web site for details) starts this week bringing improvements to the walk and bike path along the lake front, speed cushions that slow people driving but maintain emergency access at six locations, and paint and post curb bulbs at S Orcas St. To make street operations more intuitive during Bicycle Weekends new swing gates will be designed and installed at three locations.
The Renovations Project maintains access for all travel modes while enhancing safety for people biking and pedestrians and improving the park experience. Stay alert for construction as we start installing speed cushions. Work is expected to take place on multiple days throughout May. During this time, the street will be reduced to a single lane with traffic control in place at the work zones. Construction is expected to occur on weekdays between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, with completion anticipated by the end of May.
How did we get here?
This project reflects the feedback and priorities shared by community members over the past years. As Phase 1 and 2 construction was underway, some residents felt the project was moving too fast and requested we collect speed data where speed cushions were installed to confirm effectiveness. So, we paused installation of remaining speed humps until 2026 to do so.
The data below represents the combined north and south speeds of people driving. Speeds are shared as the 85th percentile, which means that 85 percent of people (the majority) are driving at or below the speed noted, and 15 % of people are driving faster than the speed.
The posted speed limit on this stretch of Lake Washington Blvd is 25 mph. Data indicated that people were driving at speeds of up to 35 mph before this project. After the speed cushions were installed, people drove up to 5 mph slower. In Phase 3 locations where speed cushions are scheduled to be installed this year, the data indicates that people are driving 30 to 36 mph. Based on this data, we are moving forward with Phase 3 to slow speeds along the boulevard and next to the park.
Lake Washington Blvd S between S Ferdinand St and S Angeline St – speed cushions were constructed in 2024:
- Before [September 28 to October 5, 2023]: 34.9 mph
- After [October 16 to October 23, 2024]: 31.2 mph
- After [December 3 to December 10, 2025]: 29.9 mph
Lake Washington Blvd S between S Horton St and Lake Park Dr S – speed cushions scheduled for construction in Phase 3 in 2026:
- No speed studies were conducted at this location in 2023
- From October 16 to October 23, 2024: 34.9 mph
- From December 3 to December 10, 2025: 36.3 mph
Lake Washington Blvd between S Dawson St and S Orcas St – speed cushions scheduled for construction in Phase 3 in 2026:
- No speed studies were conducted at this location in 2023
- From October 16 to October 23, 2024: 30.4 mph
- From December 3 to December 10, 2025: 32 mph
This project is a partnership between Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Department of Transportation. Questions? Please contact PKS_LakeWABlvd@seattle.gov.