Aurora Bus Stop Plazas

SDOT's proposed street end plaza Option #1

Aurora Avenue may soon be home to a "street end plazas" at one or more bus stops along the corridor, according to a Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) proposal in response to unsafe pedestrian conditions and heavy transit use.  The pilot project would reconfigure the intersections of residential streets and Aurora that are adjacent to bus stops in an effort to create a more comfortable waiting environment for transit users and more room for pedestrians.  

The proposed locations for the plazas are southbound at 104th, 84th, and 76th St, and northbound at 76th St.  Funding for the project would come from "Bridging the Gap," a program aimed at maintaining and improving transportation in Seattle.

According to Casey Hildreth, a Transportation Planner with SDOT's Policy & Planning Division who is working on the project, SDOT has met with the Aurora Avenue Action Agenda Steering Committee, the Licton Springs Community Council, GAIN, and the Aurora Avenue Merchants Association.  Additionally, residents on the streets directly affected by the potential project locations should expect to see informational door-hangers in the next few days.

While various groups in the community have responded positively to the pilot project, the Aurora Avenue Merchants Association (AAMA) does not support the plans.  According to the AAMA website, "Moving traffic off Aurora onto neighborhood streets is not smart."  The SDOT plan, however, intends to do the opposite.  In fact, it cites the potential benefit of traffic-calming for residential side-streets as one of the benefits of the project.

The AAMA also expressed concerns that the project might impede parking for Aurora businesses and create places for "bad behavior." 

Said Hildreth about the concerns, "We are taking the public safety issues and business access issues seriously, and will be tailoring our design concepts to respond.  SDOT is committed to working with adjacent businesses to make sure these projects will not unduly impact their parking and property access."

In addition to discussions with neighborhood groups, SDOT is also looking for any additional public comments in response to their proposal since plaza location and designs will ultimately depend on public input.  Reaffirming the need for input from residents and businesses, Hildreth said, "It will ultimately be a balancing act to remove existing pedestrian and transit barriers while not exacerbating public safety issues or unduly impacting vehicle access. Input from established residents and institutions will be vital in making the final calls."

 More information is available from SDOT's project site here.  

SDOT's proposed street end plaza Option #2