Great! It’s about time.

Whenever any new undertaking has to use euphemistic names like “diet” to disguise the true nature of the end goal, it is never a good thing.

At least call it what it is…removal of traffic lanes. “Cannibalization” would be more accurate.

Punishing the 95% to appease the 5% is foolish. Most people drive so I fail to see how in a democracy this solution was arrived at.

I wouldn’t mind paying a bit more tax to expand bike trails but not at the expense of existing traffic lanes. Besides, the bike and car networks should be completely separate (e.g. Burke – Gilman trail).

I don’t know if many people realize how dumb this is. First of all, a new and well made trail was constructed just last year (2009) less than 100 yards below Nickerson and parallel to it. It seems to me if Our Leader keeps telling us there must be both budget cuts and tax increases, we ought to be spending whatever funds we have on existing issues, not starting new unnecessary projects. Take for example, Ewing Street – which is next to last year’s new bike trail. It is in such bad condition it should have it’s name removed and accepted as a back alley to avoid embarrassment.

Snarkbark,…..I am with you!! Riding my bike the other day on a dedicated trail makes this city way more enjoyable !! If I could commute with all my tools via bike I would but there is just no way. Did the City really plan all of this well enough to be a fit for the New Tunnel 99 ?? Hopefully the lights at the Fremont bridge will be adjusted to allow for a smooth flow of traffic and not a backup all the way to the Ballard Bridge!! I am willing to pay more taxes for dedicated trails too!!

Awesome, I know many Magnolians who are excited for this as the Stone Way diet was a hands-down success. Nickerson will be much safer for all who use it and no more backups behind people who need to turn left! Superb job, SDOT!

For the record, where this is happening on Nickerson has way more capacity than is needed so this project should not reduce the amount of traffic the street carries, just slow it down which is a good thing because most drivers on that street go 10-15 MPH over the speed limit which is 30 MPH. This is the result of a study and analysis done by SDOT using WSDOT numbers. If you somehow know better because you’re whizz-bang traffic engineer, let’s hear it. Otherwise, I don’t think telling people how backed up Nickerson already is is a good argument since, well, it’s not true. Also, yes, they did take into account the fabled tunnel project and changes in traffic from it.

As for the budget, the money for this project is coming out of a dedicated fund created by the voters to improve the city’s streets for ALL users. The money COULD NOT be re-directed to pay for police, parks, libraries or anything else. It is dedicated to projects like this.

Finally, as to that trail people like to point to as being a perfectly reasonable alternative… That’s not correct. First of all, the trail dead ends before it reaches the Ballard Bridge (not the fault of the city. BNSF is contracted to complete the trail through its right of way and has been delaying for years.) Because of this, riders heading East from Magnolia will be on Nickerson until they get to where the trail starts. Then they have to navigate to the left lane across two lanes of traffic most of which is travelling 10-15 MPH above the speed limit and then wait there in the left lane for a break in the traffic going the other way hoping they dont get rear-ended by someone headed East in the left lane that is going to fast and fails to see them.

Finally, this reduction in lanes and addition of a turn lane, crosswalks and other features is not just about bikes. It’s about increasing safety for all users. Scoff if you wish but it’s true. This project is about pedestrians FIRST AND FOREMOST. and since all of us are pedestrians at some point, all of us should support something that makes the roads safer for all of us.

Charles,

Thank you. I couldn’t agree more. As a driver, biker and pedestrian I think Nickerson is unsafe as it is and definitely not crowded. It will feel safer for all of us.

The state legislators came to the city council asking for a coordinated transportation plan between Interbay and the automobile tunnel. So, apparently, the legislature didn’t really have a plan before they thrust that tunnel on us.

Thankfully, the trucks won’t be taking the long way around on Nickerson just to get to the tunnel, since the waterfront will be a much shorter route.

It appears that all the tunnel will do is relieve North Link and RapidRide Line E of riders, and prevent a Ballard light rail line from becoming feasible. What a huge waste of money!

As for Nickerson, it will be nice to see more drivers obeying the speed limit. There’s a school in the middle of that street, ya know.

And no, the buses won’t be slowed down. They already only go the speed limit (unlike drivers), so their speed won’t change.

Meanwhile the majority of Seattle, drivers of these things called automobiles, have to start paying $20 more for tabs.

Sounds fair right? We get less lanes to travel on but have to start paying more.

I love seeing the road warriors squeal about road diets – yet don’t have a lick of traffic engineering knowledge.

Bottom line – the road diet will make it safer for everyone to use Nickerson. Bikers and pedestrians are tax payers too.

What a joke. I drive on nickerson street to and from work every single day, sometimes twice so last week I decided to count the number of cyclists I saw on nickerson each day. Not once was there more than 5 between the ballard and fremont bridge. I think cyclists should pay for tabs to put on thier helmets to help fund thier little road diets. Again, what a friggin joke.

Snarkbark nails it:

“Whenever any new undertaking has to use euphemistic names like “diet” to disguise the true nature of the end goal, it is never a good thing.”

This initiative has nothing to do with safety. It has nothing to do with bikes, nothing to do with pedestrians.

This is about the mayor’s war on cars – or more specifically, his efforts to make your life as miserable as possible if you dare to drive a car.

All the nonsense about pedestrian safety and bike paths is just theater for the gullible.

This is not the first – or the last – you will see from this clown as part of the war on drivers. Only Seattle would elect someone whose administration’s primary purpose is to make life worse for the majority of the city’s citizens.

“Only Seattle would elect someone whose administration’s primary purpose is to make life worse for the majority of the city’s citizens.”

Whine Whine Whine.

LOL – just like the stone way road diet made like miserable worse for Wallingfordians.

Move to Bellevue if you want your roads. There’s plenty to go around over there that concrete jungle.

All I’m looking for is honesty when it comes to public policy. You know, democracy.

If you think that the city’s policy should be to make life as miserable as possible for anyone who dares to own a car, then say so. You apparently feel that way. Fine. I can respect that.

The mayor apparently feels the same way.

He just lies about it.

Brent, the eastbound buses WILL be slowed down, as there is no separate bike lane in that direction. With only a single traffic lane remaining in that direction, buses (too wide to safely pass bikes also in that lane) will be limited to the speed of the bikes ahead of them. Cars, being narrower, may be able to safely pass the bikes.

In any case, since the South Ship Canal Trail has recently been extended to 11th Ave W, I hope the project will include a marked crosswalk at Nickerson & 11 Ave W so that bicylists and pedestrians can safely cross over to the Trail at that point.

Buses will not be slowed down. The routes (17 & 31) come so infrequently that there will be no noticeable difference.

More FUD from the road warriors.

More arrogance from the cycle bags.

Haha – I’d actually call keeping Nickerson for yourself and fellow road warriors, while still keeping it unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians (both of who which pay taxes and probably own a car as well) pretty arrogant and selfish.

Cam, are you saying that the buses will be able to pass the bicycles in the same lane, or just that there won’t be enough bicyclists to make a difference?

I’m saying that the routes that travel down Nickerson come so in-frequently that the probability of them encountering a cyclist will be few, and if they do, like i explained in my earlier comment, they’ll simply go around them in the turn lane. Buses loose more time trying to merge back into traffic and drivers won’t let them, even though it’s against the law to not yield to a merging bus.

Nickerson is not the first street to have sharrows and bus routes – they’ll manage just fine.

This sounds like the “diet” that was used on 24th Ave. in Ballard. At first I thought more wasted money to satisfy the fad of the day, green, sustainable etc.. I have found that I like it. Traffic actually moves along rather nicely, better than four lanes with no turn lanes and sharrows.

Now if we could get the bike gangs to discuss these topics in a mature way…..

Thanks, Cam, your explanation makes sense. I didn’t know there were other streets running buses on a single sharrow lane — if you could post an example or two, I’d be interested in checking them out.

As one who both drives and cycles that route, I am glad to see a bike lane established on the uphill section. Try as we might, cyclists just cannot go as fast as an automobile on the uphill. Having a lane to ourselves not in conflict with cars makes sense.

Mondoman –

Stone Way N from N34th to 45th has the exact same configuration. Bike lane going uphill, sharrow going downhill. The #16, #26X, and #31 all use that stretch of Stone Way just fine, with no added delays.

I used to take the 31 from Magnolia to a stop on Nickerson … coming back was a total nightmare because I had to use the crosswalk to get across Nickerson. It usually took 5 minutes for someone to actually stop. I don’t know if it’s because they were going to fast, weren’t looking for peds, or just didn’t care, but crossing that street really is putting your life on the line, even at a very well-marked crosswalk. Reducing it to 2 lanes for moving traffic and making it feel more like a city street than a highway should help quite a bit.

This is mainly a safety project, as are most “road diets” projects. The bicycle lanes are an added benefit. The advantages of a 4 lane to 3 lane (including the turn lane) conversion are substantial: fewer rear end collisions, easier and safer turns from side streets. The road should work well with the level of Nickerson traffic. In addition, we’ll get rid of those skinney 9′ lanes in the middle lanes (11 to 12′ is standard) . I think it will be create a good feel.

Too bad no mention of future plantings. Some trees along the route would be really nice.

Thanks, Cam.

Mondoman, just to clarify too. Even though there isn’t a bike lane in the sharrow stretches, the roadway is just as wide as the traffic lane/bike line configuration on the other side. The reason sharrows have become more popular than dedicated bike lanes in a lot of areas is because the city found that in places like Dexter Ave where there are bike lanes the whole way, drivers tend to get possessive of the car lane and don’t feel cyclist should have the right to leave the bike lane, even if to avoid a hazard or pass another biker.

Also, more generally, as someone that lives very close to Nickerson and uses it daily (as a pedestrian, as a cyclist, and as a driver) I fully support the diet. Many people may not realize that the street is very unsafe for peddestrians to cross. SDOT removed most of the crosswalks last year becasue they didn’t meet national standards. The diet will allow the crosswalks to return. Traffic only gets backed up on Nickerson between the Fremont Bridge and Etruria St (which is not part of the diet) except in unusual situation like if there is a major accident on 15th Ave resulting in its closure which is rare. Also, the bend in the street at 11th Ave W (or maybe its 8th W) is pretty hazardous, two cars in adjacent lanes can’t make the turn while going the speed limit without hitting each other or a parked vehicle. The diet will fix this issue as well. Those that don’t like the bike lanes should give your city councilman or BNSF a call and bug them to get the shiup Canal trail finished. Completion of the trail is an issue I think cyclist, pedestrians and drivers can all agree needs to happen.

As others have stated, the Nickerson Diet, reduction or whatever you want to call it isn’t just for bikes. It improves the street for pedestrians and cars as well.

I rode upfront on a #17 bus when I was the only passenger one day, and listened to the driver, who drove that route on Nickerson multiple times every day, point out that that was one of the worst streets for speeding and white knuckle driving. Cars literally race each other on Nickerson. If I lived on that street I would be overjoyed at change because it will reduce the speeding and race car antics (tailgating and lane jockeying) that make that stretch so unpleasant to mature adults.

Michael, according to the diagram at the top, the new road lane + sharrows will be 13′ wide, while the car lane + bike lane on the other side will be 12′ + 5′ = a total of 17′ wide.

I agree with your sentiments about finishing the South Ship Canal Trail. Since it’s 90% of the way to the Ballard Bridge already, it’s very useful as long as there is a safe crossing of Nickerson at 11th Ave W (where the Trail currently ends). I’m hoping this project will at least put a marked crosswalk there.

Oh yeah, Looks like I misread. Sorry. I think the rationale is the same though. Just more dedicated space for the climbing lane. 5′ seems like a pretty generous lane given that the traffic lane is 12′.

They are adding a crosswalk at 11th W,in addition to at Jesse Ave W, 3rd West, W Cremona, W Dravus, & Florentia.

Check out the plans:
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/docs/nickerson510st.pdf

As a driver who has to go Nickerson to Fremont Bridge to get kids to school, I was orginally opposed to the new “diet” however, it doesn’t look like it will be too much of a problem when Sept and all the schools in area start…just a couple of things, 1. Please time the lights better around the Fremont Bridge…they need to be reset for better traffic flow. 2. All bicycles should be licensed with identification that can be seen by car drivers and pedistrians alike to report ANY BICYCLE THAT RUNS A RED LIGHT or crosses the crosswalk instead of waiting for the light to change. They use the roads as cars, they need to pay their fair share plus helments should also be marked with some identification so we can report them if they disregard the laws that cars have to uphold.

3. I will not be voting for McGinn the next time if he runs for Mayor of Seattle, I thought Nicholas was bad but McGinn is worse!!!!

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