N 130th St plans would add protected bike lanes from Bitter Lake to Pinehurst Station

Map from the SDOT project webpage. This map is a little confusing because the bulk of this project ends at 1st Ave NE, not I-5. East of 1st Ave NE, it will meet up with a different project that is ready to begin construction this summer.

The under-construction infill Link light rail station at N 130th Street recently got its official name: Pinehurst Station. Sound Transit anticipates that 90% of station users will get there by walking, biking or taking the bus. Recognizing that the streets leading to the station do not currently support that level of walking and biking, Seattle is planning several major safe streets projects to rehab outdated car-centric road designs to help folks walk and bike to the train. In this post, we'll look at the plans for N 130th Street between Palatine Ave N and 1st Ave NE.

130th already has wide buffered bike lanes between Greenwood Ave N and Linden Ave N, a project of the Mayor Mike McGinn era and one of the city's first experiments with buffered bike lanes. But the street widens out to an outdated and dangerous 4-lane design east of Linden. SDOT's 2023 Vision Zero review found that 80% of pedestrian traffic deaths in Seattle happen on streets with multiple lanes in the same direction, and 79% of people killed while biking happened on streets without bike facilities. N 130th Street will not only connect Broadview, Bitter Lake and Haller Lake communities with the new light rail station, it also passes directly in front of Ingraham High School and senior housing apartments. Even without the light rail station opening, 130th needs a safe streets redesign.

SDOT's permanent design for this project segment would add protected bike lanes to the street from Palatine Ave N to 1st Ave NE, reducing the roadway to one lane in each direction plus a turn lane or on-street parking where appropriate. The reduced roadway width will allow them to install many more safe crosswalks along the street, reconnecting communities that have long been divided by the street's highway-style design. The changes will feel like they come in phases because a separate Vision Zero project is scheduled for construction this year that will add lower-cost protected bike lanes between Stone Ave N and 1st Ave NE as well as making some signal and curb ramp upgrades. The project will also add a signal at Ashworth Ave N.

East of 1st Ave NE, this project would connect to yet another separate project already fully designed and ready for construction along 130th, Roosevelt and NE 125th Streets that will include protected bike lanes all the way east to Lake City Way. East of 1st Ave NE, the biking route will transition to the north side of the street as a 12-foot wide walking and biking shared-use path that continues across I-5 and connects directly to the station. The path also avoids the I-5 on-ramp. But these are details for another story. Stay tuned.

Plan for the intersection of N/NE 130th Street at 1st Ave NE. From the design diagram for the ready-to-build NE 130th St & NE 125th St Mobility and Safety Project.

The city's online survey is still open for comments on the 130th project between Palatine and 1st Ave NE. So go tell them you support the safer crosswalks and protected bike lanes that they have planned. I also commented that it is important that the bike lanes and sidewalks are wide enough for everyone to be comfortable, especially on the section where the two are separated by only a yellow tactile strip. You can also email your comments toN130st_BitterLake_HallerLake_Project@seattle.gov.