Extensive SDOT study finds the Alki Point Healthy Street works well and is popular

Images are from the 50-page SDOT report on the Alki Point Healthy Street (PDF).

After surveying 1,200 people (PDF) and writing a 50-page report (PDF), SDOT has determined that calming traffic and upgrading the walking and biking spaces on a handful of blocks at Alki Point has increased walking and biking use, has made people feel safer, and has not caused a parking crunch as detractors feared.

The Alki Point Healthy Street is a permanent upgrade to the scenic beachside street near the lighthouse where Alki Ave SW curves and turns into Beach Drive SW that was constructed in 2024 and builds on some temporary safe streets measures that started in 2020. The design added a new separated biking and walking path along the beach side of Beach Drive as well as a traffic diverter (AKA a modal filter") on Alki Ave at 64th Place SW.

In response to concerns about the loss of parking, SDOT found ways to formalize additional parking in the area. Staff also conducted multiple parking use studies and found that the majority of areas are less than half utilized (with several parking areas sitting more than 80% empty most the time). The fullest parking areas they recorded during 8 different surveys taken over a four-month span still had 9% of spaces available, and there was ample parking nearby those mostly full areas. Will this data satisfy everyone? It never does. But hopefully it satisfies decision makers who will likely still get some complaints.

The report is affirming to all the local advocates who have put a lot of time and energy into supporting this project during its years of development. It also puts SDOT in a good position to make further improvements like extending the project one more block along Beach Drive.

One big subjective improvement from the new design on Beach Drive other than the added elbow room for people walking and biking is that parked cars no longer block the view of the beach and Puget Sound. Especially as the average car keeps getting bigger and taller, parallel parking along the street can obscure the connection between the neighborhood and the waterfront. This is such a special place in the city, and it needs to be celebrated rather than blocked off by a wall of parked cars.

SDOT measured significantly more people walking and biking on the street in 2024 after the changes compared to 2020, 2021 and 2022, but I'm not sure how useful these comparisons are since a lot has changed about people's travel patterns due to the pandemic restrictions in those earlier years. For example, driving is also up on Beach Drive during the same time period. As a general rule for Seattle Bike Blog coverage, I try to compare to pre-pandemic travel data and skip over early 20s numbers for any story that's not specifically about the pandemic. The 2020 Seattle Traffic Report (PDF), which is based on 2019 data, has become a very important document for this reason. Unfortunately, SDOT does not have count data from before 2020 for this stretch of the road because it's not classified as an arterial roadway. So we know the numbers are up, but it's hard to pick out the effect of the improvements versus the effect of the pandemic.

The survey results support the idea that at least some of the increase is due to the changes with 71% of respondents saying they felt safe using the improved street and 57% saying the improvements have made them more likely to visit the area. Many respondents suggested further improvements like making the street one-way, improving signage and partnering with Seattle Parks to program the space. There was also support for finishing the final block of the project on Beach Dr between 64th and 63rd Avenues SW, which SDOT is planning in 2025. The city also plans to create a new crosswalk on 63rd at Beach Dr, improve the design of the cul-de-sac on Alki Ave, adjust some signage, and add street art to the walking and biking path.

There was opposition to the project, though, led by a group calling itself Alki Point for All," as West Seattle Blog reported. 28% of survey respondents said they have difficulty accessing the Alki Point Healthy Street because of parking." But the city's eight different parking studies showed plenty of parking available. 25% of respondents also said they use the street by parking on Beach Dr SW to enjoy the view from my vehicle." Honestly, this doesn't seem like the kind of use case the city needs to prioritize, especially since there are plenty of open spots on the east side of the street at least most of the time. People can still see the view from there. The most confusing claims from the Alki Point for All group has been that removing parking on the beachside of the street would somehow harm people's ability to do marine mammal rescue or for kids to take field trips to the beach. The project does neither of those things. If anything, the wider walking path will make walking with a large group of kids easier and safer. And, again, there is still parking on the east side of the street. Meanwhile, pollution from cars, including oil and tire dust that washes into waterways and the sound, is directly linked to marine life harm such as the devastation of local coho salmon populations that marine mammals like orcas rely on. You would hope that advocates for marine life would be looking for opportunities to support efforts that make it easier for people to get around without cars, such as the Alki Point Healthy Street project. The group also claimed that the loss of parking means that even fewer people will be able to visit Alki Point" and that this soul-nurturing view, and access to marine life, should not belong to a privileged few." Well, SDOT data shows the project increased the number of people using the street. So, that's good news, right? Or does the view only nurture the soul if seen through a car window? And how can you argue that reserving 100% of the roadway for traffic and parking is for all," but having a walking and biking path on one side and parking on the other is exclusionary? These arguments are really, strange, right? Am I missing something?

In the end, SDOT summed up its findings this way:

• Alki Point Healthy Street permanent improvements have successfully improved perceptions of comfort and safety for people walking and biking.
• Use of the Alki Point Healthy Street by people walking and biking has continued to increase.
• People driving have also returned to the Alki Point Healthy Street and are typically able to find parking.