Event Calendar
Third Avenue / Commercial Core
A 2012 Council Statement of Legislative Intent directed the Executive to work with stakeholders to identify actions needed to improve the functionality, urban design, safety and security of the downtown Third Avenue Transit Corridor, as well as addressing the impacts on tourism, economic development and social equity arising from the elimination of Metro’s Ride Free Area. The Mayor’s Third Avenue Initiative addresses issues raised in the SLI while bringing a more comprehensive approach to addressing issues in the heart of the Commercial Core. The work plan has a set of actions supporting the following areas:
- Coordination with King County to mitigate the impact of the elimination of the Ride Free Area
- Improve signage, lighting, and other physical changes that improve visitors’ feelings of safety and security
- Implement evidence-based policing tactics in the corridor which support overall public safety goals
- Reinstate the High Incident Offender Program
- Implement a Hot Spot policing strategy
- Foster collaboration between SPD’s Crisis Intervention Team and King County’s Mobile Crisis Outreach Team
- Deploy youth outreach workers
- Integrate well maintained transit waiting areas into the streetscape in a manner that serves transit operations and improves perceptions of public safety and security
- Engage with adjacent building owners/businesses to coordinate and improve street edges and stewardship of sidewalks, building entrances and retail fronts
- Expand efforts to remove trash and clean sidewalks on a daily basis
- Promote increased and more vibrant retail activity
- Engage low-income housing operators and social service providers in their efforts to maintain security and livability near their entrances. Maximize service options to low/no-income individuals in the 3rd Ave. core area
- Engage broad stakeholder group to assess community needs and partner in initiatives
The City Council allocated funding to support the 3rd Ave. effort. Some of this funding has been used to enhance daily cleaning activities. Part of $350,000 allocated for capital projects is recommended to be used to get priority projects designed to be “shovel ready” and the balance to be used as match in a Federal grant request that could provide about $3.5 million for physical improvements.
