Stone Way N & N 38th St

Safety is SDOT’s top priority, especially pedestrian safety. SDOT follows federal recommendations for marked pedestrian crossings to ensure that pedestrians are crossing the street at the best location. Depending on the number of travel lanes, vehicle volumes and posted speed limit, marked crosswalks can be an important tool to help people cross the street comfortably, but they are not the best solution at all locations.

As part of SDOT’s recently announced roadway plan for Stone Way N , a technical analysis of the unsignalized marked crosswalk at Stone Way N and N 38th Street determined that this crosswalk no longer meets our recommended guidelines and has been removed.

Before deciding to remove this marked crosswalk, SDOT considered:

• reducing the number of travel lanes; and

• installing a traffic signal.

Because of the current traffic volume and the importance of this section of Stone Way North as a vehicle travel route, SDOT is not recommending a reduction in the number of travel lanes. Further, this is not an appropriate place for a new signal.

To meet federal standards for a pedestrian signal, a location requires 100 pedestrians an hour for a four-hour period, or 190 pedestrians in a single hour. This location does not have that volume of pedestrians.

The nearest improved pedestrian crossing is now at the intersection of Stone Way N and Bridge Way N. It is also important to note that, according to Washington state law, a legal pedestrian crossing exists at every intersection regardless of whether or not a crosswalk is marked. Thus, pedestrians will continue to have a legal right to cross at this location.

For the safety of our crews who must work in traffic, and to reduce the impact on mobility in the area, this work may take place in the early morning hours or on a weekend.

If you have questions or comments about the removal of this crosswalk, please call SDOT’s comment line at (206) 615-1608 or email us at WalkandBike@Seattle.gov.

For additional information about SDOT’s roadway plan for Stone Way North , please refer to the project website at www.seattle.gov/transportation/cwp_stone.htm.