South Ballard Transportation Corridor Study

The purpose of the South Ballard Transportation Corridor Study is to identify ways to improve mobility and safety for all modes of travel in and through South Ballard. The Plan will serve as a blueprint for identifying transportation priorities in the corridor.

South Ballard Transportation Corridor Study Final Report

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Executive Summary
Introduction
Background Conditions
Transportation Issues
Improvement Options
Evaluation of Improvement Options
Implementation
Funding and Prioritization Process
Appendix A - Workshop notes and issues that were not considered
Appendix B - Traffic Signal Warrants
Appendix C - Evaluation Criteria Matrix

Did we accomplish what we set out to do?

Yes. The South Ballard Transportation Corridor Study successfully addressed most of the objectives identified at the beginning of the study. The recommendations developed will help maintain or improve safety and mobility for all users and modes in this corridor. A summary of each objective and how the study addressed it follows:

OBJECTIVE: Identify measures to improve access, mobility and safety for all modes

This study did not find deficiencies in traffic capacity, with the exception of a couple of key signalized intersections, under existing or future 2012 condition. The intersections of Market St/22nd Avenue/Leary Ave and Market St/24th Avenue are the two primary bottlenecks in the corridor. The only measures that would reduce delays at these intersections, such as restricted turn movements or widening approaches, were considered unacceptable. While Market Street/22nd Avenue/Leary Avenue is a complex, five-legged intersection, it operates at LOS D, which is typical for an urban intersection.

Balancing the priorities between modes often requires trade-offs between the optimal solutions for individual modes. However, some of the recommendations will improve access and safety for both pedestrians and vehicles. The recommended improvement at Leary Avenue/17th Avenue will narrow the crossing distance for pedestrians, while providing better channelization to improve safety for vehicles. Similarly, the reconfiguration of Leary Avenue/20th Avenue/Vernon Street along with a traffic signal will improve access across Leary Avenue for pedestrians and vehicles.

OBJECTIVE: Identify measures to improve regional industrial mobility

Some of the local improvements identified in this study will improve industrial mobility within the corridor, contributing to improvements in regional mobility.

OBJECTIVE: Identify the best way to allocate the different, and sometimes competing, uses among the streets within the corridor

There was an interest in shifting more traffic from Shilshole Avenue to Leary Avenue to reduce conflicts between trucks and through traffic on Shilshole and to take advantage of extra capacity on Leary. The primary impediment to this shift is the delay on Market Street between Shilshole (24th) Avenue and Leary Avenue due, in part, to the in-lane transit stop near Ballard Avenue. However, King County Metro is making improvements to enhance the transit stop as a key transit hub for Ballard. Given the strong community support for the transit hub, moving it outside of this section of Market Street is not an option. There do not appear to be other means to attract more traffic to Leary Avenue from Shilshole Avenue.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate alternatives to complete the Burke-Gilman Trail through Ballard

This study recommends four alternative routes that have been incorporated into the South Ballard Transportation Corridor Design Study. The Ballard Corridor Design Study is providing a detailed engineering and design analysis of the alternative routes.

Ballard Corridor Design Study Web Site

OBJECTIVE: Identify measures to reduce automobile trips in the study area

The Ballard area could benefit from a Travel Demand Management (TDM) program that would combine resources and efforts of the major employers and the smaller retail businesses in the area. Traditionally, TDM programs have been targeted at medium to large employers and in an isolated manner. More recently, the City has been attempting to develop TDM programs for groups of employers, small to large, in neighborhood business districts. This can be done independently from the recommended improvements in this report.

OBJECTIVE: Enhance the connection between the Locks and the business/historic district

The alternative routes identified for the Ballard Corridor Design Study include options for improved pedestrian and bicycle connections either along Market Street or the railroad corridor to the south of Market Street.

OBJECTIVE: Estimate costs, identify potential funding sources, and prioritize the recommendations

The Implementation section of this study presents the recommendations, along with cost estimates, potential funding sources, and a priority ranking of high, medium and low.

SDOT will balance the high priority projects identified through the SBTCS with other citywide priorities and incorporate them into the Capital Improvement Program where possible. We will also monitor the Implementation Plan and update it as appropriate to meet changing needs and take advantage of opportunities to implement the improvements identified in this study. Some recommendations will require additional analysis and review before they are implemented.

For more information on the South Ballard Transportation Corridor Study, contact Eric Tweit at (206) 684-8834.