N 34th St Mobility Improvements

The work to update the layout of the road along N 34th St from Fremont Ave N to Stone Way N is complete. The changes have:

• Enhanced safety by upgrading the existing bike lane
• Maintained freight access to support Seattle's demand for goods and services
• Provided a comfortable and predictable bike connection between the Fremont Bridge and the Burke-Gilman Trail

The project design:

• Maintained a travel lane in each direction on N 34th St between Fremont Ave N and Stone Way N
• Preserved existing on-street parking and load zones
• Upgraded standard bike lanes to protected bike lanes by adding a painted buffer area between the bike lane and auto traffic with white plastic posts
• Enhanced safety at the intersections of Fremont Ave N, Troll Ave N, and Stone Way N

The updated road layout on N 34th St

Cyclists at N 34th St and Stone Way N

Project Overview

Over the last few years, we worked with the Fremont community to improve transportation in the neighborhood. This project aligned with both the freight and bicycle master plans by enhancing bicycle safety for all ages and abilities while preserving freight access on N 34th St.

You can review the final project map here.

The design added protected bike lanes from Fremont Ave W to Stone Way N, maintained parking on the north side of the street, and updated intersection design at the Stone Way N, Troll Ave N, and Fremont Ave N intersections.We developed this design using traffic data, what we heard during previous community outreach, and guidance from our citywide transportation plans to create a path forward for this safety project. 

Project Details

60% Design Update

On June 4, 2019, we shared a 60% design concept with the Fremont community at the Fremont Library. The design adds protected bike lanes from Fremont Ave W to Stone Way N, maintains parking on the north side of the street, and updates intersection design at the Stone Way N, Troll Ave N, and Fremont Ave N intersections. We developed this design using traffic data, what we heard during previous community outreach, and guidance from our citywide transportation plans to create a path forward for this safety project. The N 34th Design Update Project Map can be viewed in the Materials section below.

10% Design Concept

In January 2018, we proposed three potential designs for the project area called “alternatives” and began outreach to the Fremont community about how you use N 34th St between Fremont and Stone Way and what you’d like to see in the future.

Alternative 2 has been selected for further design and feedback. This alternative proposes upgrading the existing bike lanes to protected, paint-and-plastic-post bike lanes on N 34th St from Fremont Ave N to Stone Way N, and maintains the existing parking on the north side of the street.

In order to select an alternative, we conducted an analysis to further explore how the options best meet our goals and the impacts associated with each option.

The design process included consideration of:

• Traffic and signal analysis
• Parking analysis
• Public feedback
• Freight and bike master plans

How we incorporated your feedback

In 2017 and 2018, we conducted community outreach to hear from businesses, employees, commuters, residents, and property owners about how they use N 34th St. We used this information to help us make design decisions.

Feedback themes:

On-street parking

We heard preference for maintaining the existing on-street parking on the north side of the street. The preferred alternative maintains existing on-street parking.

Two-way bike facility

We heard preference for a two-way bike facility on the south side of the street. Our traffic and signal analysis indicated challenges for this alternative, including travel time delays for people biking and people driving. We eliminated this alternative due to design challenges and in favor of an alternative that best meets the project goals and budget.

Biking/walking priority

The most common safety issue we heard from community members concerned “failure to yield right of way to people walking or biking.” The Recommended Alternative clarifies the right of way, and make it more predictable and comfortable to walk or bike on N 34th St. This alternative preserve parking and includes 1-way protected bike lanes.

Questions and Answers

Why are you implementing a pair of one-way bike lanes on each side of the street instead of a two-way bike facility on one side of the street?
In the earlier stages of this project's outreach period, we heard community feedback preferring a two-way bike facility to the south side of the street. Our traffic and signal analysis indicated challenges for this design option, including travel time delays for people biking and people driving. We eliminated this option due to design challenges and in favor of an option that better meets the project goals and budget.

Are you making design changes at the intersection of N 34th St and Stone Way N?
At this intersection, we are adding a leading pedestrian interval for the Burke-Gilman Trail, expanding the southwest corner, adding concrete protection to the eastbound bike lane, and adding additional paint to improve safety for people walking and people biking on N 34th St across Stone Way N.What about freight and business access?
We have had extensive conversations with freight and business stakeholders about access and transportation safety on N 34th St and the greater Fremont and working waterfront area. The project design maintains parking and adds passenger loading between Albion Pl N and Woodland Park Ave N. All of the intersections are designed to continue to allow large trucks to move through the corridor.

Schedule

• 2017-2018: Planning
• 2019: Design
• 2021: Construction completed

Materials

• N 34th St Construction Flyer (April 2021)
• N 34th St Business Flyer (February 2021)
• N 34th Final Design Project Map (September 2019)
• Fact Sheet (September 2019)
• N 34th Design Update Project Map (June 2019)
• Mailer (May 2019)
• Public event display boards (Winter 2018)
• Fact Sheet (Winter 2018)
• Mailer (Fall 2018)
• Online Survey Results (Winter 2018)
• N 34th Fremont Drop-in Summary (January 2018)
• Public event display boards (January 2018)
• Survey & Drop-in Mailer (January 2018)
• Project Factsheet (Fall 2017)
• Project Mailer (Fall 2017)