Mobility & Transportation

The Duwamish Valley Action Plan laid out a number of objectives for Mobility & Transportation that the SDOT has already completed. However, community defined priorities continue to shape how we approach improvement and development in South Park and Georgetown. We are grateful to our many partners at Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), specifically Shauna Walgren, Sara Zora, and David Burgesser, who continue to prioritize community vision in implementing new projects in the Duwamish Valley. Importantly, through Reconnect West Seattle, SDOT implemented a Home Zone in each neighborhood to complete a suite of community-identified projects that build on our commitments in the Duwamish Valley Action Plan.

NEW: Reconnect South Park (RSP)

Reconnect South Park updates

South Park community members successfully lobbied for $600,000 from the State of Washington to support the Reconnect South Park (RSP) initiative. This project aligns with the goals of the new federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, and aims to address the harmful health impacts and barriers to local mobility caused by the highway today.

Next milestone: RSP is currently kicking off the development of a Community Vision Plan and technical studies to explore the potential removal or restructuring of State Route 99 through South Park. Community input will also be guiding the work of the technical team, which will also be contracting with the City to study potential health, mobility, safety, economic, and environmental impacts of multiple alternatives. 

***Video created by University of British Columbia graduate students Cansu Undeyoglu, Jenn Richards, Sheena Jain, and Shruti Misra for a studio project focused on re-envisioning 99 through South Park. Specific design ideas do not reflect community- or government-proposed changes***

Georgetown Mobility Study

Implementation updates

SDOT is working holistically to reduce the impacts of freight movement through Georgetown. On one hand, SDOT continues to provide guidance and assistance to residents of Georgetown to help them effectively report train horn noise in the middle of the night directly to the railroads. On the other, SDOT is implementing designated on-street overnight truck tractor parking on Harbor Island to establish areas where drayage truck drivers can leave trucks overnight.

Next milestone: Recently SDOT applied for a Railroad Crossing Elimination grant for a study to mitigate safety concerns and congestion issues due to trains blocking crossing for the BNSF mainline crossing at S Holgate St between 3rd Ave S and S Holgate. SDOT expects to hear about the status of this grant process in early 2023.

Georgetown-South Park Connection

Trail updates

The City fully funded the Connection Trail in 2021, and construction was originally expected to start in 2022. However, due to unforeseen delays caused by the pandemic and the environmental permitting process, construction will begin in the summer of 2023.

Next milestone: In addition to the Connection Trail, SDOT will also create (drum roll please…….) a new stop light and crosswalk at improvements Dallas Ave S and 14th Ave S which will directly benefit the trail, and the South Park Plaza. This long-standing community priority is now at 100% design and will be built in 2023.

Drainage and Street Improvements

Street updates

SDOT has installed and will continue to work on roadside swales and remove compacted gravel at the edge of the roadway between the sidewalk and street. Additionally, they will add greenery and planting and give residents voice in what gets planted outside their house. This greenery adds many benefits to community, including stormwater benefits. SDOT is currently pursuing this treatment on:

• S Concord St in South Park
• S Elmgrove St in South Park
• S Trenton St in South Park
• 6th Ave S in Georgetown

South Park Drainage and Roadway Partnership

In coordination with SDOT, SPU is continuing construction on an improved drainage system in the industrial area of South Park. When complete, this project will work in tandem with the flood control pump station to reduce flooding in the industrial and residential areas in the northern part of South Park. The pipe improvements will collect and convey flows to the existing drainage system and lessen overall flooding. The drainage system will direct stormwater to the flood control pump station, which will pump stormwater to the Duwamish River, and to the future water quality facility.

Next milestone: Construction will be completed in early 2023 to provide much needed reduction in flood risks to South Park residents and businesses.

Mid-term Improvements to Gateway Park North in Georgetown

8th Ave. S and Gateway Park North updates

Duwamish Valley Program worked with SDOT to secure $1.75 million to make improvements to the street end as the City works to turn this area into a usable community space. This last year, a lot of progress was made! The Port of Seattle and community leaders—with  major support from youth in the Georgetown Open Space Committee—helped to move large logs to establish temporary nurseries. SDOT established a more permanent construction fence at the site to ensure work could move smoothly. In addition, SDOT poured asphalt on the street end to eliminate the low point where water accumulates at the site. This project is one of the pilot projects for the Resilience District work.

Next milestone: In addition to the funding from the City, the Port of Seattle has allocated $3 million to help with the design of the site related to bank stabilization. SDOT and partners have started soil testing for contaminants at the site. The information gathered into a report by the end of February 2023. This report will help guide SDOT in the allocation of the remaining $1.75 million of the City’s investments to potentially build rain garden swales, as well as shape the Port’s $3 million for bank stabilization.