103rd St Speed Bumps

If you live on the 300 block of 103rd street, expect to receive a petition in your email or to get a knock on your door next week regarding a petition for the installation of speed bumps in the mid-block portion of the street:

[At Seattle Night Out] we also met briefly to consider the concerns of our neighborhood. Among the several issues discussed, the chief complaint involved a unanimous call for lower vehicle speeds and volumes along our street. The evolution of our residential makeup has seen a significant increase in the number of children (and pets) living here compared to ten years ago. At the same time the increase in vehicles using 103rd as an Aurora to Greenwood cutoff - at near freeway speeds - has increased seemingly exponentially. The safety of these kids as they increase their presence in the dangerous street is our primary concern.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has a program for helping communities address this called the Neighborhood Traffic Control Program in which they install permanent fixtures to help alleviate traffic speed and volume problems on non arterial streets. There is a process for this outlined at this link and more general information for those interested: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/trafficcircles.htm. The consensus at the Night Out was to pursue two speed humps midway on our block, speed humps are the most effective, have the least impact on the residents themselves, and are the most feasible from the city’s perspective. The attached documentation is an excerpt from a study done back in 1993 and sheds more light on their effectiveness.

The process involves at the outset a study by the SDOT and then gaining the support of at least sixty percent of the residents which for the 300 block represents 14 of the 22 residences. We are beginning a preliminary petition process and we will be going door to door with more information as well as a signature form to help us initiate the street study with the city. We welcome any questions or comments and greatly appreciate your support in this effort.

If you'd like information for pursuing action on your street, write us at greenwood_blog@mac.com and we'll send you a copy of these documents.