Transit options growing with the U-District

A Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) plan to deal with an expanding U-District population was released last month. The plan, called the University Area Transportation Strategy (UATS), examines ways to improve transportation by increasing transportation options in the U-District.

This plan is an update of the 2002 action plan, and the process has taken about a year. There is no set timeline for the implementation of the plans, but the SDOT predicts that this will occur within the next couple decades.

During the past year, several open houses and talks with the University and the Greater U-District Chamber of Commerce helped revise the plans, said Casey Hildreth, SDOT Associate Planner.

The population of the U-District has grown during the last few years, and the UATS plan is intended help deal with that growth.

“There is a lot of transit, biking and walking in the U-District, and the U-Pass has been a key feature in getting people to not use their cars, and we want to capture and expand on that,” Hildreth said. “This is a long range plan with a long list of projects that expand from roadway improvements to pedestrian improvements.”

The Northeast 45th Street Viaduct, the bridge connecting from Northeast 21st Street down to the base of U-Village, is one such project in consideration.

Currently, the pedestrian sidewalk on the viaduct is very narrow, steep and close to traffic.

“When I walk down there I am always afraid of the traffic because it’s so close to me,” said Emily McClure, a sophomore. “And when it rains, the cars always splash water onto us, and the whole experience is very unpleasant and unsafe.”

A portion of the bridge is predicted to be replaced in 2010 with the help of the “Bridging the Gap” fund that was passed by voters a couple years ago. Hildreth said this project will replace the old portion of the bridge at the top of the hill and create a new connection, so that the pedestrians won’t have to continue traversing the walkway currently in place.

The project’s projected cost is $30 million.

“Our planning process has really identified a need and support for it,” Hildreth said.

The SDOT is also working on plans to improve connections for the light rail coming to the U-District in about seven to eight years. Additionally, there will be improvements along Northeast 15th Avenue, which moves many people to and from the University via public transit.

Before any of these plans are finalized and implemented, there will be an extensive community outreach for ideas and suggestions.

A survey is available until June 1, which the community can use to send suggestions to the SDOT. Hildreth encourages UW students to review the plans and comment on them, since the student population has been fairly underrepresented in this process.