News of Madison Valley

We are all aware of the high volumes of vehicle traffic cutting through our neighborhood, often at high speeds. This problem is only going to worsen with the removal of the eastbound SR-520 ramp from Lake WA Blvd. We are urging Seattle leaders to immediately fund and implement effective traffic calming measures on our streets as part of the Lake Washington Loop Greenway project. Please join us to help plan and advocate for safer streets in our neighborhood!

Map legend: Big Orange lines = arterial streets. The thin Green line is the future Lake Washington Loop Greenway.

Running from Madison Street to SR-520, the Greenway would address:

1. Traffic Flow Change. Concentrating both eastbound SR-520 commuter ramps at the Montlake Blvd interchange will cause more drivers to seek cut-through routes through our neighborhood.

2. Neighborhood Livability. Cut-through vehicle traffic today presents a significant unmitigated danger to people walking, biking and playing in our neighborhood. Cut-through traffic has adversely impacted both our quality of life and our sense of community.

3. Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Network. The existing Lake Washington Loop signed bicycle route is not only essential for local non-motorized mobility options, but is a critical segment of the 2014 Seattle Bicycle Master Plan, a plan which was unanimously passed by the City Council and the Mayor. It is also a very popular jogging and walking route for the neighborhood. 

4. Safe Route to Schools and Jobs. The Lake Washington Loop route is only remaining non-arterial northbound residential through route connecting E Madison St to the University of Washington. Our neighborhood is in the McGilvra Elementary School attendance area. This is the only viable route for our children to bike or walk to McGilvra Elementary School. We need one safe route to not only our only public school, but also local preschools, private schools, junior and high schools and the University of Washington, the largest public school and employer within the City of Seattle.

5. The City of Seattle has studied and recommended cut-through traffic mitigation along this route numerous times.

6. It’s Really Cheap. For a negligible fraction of the cost of major road projects being implemented in this corridor, excellent all-ages-and-abilities walking and biking routes can quickly be established. Transportation planners call this amount of money “decimal dust.”