The most dangerous road in Seattle, Washington, is State Route 99, Aurora Avenue N. 19 people were killed while walking on Aurora Ave N between 2008 and 2022, on just 7.6 miles of road. 14 of these deaths occurred between 2018 and 2022, which is 15% of all pedestrian fatalities in Seattle during that time. The downtown portion of Rte 99 was recently buried–the highway that used to cut through the downtown now tunnels underneath it. However, when the highway resurfaces in the Queen Ann and Westlake neighborhoods, a mixed-use area just north of Downtown, people walking still have to navigate wide lanes, inadequate pedestrian facilities, and high speeds to cross the street or access the bus routes. Though Aurora Ave N is owned by the state DOT, the city is responsible for day-to-day maintenance and operations, so the city and state have worked together closely for years on improving this corridor. There are many ongoing plans and campaigns to improve the safety of the road through design, and it will take continued collaboration and strong partnership between the city, the state, and local stakeholders to make these plans a reality.
How is Aurora Ave moving in the right direction?
- Long-term visioning: The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and King County Metro are currently in the third phase of a multi-year Aurora Ave Project, planning for safety improvements to the corridor. This study breaks Aurora Ave into five segments and includes community engagement through surveys and design workshops to incorporate local needs into the proposed design. Part of this work is funded by a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Pedestrian and Bicycle Program grant, and WSDOT is a key partner in the planning process. WSDOT owns the route, but Seattle is responsible for the day-to-day maintenance and operations, so this project is only one part of a long-term partnership between the city and the state.
- Local advocacy: Aurora Reimagined Coalition is a partnership of neighbors, advocates, businesses, and public agencies that works extensively to envision a people-centric future for Aurora Ave. The coalition provides invaluable lived experience to incorporate into the city-led planning processes, conducts supplemental community surveys, and pushes for designs that meet the needs of all users on the entire corridor. For example, when SDOT released new design ideas for a community survey, the Coalition encouraged residents to ask for more, requesting designs that prioritize active transportation and transit.
- Short-term safety improvements: SDOT is not waiting for the long-term planning to address immediately known safety concerns. SDOT is implementing some shorter-term strategies, including No Turn on Red signs and pedestrian leading interval signals at all signalized intersections, and these strategies will inform WSDOT’s improvements to similar roads across the state. The 2022 Move Ahead Washington transportation funding package includes a set aside for a demonstration project on Aurora Ave, but the funds have not been released.
What’s needed to continue improving?
There is a long way to go before the entire corridor is reconstructed. As Aurora Reimagined Coalition, Transportation Choices Coalition, and many others are aware, it will take long-term collaboration, engagement, and funding to complete and implement these plans. A project of this size needs to continue through many elections and rounds of funding, which requires ongoing pressure from residents and advocates for safety to be prioritized on Rte 99.
Thank you to Natalie Lubsen and Dongho Chang for their contributions to this case study.