Getting Ready for 520: City Council Approves Measure for Arboretum Pedestrian and Traffic Improvements
If you were one of the many concerned about how construction of WSDOT's latest SR-520 project's impact to the Washington Park Arboretum, take note. The City Council approved a measure today to execute measures to the park to make it suck less to be around during construction -- and some of them are being implemented by the end of the summer.
The first phase includes a crosswalk at Arboretum Drive so as not to overwhelm pedestrians with traffic overflow and two speed cushions. Those improvements are slated to be finished this summer.
Phase two will be implemented by the end of the year, and includes an elevated crosswalk north of Interlaken Drive. Both phases include allocating the time and staff to address any other needs that might occur, as identified by not only the Seattle and Washington Departments of Transportation, but also Seattle Parks and Recreation and Arboretum and Botanical Garden Committee.
The goal is to get all these projects in place before construction of the new floating bridge, I-5 to Medina, begins in 2012. If all goes as planned, the bridge will open in 2014.
