Yesterday, the third traffic collision in the last two weeks occurred at 24th Ave E and E Lynn St in Montlake’s business district. Whereas the two previous collisions involved cars attempting to cross 24th, this accident involved a cyclist who was riding northbound and turning west onto Lynn.
The cyclist was seriously injured with a broken rib and a deep wound that exposed bones in his back. He was rushed to the hospital. The driver of the car tried to avoid the collision and suffered leg injuries as a result of colliding against the entrance of Café Lago. The vehicle passenger was badly shaken.
Also badly shaken was the front entrance of Cafe Lago. A structural engineer inspected the building for damage and declared it safe. The restaurant remains open, though through the side door until repairs on the main entrance are complete.
Crashes in the Montlake business district (and at Boyer and Interlaken Blvd as well) are frequent and mostly consist of unreported fender-benders. But even these fender-benders sometimes lead to death eventually, as in the case of Jack Brenner, my neighbor, who died from a blood clot months after the accident that caused him to be in a coma two years ago.
The frequency of these crashes and collisions is high but virtually unreported. Police, which have recently been patrolling for speed in the school zone along 24th, can testify to traffic danger in Montlake’s business district.
24th ave E is slated for improvement as part of SDOT’s 23rd Ave E corridor capital project. Unfortunately, our neighborhood will be addressed last, mostly because SDOT has delayed any work in our area until the SR520 replacement project is built.
This is a shame and a travesty. People are getting hurt, school kids and library patrons are put at risk, businesses are struggling to attract customers along a major speedway, and Arboretum visitors have to risk life-and-limb just to reach the Wilcox bridge at the east end of Lynn.
While SR520 is getting “improved”, our main arterial, a virtual highway carrying comparatively low volumes of cars most of the day, but at dangerously high speeds, is not getting any meaningful planning to deal with safety — for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.
Fixing our traffic situation on 24th Ave E would offer meaningful mitigation for the impact SR520 has on our neighborhood. The Arboretum park, and its many plants and trees, received meaningful mitigation. The Arboretum access ramp will be removed and replaced with new ramps closer to Montlake Blvd (and 24th). We care deeply for the Arboretum. It’s a treasure, but the human beings put at risk by dangerous traffic racing for the highway are at least as important as the trees of the Arboretum.
SeanP says
First comment on an article about a car crashing into a building (third car accident in three weeks in the same area!) is about some cyclists doing stupid things. It would be funny if it weren’t about a serious topic.
When a careening cyclist crashes into the side of a building causing thousands of dollars in property damage, let me know.
Or when a drunk cyclist kills two people and maims an infant and his mother for the rest of their lives, let me know. (http://www.ravennablog.com/suspect-in-mondays-traffic-fatalities-no-stranger-to-duis/)
When a cyclist doing approximately 40MPH deliberately hits two people after an altercation about a dog, let me know. (http://westseattleblog.com/2014/04/west-seattle-crime-watch-followup-guilty-plea-for-driver-who-deliberately-hit-two-teens-after-dog-dispute/)
Until such time, I think we should worry more about the deleterious effect(s) cars and their drivers can have on public safety. Putting safety above speed is far overdue.
Larry Fogdall says
Every time I drive southbound on 24th through our “little business district,” I witness speeding southbound drivers/cars. Approx. 35 mph is common, and 40 mph is observed occasionally, esp. between McGraw and Newton. When is this mis-behavior going to get some “ticketing” attention by SPD?
Jeff Parke says
There ought to be a stop light here in addition to the one a block away. Once the 520 Montalke construction phase gets underway and especially when it is finished, 24th from Boyer to 520 is going to frequently be a solid jam of cars anyway. Drivers may as well start getting used to slower transit of this street and the area made safer in the meantime.
Eric Schreiber says
+1 for a 4-way light at Lynn, just like we have at McGraw.
E McCown says
I seems that a four way stop light at Lynn and 24th Ave E would be wise. There is one one block over however it seems, perhaps more or as many people cross at Lynn and 24th Ave E. Having two light to close together would certainly make a huge statement to have everyone to slow down, that this is a neighborhood center and then pedestrians could cross there safely. At very least a well marked cross walk, though would lobby for a four way stop light with crosswalks.
It would allow the whole area be more pedestrian safe.
Colin Shannon-Garvey says
Sad news indeed for all parties involved. I live on Interlaken and take daily walks in the neighborhood where I frequently see bicyclists coming northbound downhill going faster than the vehicles and many times running the red light at Boyer. I cannot understand why any sane bicycle rider would use 24th at all when parallel side streets are available. It is common also to observe riders, who do not think they are operating a vehicle, disobey traffic rules. And then there are those who ride at night wearing dark clothing and have no lights on their bikes. These comments are directed towards those who put others, as well as themselves, in danger; I would be mortified if I injured or killed one of them.
Colin Shannon-Garvey