By Lyle Bicknell, Principal Urban Designer, City of Seattle
The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the City of Seattle are hosting an open house this Thursday, September 11, and I encourage folks to stop by. There will be displays showing the design enhancements for the Seattle portion of the 520 expansion—including the refined lid concept for the Montlake neighborhood.
The previous lid design had many strengths but also some real shortcomings.
Because of its length, the lid would require mechanical ventilation including massive, 20 foot high ventilation shafts, and a permanent maintenance facility and parking lot.
The old design resulted in steep, indirect and disconnected pedestrian and cycle connections—and public open spaces that invited misuse. Furthermore, the lid’s boxy shape projected awkwardly into the Lake Washington shoreline, marring the natural landscape.
In a case of less-is-more the new shorter lid eliminates the need for the stacks and maintenance facility, improves pedestrian and cycle connections while providing comparable levels of screening and noise reduction.
But don’t take my word for it. Come to the open house on September 11, 4:30-7, at the Montlake Community Center, bring an open mind and judge for yourself.
Montlake Community Center, September 11, 2014, 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Larry Fogdall says
OK !!! Let’s pay attention (!) to what’s being said above, and seriously review all designs, EVERY chance we get! (IS there now, and do we have “seats” on, any citizen-review body?)
Jeff P. says
Please, lid over the whole thing and give us the fewest possible reminders of this noisy road racing through the neighborhood. Ventilate it as was promised in the original design. What malarky to propose the esthetics of an open roadway is preferred to one buried under some nice open space. And abuse of public open spaces? Really? That logic suggests we should just get rid of every public space someone has littered or placed graffitti. Why don’t you propose that argument to the people enjoying the lovely parkland on the Mercer Island lid? Or are we more rough and tumble here in Montlake, more prone to abuse open spaces? What nonsense.
I would love to hear why the ramps have to follow their present twisted courses around the gas station and Hop In. Actually, I’d love to hear the truth about that, and suspect I wouldn’t. Is it hostile to these nice businesses to work on finding them space somewhere else in the neighborhood? Wouldn’t this intersection be more sensible with that property to design more spacious and accommodating ramps? Wouldn’t the congestion and, frequently, confusion that exists with customers trying to come and go from these businesses, while many use their parking areas for shortcuts, be best removed to other locations? Can’t the WSDOT condemn these properties for proper highway design and traffic flow? Or, is it that Kemper Freeman has and would continue to fight this tooth and nail? Kinda like shades of Sound Transit considering the property for a vent shaft. Or, heaven forbid, an actual transit station where eastside public transit commuters wouldn’t have to deal with the Montlake Cut in oder to hop a train downtown. Why is it we are being asked to live with continually-compromised design concepts? Is it because someone who has endless resources and is likely hostile to these projects would tie things up in the courts for years?
-Jeff P.
pascal Liester says
I wonder how much WSDOT time and resources was spent putting lipstick on this pig…let’s call the ventilation shafts “massive” that will sway those Montlake rubes”,,,,,,let’s say the public spaces “invited misuse” becase them Montlakers don’t like panhandlers and roustabouts,,,,,, the lid was “boxy and awkward” and then Montlake will appreciate the minimal aesthetic of a “refined lid”. They know Montlake will cave to the WSDOT will.
pascal Liester says
WSDOT continues to piss on Montlake’s collective leg and tells us it’s raining. They have been stringing along with notions of lids and connectivity when all along they have been playing us for rubes and expecting Montlake to accept this “compromise” amidst uncertain financial conditions. They could do the right thing for Montlake but know we don’t have the political will to fight their neighborhood killing west side 520 approach.
Lionel Job says
How does a 12 y old walk (or bike for that matter) from anywhere west of 24th Ave E. to the Light Rail Station, safely, and directly without exposing herself to traffic danger at major highway and arterial intersections?
The Light Rail Station will be used by kids, older folks as well as commuters. With the removal of the Bus fly-over at 520, we have lost one major transit connection. Its replacement has been made harder to reach than ever.
Nancy Carter says
Unfortunately, i won’t be able to attend the meeting. This sounds perhaps too good to be true. I also wonder whether we aren’t being offered a reduced-cost, reduced-quality noise barrier in order to attempt a minimally satisfactory option for walkers and cyclists. Let’s wait for some evidence re: noise mitigation comparisons before responding.