Why Trees Have Been Cut Down Along Sand Point Way NE

Several readers sent us email asking if we knew why trees have been cut down just west of Katterman's on the east side of Sand Point Way between NE 50th and 47th Avenue NE.

And the reason is because sidewalks are going to be installed as part of the City's Sidewalk Development Program, in which SDOT "is committed to increasing the number of sidewalks"  in  Seattle. City. The funding is through the Bridging the Gap levy, as well as availability of local, state or federal grants.

Three pedestrian improvement projects are slated for Sand Point Way NE this year. "Each project was selected using Seattle’s recently-adopted Pedestrian Master Plan and will fill in important gaps in the existing sidewalk network," as well as "enhance pedestrian safety, comfort and access," the website says.

The section near Katterman's will be a "longer section of new sidewalk along the east side of Sand Point Way between NE 50th Street and 47th Avenue NE. SDOT’s preliminary design includes a 6’ wide concrete sidewalk with a planting strip.

Curb will be included along some sections of this new sidewalk. Parallel parking spaces will be provided along sections of the project on the existing pavement between the roadway and the new planting strip."

Bonnie, from the Hawthorne Hills Community Council wrote in an email that she received a call from a representative from SDOT who said that they are working with Seattle City Light on that portion of to take out trees for their lines as well as prepping for the installation of a sidewalk.

The other two projects are near the Fairway Estates Community just north of NOAA to improve access to and from the Magnuson spur of the Burke-Trail and construction is expected to start in late Spring.

And the third project which has already begun is on the west side of Sand Point Way NE between NE 65th and NE 70th Streets.

Also involved in securing funding for this project were the Hawthorne Hills Community Council and Laurelhurst Community Club who worked for many years to get funding for sidewalks on Sand Point Way and received funding through the Neighborhood Street Fund.