All About The New NE 45th Street Radar Speed Signs And New Crosswalk Near Hospital

new pedestrian crossing 

at NE 45th Street and 40th Avenue NE

one of two new speed radar signs

on NE 45th Street

Recently two speed radar signs were permanently installed, in both directions, towards the bottom of the NE 45th Street.

A new pedestrian crossing, at NE 45th Street and 40th Avenue NE, has also been installed.

Children's Hospital initiated the request, to Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), to improve traffic safety ,after a pedestrian was struck at the above intersection in March of last year.

Children's hired Transpo, a transportation service group, which submitted a "Memorandum" in June 2016, which states "Seattle Children’s Hospital proposes to construct intersection safety improvements for the intersection of NE 45th St and 40th Ave NE."  

The memorandum includes a summary of the traffic data collected by IDAX Data Solutions, on April 19 and May 11 of last year as evidence "to determine whether criteria for converting a two-way-stop controlled intersection to all-way-stop control and the installation of traffic speed cushions are met."

The intersection didn't meet the criteria for an all- way-stop at the intersection: 1) an average of at least 300 vehicles per hour for any 8 hours of an average day; and 2)  combined vehicular, pedestrian, and bike volume average be at least 200 units per hour for the same 8 hours, with an average delay to minor-street vehicular traffic of at least 30 seconds per vehicle during the highest traffic hour.

The memorandum states, however, that "the criterion of 300 vehicles per hour was met for 6 hours of an average day, and is nearly met for another 3 hours.

The criteria for installation of speed cushions on 45th Street is met for both travel directions, the memorandum states, which must be that the "85th-percentile speed of the roadway would need to be greater than 5 mph above the posted speed limit of 30mph."

Transpo states:

There was not a perceived speeding concern on 40th Ave NE, so travel speeds were not collected or analyzed. As the criteria for converting the intersection from two-way-stop controlled to all-way-stop controlled is not me, we recommend the installation of the traffic speed cushions at locations approximately 200 feet in advance of the intersection for both the westbound and eastbound directions (if all-way stop control is not implemented at 40th Ave NE).

Transpo, also commented about crash data in their report stating:

Crash data for the intersection was requested from Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for the years 2010 to 2016, and during that time 2 crashes were reported (one crash resulted in injury and the other in property damage only). A third crash also occurred at the intersection in April of 2016 that was not included in WSDOT’s reported crash data, when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle.

Todd Johnson, Children's Hospital Vice President, Facilities and Supply Chain, told the Laurelhurst Blog Staff:

There have been ongoing safety concerns related to the area around NE 45th Street and 40^th Avenue NE.  We’ve heard from Children’s staff, as well as from members of our Citizens’ Standing Advisory Committee, that pedestrian safety is a real concern.  People tell us, and we’ve witnessed drivers exceeding the speed limit as they travel down the hill toward Sand Point Way.  At least one injury accident occurred there in 2015 or 2016 when a vehicle struck pedestrian.  We reached out to Seattle Department of Transportation for help making the area safer.  SDOT selected the methods to calm traffic – a speed monitor and a new crosswalk – and SDOT directed their implementation.  I know that they accomplish a lot of their work during the warm summer months, but have no insight as to why they chose this particular time.  This work was not part of Livable Streets, nor was it required of the hospital.  It is in our interest to keep pedestrians safe around our campus, whether those people are patients or families, Children’s staff, or neighbors.  I’m not aware of any other improvements being scheduled.

Jamie Cheney, Hospital Director of Transportation added:

In March 2015, the hospital submitted the request for traffic calming to the City, after  a pedestrian (not associated with Children’s was struck in the crosswalk.) 

Children’s underwrote the traffic study as a way to accelerate SDOT’s consideration of safety improvements. 

Children’s Security and Shuttles staff heard the incident and where first on the scene. The pedestrian was taken away in an ambulance.  This pedestrian incident was discussed at the next Children’s Standard Advisory Council (SAC) meeting.  The SAC advises the City and Children’s Hospital on issues related to the design and construction of new buildings and other projects under the City approved Children’s Hospital Major Institution Master Plan. 

Several members heard about the incident and wanted to know more.   Many neighbors weighed in with their experience that vehicles travel at excess speed westbound on NE 45th Street. And the right hand turns from  NE 45^th Street o northbound 40^th Avenue NE put neighbors who are crossing 40^th Avenue NE at risk. SAC members also felt strongly about having a clearly marked crosswalk across NE 45^th Street as many neighbors are trying cross NE 45^th Street to get to bus stops or Talaris.

Almost any walk, except walking around the block, requires crossing a street which in many cases includes crossing 40th Avenue and/or NE 45^th Street.  Three of the four bus stops serving the area are on the hospital side of the block so Children’s staff are less likely than neighbors to need to cross the street to catch the bus.  Neighbors or employees of businesses on Sand Point Way are the most likely to be the users of the cross walk for safe access to the bus.  

While there are no painted crosswalks for most of NE 45^th Street there are legal cross walks at every intersection, where vehicles drivers are required to yield, as explained in RCW 46.61.235 which states: "The operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian or bicycle to cross the roadway within an unmarked or marked crosswalk when the pedestrian or bicycle is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning."

When a pedestrian crosses at these intersections it is not considered jaywalking.  The city installs curb ramps at intersections all over the city to support this very activity (see picture below).  Without this legal protection, it would be almost impossible to walk to many locations in a city like Seattle where only a small percentage of crosswalks are marked.

curb ramp where pedestrians may cross
(courtesy of Children's Hospital)