Schedule For NE 45th Street School Zone Flashing Lights

School zone flashing lights were finally installed on NE 45th Street going east and west to warn cars to slow down during Laurelhurst Elementary school hours.  The yellow flashing lights are mounted along with 20 mph school speed zone signs.

The school zone flashing lights are active Monday through Friday mornings from 7:15 to 8:05am and weekday afternoons, except Wednesday, from 2:15 to 2:55pm. On Wednesdays, when the school ends at 1:20pm, the lights flash from 1to 1:40pm.

Parents have been working on this safety issue for many years. In 2014, SDOT set up two temporary radar speed signs, in response to an application submitted by two Laurelhurst Elementary parents, at the time, in conjunction with the City's School Traffic Management Program. 

The parents also submitted an application for the Neighborhood Park and Street Fund for either radar signs and/or flashing yellow lights.The parents cited in their application that there was "excessive speed and lack of awareness of pedestrians around Laurelhurst Elementary during school hours" and that the program would address safety needs "by reducing vehicle speeds and awareness of the presence of children during school hours."

At that time, SDOT clocked the average speed over 24 hours at 23.9mph and maximum speed showed 0.1% of 7,686 cars going 65.2mph.

The Northeast District Council (NEDC) also tried to get safety improvements near the school, however was not successful as there were three other requested traffic safety and park projects, all based on stack ranking and available City budgets against cost for each project.

Suicide Hill Gets A 4 Way Stop At 41st and 43rd

 Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) posted this information in a recent newsletter about the busy intersection of Suicide Hill, with a huge blind drop and hidden driveways and alleys, getting a 4-way stop to slow down traffic:

4-Way STOP forSafety, School Zones Installed at NE 41st Street and 43rd Avenue NE

The busy intersection at NE 41st Street and 43rd Avenue NE was finally made safer with the addition of an official 4-way stop. For years, LCC has contacted the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) for help to make with the dangerous intersection. 

Neighbors and LCC worked with Councilmember Pedersen’s office to request a safety review of the intersection, completed in May 2021 An SDOT civil engineer from the Transportation Operation’s Center reviewed the traffic volume and noted the high rates of speed that occur daily down on the steep NE 41st Street. 

The new stop signs will slow down speeders and make the intersection safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, vehicles, and neighbors.  Several attempts have been made to remove the new signs.

In addition, new flashing school signs were installed to alert drivers of the School Zone on NE 45th Street. 

The Laurelhurst Community Club, (LCC), has been working on this major safety hazard for many years. SDOT installed a reduced speed sign and a yellow blinking light in the past to calm speeds in 2013, shortly after a car travelling at a high rate of speed unfortunately hit a dog.

A neighbor who lives two blocks from the dangerous intersection said that he has heard numerous accidents from his house.

Neighbors have requested over the years for the City to install speed bumps or traffic calming always with the same response of no. The reason is because this street is a main arterial and emergency vehicles need access. Neighbors also contacted the City about conducting a traffic study.

Drivers Reaching High Speeds On Streets Around Laurelhurst Elementary School

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) published this information in a recent newsletter:

Speeding on Arterial

Neighbors from the 4700 block of 47th Avenue NE met with District 4Council member Pedersen in mid February concerning consistently high rates of speed on 47th Avenue NE between Sand Point Way and NE 45th Street, which includes the block that Laurelhurst Elementary School is on.  

Drivers often speed at 40 to 50 mph at night and drive well over the posted 20 mph school zone speeds during the day. The existing traffic circle near the school and Sun Park has not been effective in slowing drivers. 

Traffic has increased over the years with Children's Hospital expansion and the SR520 toll increases, which has caused some drivers to change their route to the eastside. 

The recent discussion with Pedersen included the steps needed to 1) post 20 or 25 mph on this arterial 2) petition for speed bumps on 47th Avenue NE 3) clearly mark and perhaps enforce the 20 mph school zone when children are present 4) restripe speed diverts and crosswalks  and 5 ) install a speed monitoring device. 

Councilmember Pedersen was very responsive and has contacted SDOT to address these concerns.

In 2014, two residents who live near the busy NE 47th Street and 47th Avenue NE intersection, submitted an application to Neighborhood Park and Street Fund citing in their application that there was "excessive speed and lack of awareness of pedestrians around Laurelhurst Elementary during school hours," which was ultimately rejected. However, temporary radar machines were placed on NE 45th Street.

Neighbors wondered at the time why the radar machine wasn't put on the much more highly travelled vehicle and pedestrian routes of 46th and 47th Avenues NE.

One neighbor recently told the Laurelhurst Blog:

46th Avenue NE is a narrower road than most City streets and cars go very fast on that street. 47th Avenue NE seems to be used as a cut through street, almost like a freeway and has been for years. Hopefully Pedersen will have a solution soon before anyone is hurt.