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Learn more about 23rd Ave improvements from the Seattle Bike Blog
The target of this November’s battle of progressives pitting liberal neighbor vs. liberal neighbor, the Seattle Mayor’s office Monday unveiled the executive’s proposal for how the city should spend its money in 2014 complete with line items for bike and transit investments for 23rd Ave and the First Hill streetcar. You can view the proposed budget documents here.
The Seattle Times has details of the proposal that continues a path of recovery — including $65 million in “unanticipated revenue — from recent years following cuts in the wake of the economic slowdown to end the previous decade.
- 2010: City and county leaders roll out their plans to cut back for 2011
- 2011: The ‘Great Recession’ continues — Where Seattle budget cuts will hit the Hill
- 2012: Capitol Hill line items part of modest trimming as Seattle sees recovery
Under the budget proposal, the city would add 176 employees next year after laying off almost 550 between 2010 and 2012, the Seattle Times reports.
The Times also says Mayor Mike McGinn has added money for a new bikeway along 23rd Ave and a new pedestrian crossing for the Montlake light rail station. The mayor’s proposal includes $3.2 million to improve Seattle public transit including planning to connect the South Lake Union and First Hill streetcars.
The mayor has been rolling out some of the more important budget proposals in recent weeks:
The process for public feedback and City Council-sponsored modifications to the budget plan now begins.
2014 Seattle City Budget
Budget Documents, Agendas and InformationDo you have questions about the budget agendas or can’t find something? Search our City Council Budget Documents database or contact us at [email protected] or 206-684-8344.
How does the budget process work?
The City Council conducts its official budget deliberations from late September to mid-November, but drafting the budget is a year-long process. If you have any questions about the process, please contact the office of Council Budget Chair Tim Burgess at [email protected] or 206-684-8806.
Be involved
There are several ways for you to share your budget priorities. Help us create Seattle’s future by email, over the phone or at one of our two public hearings:
- October 3, 5:30 p.m.(5 p.m. sign up), Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall, Download the Public Hearing Agenda
- October 24, 6:00 p.m. (5:30 p.m. sign up), Location TBD
Be informed
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Search the archive of budget documents
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Watch this eight-minute audio slideshow from 2010 about City budget trends over the last 20 years
If you value this coverage and want to support the continued independence of Central District News, please subscribe today for as little as $5/month — DRIVE ENDS SEPTEMBER 30.
Weird, I thought the 23rd Bikeway was taken off the table. I like it, but, I thought news here said it was a no go. What does Tom F have to say about this?
Also, note, I am not a liberal nieghbor. Unless liberal = recreational bike rider.
Please NO – riding against traffic on a bike is *very, very* bad…. please do not put a two way bikeway on 23rd… Even the Dutch admit it increases accidents at intersections and drivers there are liable for collisions, accustomed to bike traffic and consequently much more conscious of bike traffic and careful than our drivers here.
Reducing available lanes on 23rd is a ridiculous idea I hope quickly fails. 23rd is how I get in and out of my neighborhood. Dumb dumb dumb!
I don’t believe the proposed budget is proposing the cycle track shown in the author’s illustration. Instead the project (and the proposed budget) accommodate bicycles by creating a parallel greenway, probably along 22nd Ave.
From the proposed budget:
Improve the 23rd Avenue Corridor – $2,900,000
23rd Avenue is a vital multi-modal corridor connecting much of south and central Seattle with Capitol Hill, the University District, and other north Seattle neighborhoods. In response to community feedback, SDOT will change the street from four lanes to three lanes between John and Rainier and develop a parallel greenway route for bicyclists.
The three-lane design allows for substantial pedestrian improvements by reconstructing sidewalks and reducing the curb-to-curb width by eight feet in most places; it also allows SDOT to adjust the traffic lanes to conform to lane-width standards as opposed to the narrow lanes existing today. SDOT will reconstruct pavement and upgrade signals to meet transit signal priority needs and accommodate Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) features such as travel time information. SDOT will also install poles for future trolley wires to close two gap segments of the trolley network, thereby advancing Route 48 transit electrification development in the corridor. Trolley buses reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a quieter, more neighborhood-friendly service.
Project support includes new REET II funding, a new state grant, bond proceeds from savings on the Spokane viaduct project, and transfers from the Arterial Asphalt and Concrete program. REET II: $2,400,000; state grant funds: $500,000; Spokane viaduct project savings: $5,900,000; federal grant transfer: $5,000,000; Levy Lid Lift transfer: $2,850,000.
Thought the title was suggesting the First Hill Streetcar would be extended to 23rd Ave. Got excited for a minute.
It would be really, really great if we could get our headlines and images to match reality. Brendan’s comment is indeed the current SDOT plan.
Execute first, then have a trial to find out why we executed.
Meh – more like poor journalism. I read the article and reacted to the information it contained. Now I find out that in it’s attempt to not directly plagiarize the Times the author of this article changed the meaning. Couple that with the out of date illustration and there you have it – misinformation.
I’m happy to hear we won’t be getting one of those poorly thought out and dangerous bike lanes.
While a bikepath on 23rd would be awesome, I get it that 23rd just isn’t wide enough. Again, it would be great if there was $ to widen it, but I am grateful that 23rd is getting the planned upgrades !