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Reclaiming Streets
For The People

Project Goals

The goal of the Squire Park Reclaiming Streets for the People Committee is to make our neighborhood streets greener, calmer, friendlier and safer.

Phase one of our project work has focused on Outreach and Design Development. During this phase we are developing a neighborhood-level plan through an inclusive process that will:

  • bullet Identify opportunities to reduce automobile volume and speed, particularly generated from arterial cut-through traffic, on our residential streets
  • bullet Identify strategies to encourage bicycle and pedestrian use and increase safety.
  • bullet Identify opportunities to reclaim street space for green or open space and/or community activity nodes
  • bullet Identify strategies to mitigate negative traffic-related impacts of planned expansion of the Sabey/Swedish-Providence campus
    Strengthen and improve the neighborhood’s residential character

The Committee has hired the transportation-engineering firm Otak to provide the technical expertise to gather and analyze input from residents and the broad range of other neighborhood stakeholders, SDOT data and guidelines, the Transportation Vision of the Central Area Neighborhood Plan, and other related plans and data.

We have and will continue to invite Squire Park neighbors to design meetings and other opportunities to share traffic and pedestrian safety related concerns and ideas. We hope you share our excitement for this project. Your input is welcome and needed!

We Need Your Feedback!

First view the project descriptions, then complete this questionnaire and return it to squire_park_street_reclaiming@yahoo.com.

Additional information: Project Goals | Questionnaire Results and Traffic Data | Next Steps

Project Contacts

Committee Co-chairs: Barb Biondo and Kerensa Stoll
Otak planner: Jodie Vice
Otak, planning, architecture, design and engineering firm

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the project area?
A. Squire Park, which is bounded by 12th, 23rd, Jackson and Union.

Q. What are the funding sources for the project?
A. Phase 1 is funded by a $10,000 grant from the Northwest Insurance Council and a $15,000 matching fund grant from the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. In addition, local businesses and institutions have pledged in-kind donations and community members will volunteer their time. Additional funds will be needed for future phases.

Q. What is traffic calming?
A. Traffic calming uses various techniques to reduce vehicle speeds and noise, visual impacts, and cut-through traffic volumes. Traffic calming techniques use various means to influence the behavior of motorists: physical, psychological, visual, social and legal (regulatory and enforcement).

Q. What is street reclaiming?
A. Street reclaiming is a non-traditional method of traffic calming. It is a method of using the street for neighborhood-building activities such as play, socializing, commerce, and culture. Reinstating these community-building functions, put people on the street and will automatically cause traffic to slow down. See www.cityrepair.org or www.lesstraffic.com for more information and examples of street reclaiming.

Q. Are you considering previous neighborhood plans?
A. Yes. We value the effort and vision of the community and neighborhood leaders that generated previous plans. We will build on their vision and ideas while taking advantage of new approaches and responding to the current needs of the community.

Q. Will the project address residential parking concerns?
A. Yes. We will review the current residential parking zones (RPZ), recommend the addition of new RPZ, if applicable, and consider changes to RPZ that will benefit the community.

Q. How can I get involved?
A. Contact the Reclaiming Streets for the People Committee at squire_park_street_reclaiming@yahoo.com to find out how else you can help.