The transportation committee for the Queen Anne Community Council met last night at Queen Anne Manor and discussed SDOT’s five alternative plans for West Mercer Place.
Transportation Chair Glenn Avery led the discussion, giving an overview of each plan to the group. The illustrations of alternative No. 1 and No. 2 can be seen here, No. 3 and No. 4 can be seen here, and No. 5–Elliot Avenue West left-turn lane extension with the alternatives summary–can be seen here. The committee went on to discuss the plans in terms of reduction in travel time and cost.
West Mercer Place resident Fred Freeburg questioned the lack of mention of anticipated westward traffic growth on Mercer from I-5. All the discussion thus far had focused on eastward traffic growth, a point the committee members agreed with.
“The problem is every truck going to the waterfront off of I-5 is going to come down that straight shot on Mercer,” said Freeburg. “Open up Mercer to two-way and we have a freeway going west and nobody has said anything about it.”
The need for lights and pedestrian crossing, particularly at Fourth Avenue West and West Mercer Street, and a sidewalk on West Mercer Place were also discussed.
The five alternative plans were unveiled to the public at SDOT’s open house held March 15 and will be presented by representatives of SDOT at next Wednesday’s monthly Queen Anne Community Council meeting. The meeting, to be held downstairs in the activity room of Queen Anne Manor at 7:15 p.m., will focus on transportation issues, said Avery.
Public comments and questions regarding the Mercer West Project are welcome at the upcoming meeting. The council discussed earlier in the month the problem of lack of speaking time at the February meeting and steps will be taken to allow more time for public responses.
Another committee topic was the recent Port of Seattle freight mobility meeting attended by Avery. Discussed at this meeting were road diets proposed for Airport Way and East Marginal Way and the importance of freight and freight mobility for the local economy. All five Port of Seattle commissioners were in agreement that a road diet should not be imposed on Airport Way and East Marginal Way, said Avery. The next Port of Seattle Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, April 5 at Pier 69.