Olde Town Traffic Calming

Background

The City began piloting a traffic calming program in Olde Town in late 2017. Different traffic calming methods were used to help reduce speed and traffic volume in the neighborhood. After an extensive outreach period, using data along with feedback from residents, permanent devices were installed in the Fall of 2018.

At a City Council meeting on Nov. 4, 2019, some Olde Town residents provided testimony, shared questions and expressed concerns regarding the effectiveness of the permanent traffic calming. Staff then compiled a list of the questions and concerns and provided responses on Nov. 8.

During the Feb. 25, 2020 Council Study Session, city staff delivered a presentation on recommended pedestrian safety options.

On Feb. 2, 2021, staff held an additional open house with the community to present a finalized list of proposed improvements.

On May 2, 2022, City Council awarded the construction contract for this project.

Construction began in Aug. 2022, and the first phase of work will wrap up by the end of Nov. 2022.

The finalized list includes three projects:

Street Lighting and Crosswalk Markings

This project will install illumination at five crosswalks around the perimeter of the Olde Town Neighborhood which currently do not meet the City standards for nighttime illumination, and includes crosswalk striping at stop controlled crosswalks along E Sunset Way. The intersections include:

2nd Avenue SE and SE Bush Street
2nd Avenue SE and SE Andrews Street
E Sunset Way and 4th Pl SE
E Sunset Way and 5th Ave SE
E Sunset Way and 6th Ave SE

2nd Ave SE and SE Bush Street Intersection Improvements

This project will revise the geometry of the intersection, providing a safer experience for pedestrians crossing 2nd Avenue SE, and reducing speeds for passing motorists. The proposed improvements will reduce the travel lanes, and install bulb outs and illumination at all four corners of the intersection of 2nd Avenue SE and SE Bush Street. At the request of Council, in the summer of 2020, staff coordinated with the Issaquah School District, and set up mock improvements within the intersection. The school district supplied a bus and driver to drive the regular bus route through the intersection, to refine the design and verify the improvements could facilitate bus and emergency vehicle traffic. You can view video of the bus driving through the mocked up intersection here.

Improvements will include:

Wider sidewalks and bulb-outs at all four corners of the intersection to provide additional space for pedestrians to safely congregate
Narrower lanes along 2nd Avenue SE to reduce traffic speeds
Improved street illumination
Replaced wheelchair curb ramps at all crossings within the intersection
Refreshed channelization
Water line relocation
Improved stormwater conveyance through the intersection

School zone crossing signage

This project will install new school crossing crosswalk signs at six intersections surrounding the Issaquah High School, Middle School, and Clark Elementary School campuses, expanding school crossings to uncontrolled crosswalks within 1,000 feet of the school properties. This work includes replacing existing crosswalk signs with florescent green school crosswalk signs, installing crosswalk ahead signs where none are present, and installing neon green sleaves on the signposts. Work also includes purchasing a mobile radar speed trailer to be used as an additional traffic calming measure and tool to reduce and monitor speeds within the Olde Town neighborhood.

Traffic Data 

Since the devices were permanently installed in 2018, staff has continued to evaluate traffic in and around the Olde Town neighborhood, as well as collect speed data and volume counts.

Select from the list below to view visualizations and raw data from various locations within Olde Town (last updated Feb. 2020).

Alley between Sunset and Alder 

2nd Avenue SE