Resident Workshop and Open House Comments

Information provided by City of Bellevue gathered at meetings and in correspondence

Not all comments could be included. Those included are representative and in relative proportion to total citations.

Comments by Category and Number (Click item to jump to comments)  TOP                                                       HOME

RESIDENTS

NON_RESIDENTS

Category

# Comments

Category

# Comments

Bike Lanes

15

Speed Limit

1

Maintenance

1

Traffic

3

Multi-Use Lane

1

Traffic Controls

8

Parking

1

 

 

 

RESIDENT COMMENTS

Bike Lane Comments

It is extremely hazardous trying to get out of our driveway. Bicycles on the east side would be suicidal.

A bike lane on the east side (of the roadway) will NOT enhance safety. It will create bicycle-vehicle conflicts. With our steep driveway, little flat space on top, limited visibility due to vegetation, a bike lane on the east side would create an unsafe condition for us and for many of the 200+ driveways on the east side. A bike lane on the east side is not an improvement for the residents who live on this side. Bike lanes on both sides will benefit "through" bikers, not recreational bikers and families who live along the parkway. A designated bike lane implies safety and a bike lane on the east side will not be safe (for bikers or residents pulling out).

My vote goes to the multi-use lane. The majority of us walk or bike leisurely thus there's little conflict.

Maybe a slightly raised bike/walking path or little bumps on the side of the road to avoid cars accidentally driving into the bike/pedestrian lane.

Don't designate the northbound shoulder as a bike lane. This was the single biggest piece of overwhelming safety based feedback you got at the meeting - the community clearly will not get consensus support behind any solution creating a designated bike lane on the northbound shoulder. Instead just leave it as a wide shoulder.

I am a biker and use the West side multi-use path and find it adequate. If you would make a "Use" study you will find the volume of joggers and bikers per hour to be quite low – not even close to the Burke-Gilman Pathway.

If multi-use bike and pedestrian corridors are included as planned, it must be designed safely otherwise it is an invitation for lawsuits as accidents will occur. To do it properly the whole project might run to $25 million and still not prevent litigation. Alternatively, if the designation for bike use is removed and instead the west side shoulder is merely widened and then designated simply as a "trail" similar to the Gilman Trail, bikes and pedestrians can use the corridor going in both directions and be responsible for their own safe use.

I prefer the wider multi-use trail but would be very happy with the Bike Lanes or Modified Multi-Use as well. I do want something to happen with respect to the pavement.

Install signage to ban biking in the northbound lanes - "All biking use bike path"

Will multi-use trail be cleaned regularly? Multi-use paths are not as safe at faster bike speeds.

Please leave the Parkway as it is now. One bike lane is sufficient and safe. I've ridden on it many times and never felt unsafe. Let's spend our taxes on something we want!

I am very opposed to widening W. Lake Sammamish to accommodate bike lanes in both directions. This will require retaining walls - which in turn requires altering the landscape, cutting trees and creating more concrete. The lake & the roadway are a treasure. We enjoy the area because it is beautiful. The City of Redmond has already damaged the beauty of the lake with the widening & expanded bike lanes they rammed through. I hope Bellevue is more respectful of attendees and residents who will actually be impacted by changes. Please do not be unduly influenced by others who may use the parkway only as a bike path. Few of them live along it. Please focus on safety concerns. Please focus on the health of the lake. Please focus on maintaining the beauty & character of the Parkway.

The idea of pedestrians on east side and 2-way bikes on west sounds best.

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Neighborhood Character

Right now, this road feels dangerous, and more like a highway than a "neighborhood".

The parkway is a scenic route and it must stay that way. Many of us have enjoyed living here 40 years or more. The present status with traffic, safety, and speed is absolutely atrocious.

Please conduct surveys as needed to depict realistic visual images of alternatives from the standpoint of tree removals. Please make sure that the images reflect changes due to any proposed relocation of utility poles/overhead lines (many large conifers exist immediately to the east of existing pole/line locations).

Place signs at the north and south entrances of the Lake Sammamish Parkway that read "EXTREME CAUTION, Next Five Miles, DRIVEWAYS EXIT onto PARKWAY."

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Cost

(We need) Reassurance that property taxes would not be affected.

Please check your cost estimates. I find it hard to cope with the last three all costing about the same!

 

 Drainage

Drainage improvement (needed) at Northup.

(I was) disappointed in (the) response to question of protecting water quality. (Staff) answered that City "monitors" lake quality. "monitor" is too passive a response. (You) can monitor & simply watch water quality degrade. (We) must be more proactive and project impact of design changes to be made. e.g., added 7' width will have what impact?, added drainage/treatment will have what impact?, what's "net" of two items above?

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Impacts

Please advise individual property owners how each alternative would effect their frontage on the parkway.

Less is better. "Improvements" will only encourage additional traffic - both autos and bikes. Thus more accidents - it will also destroy the natural beauty of the area

 Landscaped Buffer

Elements of multi use lane & landscaped berm should be added to slow traffic. Do not include where expense would be high(er) due to need to retain embankments.

Consider variable width for 5' buffer where doing so will allow retention of existing trees along corridor.

No buffer between bikes & roadway. Several problems with buffer: Block emergency space for bikes, bike path will not be cleaned, garbage pickup more difficult, driveway crossings more dangerous, more expensive

Would prefer narrower buffer between road and trail and wider trail where possible.

The separation barrier near where I live would obstruct use of the bike path for cars needing to get in and out of the drive

(I recommend) Segments of buffer strip as a traffic calming/pedestrian safety measure ( 3- 5' width-- 50' or longer in length) between the existing multi-purpose lane and traffic lane. (B)uffer strips (should) be strategically placed in conjunction with crosswalks, park frontages and perhaps at other locations where lack of topographic change adjacent to the west side of the road.

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Maintenance

Is tree debris going to be cleared from a trail or bike lanes? Currently, this is problem especially in winter.

For people who will experience visibility issues I'd like to see either vegetation control, parking restrictions and mirrors to help

(We need) interim improvements made to the existing roadway and 10' shoulder: a) regular maintenance of the 10' shoulder-sweeping, trimming of vegetation, holes filled, repaved. b) repaving of the roadway.

Paving alone would make most of us happy.

Since we've been annexed into Bellevue the road vegetation is terrible, nothing at all like the County maintained. My question is, how is the city going to maintain the lake road when it doesn't do it now for the current roads?

… concerned about tree debris along side of road, possibility of being hit by falling limbs/branches, roads remaining wet and slick for extended periods of time due to overhanging foliage.

"Maintenance" as a minimum level of treatment

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Pedestrian Crossing

School bus stops near Northup/ Lk Samm kids have to cross Parkway; are unable to walk in ditch on Eastside and have to walk over private driveway(s) Suggest: 1. Pedestrian crossing 2. Walkable shoulder on Eastside

I prefer pedestrian crossings with Safety Islands. It might slow traffic.

Crosswalk at SE 26th St. or The Little Store needed very badly

To place the crosswalk at NE 15th Pl (NE Rosemont) is a super dangerous place it's just north of the slide area. Plus the road up 15th Place (Rosemont Place) is blind.

The crosswalk at NE 15th Pl (NE Rosemeont Pl) is very dangerous, as it on a curve and road up 15th Pl is blind and you must turn into northbound traffic to go south on WLSP.

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Phasing

Pave as soon as possible - phased approach to add bike lane later

Use a phased approach - need paving ASAP. Add Bike lane later

Repave multi-use trail now, full pavement if possible. Everyone agrees needed now.

Road Classification

The basic conflict comes because West Lake Sammamish is a designated PARKWAY (based upon its unusual scenic beauty) while at the same time being a long-time secondary state highway increasingly being impacted by more and more residential driveways on which homeowners have a legal right of access. These bring key safety, access, and traffic congestion problems.

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Roundabout

The roundabout walking area is too narrow especially with growing weeds and mud.

Sidewalks

I have to say that the biggest problem we have with living on the pkwy is the *lack* of neighborhood feel - stemming almost directly from the fact that it's impossible to safely have kids walk to any houses that you cannot reach by just walking along the yards along the lakefront. Having a walkway with a barrier would go a very long way to alleviating this.

Speed Limit

Lower speed to 25 mph / calm traffic - keep road scenic

Add some signs saying something to the effect that "This is our community please obey speed limit"

Make speed limit the same at 30 MPH. Add 2 or 3 more radar speed limit monitors along the 5.5 miles of Bellevue in both directions.

Every single aspect noise, ped safety, bike safety, auto & child safety - improved by lowering speeds!

Limit speeds uniformly to 30 mph and have police enforce 30 mph speed to within 5 mph.

Please lower the speed limit to 30. Please enforce at 10 over.

Make the speed limit 30 mph all along the parkway. Have a traffic officer on the parkway more often to keep speed down.

Slow the parkway down. No other single thing will do as much to improve conditions for everyone.

… include treatments (median, bulbouts, other tech.) to justify support for lowering the speed to a consistent 30 mph.

For example, the reluctance of the staff to simply reduce the speed limit to 30 miles an hour everywhere (to increase safety and access for residents with enforcement at 40 MPH instead of the present 45 MPH) "because all of our studies show that the 80th percentile... will not result in effective speed compliance with the law by motorists." … It appears the philosophy and interests of the staff are to increase the traffic flow as being the goal of good transportation planning and not to slow traffic. While this philosophy is normally correct, it is not correct when it is applied to the PARKWAY which is very unique.

Reduce the speed limit on all of West Lake Sammamish Parkway to 30 MPH with enforcement at 40 MPH or lower if conditions are unsafe. (Let the present traffic go slower and enjoy the PARKWAY or go another route, and if 60% of the tickets still go to Lake Sammamish homeowners – so be it.)

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Traffic Control/Calming

Reduce travel lane width by 1' to provide a wider shoulder on the east and wider multi-purpose lane on the west .

Make maximal use of city property; Avoid signals; create other ways to slow traffic

Light at 34th would deter (detract) from neighborhood character.

A traffic signal at Northrup would be great

No light at Northup and West Lake Samm.

Just all way stops at major streets that come down to West Lk Sammamish Pkwy to reduce volume and cut thru's.

Do not place traffic signals, esp. at Northup or in lieu of the roundabout. You would most assuredly widen for turn pockets and this will only encourage more through traffic with resultant safety problems.

Would like to see stoplight and left turn lane at SE 34th.

Would be nice if the signal light reacted to presence of cars - if no car is waiting on 34th, then there should be no stopping on Sammamish

Signal at 34th only without turn lanes.

(Need) Stoplight not a yellow flashing lite. We need more stoplights to create windows in traffic for residents to get into out of driveways and slow traffic thru put.

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Utility Undergrounding

Please consider burying power lines early in process.

Bury power lines. If tree falls on Parkway, then 98008 zip code loses power.

Beautiful scenic drives like W. Lake Sammamish should have all underground utilities before any major improvements.

There is a need to take overhead power lines to underground.

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Voting

The bike commuters highjack(ed) this last meeting. I'm pretty disgusted now with the process. Too many new comers tonight.

It appears that an organization of commuting bicyclists have intruded on this last meeting. They were not part of the process from the beginning.

We need (to) vote from mailing to all Pkwy residences, not just those who can afford to attend the meeting. The mailing list will be a true composition of the relevant population.

 Widening

The lakeside of the road near addresses 336 to 360 W. Lk. Samm. Pkwy. NE Bellevue is very steep, so any widening on that side of the roadway will require high retaining walls and loss of the plants and trees that abate noise.

Do what Redmond did but with EIS and omit eastside bike path. Widening the road is not and option.

Feedback I received has been that grandiose treatments with separate bike-ped trails are seen as just that – too much cost and too great a change for Pkwy character. (I would also add that the addition of the 2-3' plus 1 foot taper to option 3 on the lakeside reduced the attractiveness of what we originally heard as the proposal.)

The bike path is not practical or desired by approximately 80 or 90 percent vote by those property owners most affected because: (a) Many of the parcels of land would need retaining, cantilever, rail or fence due to a fill in the roadbed with little or no shoulder and very steep slopes; (b) The sightline of many driveway approaches to the highway are difficult, at best, and put a pedestrian or a biker at risk of being struck by a vehicle; (c) The number of driveways on the East side of the Parkway (Highway) average approximately one every 100’ to 120’. This fact results from the unique use of a primary highway being used as an access road for a dense strip of private properties; (d) Exiting and Entering the highway in very heavy two-way traffic is difficult enough without adding additional obstacles – bikers and pedestrians.

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NON-RESIDENT COMMENTS

Bike Lanes

Bike lanes preferred to multi-use trail - especially if trail is only 10' (AASHTO recommends 13'). Be prepared for cyclists on roadway if the trail is built.

Having a designated bike lane is best, but if all we can get is 3-4' of pavement, we can deal with that.

A two-way bike trail, west side, is very dangerous for bikers - especially for those riding north. Cars pull out without looking right.

For bicyclist - a consistent three foot shoulder is required for safety.

Bike lanes are necessary on both sides of the West Lake Sammamish Parkway. Having a bike lane on only one side of the road encourages dangerous practices such as riding opposite the flow of traffic which can easily result in bicycle-bicycle collisions. Protectionist residents who focus more on their own misguided fears than the good of the city should take a lesson from the folks who originally opposed the Burke-Gilman trail…

The bike lane alternative provides the best platform for the broadest, & safest, general public use, and also anticipates future growth and perhaps a change of attitudes.

My fellow seniors can currently only go (south). We bike only one way. This is discrimination! Safety is so important for us. Our leader would be liable if we were hurt by cars entering.

Bike Lane and Pedestrian walkway should be located on lake side of street so crosswalks @ intersections will not be required for safety. Lakeside residents have no claim on or exclusive right to use right of way for their private parking or driveway access.

Redmond has eastside bike lane with no apparent issues and if nothing else, to make bike/ped access consistent from Redmond to I-90

I would prefer #4 but would be satisfied with #5. My concern is bicycle safety in both directions.

Bicyclists should be able to ride on the same side of the road as the motorists. It is safer for everyone. #5 is dangerous for the users and put too many people/cyclists on an 8' path.

Partial paved shoulder on east side can be legally parked on, thus creating a hazard for bicyclists there (applies to alts 2, 3, and 5). The bike alt provides maximal comfort & safety for peds & cyclists.

Please build a safe bikeway (both ways) and pedestrian path, soon, rather than later, before someone gets killed. Bake lane #4 will improve and help preserve the character of the neighborhood!

Driveway access is a red herring. 3 & 5 are very dangerous and do not comply with aashto. They will generate great liability for the city and danger for users.

I'm certain that any solution that puts peds/bikes together in separated lane will move many cyclists into roadway. Safest option is bike lane #4, so cyclists and peds are separate.

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Maintenance

Pave it or Rename it: Suggest the following names Jump-n-Jack Lane; Hippity Hop Hollow, General Motors Test Track or anything that indicates the road as "The Roughest Paved Road in the Free World." Use the same paver that paved the Redmond end

 Multi-Use Lane

Bikes should not mix with pedestrians, strollers, dogs on leashes and other things traveling a lot slower or unpredictably.

 Parking

Public property should be used for public use.

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Speed Limit

35 mph on all of the road

 Traffic

Build 4 lane road now instead of later

Build 4 lane road with 3' bike lane. You are eventually going to need them.

As long as West Lake Sammamish Parkway lies between Redmond and Issaquah it's going to have a certain amount of traffic. If we want to alleviate this condition we would need to build Interstate 605 on the east side of the lake.

Traffic Controls

The City is controlled by a few rich people who own waterfront and want no traffic on the Parkway… Redesign the poorly designed rotary at Sunset Elementary School so the traffic through it does not have to slow down to five miles per hour. Make a left turn at SE 26th St. (Little Store) so that cars behind the car that wants to turn left are not stopped from continuing north.

With left turn pocket (traffic signal) we should do the job right the first time.

Add left turn lane for 34th St & Northup Way.

Traffic signal SE 26th, Left turn lane and signal at Northup, left turn lane at SE 34th Street

Add a few left turn lanes at select locations - would ease traffic flow at busy times. Whether we like it or not - it is a major traffic roadway.

A traffic signal at Northrup would be great.

Add a left-turn pocket at the signal to keep traffic flowing.

A stop light at Northup Way intersection would help reduce speeds and allow enter(ing) the roadway without the high risk that exists now.

 

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