Pike Street is for people – yet it isn’t built for it
The need
Thousands flock from near and far to enjoy these streets. Yet the streets are needlessly uncomfortable for everybody.
The benefits
- Increase pedestrian access and mobility
- Safer crossing of the street
- Smoother flow for cars
- Easier access for residents, businesses, and deliveries
- Better police and fire access
If we did it right
- More people
- Less dark spaces
- More outdoor spaces to sit
- Spaces for outdoor performers
- Space for lines
- Better trash pickup
- Spaces for permitted vendors
We’re doing it elsewhere
- The other Pike (place)
- Next to the other Pike
- Barbara Bailey Way (1-2 times a week)
- Ballard Ave
- Bell St
- Kirkland
- Bothel
We’ve already piloted it
There’s a long distance between how Pike is built today and pedestrianization, but we’ve already tried the most extreme. In 2015 SDOT piloted different types of pedestrianization of Pike. The community loved it and wanted more of it. Eventually the city allowed a few parklets and called it done.
Read SDOTs report here
Pictures from CHS Blog post: What it looked like when E Pike was pedestrian only
A lot has changed since 2015
It’s time to make Pike into a destination for people