Set to open in 2023, the Judkins Park light rail station will connect thousands of Seattleites to the growing Link light rail network. The future station, which connects directly to the I-90 trail, is uniquely situated to offer safe transit access to pedestrians, cyclists and users of other modes of transportation, like motorized wheelchairs.
But the Judkins Park light rail station’s connectivity to the I-90 trail only reveals part of the story. The station also abuts Rainier Avenue, a thoroughfare whose high number of collisions and fatalities have earned it the title of Seattle’s “crashiest street.”
A short video produced by Disability Rights Washington (DRW) showcases the current dismal situation for cyclists and pedestrians on a stretch of Rainier Avenue flanked by narrow sidewalks interrupted by street lamp posts. But as the video’s narration points out, the most pressing dangers are presented by the I-90 freeway entrance and exit ramps.
In the video, Anna Zivarts, Director of the Disability Mobility Initiative at DRW, bikes slowly along Rainier Avenue, pointing out areas of special concern and highlighting the dangers for people with disabilities. It is clear that the combination of high speed traffic and limited visibility make the freeway ramp crossings particularly perilous.
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Sound Transit have acknowledged the accessibility issues that face the future Judkins Park Station. In fact, the agencies participated in a 2019 access study that won a Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) Vision 2040 award. Undertaken by consultants from local firms Makers and Fehr & Peers, as well as a stakeholder group convened by the Lighthouse for the Blind, the Judkins Park Station Access Study carefully analyzed the surrounding urban landscape, offering up recommendations for improvements. Some of these include “quick wins,” like activating the area under the freeway underpass and installing accessible pedestrian signals (APS) at intersections. The installation of APS is particularly important since clients and employees of the Lighthouse for the Blind are regular commuters through the area.
DRW has engaged with Sound Transit and SDOT around addressing safety concerns at the future Judkins Park Station since 2019, and some short-term improvements have already been made or planned. These include narrower traffic lanes, a bus shelter, rumble strips, crosswalks, new signage, and flex posts. But the organization is continuing to advocate for longer-term improvements, including the addition of a stoplight to allow blind and deaf-blind people to cross Rainier Avenue with greater safety.
