East Ballard residents who have been working for years to revitalize 14th Ave. NW presented a new sketch of a proposed park boulevard to members of the Ballard District Council on Wednesday night.
The preliminary plan would be to eliminate the median, move traffic to one side and use up to 40-feet in width for a park. “It’s a real need and an opportunity,” said Peter Locke, the lead architect, explaining that the 100-foot-wide 14th Ave. has lots of underutilized space.
The proposal focuses on a small stretch of 14th Ave. to start — 59th to 61st St. — with the longer-term vision to renovate the entire length of 14th Ave. from Ballard High to the Ship Canal. Organizers said the roadway south of Market would be designed differently to accommodate the industrial traffic in the area.
One of the first questions from neighbors at the meeting asked about the impact on parking. Locke said there are 12 legal parking spots in the median per block, but street parking isn’t always fully utilized. The park boulevard design would allow parallel parking on both sides of the street. An SDOT representative at the meeting said the department is looking forward to working with organizers evaluating the impact of the project.
The East Ballard Community Association is holding a meeting Thursday, February 18th at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Alphonsus School Cafeteria, and you’re invited to come share your ideas and feedback. Organizers plan to submit an application to the city for park levy funding by April 2nd. “We’re going to need a lot of help, a lot of support, a lot of ideas to bring it all together,” Locke said.
Earlier this week: Ballard watching Belltown’s park boulevard project