Crown Hill just got a little more pedestrian-friendly.
The new crosswalk and traffic signal next to Crown Hill Park at Holman Rd and 13th Ave NW is now fully functional. The last step is to turn on the street light and finish up, which SDOT says will happen in mid- to late-July.
Catherine posted photos of the crosswalk being used this week in the My Ballard Group. “The community has long advocated for this crossing for those using strollers, bikes and wheelchairs, who can’t cross Holman via the stairway overpass,” she writes. “Congratulations to the folks who worked for this.”
The community-driven project was selected in 2016 to be funded by SDOT’s Neighborhood Street Fund. It was chosen because many students were crossing Holman near there (it’s two blocks from Whitman Middle School), and there were previously no signalized crossings along the half-mile stretch between Holman Rd and 6th Ave NW (next to QFC) and Holman/Mary Ave NW.
SDOT initially proposed removing the pedestrian bridge that crosses Holman, and installing two crosswalks at the intersection. After some community feedback urging the City to keep it, SDOT hosted a public meeting to discuss the options.
SDOT reexamined their design for the crosswalk, and chose to maintain the bridge and instead create a single crosswalk just below it. The street-level crossing makes it easier for people using mobility devices, riding bikes, or pushing strollers.
If you want to read more about the new crosswalk, visit SDOT’s website about the project.