Ballard Ave Cafe Street: More updates and improvements coming this month

Meghan Walker Ballard

The next phase of improvements to the Ballard Ave Cafe Street is underway, including slowing down speed limits and improving access.

The Seattle Department of Transportation is working on several interim refinements to Ballard Ave NW which they say will include more space for people gathering and provide greater accessibility overall.

SDOT is starting phase 2 of the street design refinements which includes the following:

Map showing the locations of proposed interim refinements on Ballard Ave. Graphic Credit: SDOT 
  • Improving freight/delivery and business access with curbside adjustments to increase loading and unloading zones, ADA parking, and food pick-up priority areas.
  • Defining space for people walking and rolling to accommodate pedestrian volume.
  • Improve pedestrian visibility at Ballard Ave NW and 20th Ave NW.
  • Adding bike parking racks and bike/scooter share parking spaces.
  • Exploring paid parking on several blocks around the neighborhood.
  • Maintaining the one northbound travel lane on the Leary side of Ballard Ave NW.

SDOT says the phase 2 refinements are scheduled for early-mid October.

“Ballard Avenue has higher foot traffic today than in 2019 and in no small part because of the Café Street,” Seattle City Councilmember Dan Strauss said in a statement.

“We have made iterative changes along the way, and I am excited for the ‘people lane’ along with changing the parking to directly serve the businesses on the street. We want to make it easier to pop in and out of your favorite shops on the street while creating more space for people to enjoy the Historic District.”

The work is scheduled for weekdays and should take two weeks to complete. The work is weather dependent and is thus subject to change. SDOT says the work will avoid disruptions to the Ballard Farmers Market.

The interim refinements are the next step in SDOT’s process for improving mobility and access along the Ballard Ave Cafe Street. They say they will “continue observing conditions and working with the community and businesses this fall, after these changes are installed, to refine and improve upon the people-oriented use of the street.”

Photo: SDOT