The City of Seattle has released an updated draft of its Pedestrian Master Plan, which is the 20-year blueprint for making Seattle more walkable and accessible. Anyone can comment on Seattle Department of Transportation’s plan from now through Aug. 12 by emailing comments to [email protected].
Through the Pedestrian Master Plan, SDOT prioritizes pedestrian investments throughout the city including new sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks, and other improvements that make it easier to walk in our neighborhoods.
Seattle is consistently recognized as one of the nation’s safest and most accessible cities for pedestrians. It is tied for the second-lowest pedestrian fatality rate in the country, and is fifth in the country for the percentage of people who commute to work by foot according to the 2016 Benchmarking Report from the Alliance for Biking & Walking. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center also ranks Seattle as the only platinum-level Walk Friendly Community in the nation. However, there is always more the City can do to make Seattle more walkable and accessible.
The updated PMP establishes the policies, programs, and project opportunity areas that will further enhance pedestrian safety, comfort, and access in all of Seattle’s neighborhoods, while remaining a national leader. It lays out the key strategies and actions that SDOT will use to achieve its vision of making Seattle the most walkable and accessible city in the nation, and it establishes the performance measures to gauge success. The update will help ensure that SDOT focuses resources on areas where walking conditions are challenging and where improvements are needed to help residents walk comfortably.
