Two dueling groups have formed in favor and against the proposed Nickerson “road diet,” which would reduce four-lane Nickerson to two travel lanes and a turning lane and add a bike lane, shared-lane markings, and pedestrian-safety improvements. Earlier this month, Mayor Mike McGinn announced he would move forward with the road diet, which was stalled under the previous administration, as part of his “Walk Bike Ride” initiative.
The first group, formed last week, is the 15th Avenue West Coalition, a group of business owners and Magnolia/Queen Anne neighborhood residents who argue that “any proposal that reduces the carrying capacity of Nickerson [for trucks and automobiles] is unacceptable.” They want the city to put off any potential changes to Nickerson until the downtown deep-bore tunnel, which will feed trucks onto Nickerson, is completed.The second group, Support the Nickerson Road Diet—announced on Seattle Likes Bikes this morning— is made up of (so far, just a few) “citizens who support the city of Seattle’s plan to reduce the number of vehicle lanes and to add bike lanes to West Nickerson St. between Warren Avenue North and 13th Avenue.” They note that Nickerson has been targeted for a road diet for years—ever since the city removed marked crosswalks along the street because they were deemed unsafe—and they point out that the only alternative to Nickerson, the Ship Canal Trail, is incomplete and that accessing the trail requires cyclists to cross four lanes of 45-mph traffic.
As a frequent cyclist on Seattle’s often unsafe streets, I strongly support road diets. As study after study has confirmed, adding turning lanes and reducing travel lanes improves safety, reduces speeding, and makes roads more accessible for all users, not just cars and trucks. A recent study of Stone Way—another street where business owners protested a proposed road diet, stalling the project for more than a year—shows that speeding dropped dramatically, pedestrian-auto crashes went down 80 percent, and the number of cyclists using the road increased 35 percent.
Seattle has done 24 road diets since 1972. Every time, businesses and drivers have complained that reducing lanes will result in paralyzing traffic jams. Every time, they’ve been proven wrong. Fortunately, McGinn has the authority to move forward with the Nickerson road diet without getting authority from the city council, whose members, barraged with complaints from drivers and businesses, are already starting to drag their feet.
