Objection: A protected bike lane on NE 45th Street was not included in the original Bicycle Master Plan.


Rebuttal: In May 2021 the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan 2021-2024 Implementation Plan was updated to include the NE 45th crossing of I-5 as a planned project. The crossing is a critical connection for people biking and walking between these two areas for work, school, medical appointments, grocery shopping, and other daily needs or to access the new link station and its regional connections.

A new pedestrian and cyclist bridge at NE 47th over I-5 will cost many tens of millions of dollars and is entirely unplanned and not budgeted, and at least a decade away. We need a safe route as soon as possible. Even if a crossing at 47th is eventually added, pedestrians and cyclists will continue to use NE 45th over I-5 as it is the most direct connection between the Wallingford urban village, the U District urban center, UW campus, and light rail.

Objection: A protected bike lane was added to the Route 44 Multimodal Corridor project after it was “already part-way through the design phase."


​Rebuttal: As The Urbanist points out, "this SDOT excuse conveniently sidesteps the commitment in the Move Seattle Levy and the U District Station Area Mobility Plan". The Levy to Move Seattle, which funded route 44, explicitly demanded that route 44 "Develop plans and complete improvements to enhance the NE 45th St corridor for pedestrians and cyclists between 4th Ave NE and Brooklyn Ave NE by the time University Light Rail opens in 2021". The fact that SDOT ignored requirements of legislation is not an excuse to skip the work, it is a reason to get back to work and do the job right.

Objection: SDOT’s traffic models indicated a number of operational concerns for the local transportation network (for vehicles and transit at least): backups onto I-5, east-west travel conflicts on the overpass, and transit delays.
​

Rebuttal: We have modified designs to eliminate the throughput concerns SDOT raised, and we need the project reopened so SDOT and WSDOT can study this. With the new approach, there is zero change to NE 45th eastbound flow, so no anticipated change to any eastbound backups.
​
For westbound NE 45th flow, current backups are for cars going onto I-5 southbound, and that capacity is maintained when the PBL is added. The only lane space that's turned over to the PBL is for the double lane going through into Wallingford, which collapses to one lane earlier than it does now. The double lane into Wallingford is not at capacity, so this change just simplifies traffic flow rather than reducing it.

If accessing I-5, a driver will use the left hand lane on NE 45th and fork into the double left hand turn as currently. If driving to Wallingford, one can go straight from the right hand side of the double left turn and then merge once in Wallingford (so the turn is not a "trap lane"). If there are backups going onto I-5 then through traffic will merge to the right earlier to avoid the backup, as it does currently.

​​A failure to acknowledge that pedestrians and cyclists are, in fact, part of the ‘local transportation network’ does not waive the obligation to make the crossing safe for all modes.

Objection: WSDOT believes that two westbound through lanes on the bridge are required to clear the dual northbound left turn lanes from the I-5 off-ramp, to avoid delays and permit freight trucks.


​Rebuttal: The westbound, leftmost lane across the bridge does not have to be a trap lane; there is space for cars going straight to be in that lane and then merge right after going through the intersection. Additional partial lane in both directions are now available since Metro removed the bus stops on the bridge.

​​Objection: Bikers and pedestrians can cross I-5 instead on the Burke-Gilman Trail or at NE 65th Street where it is safer.


​​Rebuttal: Depending on one's starting or destination point and their level of confidence, those alternative crossings may work. However, the Burke-Gilman Trail is about a half mile detour from 45th plus over a 100 foot difference in elevation. Similarly, taking the 65th underpass is a 1 mile (20 block) detour to the North, although at least the elevation is similar.

The most direct connection between the Wallingford urban village to/from the U District urban center, its new light rail station, or to UW campus remains across NE 45th Street.
​
This change is also a major improvement for pedestrians, for whom a detour is even less practical. The protected bike lane will be a buffer to the sidewalk on the north side of the bridge. The proposed addition of railings to the bridge will make it safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and even the vehicles on I-5 below.