After five years of work by Wedgwood volunteers in grant-writing and planning along with Seattle’s Department of Transportation, a sidewalk project around Wedgwood Elementary School will soon begin construction. Wedgwood ES is located at 2720 NE 85th Street (corner of 30th Ave NE). There is a sidewalk in front of the school along the north side of NE 85th Street, but the south side of NE 85th is unimproved as is 28th Ave NE, a route used for students to walk and bike.
Jim Curtin of SDOT reports that, Wedgwood Elementary sidewalks: Phase 1 for the project is at 100% design. Advertising is planned for April, contractor selection in June, construction in August with most of the Phase 1 complete by first day of school this September 2015. Phase 2 construction is planned for 2016, dependent on funding.
With our backs to the Wedgwood School building on NE 85th Street, looking south along 28th Ave NE we see no sidewalks, no curbs, no signage and no safe way for students to cross this busy street.
Originally called the WE CAN project, the funding for sidewalks later became part of SDOT’s Complete the Streets efforts. The project design connects sidewalks to the south of the Wedgwood School building on 28th Ave NE so that children can safely walk and bike to school. The project design connects sidewalks at the front of Wedgwood School along NE 85th Street, south on 28th Avenue NE and along NE 83rd Street continuously to Ravenna Ave NE where new sidewalks and bike lanes were recently completed (thanks to Wedgwood Community Council Trustee, Gretchen Bear).
Information about how Safe Routes to School will affect Wedgwood Elementary is on their project page. SDOT’s construction updates page for the Wedgwood project will give periodic progress reports for the summer 2015 work.