CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION recognizing the community-led visioning process and the recommendations found in the U District Station Area Mobility Plan, and supporting a pedestrian-focused rebuild of NE 43rd Street.
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WHEREAS, in 2021 a new light rail station is expected to open at Brooklyn Avenue NE and NE 43rd Street, providing faster and more reliable transit connections to Downtown Seattle, Northgate, and the rest of the region; and
WHEREAS, in the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan, the University District (“U District”) is designated as an urban center, the densest type of Seattle neighborhood, which serves as both a regional center and a local neighborhood that offers a diverse mix of uses, housing, and employment opportunities, and the Plan anticipates that the neighborhood will add 3,500 new homes and 5,000 new jobs by 2035; and
WHEREAS, in December 2018 the Seattle City Council approved the University of Washington Seattle Campus Master Plan, which anticipates additional 8,000 students, faculty and staff at the University of Washington over the next ten years; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the changing conditions and the opportunity provided by new transit investments, the U District Mobility Group formed to lead a neighborhood outreach process to create a community-supported vision for a holistic, integrated transportation system in the U District; and
WHEREAS, the community-led process was funded by Seattle Children’s, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Department of Transportation, Sound Transit, U District Advocates, U District Business Improvement Area, and the University of Washington; and
WHEREAS, the U District Station Area Mobility Plan recommendations are based on the following principles: (1) giving top priority to pedestrian movement, (2) designing for pedestrian access to the station, (3) configuring an efficient flexible bus route network, (4) creating a safe and attractive street environment for people of all abilities, (5) completing the bicycle network, and (6) addressing the multimodal challenges on NE 45th Street; and
WHEREAS, the recommendations of the U District Station Area Mobility Plan reflect transportation goals set forth in the U District Urban Design Framework (2013), the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan (2016), the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan (2014), and the Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan (2017), and the carbon reduction goals set forth in the Seattle Climate Action Plan (2013); NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT:
Section 1. The City of Seattle recognizes the September 2018 final report and recommendations of the U District Station Area Mobility Plan found in Attachment 1 to this resolution.
Section 2. The City of Seattle supports a pedestrian-focused rebuild of NE 43rd Street, which is a critical connection between the future light rail station, University Way, and the University of Washington campus.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2019, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2019.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2019.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - U District Station Area Mobility Plan (September 2018)