CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION approving the Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan.
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WHEREAS, walking, including movement by people using wheelchairs and other personal mobility devices, is the fastest growing mode of transportation used by Seattle residents; and
WHEREAS, pedestrian facilities and improvements should be developed to enable people of all ages to actively participate in public spaces and activities, and infrastructure should embody the principles of Age-Friendly Cities and Universal Design; and
WHEREAS, The City of Seattle’s (“City”) Comprehensive Plan establishes transportation goals and policies to develop a more vibrant City by creating streets and sidewalks that generate economic and social activity, adding to the City’s overall health, prosperity, and happiness; and
WHEREAS, the Pedestrian Master Plan (“Plan”) will provide for the needs of Seattle’s neighborhoods, with the goal of improving the pedestrian environment for the City’s diverse community of residents, workers, and visitors alike; and
WHEREAS, the Plan is intended to improve mobility conditions for all pedestrians, including people who rely upon wheelchairs and other mobility devices to get around, and people with visual or hearing impairments; and
WHEREAS, Plan implementation is an integral part of Mayor Murray’s August 2016 commitment to become a more “Age Friendly Community,” promoting safety, accessibility, and improved pedestrian mobility for seniors; and
WHEREAS, the vision for the Plan gives a clear aspiration for the City - that Seattle is the most walkable and accessible city in the nation, where walking will be a way of life, accessible to people of all ages and abilities, and possible throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, the 2014 Adopted Budget included funding to update the 2009 Plan to encourage people to walk for their own benefit, for the life of the City, and for the good of our natural environment; and
WHEREAS, Move Seattle, the Mayor’s 10-Year Strategic Vision for Transportation, contains a goal to create a vibrant City where Seattle’s rights-of-way hum with activity, and calls for creating more great places for people on City streets and sidewalks; and
WHEREAS, the Pedestrian Advisory Board, an advisory committee comprised of a diverse group of pedestrian and community stakeholders, guided the development of the Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has worked with the Mayor and City Council (“Council”), while engaging the Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board and several other City advisory boards, commissions, and community groups to produce a draft and final Plan; and
WHEREAS, SDOT held public open houses, conducted an online survey, met with community organizations and pedestrian groups, and solicited comments online from the larger Seattle community on the development of the Plan; and
WHEREAS, SDOT briefed the Mayor and Council on the results of those open houses
and on the public comments it received; and
WHEREAS, SDOT issued a State Environmental Policy Act Determination of Non-Significance for the Plan on February 21, 2017; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Plan is to guide City investments with respect to pedestrian mobility and access in Seattle and provide insight into the critical needs, financial impacts, and timing of pedestrian investments; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:
Section 1. The Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan (“Plan”), a copy which is attached as Attachment A to this resolution, is approved.
Section 2. Through the annual budget process, the Mayor and City Council will determine the level of City funding allocated for Plan implementation.
Section 3. The Plan defines a “Priority Investment Network” (“PIN”) composed of streets and other walkways that serve as key pedestrian connections to K-12 public schools and the frequent transit network throughout the City. The PIN creates a clearly identified, interconnected pedestrian network where pedestrian improvements will be prioritized.
Section 4. The Plan’s Strategies and Actions will guide the City’s work to achieve the Plan’s overall goals for safety, equity, vibrancy, and health.
Section 5. Plan implementation will be guided by a data-defined framework for prioritization based on the Plan’s vision and goals, along with community interest, policy directives, and opportunities to leverage external resources or implement pedestrian improvements concurrently with other public and private improvements in the same street or corridor. Plan implementation will be consistent with the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative, with individual projects and programs guided by Racial Equity Toolkit Analysis and Inclusive Outreach and Engagement Plans.
Section 6. The Seattle Department of Transportation (“SDOT”) will present to the Council an annual Implementation Plan developed with input from the Pedestrian Advisory Board. The annual Implementation Plan shall describe SDOT’s anticipated implementation efforts for the next five years and include: a prioritized list of capital investments related to the pedestrian system; a cost and funding summary; a summary of SDOT’s pedestrian-related initiatives; and efforts to identify cost-sharing project opportunities with utilities and private development. The Implementation Plan shall also include a status report on the previous year’s Implementation Plan describing: completed projects; delayed projects; new or deferred projects; and performance measure reporting. The first annual Implementation Plan shall be delivered by December 1, 2017; subsequent annual Implementation Plans shall be delivered by September 1st of each year.
Section 7. The Council anticipates that the Implementation Plan due on December 1, 2017 shall be adopted by future Resolution. The Implementation Plan due on December 1, 2017 shall include:
A. Program targets and performance reporting on how many new sidewalks and crossing improvements are constructed through Capital Projects, Neighborhood Street Fund, Safe Routes to School, PMP Implementation, private development, or any other means;
B. A report on how many low-cost sidewalks have been constructed and SDOT’s plan for implementing additional low-cost sidewalks over the five-year Implementation Plan horizon; and
C. A report on funding mechanisms to improve pedestrian facilities including: opportunities to accept private funding, such as an equitable crosswalk improvement program; use of parking benefit districts; and funding mechanisms used in other cities.
Section 8. The Council directs SDOT to fund the N.E. 50th Street sidewalk project (from 30th Avenue N.E. to 33rd Avenue N.E.) with the mitigation funds that were provided for this project as part of the University Village South Garage private development.
Section 9. To ensure the Plan will continue to support the City’s aspiration to be the most walkable and accessible city in the nation, and to take advantage of emerging opportunities, new data, current practices, and re-evaluate priorities, SDOT will update the Plan as needed.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2017, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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President ____________ of the City Council
The Mayor concurred the ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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Edward B. Murray, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2017.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment A - Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan
Attachment B - Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan Appendices