From the CHS Facebook Group
They are being improved, the Seattle Department of Transportation says, to help ease emergency vehicle traffic through Pike/Pine.
CHS reported last month on the installation of the street safety feature at 10th and Pike in a project that utilized federal funding as part of 80 planned safety upgrades across Seattle.
SDOT said the new islands were hoped to help protect people using the crosswalk at the busy intersection in the heart of the Pike/Pine nightlife district. But the new islands created challenges for Seattle Fire and Seattle Police vehicles trying to pass through the busy intersection.
“After installation of the pedestrian islands on 10th and Pike, we received helpful feedback from the city’s first responders that a minor modification of the design would maintain enhanced pedestrian safety without creating new delays and issues for emergency responders,” an SDOT spokesperson said.
Work is already underway to overhaul the just-installed islands. SDOT says its crew will modify the feature like the islands installed at S Spokane St and Lafayette Ave S.
“This design allows police, fire, and emergency vehicles to respond to emergencies even when there’s heavy traffic and drivers can’t immediately move out of their way,” the spokesperson said.
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