Pioneer Square Walking Audit DRAFTObservations & Recommendations April 20, 2012 Early one Tuesday morning in February, more than 40 people, representing residents, business, property owners and city departments, gathered in Occidental Park. Their goal: to understand what makes Pioneer Square a terrific place to be and to identify the opportunities for making it better. Their method: audit the streets and alleys of Pioneer Square. They set out on three different routes with a map, clipboard, a list of questions and a camera. They covered every corner of Pioneer Square, and they were prolific observers. These long-term residents and business owners created more than 40 pages of notes and took hundreds of photographs. Participants scored each route in three categories: getting there (finding your way and accessibility), wanting to stay (quality of public spaces and appearance) and feeling comfortable (quality of sidewalks and feeling of safety). Scores range from 1 representing poor to 5 being excellent. The result is an unprecedented inventory of Pioneer Square’s promises and challenges. The International Sustainability culled from this data what’s most important to those who work, live and play in Pioneer Square. You’ll find lots of quick wins and short term projects to support an economically vibrant neighborhood. If you have additional comments or ideas, please email [email protected]. project of PIONEER SQUARE ACTIVE STREETS prepared by the International Sustainability Institute 1.9 getting there 1.9 getting there SCORES 2.3 wanting to stay (1-5) Pioneer Square Walking Audit | ROUTE 1 | 2.5 feeling comfortable Transit & Neighborhood Connections: Occidental Park to Chinatown/ID and Transit Hub Uwajimaya 5th Ave ID 5 Assets & Promise Tunnel + Great Connection: between Chinatown/ID & Pioneer Square Union Station 4th Ave 4 Weller Bridge & 3 Sounder Entry + Transit Hub: brings people into Pioneer Square via numerous transit options (train, bus and light rail) 2 King St. + Accessible Grocery: path to major grocery store (Uwajimaya) Station 3rd Ave + Inviting Public Spaces: Jackson Street Plaza, future entrance into King Street Station t S 1 ay t n t e Pioneer o S W e t r g Square n t t n o S S Tunnel s hi k g Opportunities & Issues s n a i esler ac K Y J Main x Difficult Walking:sidewalks uneven and poor quality, barriers to people with disabilities and parents with strollers Ave W Cherry St Cherry 2nd 4 x Traffic Barriers: 4th Ave S & S Jackson St intersection creates long waiting times and unpleasant noise levels Occidental Park x Confusing Signs: difficult to find one’s way to the train station and bus tunnel, confusing with many bus stops around 4th Ave S & S Jackson St; inconsistent and confusing signs 1st Ave x Uninviting Public Spaces: Jackson Street Plaza - unclean, no trash cans or lighting; ID Tunnel Plaza - empty, lack of greenery, people and activity Alaskan Way x Safety Issues: high number of bike and pedestrian collisions on 2nd Avenue Extension S & Jackson Street Quick Wins & Short Term Projects Water Colman Taxi 1 Reduce Walking Hazards, Improve ADA Accessibility. 4 Guide People to Transit, Shops andDock Restaurants. location: btw 2nd & 3rd Ave S on north side of S Jackson St (photo) location: Occidental Park kiosk (photo) □ Make a temporary ramp □ Reorient kiosk @ Occidental Park □ Install ADA ramps mid-block location: Add signage in the 2nd-4th Ave S & S Jackson St vicinity □ Improve severely slanting sidewalk 1 □ Improve and add signage helping connect 4 people from the train station, Occidental Park, ferries, etc 2 Make Public Spaces More Inviting. locations: (1) Jackson Street Plaza (photo) (2) ID Tunnel entrance Plaza (3) Great Northern Railway Park 5 Activate Public Spaces. □ Keep public spaces clean location: International District Tunnel entrance (photo) □ Add trash cans @ Jackson Street Plaza □ Create outdoor farmers market, produce □ Add dog waste bag system 2 stands or flower stands □ Add lighting @ Jackson Street Plaza to create an □ Add ammenities (benches, plants, art, etc. inviting space and entrance to King St Station. that invite people to stay) 3 3 Connect Jackson Street Plaza to Pioneer Square. location: 2nd Ave Ext S & S Jackson St crosswalk (photo) □ Re-align the crossing @ 2nd Ave Ext S & Jackson St to make inviting entry to King Street Station* *Recommendations from King St Station Transportation Hub Strategy. 5 1.5 getting there SCORES 3.5 wanting to stay (1-5) Pioneer Square Walking Audit | ROUTE 1 | 2.0 feeling comfortable Transit & Neighborhood Connections: 5th Ave S & S Weller St to 1st Ave S & S King St Uwajimaya 5th Ave ID 1 Assets & Promise Tunnel Union Station 2 + Great Connection: between Chinatown/ID and Pioneer Square (stadiums, the Waterfront, 1st Ave) 4th Ave Weller Bridge & + Transit Hub: brings people into Pioneer Square via numerous transit options (train, bus and light rail) 3 Sounder Entry King St. + Accessible Grocery: path to major grocery store (Uwajimaya) Station 3rd Ave 4 + Inviting Public Spaces: 505 Union Station Plaza well- maintained, places to sit, greenery and open t S ay t n t e Pioneer o S W e t r g Square n t t n o S S Tunnel s Opportunities & Issues hi k g s n a i esler ac K Y J x Difficult Walking:sidewalks uneven and poor quality, barriers to people with disabilities, parents with strollers and Main Ave W people with luggage St Cherry 2nd Occidental Park x Traffic Barriers: 4th Ave S & S Weller St intersection - long waiting times, short signal and unpleasant noise levels x Confusing Signs: difficult to find one’s way to the train station, Pioneer Square and Chinatown/ID 1st Ave x Uninviting Connections: lack of greenery and poor connection from Weller Street Overpass to King Street Station Alaskan Way Quick Wins & Short Terms Projects Water 1 Guide People to Transit, Shops and Restaurants. 3 Create Safe Pedestrian Routes.Colman Taxi Dock location: 505 Union Station Plaza (photo) location: Weller Street Overpass (photo) □ Improve and add signage at 5th Avenue plaza □ Add more lighting to Weller St Bridge to guide people to Pioneer Square and transit □ Add more greenery; use as neighborhood identifier for wayfinding 1 3 2 4 Guide Pedestrians Through King Street Station. location: King Street Station to Weller St Bridge Reduce Pedestrian and Auto Conflicts. □ Make a defined path between King Street location: 4th Ave S and S Weller St (photo) Station & Weller St Bridge with lighting, □ Improve pedestrian signal by shortening wait plants, art and murals time and lengthening crossing time 4 2 4 1.9 getting there SCORES 3.6 wanting to stay (1-5) Pioneer Square Walking Audit | ROUTE 1 | 3.6 feeling comfortable Retail Connection: 1st Ave S from S King St to Yesler Way Uwajimaya 5th Ave ID Tunnel Assets & Promise Union Station + Great Walk: 1st Ave S is one of the best walks in Seattle (historic buildings, trees, hanging baskets, relatively clean) 4th Ave Weller Bridge & + Retail: many storefronts with shops and restaurants, few vacancies north of S Main St Sounder Entry King St. + Great Connection:between Downtown core, Stadium District and Chinatown/ID to Pioneer Square 3rd Ave Station t S ay t n t e Pioneer o S W e t Opportunities & Issues r g Square n t t n o S S Tunnel s hi Difficult Walking:inconsistent quality, poor ADA accessibility at crossings creates barriers for people with k x g s n a i esler ac K Y J Main disabilities, parents with strollers and people with luggage Ave W Cherry St Cherry 2nd x Confusing Signs: difficult to find one’s way to the Waterfront and ferries, transit, Chinatown/ID Occidental Park x Uninviting Blocks:more retail diversity needed, some dark/tinted storefronts, most vacancies south of S Main St x Lack of Regular Median Maintenance: no regular scheduled maintenance for medians (ad-hoc, community-driven) 4 1 1 1 4 1 1 3 1st Ave 2 5 >1st Ave S between Cherry St and Railroad Way Alaskan Way Quick Wins & Short Terms Projects Water Make Safe Pedestrian Crossings.Colman Taxi 1 Reduce Walking Hazards, Improve ADA Accessibility. 3 Dock locations (1) 1st Ave S & S Washington St, NW, NE, SW, SE (photo) location: 1st Ave S & Yesler Way (photo) (2) 1st Ave S & Yesler Way, SE and SW corner □ Study feasibility of All-Way Walk at busiest (3) 1st Ave S & S Jackson St, SE and NW corner pedestrian crossing (4) 1st Ave S & S Main St, SW corner □ Install ADA ramps at all 1st Ave S intersections 1 4 where missing or in need of realignment 4 Guide People to Transit, Shops and Restaurants. locations (1) add signage at 1st Ave S & Yesler Way (photo) (2) add signage at 1st Ave S & S Main St 2 Makes Storefronts More Inviting. □ Improve and add signage to guide people location: along 1st Ave S, sandwich board in front of Pioneer Building (photo) to waterfront, Chinatown/ID and transit. □ Educate business owners about having clear Currently, signage only present on 1st Avenue pathways in sidewalks - move sandwich boards 2 at S Jackson St & S Washington St intersections □ Educate business owners about attractive 5 storefronts - encourage blade signs, discourage rough handmade signs in windows 5 Create Inviting Pedestrian Route. □ Promote more outdoor cafes location: 1st Ave S median (photo) □ Start adopt-a-block median program along 1st Ave S (weeding, planting) □ Improve SDOT maintenance of 1st Ave S medians (regular weeding and pruning) 3 1.5 getting there SCORES 3.2 wanting to stay (1-5) Pioneer Square Walking Audit | ROUTE 1 | 3.4 feeling comfortable Alley Route: Yesler Way to S King St Uwajimaya 5th Ave ID Assets & Promise Tunnel Union Station + Great Connections: secondary pedestrian route from Pioneer Park to Occidental Park, to future First Hill streetcar 4th Ave Weller Bridge & on S Jackson Street and stadiums Sounder Entry King St.