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Guest Author Marcie Palmer, community caretaker and 12-year former Renton Council Member, fills us in on Renton’s planned use of speed “cushions” for slowing down traffic. Thanks Marcie!
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By Marcie Palmer:
Can it be???? Speed “cushions” for traffic calming in Renton?!
During my 3 terms on Renton City Council, I was Chair of the Transportation/Aviation Committee 11 years (1 year as Council President). The most asked question from neighbors across the City was “How do we get speed bumps to slow traffic?” And all those 12 years, the answer was “NO, speed bumps ARE NOT ALLOWED IN RENTON.” Concern by Public Safety officials, particularly the Fire Department, was that it slowed down their vehicles too much.
And what to my wondering eyes do I see? ….. Lake Washington Blvd N Speed Cushions, between Burnett Ave N and Houser Way N.
On Facebook at this link
“Lake Washington Blvd N Speed Cushions
Residents who live along Lake Washington Boulevard are concerned about speeding traffic near Gene Coulon Park. The City performed a traffic study and found that a significant portion of traffic is driving faster than the speed limit and that speed cushions may be a good way to slow down the traffic.
Speed cushions are similar to speed humps, but they have cut outs that allow emergency vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances to pass through without slowing down. Speed cushions can help control speeding because they cause car and truck traffic to slow down. Speed cushions can also be used to reduce cut-through traffic.”
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Our family attended the Public Meeting August 25th at the Kennydale Lions Park. Blake Costa, Project Manager, & Chris Barnes, City Transportation Manager, gave an informative presentation on the proposed project to approximately 25 Kennydale neighbors. Questions were asked about why only those with addresses on Lake Washington Blvd, N. 30th, Burnett, Park Ave were allowed to vote for/against the project. Those were the most affected residents for speed and pass-through traffic, it was explained. Those in the audience seemed to agree it was a good idea to move forward with the project.
The City Transportation Department vote passed with an overwhelming majority so YAY!!! The first traffic calming speed cushions will be installed on Lk. Washington Blvd. It will be a good test for this new tool in the tool box of traffic problems. The city will be conducting construction management work for this project with City staff. Construction is anticipated for Summer 2023.
Here are some interesting links on the topic:
Renton traffic calming web page
Police Tweet telling people to slow down on Lake Washington Boulevard
Traffic Calming Projects
The City of Renton is proposing to install speed cushions on select local and collector roadway locations throughout the city, please see location list below with associated status.
- Lake Washington Blvd N – between Burnett Ave N and Houser Way N (vote passed)
- 160th Ave SE – between SE 134th St and SE 137th (feasibility review)
- SW 5th Pl – between SE 5th Ct and Hardie Ave SW (feasibility review)
- NE 12th St – between Aberdeen Ave NE and Edmonds Ave NE (feasibility review)
- Duvall Ave NE – between NE 2nd St and SE 2nd Pl (feasibility review)
- Smithers Ave S – between S 37th St and S 38th Ct (feasibility review)
- Renton Ave S – between Mill Ave S and S 7th St (feasibility review)
These locations were chosen because they have the highest percentage of vehicles speeding among the city’s local and collector roadways, and where previous traffic calming measures did not significantly reduce speeding. Also, the city recognizes that cut-through traffic exists at some of the locations listed above, and therefore the city will minimize cut-through traffic from diverting to other local or collector roadways.
When more information becomes available about dates, detours, etc., we’ll post it here at RandyCorman.com.
Marcie Palmer
Renton City Council Member, 2004-2015
That will be interesting to see how well they work, I know when the road was redone (SE 172) some of the speed bumps were shortened so they didn’t completely cross the road and shoulder. In the last year the City put in traffic poles so that it makes it harder for people to drive around.
I like traffic cushions – if your a remotely decent driver, you can align your wheels to the gap and they basically dont bounce your car. If your a bad driver or drive a tiny tiny narrow car, then you need to take them slow.
Ha! There’s some comments by RentonBen in those old posts. Let’s see if they make Carmen Rivera and Ed Prince cry some more.
“Meme them until they cry. Then make memes about them crying. —Sun Tzu”
Oh noes! Someone with different skin pigment has an opinion.
She shouldn’t be casting stones. Carmen is as basic white as it gets.
Once in a while she throw’s a Spanish noun around like a tourist with a Rick Steve’s phrase book to try to impress people. But that’s about it. I fully expect her to come up to me and say: “Have you tried these Takis? They’re muy Fuego!”
From a BIPOC perspective, it’s very common for our experiences of bullying and harassment to be dismissed or minimized. This is especially true when it comes to speaking out against YT individuals who hold positions of power and privilege.
We need to hold these Renton “leaders” accountable for their actions.
It is also important to recognize that QTPOC folx like Carmen will face additional barriers when speaking out against bullying or harassment, and we should provide support so that her voice its heard and her experiences are validated.
Go back to Seattle
I know Carmen will do anything to keep the attention off her defund the police antics, what’s Ed doing?
Having Carmen slag anybody who he thinks could run against him. It’s backfiring when people see that Ed is so unsure of himself that he thinks having Carmen in his corner is good.
Saw both of them ‘slag’ Sanjeev. Frankly it was kind of racist. Ryan stayed out of it as he’s fundamentally a good person. Pro tip for everybody: city staff isn’t just part of the woodwork.