Greenwood + Licton Springs
The Licton Springs segment of Aurora is a neighborhood full of potential. The area from N 84th Street to N 110th Street is designated an Urban Village (Aurora-Licton Urban Village, also known as ALUV) and is already zoned for tall, mixed-use buildings - ideal for transit-oriented development adjacent to the highly-used E-Line bus route. Small businesses and restaurants line the blocks and Oak Tree Village serves as the heart of the commercial core.
But the Aurora roadway divides the urban village and makes nearly every experience unpleasant. Crossing the seven lanes of traffic is dangerous, especially when safe and signalized crossings are infrequent. People are, instead, seemingly invited to use unmarked crosswalks and ADA-accessible pedestrian islands. In fact, an 81-year-old woman was struck and killed while crossing at just one of these pedestrian islands in 2019.
Even if you were to avoid crossing the road, walking along it is neither safe nor pleasant. At the worst, the sidewalks in this area are in disrepair or entirely missing. At their best, traffic poles, utility boxes, and crowded bus stops have narrowed the pedestrian space and made it hazardous for most people with disabilities. Riding a bike or scooter on Aurora is a dangerous undertaking, though technically allowed in the bus lane (which is dedicated for buses for only 7 hours a day). Finally, the lack of trees and greenery and the noise and pollution from traffic only feet away make it entirely unwelcoming to people not in cars.
A Street-End Plaza makes for a more welcoming connection between the residential neighborhoods on both sides of Aurora Ave N.
People-Centered Streets: Street-End Plazas
By reducing traffic turning onto Aurora from residential roads, street-end plazas calm traffic patterns and reduce fatal collisions. In addition, street-end plazas add the opportunity for green space in neighborhoods, providing habitat in the tree canopy, shade below for gathering spaces, and CO2 absorption.
Community Connections: The Future of Oak Tree Village
The land this shopping center sits on is owned by Seattle Public Schools and should serve our city as a public resource. Improvements along Aurora can make this space a shared gathering venue, surrounded by small businesses and amenities, promoting the sense of neighborhood identity and increasing cohesion in a part of the corridor that has so much potential.
We want to see:
More space for people
Wider sidewalks with more separation from traffic
More and safer crossings that are truly accessible to all
More trees, plantings, and open green spaces
Reduced speed limits from 30mph to 25 mph
Reduced lane widths
Designated school zone on SR-99 near Robert Eagle Staff Middle School
Safe spaces for biking, rolling, and other alternative modes of travel
More parks, a community center and a revitalized Oak Tree Village with permanent, pedestrian plaza
Anti-displacement policies and funding to ensure that small businesses are protected and have affordable rents in the future
Revised zoning citywide so that needed housing is not crammed only into Urban Villages
Street-End Plazas
Past Walk Audits
On June 1, 2021 we walked from Winona Ave N to N 92nd Street, stopping to observe the student crossings at Aurora and 77th & 80th Streets, and at Aurora and 90th & 92nd Streets. View the route.
We also stopped at the new intersection of 83rd and Aurora to check out the new connection between the East Green Lake protected bike lanes and the N 83rd Street Greenway. Watch the recording of this walk audit.
On June 9, 2021 we walked from N 100th Street to N 110th Street, talking with local business owners to hear their perspectives on how Aurora can be improved. Watch the recording of this walk audit.