Bitter Lake + Haller Lake
People-Centered Streets: Build the Sidewalks
This section of Aurora is the most diverse and the most deadly. The apartments in this neighborhood are home to seniors, to families with children who attend the neighborhood schools, and to speakers of at least 25 different languages. Additionally, this section of Aurora has grocery stores, restaurants, and other local businesses but it’s not safe for the residents to access them because there are no sidewalks and there aren’t enough signalized crossings. Providing walking routes, safe sidewalks, and adequate space for pedestrians can make this neighborhood become a thriving place where all are welcome and able to participate.
Transit Reliability: Connections to Light Rail
Creating safe biking and walking connections to the future 130th and 148th Street Stations will significantly improve the nearby neighborhoods. Without safe crossings of Aurora, however, neighbors in Broadview and Bitter Lake will continue to be isolated from the light rail system. We need to prioritize people walking and biking at the 130th Street intersection and at the 145th street intersection and we need new signalized crossings at N 137th Street and N 143rd Street.
Resiliency in a Changing Climate: Bioswales and Other Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Redesigning the open ditches in this segment of Aurora to become bioswales enhances several aspects of the roadway and its use in this area. Beautiful plantings can provide not only urban greenery, but important space for surface water to enter the soil, reducing the demand on sewage and storm water treatment, decreasing the risks to motorists of excess water build-up on the roadway, and the risks to residents and businesses of flooding after storms.
See more of our specific recommendations for the Bitter Lake segment of Aurora.
Past Walk Audits
On August 9 we walked from N 130th Street to N 135th Street (a section of Aurora with no sidewalk). We were joined by Disability Rights WA to identify and document the obstacles and challenges that people living with disabilities face as they navigate Aurora.