Center Parking

[HighwayStar]

They could have put a nice 4 lane freeway though there instead.

Adjacent 15th Avenue would be the one to upgrade, not 14th. It crosses the river, and it already has interchanges.

Even better, do both and have a 6 lane freeway with Texas U turn frontage roads.

15th was originally planned and partially built as a freeway (notice the interchanges south of the ship canal), but it was shot down alongside most other Seattle freeways in the 1970s.

There is not enough traffic in the area to warrant any free flow roadways.

Let me get this straight. It was needed as a freeway 50 years ago, was shot down by CAVE people, and despite the vast increase in both population and traffic in Seattle since then there is not enough traffic to warrant it? Sounds like double think to me.

Seattle desperately needs more freeways, I say build it now!

[Bruce]

They could have put a nice 4 lane freeway though there instead.

Adjacent 15th Avenue would be the one to upgrade, not 14th. It crosses the river, and it already has interchanges.

Even better, do both and have a 6 lane freeway with Texas U turn frontage roads.

15th was originally planned and partially built as a freeway (notice the interchanges south of the ship canal), but it was shot down alongside most other Seattle freeways in the 1970s.

There is not enough traffic in the area to warrant any free flow roadways.

Let me get this straight. It was needed as a freeway 50 years ago, was shot down by CAVE people, and despite the vast increase in both population and traffic in Seattle since then there is not enough traffic to warrant it? Sounds like double think to me.

Seattle desperately needs more freeways, I say build it now!

We don't need it. Its justification was questionable in the 1950s/1960s (which is why it was never seriously proposed, only in long term plans) and it definitely doesn't pan out today. Ballard is instead getting a grade-separated light rail line that will be able to carry as many commuters with a miniscule impact.

[HighwayStar]

They could have put a nice 4 lane freeway though there instead.

Adjacent 15th Avenue would be the one to upgrade, not 14th. It crosses the river, and it already has interchanges.

Even better, do both and have a 6 lane freeway with Texas U turn frontage roads.

15th was originally planned and partially built as a freeway (notice the interchanges south of the ship canal), but it was shot down alongside most other Seattle freeways in the 1970s.

There is not enough traffic in the area to warrant any free flow roadways.

Let me get this straight. It was needed as a freeway 50 years ago, was shot down by CAVE people, and despite the vast increase in both population and traffic in Seattle since then there is not enough traffic to warrant it? Sounds like double think to me.

Seattle desperately needs more freeways, I say build it now!

We don't need it. Its justification was questionable in the 1950s/1960s (which is why it was never seriously proposed, only in long term plans) and it definitely doesn't pan out today. Ballard is instead getting a grade-separated light rail line that will be able to carry as many commuters with a miniscule impact.

A rail line that can stuff people into boxcars like cattle is not equivalent to a highway that can carry them in the comfort of their own automobiles.

[hotdogPi]

The existing rail line seems to be a significant walk from much of the area. Are they planning on anything that's closer to the center and not on the water?

[tradephoric]

Here is a shot of the median along Woodward in Ferndale, Michigan in the 1930s,1957, and 2011. 

[Bruce]

The existing rail line seems to be a significant walk from much of the area. Are they planning on anything that's closer to the center and not on the water?

Not sure what you're looking at, but the general plan is to build a new line from Westlake Station to Ballard by following 15th Avenue West (or a few blocks west along the BNSF railyard).

[jakeroot]

The existing rail line seems to be a significant walk from much of the area. Are they planning on anything that's closer to the center and not on the water?

Not sure what you're looking at, but the general plan is to build a new line from Westlake Station to Ballard by following 15th Avenue West (or a few blocks west along the BNSF railyard).

Last I saw, Sound Transit was still considering a station along 14th.

[KCRoadFan]

When I saw this thread, it reminded me of the courthouse square in Clinton, MO.

[jjakucyk]

Here's a great example from Denmark of all places.  The median is the only place parking is allowed.  Excellent traffic calming all around. 

https://goo.gl/maps/Qd35zs2genw5YrqV7