16th Avenue SW: SW 100th Street to SW 107th Street Pedestrian Safety Improvements & Traffic Calming Project

Project map

This project improves pedestrian safety along 16th Avenue SW between SW 100th Street and SW 107th Street. 

This project improves safety for pedestrians and calms traffic

The image above shows what 16th Avenue SW between SW 100th and SW 107th streets will look like once the project is complete. The road will be restriped to have one 11-foot-wide travel lane and one bike lane in each direction. There will be a center turn lane down the middle of the road, and an eight-foot (8-foot) wide parking lane on the east side of the road. View larger image (49KB)

Safety improvements coming to 16th Avenue SW

This project will calm traffic and improve pedestrian safety by providing the following:

• One lane in each direction
  This will help prevent speeding by slowing down traffic and makes crossings safer for people walking.
• Center turn lane
  Provides a safer place for drivers to make left turns. This will allow traffic to move freely in the main travel lane.
• Sidewalk curb extensions at SW 104th Street and SW 106th Street intersections
  There are no traffic signals at these two intersections to stop traffic. Sidewalk curb extensions will help drivers see people walking in the crosswalk. The extensions also will shorten the distance people need to cross.
• Rapid flashing lights and new pedestrian crossing signs at intersections that do not have a traffic signal
  Flashing lights and high-visibility signs will alert drivers when pedestrians are crossing 16th Avenue SW at SW 104th and SW 106th Street.
• Bicycle lanes in both directions
  New, five-foot (5-foot) wide bicycle lanes will separate bike riders from motor vehicle traffic. This will give people on bikes or other active transportation more room so that they don’t have to share the road with cars. 
• Two feet of extra space (buffer zone) on both sides of bike lane 
  Cyclists feel more comfortable and secure when they are not too close to moving traffic or parked cars. A two-foot (2-foot) wide buffer zone on both sides of the bike lane could help encourage more people to choose biking or other types of active transportation to get to where they want to go.

Changes to on-street parking

Currently, there are 43 parking spaces on 16th Avenue SW between SW 100th and SW 107th streets. The project adds two (2) spaces on the east side of the road, but it will take away 17 spaces on the west side. Due to the new bike lanes, sidewalk curb extensions, and safety upgrades, the total number of parking spaces in the project area will go down to 28.

Why is this project needed?

16th Avenue SW, is important for people walking, biking, and driving. However, it is currently more focused on cars and trucks than pedestrians or cyclists. We want to make this part of 16th Avenue SW safer for everyone. In the past decade, over 22 collisions with pedestrians were reported in this busy area. Studies show that the safety improvements like the ones included in this project can reduce the number of collisions up to one-third.

Existing roadway layout 

The image above shows what 16th Avenue SW between SW 100th and SW 107th streets looks like today. The road currently has two travel lanes in each direction and a center turn lane. There are no bicycle lanes on this road. View larger image (55KB)

Google Earth photo of 16th Ave. SW between SW 107th and SW 102nd streets looking north (photo taken in 2022). The existing road layout is built more for car traffic than people walking or biking. 

Higher speeds can result in more collisions with pedestrians.

Roads with a single travel lane in each direction and a center turn lane have slower, calmer traffic. This is important for pedestrians and cyclists because slower vehicle speeds make it safer, reducing the risk of injury and death.

• Fewer travel lanes make it safer to cross the street and allow room for sidewalk curb extensions and buffered bicycle lanes.
• Sidewalk curb extensions reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians in the crosswalk.
• Extra space, or buffer zone, on both sides of the bicycle lane provides a dedicated place for non-motorized traffic.

Project budget and funding

The total estimated project cost is $1.9 million. The project is funded by COVID Relief grant money, a grant from the national Highway Safety Improvement Program, and local funds.

Project timeline

• Preliminary design complete: Late 2021.
• Initial public outreach and comment period complete: Spring 2022.
• Final design complete: Winter 2024
• Ongoing public outreach: 2022 through 2025.
• Construction: Spring/Summer 2025
• Project complete: Summer 2025