You may have noticed all of the construction going on up and down Queen Anne Ave N over the last few weeks – repaving, tree placement, etc. Well, yesterday, amidst all of the construction commotion, the city made a little extra addition to one of the neighborhood’s main thoroughfares.
The intersection of Queen Anne Ave N and W Crockett St has gone from a two-way to a four-way stop.
While this new four-way stop could slow down traffic on Queen Anne Ave and make it easier for pedestrians walking through the business district, some are worried that the stop signs will cause cars to block the entrances to Safeway and other businesses, making it more difficult to get around. What do you think?
(Thanks to Brent at Muse Coffee Co. for the tip!)
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23 responses so far ↓
1 Matt_the_Engineer // Mar 17, 2010 at 8:18 pm
I think QA Ave is one of the better walking streets in our city, and pedestrians should be the priority. I don't mind waiting an extra few seconds to drive into the Safeway parking lot.
2 DeckerFamily // Mar 17, 2010 at 9:58 pm
I know I ran this one at least once yesterday, not knowing/noticing the change … Sorry, won't happen again!
3 Name // Mar 17, 2010 at 10:39 pm
I ran this stop yesterday, too. Aren't they supposed to plaster changes like that with orange flags? And as of last night – the city had not even painted the stop lines on the street. I'm all for supporting pedestrian safety, but this was poor planning on the city. This change should have been communicated.
4 98119 // Mar 17, 2010 at 11:46 pm
I sat at the stop sign at Crockett just a few hours ago having no idea why the cars on Queen Anne Ave. were stopping for me. Poor communication indeed on the new four way stop.
5 Allison // Mar 18, 2010 at 12:10 am
If more people would get a clue and not sit blocking the Safeway driveways when traffic is lined up on QA Ave it would help a lot. Leave a space for people to turn into the Safeway parking lot if all you're doing is sitting there waiting for traffic to move. That kind of courtesy and common sense is what keeps traffic moving along.
6 QA_Resident // Mar 18, 2010 at 12:29 am
If SDOT were really really concerened about the safety of QA residents they'd ban the sale of malt liqour and fortified alcohol!
7 ValGarfield // Mar 18, 2010 at 3:02 am
I'm not sure why the stop signs should make it easier for pedestrians. Aren't they for the cars from Crockett. Pedestirans have right away at an intersection. Doesn't have to be marked. You have to stop. It's the law.
I hate to mention the right a way. People on the Ave sometimes sashay across like they are the only ones around. Those with kids are the worst. Believe me those peope know thier intersection laws and some even feel with kids they have thier own laws.
8 Allison // Mar 18, 2010 at 3:56 am
The law regarding right of way is moot, ValGarfield. It's easier for a pedestrian to cross at a marked 4-way stop where the cars are definitely going to be stopping compared to a corner where cars *might* stop if they happen to see you in time. And perhaps fewer people will “sashay” into QA Ave between intersections if there are 4-way stops nearby so they don't have to walk two or three blocks to get to one.
Note to QAers, though: People who have lived here a long time are going to have a hard time remembering to stop there for the next decade or so. Don't just walk (*or* sashay) out, regardless of knowing the cars are supposed to stop. You don't want some old duffer who has been zipping through that intersection for 50 years to take you out. Its being *his* fault isn't going to be any consolation when *you're* in traction.
And whether it's legal or not, it actually feels safer sometimes to cross/sashay midblock rather than at an unmarked intersection. Midblock you only have to watch left and right rather than figuring in all the ways that people might come around corners.
9 skibum1175 // Mar 18, 2010 at 4:05 am
Just as an aside, you should see people in Boston– drivers and peds both move around like there's no one else in the street. It's a miracle there aren't more collisions out there.
10 skibum1175 // Mar 18, 2010 at 4:13 am
Another aside, my wife and I were discussing who has right of way when two vehicles approach an intersection (either with or without stop signs) at the same time. I actually forgot that the car on the left has to yield to the car on the right (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61)
11 Allison // Mar 18, 2010 at 4:39 am
In Seattle you're both just supposed to sit there politely gesturing “You go, ” “Oh no, by all means, *you* go” until one of you runs out of gas and has to be towed (30 minutes). Or some New Yorker behind you starts honking and yelling (.03 seconds).
12 ValGarfield // Mar 18, 2010 at 5:14 am
Allison, I would guess you are one of those that doesn't stop for pedestrians since you think the law is moot. I am not sure you can leagally cross midblock – anybody know? I don't .
13 skibum1175 // Mar 18, 2010 at 5:52 am
That's PEMCO's NW profile #4!
http://www.werealotlikeyou.com/#commercials/44w...
14 skibum1175 // Mar 18, 2010 at 5:59 am
Val, I think it is illegal, but I've hit my quota for web links.
15 Allison // Mar 18, 2010 at 6:04 am
Oh heck, ValG, I mince along at 5 mph stopping for everything. I'm going to have to move to Ballard if I keep driving this slowly. But I was speaking as a pedestrian when I said the law is moot.
The reason it's moot is because real pedestrian safety is not so much a question of what is right and lawful (for cars to stop) but a question of what actually happens. What actually happens is that cars are less likely to stop at unmarked intersections and more likely to stop at marked ones. Thus the marked ones are safer regardless of it being the law that pedestrians have right of way at any intersection. It does nobody any good to be run over by a car and have the consolation that the driver is legally liable. Because people cannot cross safely, your assertion that it's legal for them to do so is moot.
16 QA resident // Mar 18, 2010 at 2:34 pm
That was a tough place for pedestrians to cross regardless of what drivers are supposed to do, so I'm glad there's a 4-way stop, and great timing with the Farmers Market opening soon(ish).
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