The Queen Anne Greenways community group last met in late January, kicking off the group’s efforts for the year with new members and goals for 2013. The group is open to all, and it’s not too late to join in on the discussion about making our streets, sidewalks, and intersections more pedestrian-friendly.

Fifteen Queen Anne residents attended the January meeting, a great mix of residents with many volunteering to take on the all-important roles of political focal point, leader, secretary, and treasurer, as well as liaisons for the Uptown Alliance and Seattle Greenways.  If you’re interested in taking on a leadership role or just voicing your thoughts and opinions, you’re welcome to join this week’s meeting as well as upcoming meetings on the 4th Tuesday of each month.

Key goals identified by the group for 2013 include:

• Review Seattle Bicycle Master Plan
• Map out desired Queen Anne Greenways (Crown of Hill and others)
• Work on pedestrian safety goals identified in November kickoff meeting
• Create connections with neighborhood schools to encourage and support pedestrian and bike safety for children
• Work on connectivity between Upper Queen Anne and Uptown, and to nearby neighborhoods

This week’s meeting is at Bayview Manor, subsequent meetings planned at the Queen Anne Library’s public meeting room (lower level of the library) when available:

Key Details:

• What: Monthly Queen Anne Greenways meeting
• When: Tuesday, February 26, 6:30-7:45pm
• Where: Bayview Manor (11 West Aloha Street, 10th floor)

Upcoming meetings are scheduled for the same time (6:30pm-7:45pm), regular location (Queen Anne Library meeting room) on March 26 and April 23 (fourth Tuesdays).

For any questions on Queen Anne Greenways, visit their Facebook page.

Back in November, the initial meet-n-greet Queen Anne Greenways meetings were held to capture initial thoughts about pedestrian safety on Queen Anne. Now, it’s time to organize the group, and there’s a meeting at the Queen Anne Library on Tuesday to get things started – and everyone is welcome to attend and share your thoughts.

On tap is a discussion on how to set up the group and reach out to the Queen Anne community. If you’re interested in safer streets, whether through additional lighting, more (or re-painted) crosswalks, or new stop signs at critical intersections, then plan on joining the discussion on Tuesday.

Key Details:

• What: Meeting to Organize Queen Anne Greenways
• Where: Queen Anne Library meeting room
• When: Tuesday, January 22nd, 6:30-7:30pm

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is scheduled to begin construction on the West Thomas Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Overpass, a project designed to improve safety and provide direct access to Myrtle Edwards Park from the Lower Queen Anne area for pedestrians and bicyclists, next month. The project was originally slated to begin in August, but was pushed up after a lawsuit over the project’s schedule, which conflicted with Seattle’s annual Hempfest festival and rally.

In advance of construction time SDOT is inviting the public to learn more about the project, including information on traffic detours and area impacts throughout the construction period, from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight, Thursday, May 26 in the Elliott Bay Room of Homewood Suites, located at 206 Western Ave W, near the overpass site. From SDOT:

SDOT project staff will be available to explain design and construction details, and answer questions. There will not be a formal presentation, so participants may show up any time between 5 and 7 p.m. Complimentary parking underneath the Homewood Suites building is available by checking in at the front desk and obtaining a key card to enter the secure parking garage.

When the overpass is completed it will provide access over the very busy Elliott Ave W and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad tracks to Myrtle Edwards Park. It will also serve as a connection for bicyclists, part of a future Lake Bay Loop – a planned bicycle route that will run between South Lake Union, Seattle Center and the existing bicycle trail in Myrtle Edwards Park.

The project, part of the Walk, Bike, Ride initiative and funded by the Park Levy I and II, grant funds from the Puget Sound Regional Council and King County, and private donations, is estimated to cost a total of $10 million.

For more information visit the project website, or review our past coverage here.

Tomorrow, Saturday, October 3, community members are invited to a neighborhood celebration and ribbon cutting put on by the Seattle Department of Transportation and Picture Perfect Queen Anne, in honor of new pedestrian improvements on along Queen Anne Ave N.

From 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow, members of Picture Perfect Queen Anne, a volunteer-based neighborhood alliance funded by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and Office of Economic Development, will be installing plants around the new pedestrian plaza at Queen Anne Ave N and W Galer St, as well as curb bulbs near the new crosswalks at Queen Anne Ave N and W McGraw Street. The group welcomes anyone interested in assisting with the planting throughout the day.

At 3 p.m. the ribbon cutting and ceremony will take place at the pedestrian plaza (Queen Anne Ave N and W Galer St.) with SDOT Director Grace Crunican.

The project was requested by Picture Perfect Queen Anne, who is working to revitalize Queen Anne Ave N from Galer to McGraw to provide a vibrant pedestrian and family-safe street-scape, through the Neighborhood Street Fund and funding by the Bridging the Gap Levy.