Speed bumps and these reflective lane dividers have been added by SDOT to both Alki Avenue SW and Harbor Ave SW to better control traffic.
Photo by Patrick Robinson
We have been building safety enhancements along Harbor Ave SW and Alki Ave SW between the West Seattle Water Taxi and Luna Park in response to reckless and illegal driving. We have received several requests from neighbors asking for safety improvements such as speed humps to help address this problem.
The Seattle Department of Transportation is continuing to make changes down on Alki and Harbor Avenue SW to control traffic.
SDOT installed half a dozen sets of speed humps on Harbor Ave SW. They are also adding a raised center divider on the curved part of the road between SW California Place and Luna Park to prevent people from illegally driving the wrong direction to pass other cars.
The raised center divider has multiple segments with gaps to allow cars to turn in and out of driveways. The engineering term for this type of divider is a “c-curb” with vertical posts to help make the center line more visible.
Earlier this fall, they built speed humps and crossing improvements further west on Alki Ave SW between 63rd Ave SW and 57th Ave SW.
One area resident who asked not to be identified said, "The day before they put in the speed bumps and lane dividers it was a free for all down here. The day after, it was like night and day. I can't believe how quiet it got."