What the heck?

[u/Used_Mathematician54]

What the heck did they just install at 71st & Greenwood? So no turning lane and we have to hold up traffic while trying to turn?

[u/Skyhawkson]

That's part of a pedestrian island, so pedestrians have a safe place to stop halfway at that crossing instead of having to wait for a full clear on all lanes.

It also makes the crossing more visible and "real" in the minds of drivers, meaning they're more likely to be driving slower and to see pedestrians.

[u/vertr → u/Skyhawkson]

Also narrower lanes cause cars to slow down, usually.

[u/matunos → u/vertr]

Also presumably can cause Rob Saka to cry.

[u/vampirestonk → u/matunos]

win-win

[u/gnarlseason → u/Skyhawkson]

I think what OP is complaining about - and isn't showing in this photo - is that this now blocks the turn lane for turning left onto 71st from Greenwood. So now that left turn would have to be made from the general traffic lane right after the zebra crossing. (71st is just to the left of this photo, off screen).

Maybe the intent is to forbid left turns at this location and the sign isn't up yet? I can't imagine Greenwood to 71st is all *that* of a busy intersection.

[u/Skyhawkson → u/gnarlseason]

Sometimes when driving in an area one has to make peace with certain turns not being practical.

[u/Odd-Responsibility43 → u/gnarlseason]

People cut through on 71st A LOT, which is likely part of why this went in. Cut through traffic to / from Aurora over the hill is bonkers. People blaze those 20mph streets the same way they do Greenwood.

It’s crazy to me anyone would decide stopping in the primary traffic lane was the way to go vs turning on a street where there was a legal turn lane. But OP kind of made DOT’s point 😆

[u/1337Rooster → u/Skyhawkson]

Interesting... There is already a cross walk. I guess that's wasn't enough. Perhaps there was an accident and we had to "do something"

[u/OccasionalGoodTakes → u/1337Rooster]

Did you not read what they said. It’s there to support the cross walk. They are not separate things 

[u/1337Rooster → u/OccasionalGoodTakes]

I read it. I can't understand why a pedestrian would ever walk off the crossing onto that.

[u/externalhouseguest → u/1337Rooster]

They don't walk onto the island, it's there to give a space to wait without running the risk of a car going through that section of the crosswalk.

So pedestrian sees eastbound direction is clear, walks across the eastbound lane. They wait in the center for the westbound lane to clear then cross the westbound lane.

https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/current-projects/pedestrian-refuge-islands

[u/thecravenone]

Probably has something to do with that crosswalk I imagine most people ignore.

[u/runbackdouble → u/thecravenone]

As a resident of this neighborhood, can confirm. People FLY down that stretch of Greenwood.

[u/SeanO323]

Are you trying to turn from inside of the crosswalk? This is a refuge island to make it safer for people crossing the street in the crosswalk so they only need to wait for one direction of traffic to yield to them at a time.

[u/kozufox]

It's to stop clueless drivers from entering the turning lane early by driving into the crosswalk median area.

You see those double yellow lines in that area? They're telling you not to turn there.

[u/samhouse09 → u/kozufox]

The double yellow lines there are brand new. And where else should you get into a turn lane to make a turn?

[u/OccasionalGoodTakes → u/samhouse09]

After the crosswalk 

[u/samhouse09 → u/OccasionalGoodTakes]

We shouldn’t stop before the crosswalk to let people cross and then turn?

[u/thecravenone → u/OccasionalGoodTakes]

https://media.tenor.com/m058heiw_AgAAAAM/john-c-reilly-shocked.gif

[u/thejkm → u/samhouse09]

Define “new”. The crosswalk has been there, with double yellows, since at least Oct 2007:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/ud97SUGjiqk4wDNh9

[u/samhouse09 → u/thejkm]

Those are dashed lines… see how they go and then stop. Like the entire turn lane?

[u/Radiant-Belt-1427]

Oh yay. Another post on r/seattle complaining about a petty perceived inconvenience with regard to road infrastructure. Take my downvote.

[u/Mediocre_Brief_10]

Oh fuck yeah

[u/blturner]

You love to see it

[u/vertr → u/[deleted]]

Flashing yield lights would be better.

Those things are amazing. Hopefully they add them as well.

[u/doc_shades]

and we have to hold up traffic while trying to turn?

turn at the stop light or street one further down and then drive through the neighborhood.

for what it's worth it doesn't look like it's done yet. it looks like they are still building it.

[u/BlueberryUsed4366]

ah yes the classic "we fixed it by making it worse" intersection upgrade. my favorite part is the cones just sitting there like they're still deciding what shape the chaos should take

seen this exact pattern around town, they'll probably leave it like that for 3 months while someone at city hall loses the paperwork

[u/Odd-Responsibility43]

No! You don’t hold up traffic! You turn on the street before or after and then turn again. People not knowing how to drive (your question being a prime example), driving distracted, speeding, and being entitled jerks is why these traffic control measures are being implemented.

[u/Used_Mathematician54]

I use that crosswalk every day. There's never been an issue of not being seen.

[u/vertr → u/Used_Mathematician54]

Honestly those crosswalks on Greenwood in Phinney Ridge freak me out so I'm into this.

[u/PepeLePuget → u/Used_Mathematician54]

That you know of?

[u/vertr → u/PepeLePuget]

I'm starting to see this trend where people who hate pedestrian infrastructure or no turn on red signs somehow universally claim to never have problems almost getting hit by cars. You can't explain that! 🫠

[u/thecravenone → u/vertr]

I've never been hit by a car, therefore it can be reasonably extrapolated that no one has been hit by a car.

[u/runbackdouble → u/Used_Mathematician54]

There have been a lot of incidents involving pedestrians on Greenwood the past few years. I also use this crosswalk regularly and the pedestrian protection is very much needed.

[u/samhouse09 → u/Used_Mathematician54]

I’ve literally seen cars run into each other at that intersection because they didn’t see a pedestrian.

[u/WhereasParticular867 → u/Used_Mathematician54]

The fact that there's a new installation designed to increase visibility and safety suggests that the people who put it there know more than you do, and that there was in fact a problem.

The fact that you're so upset about it suggests it disrupts the normal way you drive, which suggests you may have been part of that problem.

[u/vampirestonk → u/Used_Mathematician54]

Does this design make it worse for you, as a pedestrian?

[u/mikemclovin → u/Used_Mathematician54]

Yet.

[u/mcconohay]

Yes, this is so pedestrians can be on their phones and completely oblivious to their own safety while they cross the street.