Yesterday afternoon the team behind the Waterfront Seattle Project met with any and all who had opinions at City Hall. Though the informal step-up-if-you-like Q&A was meant to center on environmental concerns, many seemed focused on elements such as bike lanes, traffic rerouting, finances regarding the new seawall, and plans for the waterfront.
Nancy Bagley, a member of the League of Women Voters of Seattle King County and attendee of the forum, said that she thinks the plans are exciting, though complicated. “Now there is a design, and they’re into the regulatory parts of getting scoping,” she said. “I want to figure out where the process is, what’s going on now, and what are the next steps.”
She’s not alone. The SunBreak spoke with Angela Brady, SDOT waterfront program manager and all-around guru on things pertaining to such. And we got some answers.
Welcome to your new downtown waterfront. Match the numbers and find out what you can expect:
1. Seawall/Pioneer Square Beach: A boardwalk-style drop-down to a pebble beach adjacent to the Coleman Ferry Docks. Expect water access to the tidal habitat and a tree-filled, pedestrian-friendly walk down from Occidental Park.
2. Coleman Dock Gallery: Brady said that they’ve been under a lot of pressure from the managers of the docks, which are owned by State Routes 519 and whose managers insist on including a minimum of two lanes on Alaskan Way for ferry traffic. Brady says that they’ve taken this into account and that South King Street from Yesler Way is prepared to facilitate that traffic in the new plans. New plans that include more bicycle parking, sufficient canopies for waiting commuters, and new options for where to grab a bite or a seat.
3. Marion Street Bridge: An elevated walkway devoted to pedestrians, seamlessly connecting Second Avenue to the Coleman Docks.
4. Historic Pier Walk: The big kahuna in the waterfront’s evolution. Expect a sprawling promenade extending from Pioneer Square Beach to Pier 63, filled with all Alaskan Way historic and commercial stalwarts. The installation of the Seneca Walk will funnel down from First Avenue in lieu of the current northbound Seneca Street viaduct exit. This plan is enthusiastically supported by Post Alley Pizza, whose owners think the changes will be great for business.
5. Union Street Pier: The historic Schwabacher’s Wharf, once made famous for bringing in a rumored ton of gold from the Yukon Gold rush, is prepped to be outfitted as a public water park, completely reimagined for children, Seattle’s growing tourism, and events.
6. Aquarium Plaza: Say goodbye to sunglasses vendors — we’ll see — at the redesigned Aquarium Plaza. Extending up from Alaskan Way through the Pike Place Hillclimb, you’ll still be able to visit the Zig Zag and El Porco Lloron on your way back up to Pike Place Market. This is also where the Overlook Walk will overhang Alaskan Way, promising easier accessibility from Pike Place Market to the Waterfront, and plenty of pretty areas to relax during your lunch break.
7. Pier 62 and 63: Three things: Roller-skating rink, kayak launch, and barge swimming pool to be docked in the summer.
8. Belltown Bluff: Belltown will get a web of streets, stairs, elevators, and bridges connecting the area to the waterfront. Views aplenty will be available in the X-shaped park, spanning from Lenora St. Bridge to Bell St. Bridge. 
Brady said that her department is meeting the questions on traffic, city impact, and financial responsibility head-on. When asked how she thinks inbound traffic might respond to a mainly I-5-based exit system, Brady said that plans are in state, traffic and environmental analyses are being formed, and that they’re “fairly confident [they] can serve traffic well.”
By last report, the South End serves around 33,000 motorists a day, and as you move north, 14,000-22,000 a day, she said. “It’s at the South End where we have competing demands.”
The demands are many, with the watchful eyes of WSDOT, King County Metro System, and the Port of Seattle on the waterfront’s back. The good news is that it’ll take around another decade to see the finished product, and your ideas can help shape it. In fact, your ideas are encouraged. So in case you missed it today, lay down any and all concerns at the feet of waterfrontseattle.org.
Hello? Steetcars? Where are they in the plans?
Totally. Tell them you care about that! waterfrontseattle.org
GONDOLAS.
Rachel, as usual the ideas sure *sound* good. When we figure out how to pay for them, I’d love to see follow-up on that.
Also might ask how ‘pedestrian friendly’ it will be trying to cross 8 traffic lanes to get to the water side of Alaskan Way from Pioneer Square.
14,000 a day means we should be doing 1 lane each way and a turn lane. Why build these massive highway style roads if you have an actual highway right underneath? If you are building a highway above, entomb Bertha, and funnel the dollars into transit, ped and bike infrastructure.
Also, zone for small shops and restaurants. Trees and promenades don’t cut it alone, without something to activate them.
+1