Download - RD AVENUE PROJECT TARGETS ZERO COLLISIONS · Construction. Other construction team members included Stoneway Concrete, LaFarge North America, and Lakeside Industries. Work began on

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SEATTLE’S23RDAVENUEPROJECTTARGETSZEROCOLLISIONSGREENROADS’FIRSTCERTIFIEDVISIONZEROPROJECTSTRESSESSAFETYASCRITICALTOSUSTAINABILITYSEATTLE,WA–JULY5,2018–GreenroadsispleasedtoannouncethatPhase1(of3)oftheCityofSeattle’s23rdAvenueCorridorImprovementsprojecthasearnedGreenroadsBronzeCertification.Thisprojectisthe45thGreenroadsProjectcertifiedintheworld,25thinWashingtonState,andthe6thfortheSeattleDepartmentofTransportation(SDOT).ThiswasGreenroads’firstprojectwithVisionZero,anationalinitiativetoendtrafficdeathsandseriousinjuriesoncitystreets.“Safetyisacriticalpartofsustainability,”saidGreenroadsCEOJeraleeAnderson.“WearethrilledtobeafeaturedpartofSeattle’sVisionZerocommitment.”Thegoalsofthe$27.3millionprojectincludedimprovingsafetyfordriversandpedestriansandreducingtransittimesthroughthecorridor.The23rdAvenueCorridorImprovementsProjectincludesupgradesto23rdAvenueSfromERoanokeStreettoRainierAvenueS.Phase1,betweenEJohnStreetandSJacksonStreet,wascompletedinspringof2017after18months.Thiscorridorconnectsupto20,000peopleperdaytotheirhomes,jobs,schools,andmore.Theoldfour-laneroadwaywasmarkedbycracksandpotholesandhadnarrowlanesandsidewalks,leadingtounsafeconditionsfordrivers,pedestrians,andcyclists.

The23rdAveCorridorImprovementsPhase1ProjectScorecard.TheProjectmetall11oftheGreenroadsProjectRequirementsandachievedBronzeCertification.TheprojectincludedinstallationofasculpturalseatingarrangementbyartistMarthaJacksonJarvis.


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Duringthefiveyearsprevioustostartingconstruction,thePhase1sectionofthecorridorwasthesiteof22pedestriancollisionsand29crashesresultingfromdistracteddrivers.Therewere12alcohol-relatedcollisionsand5involvingcyclists.Thissectionalsohadthehighestnumberofinjurycollisionsrelatedtointersectiondesign.

Afteranalyzingtrafficandsafetydataintheareaandsolicitingcommunityinput,SDOToutlinedalistofnecessaryimprovementsforPhase1.Thenewdesignreducesthenumberoflanesfromfourtothree(onewiderlaneineachdirectionwithacenterturnlane)fromSJacksonStreettoEMadisonStreet.Despitefewerlanes,thischangeisexpectedtodecreasetraveltimesbyeliminatingbackupscausedbyleft-turningvehiclesandreducingcollisions.

AsapartoftheVisionZerocommitment,SDOTtookvariousmeasuresandconductedcommunityoutreacheffortsduringconstruction.ThisincludeddistributionanddeliveryofVisionZero-brandedyardsignsforneighborhoodresidentstopostencouragingslowerspeeds(“20isPlenty”)anddriverawareness(“LookOutforEachOther”)ondetourroutesandotheraffectedstreets.

Specificpedestrianimprovementsalong23rdAveincludedwiderADA-approvedsidewalksandcurbramps,updatedsignage,betterlighting,newcrosswalksandtransitfacilities,andbulb-outsatkeyintersections.“Thisprojectcreatedafarbetterpedestrianenvironmentasameansforencouragingmorewalkinginthecorridoranditalsoimprovedthetrafficflow,decreasingtraveltimesforbuses,”saidJesseThomsen,aPrincipalatPerteet,thefirmthatprovideddesignleadershipforthenewroadway.Theprojectdesignalsoincludedanumberofsustainableactionsincludingalong-lifeconcretemixcontainingupto50%recycledaggregateconcreteforbothroadwaysandsidewalks.“Usingrecycledaggregateishands-downthebestthingwecandotoincreasesustainability,”saidBrianGabeleinofGaryMerlinoConstruction,theproject’sleadconstructioncompany.Otherprojectfeaturesincluded:

• Updatedstormwaterdrainageinfrastructure decreasingtheriskofsewageoverflows• Extensiverevegetationusingspecieswithlimitedirrigationrequirements• Over8,000feetofanewwatermainreplacingtheprevious100-year-oldinfrastructure• ThedevelopmentofanadjacentCentralAreaNeighborhoodGreenwayforcyclists• Trafficsystemupgradessuchastransitandemergencysignalpriorityandwirelesssensordetection• Installationofpublicartworkonthesoutheastcornerof23rdAvenueandUnionStreet

WidercrosswalkswereoutfittedwithupdatedcrossingsignalsandADA-approvedcurbramps.

Roadwaysandsidewalkswererepavedusingconcreteincludingupto50%recycledmaterial.


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“Thesuccessofthisprojectcanbeattributedtohavingagooddesign,solidconstructionmanagementteam,andagoodcontractorwhowasvitalinkeepingeverythingmovingandefficient,aswellaskeepingthelinesofcommunicationopenwhenweneededtoadapt,”saidDavidVijarro,CityofSeattlerepresentative.

FundingforthisprojectcamefromSeattletransportationlevies,BridgingtheGapandMoveSeattle.Theprojectalsoreceivedfundingthroughseveralstategrants,includingRegionalMobilityGrantandTransportationImprovementBoard,aswellasfederalfunds.MoreinformationabouttheprojectcanbefoundatSDOT’sprojectwebpage:http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/maintenance-and-paving/current-paving-projects/23rd-ave-corridor-improvements

Theproject’sdesignwasledbyPerteet,Inc.withsupportfromHNTB,andtheprimecontractorwasGaryMerlinoConstruction.OtherconstructionteammembersincludedStonewayConcrete,LaFargeNorthAmerica,andLakesideIndustries.

WorkbeganonPhase2,betweenSJacksonStreetandRainierAvenueS,inMayof2018andisexpectedtolastaboutayear.Phases2and3arealsoregisteredforCertification,targetingBronzeRatings.

Therearecurrentlymorethan130projectsregisteredfortheGreenroadsProjectRatingProgramin11statesand9countriesvaluedatmorethan$25billionUSD.SeveralothertransportationprojectsinSeattlehavealsoreceivedcertification,includingSilverCertifiedMercerStreetfromFairviewAvenueNto9thAvenueNin2015.CasestudiesandfurtherdetailsforGreenroadsCertifiedProjectsandGreenroadsPilotProjectsareavailableatwww.greenroads.org/portfolio.

MEDIACONTACTS-GREENROADS

AshlyMooreSheldonContentSpecialistmedia@greenroads.org425.376.0685(local)844.693.2012(toll-free)

ABOUTGREENROADSFOUNDATION

Establishedin2010,GreenroadsFoundationisanindependent501(c)(3)non-profitcorporation,whichadvancessustainabilityeducationandinitiativesfortransportationinfrastructure.AsthedeveloperoftheGreenroadsRatingSystem,theFoundationmanagesthecertificationprocessforsustainableroadwayandbridgeconstructionprojectsintheU.S.andinternationally.Formoreinformation,visitwww.greenroads.organdjoinusonFacebookatfacebook.com/greenroads.

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