Who’s doing what on Aurora?
Several projects are underway or planned along the Aurora corridor. SDOT and Metro are leading the Aurora Ave Project, a safety and mobility improvements study for the entire length of Aurora (see below for more detail).
Separate from the study but at the same time, Metro is studying a northbound Bus and Transit (BAT) lane south of the Aurora Bridge.
SPU is also planning to address drainage issues and needs through the right-of-way design plans that come out of this study.
Following the study, SDOT will design pedestrian and bike safety improvements for the Licton Springs section of Aurora, 90th to 105th, using $50 million allocated by the WA State Legislature (see below for more detail).
SDOT is also currently planning a Home Zone in the Licton Springs neighborhood, centered on Aurora, which will connect in many ways with the Aurora Ave Project.
In late 2023 OPCD will be starting a Community Planning process for the neighborhoods along the Aurora corridor from north Green Lake to N 145th Street.
In 2022 SDOT completed the Green Lake Outer Loop project, which we see as the first step in reimagining Aurora, and a sidewalk upgrade project between N 80th and N 105th Streets, which successfully preserved the few street trees remaining on Aurora.
What’s the Aurora Ave Project?
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is the lead agency implementing a $3M study called the "Aurora Ave Project." The study will include community outreach efforts throughout 2022 and 2023, expert analysis and design, and a vision for Aurora Ave N that will reduce or eliminate collisions for all users (cars, pedestrians, bikes) and improve transit service along the corridor. It is funded, in part, by a pedestrian/bicycle safety grant by the WA Department of Transportation issued to the Seattle Department of Transportation to study safety & mobility. King County Metro is also contributing funds to develop a new comprehensive design & identify near term projects along the corridor to advance safety, including lighting improvements around bus stops, lane exclusivity to improve speed and reliability, and potential station improvements.
Additionally, the project will identify three spot improvements (small scale projects at specific locations) and fund up to 90% design for those improvements, meaning they will need to look for more funding to implement the improvements.
What’s with the $50 million dollars that I heard about?
Then-State Senator Reuven Carlyle (36th Legislative district) successfully included a $50 million set-aside in the 2022 "Move Ahead WA" transportation package. The set-aside will make Aurora Ave N more welcoming to pedestrians and bicyclists from 90th to 105th (Licton Springs). Senator Carlyle (now retired) wants to see Aurora resemble Paris's Champs-Élysées, the 1.2 miles long street with the Arc de Triomphe, regarded by some as the most beautiful avenue in the whole world. It is intended to be a transformational demonstration project that will showcase how other segments of Aurora can similarly be improved, as well as other dangerous arterials across the city.
What will Aurora look like in the future?
We don’t know! We have many ideas for specific improvements on Aurora, each driven by our Coalition’s values. Ultimately, the City is responsible for the final design of the roadway and other corridor projects that are planned. As community advocates, our role is to push the many different city departments to be bold in their planning and to coordinate their work so that we achieve the best possible outcome for the neighborhoods along the corridor.