Right-of-Way ADA Transition Plan approved by City Council!

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enacted on July 26, 1990, and as amended, provides  comprehensive civil rights protections to persons with disabilities in the areas of employment, state and local government services, telecommunications, transportation, and access to public  accommodations.

Obstacles, big and small, can make navigation difficult or impossible. City staff studied existing pedestrian facilities, collected information via an online survey to better understand residents' experiences, and developed an ADA Transition Plan which identifies barriers to mobility and guides when and where improvements will be made. The Plan was approved by City Council at its June 13, 2022 meeting.

Read more about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by following this link to the City's ADA page.

Additional information on ADA can be found by following this link to the ADA.gov website.

To file a grievance related to Kenmore's ADA policy, or for questions and/or concerns regarding accessibility within City of Kenmore public right-of-way, please follow this link to the "Report a Concern" page.

City of Kenmore streets are regularly evaluated on their condition to determine what pavement management strategy is required to preserve and extend the life of the road. For more information on the City of Kenmore Pavement Management Program, including the strategies used for maintaining and improving roads, as well as upcoming projects, please visit the Pavement Management Program page.

The City of Kenmore 2022 Pedestrian Facilities Plan was adopted by Council Resolution No. 22-382 on May 23, 2022.

Formerly called the Sidewalk Program, this Plan has been rebranded as the Pedestrian Facilities Plan (PFP) to better capture the diversity of options and innovations for improving pedestrian accessibility. Safe pedestrian navigation options can range from a shoulder separated from the roadway to full sidewalk with curb and gutter, and the type of improvement will vary by location. 

The PFP was generated from the "Transportation Element" of the City's Comprehensive Plan and is a high-level planning document to guide staff in the development of pedestrian projects. The PFP establishes criteria for prioritization of projects, although other factors such as cost, grant funding opportunities, and/or safety concerns also impact the order in which projects are slated for completion.

Since the Sidewalk Program was originally approved in 2013, twenty-seven (27) of the 93 projects have been completed or are in construction/design. 

PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES PLAN CRITERIA:

The process for developing projects was revised in the 2022 Pedestrian Facilities Plan to reflect the goals identified in the City’s current Comprehensive Plan.

New projects were selected that provide connections within the City's local road network to established sidewalks on arterials/collectors. Initial route selection within neighborhoods focused on existing sidewalks within those neighborhoods.  With many arterials/collectors connecting to transit, schools, businesses, parks and other public places, these new projects on local roads will provide the local circulation identified in the Comprehensive Plan. The PFP was updated utilizing the most recent Comprehensive Plan, the existing sidewalk network, and public input, with emphasis given to pedestrian safety, continuity, and proximity to schools.

The carryover projects and the new proposed projects were prioritized using the following criteria:

1. Pedestrian Safety
2. Connection with community facilities/commercial centers
3. Continuity (connection to other sidewalks)
4. Connection to transit
5. Proximity to Schools

This Program also supports City Council's Target Zero Resolution 14-235, which sets a goal of zero pedestrian and bicycle fatalities and serious injuries by 2025.

SIDEWALK PROGRAM HISTORY:

Approved by City Council on May 28, 2013, the City’s first Sidewalk Program identified City priorities for construction of sidewalks within the City. Projects were limited to arterials/collector streets and prioritized as recommended in the Transportation Element of the most recent Comprehensive Plan at time of approval. Ninety-three (93) projects were created along the City’s 13 arterials/collectors and 1 local road (Arrowhead Dr.). 

Projects under the Program were originally prioritized based upon 6 criteria:

1. Pedestrian Safety
2. Connection with community facilities/commercial centers
3. Continuity (connection to other sidewalks)
4. Connection to transit
5. Proximity to Schools
6. Public Support

As part of the prioritization, greater emphasis was given to continuity and proximity to schools.

In accordance with RCW 35.77.010, the legislative body of each city in Washington State must prepare and adopt a six-year comprehensive transportation improvement program (TIP) annually. The TIP may also be modified at any time during the year as needed. The purpose of the TIP is to assure that each city "perpetually have available advanced plans looking to the future for not less than six years as a guide in carrying out a coordinated transportation program."

The current Transportation Improvement Program approved by Council can be found in the document box in the navigation panel on this page. Previously approved recent versions can be found through the links below:

2023-2028 Transportation Improvement Plan

2022-2027 Transportation Improvement Plan

2020-2025 Transportation Improvement Plan

2019-2024 Transportation Improvement Plan

2018-2023 Transportation Improvement Plan

2017-2022 Transportation Improvement Plan

2016-2022 Transportation Improvement Plan

Green Pavement Markings 

Year after year Kenmore has continued to make rapid progress in expanding our network of dedicated bicycle facilities! Green pavement markings indicate areas where bicycle facilities are installed – not all bicycle facilities are marked in green, but areas with special use or areas where traffic complexity increases (e.g. intersections, transit stops) are often marked in green to help draw attention to the areas of the road intended for use by cyclists. A lot of green paint has shown up on our roads in recent years, what does it all mean?

Green Bicycle Approach and Bicycle Crossings

Whether marked in green or not, bicycle lanes are always prohibited for parking and travel use by motor vehicles, and green pavement markings at intersections help call attention to the dedicated bicycle lane and other dedicated bicycle facilities.

How do drivers use this?

 Turning vehicles crossing a bike lane are the number one cause of bicycle crashes in Kenmore. It is important for drivers to always looks for cyclists when crossing a bike lane:

• Drivers traveling in the same direction as the bike lane should check behind them for oncoming cyclists before turning, should not occupy the bike lane while approaching the intersection, and cross the bike lane at the skip-tracks bicycle crossing. Not being able to see the bike lane does not mean the bike lane is clear. Drivers should proceed with caution if their sight is limited by other vehicles. 

• Drivers traveling in the opposite direction and making a left-turn across a bike lane should look further up the road for oncoming cyclists, just like you would look for oncoming motor vehicles when crossing multiple lanes of traffic.

• Drivers entering traffic from a side street or driveway making turns that cross a bike lane should check to make sure that there are no oncoming cyclists before crossing or occupying the bike lane or bike crossing. If it is necessary to occupy the bike lane or bike crossing in order to judge a gap in oncoming vehicles before entering traffic, drivers should first yield to any oncoming cyclists, and then pull forward into the bike lane or bike crossing to better see oncoming motor vehicles.

Whether the bike lane is marked in green or not, drivers should never occupy a bike lane when traveling or parking, except when directed by a police officer, or in the case of an emergency such a vehicle breakdown.

How do cyclists use this?

Cyclists should be aware that the green pavement marking indicates a bicycle facility within an area of increased traffic complexity – even when drivers are aware of cyclists, high speeds, for cyclists and motorists alike, can leave less time to react, make braking more difficult, and increase the likelihood of a crash occurring. Cyclists approaching an intersection should moderate their speed and give high attention to the traffic environment and other vehicles. Cyclists should also expect that at times vehicles entering traffic may obstruct the bike lane in order to view oncoming traffic – vehicles crossing the bike lane must yield to cyclists, but if it takes a longer period of time for a motorist to find a gap, cyclists may nonetheless arrive after the vehicle has already obstructed the bike lane. This is a legal maneuver for motor vehicles, and often necessary to achieve adequate sight lines in our curvy, hilly environment.

Bike boxes are green-marked areas designating a place for bicycles to queue in front of motor vehicles at signalized intersections, and help to accommodate safer left-turn maneuvers for cyclists, provide better queuing for large groups of cyclists, and increase the conspicuousness of all cyclists by staging them ahead of motor vehicles, and allowing them to be the first to enter the intersection.

How do drivers use this?

Drivers must come to a complete stop behind the bike box, and whenever a bike box is present there will also be signing indicating no-right-on-red. The use of the intersection is otherwise unchanged for drivers. When the green light or green arrow indication displays, drivers may complete a through movement or turning movement normally. Drivers should never occupy a bike box during a red light.

How do cyclists use this?

The bike box is used different ways depending on whether cyclists are turning left or continuing through the intersection:

• Left-turning cyclists arriving during a red light should stage themselves in front of the left-turn lane, and then make a left-turn during the green phase or green-arrow phase as permitted by normal intersection operations as if they were a motor vehicle.

• Left-turning cyclists arriving during a green light do not receive special protection or control from the bike box. When arriving during a green light, left-turn cyclists should either merge with motor vehicle traffic to turn left acting as a motor vehicle, or stage in the bike lane until a red light allows them to stage in the bike box. Completing the left turn by crossing using pedestrian signals is also permitted. 

• Cyclists arriving on a red light and traveling through the intersection should queue either in the bike lane or in the bike box – this is true for cyclists using the bike lane, or cyclists choosing to travel in motor vehicle lanes. This allows cyclists traveling through the intersection a head start and greater visibility when the light turns green. Bicycles may cross in the bicycle crossing, or merge into the bike lane after traveling through the intersection, or continue onward using the motor vehicle lane.

Green Two-Stage Left-Turn Box

The two-stage left-turn box allows a left-turning cyclist to complete a left-turn by making two through-movements without having to mix with motor vehicle traffic.

How do drivers use this?

Drivers do not need to make any special accommodations for left-turn boxes. Signing and signal control for normal intersection operations will protect the left-turn box, and permitted motor vehicle movements will never conflict with the left-turn box at times when it would be occupied by cyclists.

How do cyclists use this?

Once a cyclist receives a green light to make a through-movement, the cyclist continues through the intersection to occupy the left-turn box. The box is stationed outside of the travel area for all motor vehicles except for the cross-traffic through movement. Once the cross-traffic receives a green light, the cyclist has a head-start and highly-visible position from which to complete their movement across the intersection.

What are the new white vertical tubes I’m seeing on our roads? And what’s going on with the restriping of lanes on Simonds Road and 68th Avenue?

The new white vertical tubes on several of our arterial streets, also known as “candlesticks” and more technically known as “vertical delineators,” are a continuation of the City’s Target Zero efforts to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The Target Zero initiative has been in place since the tragic pedestrian and cyclist deaths ten years ago. While a lot of changes for the better have been made over there is still more work to be done. 

Candlesticks do two things: 

1. They create a more visual narrowing effect which causes motorists to slow down closer to the speed limit. You may have heard the phrase, “speed kills.” Reducing vehicle speeds improves safety for everyone but can make a huge difference in the survivability of cars vs. pedestrian and cyclist collisions.
2. They provide added protection and comfort for cyclists. Yes, you read it correctly—comfort. Because of the speed difference between cars and bicyclists, having a vertical delineator can provide an added layer of safety and buffer so that cyclists can feel more comfortable riding alongside cars.  The candlesticks also prevent cars from using bicycle lanes as turning lanes and cutting into bicycle space at intersections.

Will more vertical delineators, including candlesticks, be installed throughout the city?

Most likely, yes, especially as we continue to see cars exceed the posted speed limit and as we continue to encourage and facilitate bicycles as a mode of transportation. However, candlesticks do create a maintenance challenge—they prevent the street sweeper machine from reaching the curb, and it is more labor intensive to send a maintenance worker to hand sweep and blow those areas.  Before installing many more vertical delineators, the city will need to figure out how to maintain these areas with protected bike lanes in an efficient, cost-effective manner. City staff will be looking into various options for street sweeping machines that are sized for bicycle lanes.

When installing candlesticks at intersections, was turning radius of larger vehicles considered? 

Yes, nearly all vehicles that make use of our streets can turn without encroaching in the bike lane, though turning may require much lower vehicle speeds than drivers are used to – this is intended: intersections are complex traffic environments and the most likely place for conflicts to occur between motor vehicles and bicycles and pedestrians, and most crashes involving bicycles and pedestrians involve turning vehicles. Building our traffic environment to reduce the speed of turning vehicles gives everyone more time to react and avoid a crash and reduces the severity of crashes when they do occur. For very large vehicles which cannot make some turns without encroaching on the bike lane, even at low speed, the flexible delineators can be carefully passed over without completely obstructing the path of the large vehicle – this should only be the case for the vehicles such as the largest fire trucks, the largest freight trucks, and articulated buses, all of which are not part of the normal traffic mix on these streets.

What about the reconfiguration of the lanes on 170^th Street (Simonds Road) and 68^th Avenue?  Why were these changes made? 

The bike lanes added to 170^th St east of 68^th Av are the final link between the City’s investment in bicycle infrastructure on Simonds Rd and the bicycle facilities in the rest of the city, including access to the wider region of bicycle facilities through the Burke-Gilman Trail and Lake Washington Loop. The heavy westbound right-turn traffic at this intersection has historically been a barrier to providing a dedicated bicycle facility to get westbound cyclists from 170^th St to Juanita Dr or the West Sammamish Bridge Multiuse Path, but the addition of a bike signal here will allow a protected movement for cyclists crossing the intersection with minimal impact on motor vehicle traffic. The other major change at this intersection is the new prohibition of right-on-red turns for most approaches (the exception being westbound right turns, which have a managed right-on-red prohibition). Removal of right-on-red at this intersection allows for reduced opportunity for pedestrian conflicts with turning vehicles, especially during the leading pedestrian interval at the beginning of every pedestrian crossing phase (a short head-start for pedestrians before vehicles can enter the intersection). Other small changes have been made to improve safety for all road users, including stop bar setbacks to reduce conflicts with turning traffic, flexible delineators to help separate motor vehicles and bicycles, and guide striping for some movements to help align vehicle paths when crossing the intersection. Lastly, signal timing overall has been optimized for at this intersection for current traffic patterns, which has allowed for reduced cycle lengths and more frequent service for all modes. Overall, the intersection operation and delay should be very similar to drivers after these changes are made, and much improved for pedestrians and cyclists, and all travelers using this intersection, regardless of travel mode, should see improved safety.