March 18, 2012

Brookside Dr SE

Brookside Dr SEBrookside Dr SE

Southernmost street in the city limits with the exception of Issaquah-Hobart. This is old-school residential Issaquah. Suburban with a more rural feel than most of the rest of town. Map.

Length: 602 feet.

Subarea: Sycamore

Intersects with: Hillside Dr. SE/Sycamore Dr SE

Car lanes: 2. No markings

Speed limit: 25mph (none posted)

Grade: Mild

Signage: Stop sign at intersection with Hillside/Sycamore

Sidewalks: No

Bike lanes: No

Bus stops: No

Walkscore: 5

Attractions: None

Bike/ped-only connections: No

Green: Lawns and landscaping with wilds beyond

Zoning: Single Family Suburban

Potential improvements: The existing street is appropriate to its locale.

March 11, 2012

NE Juneberry St

NE Juneberry St17th Ct NEConnection

My niece helped me pick this week’s street. Our criteria was that it must have an amusing name. NE Juneberry St won out. Turns out it is one of the Issaquah Highlands’ many many “private” streets. I’m not sure what necessitates all this privacy. There’s nothing on the street but houses, so there’s not really any reason for anyone to go there who doesn’t live there or know someone who does. In fact, that’s true for most of the Highlands. Map.

Length: 418 feet.

Subarea: Issaquah Highlands.

Intersects with: 17th Ave NE and 16th Ln NE

Car lanes: 1.5 maybe?

Speed limit: 25mph (none posted)

Grade: Moderate slope down to the west.

Signage: None.

Sidewalks: 50% Along all of north side.

Bike lanes: No.

Bus stops: No. Nearest 2/3 mile away at Highlands Park and Ride.

Walkscore: 34

Attractions: Near Grand Ridge Elementary.

Bike/ped-only connections: This is one thing the Highlands developer got right at least for pedestrians. There are staircases between all the culdesacs and the nearest streets. Three of them on this short stretch of street alone. Not much help if you’re pushing a stroller, though.

Green: Sparse landscaping.

Zoning: Urban Village

Potential improvements: The built environment of this street is basically appropriate for its location. It’s essentially a driveway with slow traffic, so bikes should be able to share the road. The street is close enough to NE Park Dr that it would benefit if bus service is ever extended up into the Highlands proper.

March 8, 2012

NW Dogwood St

NW Dogwood StNW Dogwood StNW Dogwood StNW Dogwood St

NW Dogwood St is one of only two through streets between Front St N and Newport Way. As such, it sees heavy vehicle usage with relatively high speeds as drivers use it to circumvent traffic delays on other local streets. It has a mix of residential densities from single-family dwellings to large apartment complexes. Map.

Length: 1942 feet.

Subarea: Spans Gilman and Old Town.

Intersects with: Front St N, Rainier Blvd N., 1st Pl NW, 1st Ave NW, 3rd Pl NW, 3rd Ct NW, Newport Way NW

Car lanes: 2

Speed limit: 25mph

Grade: Flat.

Signage: Pedestrian-triggered signal at Front St (stop sign for cars), Stop sign at Newport Way. Otherwise it’s a clear quarter-mile shot from Front St to Newport.

Sidewalks: 38% Both sides from Front St to 1st Ave, then a few semi-random stretches west of there.

Bike lanes: No.

Bus stops: No. Nearest: Front St: 200, 209, 214 (commute), 271 (after hours)

Walkscore: Max: 78 Min: 71

Attractions: Nothing really.

Bike/ped-only connections: There’s a pedestrian-only trail at the end of 3rd Pl NW which connects through to Holly St. Though it’s mostly blocked by a fallen tree at the moment. Pedestrian crossing signal at Front St that takes forever to change.

Green: About midway down there’s a bridge across Issaquah Creek with attendant greenery. Otherwise, street trees and landscaping.

Zoning: Multifamily Medium with “Cultural and Business District” east of 1st Ave and “Single family small lot” between 3rd Pl and the creek

Potential improvements: This street really deserves a full buildout with sidewalks and bike lanes. As it is, it’s a street with faster-than-speed-limit traffic and nowhere for pedestrians to walk. On the cheaper side, the pedestrian signal at Front Street should really be more responsive.