SEATTLE — A construction project in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood recently brought new traffic patterns and speed bumps without much of a warning.
It’s along Greenwood Avenue North near 95th Street, which is a major cut-through when Aurora Avenue is busy.
Neighbors say the new speed bumps are sometimes hard to see.
This stretch of Greenwood Avenue normally moves pretty fast now people are slamming on their brakes for speed bumps.
Neighbors tell us most people never see the bumps coming.
Our KIRO 7 crews watched as car after car flew over the two sets of speed bumps, many not breaking at all, and some last minute.
Neighbors say they aren’t surprised.
“I’m sure people do drive pretty fast through here. I’m sure somebody has been airborne at one point.”
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Senior Planner Matt Gertz said this road is marked as a problem area they needed to address.
“We were seeing speeds at 40mph at that specific location, but the speed limit is 25 miles per hour; the goal is to calm speeds,” Gertz said.
But some neighbors say the new black and white bumps and intersection patterns went up with little to no warning. They tell us there aren’t many signs marking them either.
“When I’m driving, it annoys me; when I am walking, I like it.”
Gertz tells us they plan on making the speed bumps easier to see soon.
“The signs that are there right now, those are temporary, while the rest of the project is waiting to go in,” Gertz said.
This project to make Greenwood safer for everyone was approved as part of a transportation levy by Seattle voters last year.
“Every year we identify which corridors are most appropriate, and Greenwood popped up because of the speeding issues we are seeing,” Gertz said.
Gertz tells us everyone should be vigilant, no matter what area you drive in or what new patterns pop up.
“Drive cautiously and safely as the rainy season starts and school’s back in session,” Gertz said.