F.U. #8 lyrics — Tacocat
Wilson’s plan will include some of the red paint SDOT has been pretty busy adding across the city (Image: SDOT)
Last week, Mayor Katie Wilson was playing DJ in a visit to Seattle public radio superstation KEXP. Her selection? F.U. #8 by Tacocat —
How many times can this happen to me? When I’ve got places to go And I’ve got people to see
Wednesday, her administration will announce details of the plan to address that complaint of the 2010s — and 2020s — by adding Seattle’s notorious red paint bus lanes to Denny Way.
“We’re rolling out the red carpet for a more reliable Route 8,” the press release reads.
CHS reported last summer as advocates said they were renewing their push to fix the route — Can they ever really fix the 8?, we asked. The Transit Riders Union Wilson founded and Central Seattle Greenways said yes despite King County Metro and SDOT’s failure across decades to arrive at solutions.
Details of the implementation of the new red lanes on Denny and how far they’ll stretch along the 8’s connection of the Seattle Center, Lower Queen Anne, South Lake Union, the Central District, and beyond via Capitol Hill will be announced Wednesday but the announcement will be another important milestone for the young administration as Wilson attempts to make good on a campaign promise and illustrate how her social approach to government will tackle infrastructure challenges — and opportunities.
CHS reported here on Wilson’s executive order issued in January calling for a dedicated bus lane and “other transit improvements” on Denny Way.
Wilson’s other major thrusts have focused on affordability and the city’s homelessness crisis including an order to speed up the creation of new shelter in the city with a new “interdepartmental team” tasked with identifying “options for financial incentives, permitting changes, and other policy changes.” The first goal is to have hundreds of new shelter units in place by the time of the World Cup this summer. Her administration says the new Capitol Hill Tiny Village planned for Belmont will help but is not being counted as part of the World Cup push.
Meanwhile, Wilson’s third major thrust to speed up changes in the city’s zoning to increase development of housing is playing out in the Central District with a plan to rezone the area around the Meredith Mathews YMCA and nearby Ebenezer AME Zion Church.
With the efforts around homelessness shelter and housing development now taking real shape, details of Denny Way Route 8 plan will illustrate how Wilson’s administration will take on city infrastructure and transportation challenges. Expect plenty of the red paint SDOT has already been busy adding to key lanes across the city. Additional elements of the plan and any extra funding it all requires will be the hallmarks of the administration.
Seattle Police Department enforcement? That might be too much for even the most ambitious administration to take on though Seattle has begun to slowly add transit lane enforcement cameras to core areas.
The real world version of those campaign priorities will be revealed Wednesday including what Wilson’s office says will be “a detailed plan to implement bus lanes” and “eliminate choke points” to provide transit riders “faster and more reliable trips throughout the route.”
Wilson, transit advocates, “and community supporters” will be at Westlake and Denny Wednesday afternoon to begin the process of making the change real.
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