Latest news with #PikePlaceMarketPreservationandDevelopmentAuthority
Axios
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Pike Place Market restricts car access in new pilot
Starting Wednesday, most vehicles will no longer be able to drive through the heart of Pike Place Market during the daytime — part of a temporary experiment restricting car traffic at the busy Seattle tourist attraction. Why it matters: For years, some Seattle residents and politicians have sought to limit driving on the street through the famous market, noting the danger of collisions between cars and pedestrians (which have been known to happen). Zoom in: The new policy will restrict rideshare vehicles and general visitor traffic from entering the market at First Avenue and Pike Street from 8am-6pm, the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority said in a news release. During those hours, commercial delivery vehicles will still be allowed to enter and drive along Pike Place, the main thoroughfare that runs through the market, the market authority said. So will emergency vehicles and ADA-permitted vehicles. Business loading and unloading will still be allowed, as will customer curbside pickups for orders made in advance. How it works: Beginning Wednesday, flaggers will be posted at the market entrance at First Avenue and Pike Street from 8am to 6pm to help enforce the limited access rules. From 6am to 6pm, no long-term parking will be allowed on Pike Place from Pike Street to Virginia Street, except for ADA-permitted vehicles, according to the market authority's website. Overnight parking along Pike Place will be banned from 2am to 6am. What they're saying: The changes "will make it more inviting and comfortable than ever for residents and visitors to walk around our cherished Pike Place Market," Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a written statement. Between the lines: The change in traffic rules coincides with construction that has narrowed the walkable area through the market — particularly at the corner of Stewart Street, where Public Utilities is reinstalling cobblestone and historic bricks after completing a sewer repair project. That construction is expected to conclude around the end of July. Yes, but:"There's no set end date" for the pilot project that limits car traffic in the area, Madison Douglas, spokesperson for the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA), told Axios. "We're using this time to test and learn," Douglas wrote in an email. "The PDA and our partners are working together to develop a comprehensive street management plan based on what proves effective — and what doesn't." What's next: By the end of the year, market officials hope to have "a clear roadmap" for how to move forward, Douglas said.
Business Journals
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Pike Place Market begins trial to limit car traffic
It is not a full street closure, but nonessential trips like visitor pass-throughs and ride-share vehicles at First Avenue and Pike Street will be restricted. The Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA) says it is launching "a limited vehicle access pilot program" Wednesday. It is not a full street closure. Authorized vehicles will still have access to Pike Place, the cobblestoned, north-south street, but nonessential trips like visitor pass-throughs and ride-share vehicles at First Avenue and Pike Street will be restricted. Signage and a Seattle Department of Transportation flaggerwill be posted at First and Pike to guide vehicles and enforce permitted use. Tuesday's announcement comes after Mayor Bruce Harrell last year told the Business Journal that he would like to shift away from today's dynamic of busy days when motor vehicles inch through a never-ending stream of pedestrians. "I do have a vision of — I don't want to say a car-free Pike Place Market, but a very walkable area where people can enjoy a good pedestrian and shopping experience," Harrell told the paper. The pilot aims to preserve essential street functions for the business and residential community while increasing safety and reducing congestion. This 'test and learn' approach aims to improve street operations and inform long-term planning without fully closing the street, according to the PDA. Related coverage Pedestrian advocates have clamored for decades to restrict motor vehicles at the city's most popular tourist attraction, which drew nearly 21 million two years ago. This clashes with the wants and needs of market's 500 vendors as well as the occupants of over 400 apartments in and around the Market as well as history: Vehicles have used Pike Place nearly 24/7 for over 100 years. 'This pilot is the result of deep collaboration between the Market community and our city partners' Rachel Ligtenberg, executive director of Pike Place Market PDA, said in a news release. 'We're incredibly grateful to Mayor Harrell, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and all involved for recognizing how essential this street is to the day-to-day operations of Pike Place Market, and for working with us to find practical solutions.' The pilot aims to address essential street function and congestion during Seattle Public Utilities' ongoing construction project on Pike Place. It's estimated to last through the end of July. During this time, vehicle entry at First and Pike will be limited to emergency and ADA-permitted vehicles, commercial deliveries and pickups, business loading and unloading and customer curbside pickup for orders made in advance. In addition, northbound left turns from First Avenue onto Pike Street won't be allowed, and parking enforcement will begin at 6 a.m. daily to maintain access to essential loading zones. No long-term parking from 6 a.m. 6 p.m. will be permitted on Pike Place, except for ADA-permitted vehicles. Earlier this month, the PDA hosted a planning meeting as part of its broader 50-year master plan strategy with market businesses, neighbors and others. The group engaged in "a productive brainstorming session focused on realistic, community-first solutions," the release said. The PDA is compiling feedback from the session and community drop-in sessions to create a comprehensive street management plan, which will be shared with the mayor's office, SDOT, and Market stakeholders before a broader community release. A new webpage about the pilot is at
