Three Ballard street projects chosen for improvements

The city has announced the park and street projects that received the most votes to receive funding for improvements. The program is called Your Voice, Your Choice: Parks & Streets, and is a participatory budgeting initiative in which community members democratically decide how to spend a portion of the city’s budget. There is $2 million available for the 33 city projects chosen by the community; ideas came from the community and the projects were voted on in June.

Our region, District 6, will receive the following improvements:

• Ballard: Crossing Improvements on Leary Way NW & 20th Ave NW (Cost: $5,000, Total Votes: 590)
• Wallingford/Woodland Park: Crossing Improvements on N 50th St & Whitman Ave N (Cost: $6,000, Total Votes: 317)
• Phinney Ridge/Woodland Park: Crossing Improvements on N 50th St & Dayton Ave N (Cost: $75,000, Total Votes: 315)
• Green Lake: Crossing Improvements at N 80th St & Corliss Ave N (Cost: $75,430, Total Votes: 310)
• Crown Hill: Traffic Calming on 14th Ave NW between Holman Road NW & NW 95th St (Cost: $40,000, Total Votes: 301)
• Sunset Hill: Accessibility Improvements on 24th Ave NW & NW 70th St (Cost: $9,000, Total Votes: 249)

“Now in its second year, we see how much interest there is in participatory budgeting,” said Kathy Nyland, director of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. “The numbers tell us people want to be involved and thousands participated, suggesting projects and voting on them. Everyone has a voice. It’s our job to listen, and the success shows that people have been heard!”

According to the city, Your Voice, Your Choice is part of Participatory Budgeting, a civic engagement program in which community members decide how to spend a portion of a city’s budget. Your Voice, Your Choice is managed by Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.