Keep Moving Streets will continue this summer with Golden Gardens Drive closure pending

Meghan Walker Ballard

The city is planning to close several streets near major Seattle parks and beaches again for the summer, one of which could be Golden Gardens Drive.

The Keep Moving Streets program started last year with closures on streets near Green Lake, Alki, Lake Washington, and Golden Gardens to encourage more outdoor recreation for residents. Golden Gardens Drive closed in July last year but reopened in October.

The Seattle Department of Transportation says the Golden Garden Drive closure is, “pending decisions related to Golden Gardens Park.”

According to SDOT, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) “observed crowding and mask-noncompliance at Golden Gardens Park during the recent warm, sunny weekend, and are considering closing the parking lots and reopening Golden Gardens Dr NW to people walking,” SDOT shared in a press release about Keep Moving Streets. “Regular communication between SDOT and SPR will determine whether to move forward with this Keep Moving Street.”

Meanwhile, the Keep Moving Street in Green Lake is set to continue with some adjustments. SDOT says they’re modifying the Green Lake Keep Moving Street to maintain parking lot access “to create a clearer, safer, and more predictable experience, and reconnect Woodland and Green Lake parks.”

West Green Lake Way N between N 63rd St and the off-leash parking lot will be completely closed to drivers. Drivers will be able to enter and exit the Lower Woodland tennis court and off-leash parking lots from E Green Lake Way. SDOT says to expect the new changes sometime this week, around the same time that paving along E Green Lake Way N is expected to wrap up.

Lake Washington Blvd will also once again close to through traffic after a successful pilot program last summer. The closure will be from Memorial Day weekend through the end of September, but SDOT is still determining the best options for closing it. These are the four options (fill out an online survey to vote for one of the options):

  • 1-mile Option: Just close the 1-mile stretch from Mt Baker Park to Genesee Park to people driving
  • Weekends-only Option: On summer WEEKENDS, close the 3-mile stretch from Mt Baker Park to Seward Park to people driving, except to those needing access to homes and parking lots* (This would operate similar to an extended Bicycle Sunday.)
  • 1-mile Plus Weekends Option: Continue to close the 1-mile stretch from Mt Baker Park to Genesee Park to people driving AND on summer WEEKENDS, close the 3-mile stretch from Mt Baker Park to Seward Park to people driving, except to those needing access to homes and parking lots*
  • 3-mile options: Close the 3-mile stretch from Mt Baker Park to Seward Park to people driving except to those needing access to homes and parking lots*

The City developed these options based on public feedback and available funding; you have until May 10 to complete the survey.

Alki Point could be permanently closed to thru traffic, as SDOT is working to secure funding to make it a recreation-only roadway. Until then, the Alki Point closure will remain in place at least until spring 2022.

SDOT will continue to conduct outreach to gain community input in the coming weeks. To comment on the current Keep Moving Streets proposals or to suggest future iterations of the program, visit this webpage.

In the meantime, Seattle Parks and Recreation will continue to monitor COVID-19 rates and park crowding to determine how to manage parking lots near Keep Moving Streets. 

Photo: SDOT Flickr, Jeanne Clark