The use of road safety assessments is a proven tool to identify safety issues, particularly for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists. It’s also a key strategy in Bellevue’s Vision Zero initiative. If you would like to become involved in the next round of road safety assessments, which focus on streets near Bellevue schools (see map below), please respond to our questionnaire. You can also sign up to take part in walking audits for Highland Middle School (scheduled for April 24th and April 30th, 2022), as well as Sammamish High School, Stevenson Elementary School and Odle Middle School (scheduled for May 15th and May 21st, 2022). Additional walking audits for other schools will take place in 2023. See below for details.
Questionnaire
Respond to a short questionnaire, available in English, 繁體中文, Русский, 한국어, español, 日本語, tiếng Việt and 简体中文 on our Engaging Bellevue webpage:
April Walking Audits
These two walking audits will focus on corridors around HIGHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL. Please register your interest to participate via Eventbrite and city staff will reach out to you with more details:
May Walking Audits
These two walking audits will focus on corridors around SAMMAMISH HS, STEVENSON ES and ODLE MS. Please register your interest to participate via Eventbrite and city staff will reach out to you with more details:
Assessment locations for 2022
During the first year of grant funding, in 2022, road safety assessments will be conducted at these locations and approximate timeframes:
- Sherwood Forest Elementary School and Interlake High School – January 2022
- Highland Middle School – April 2022
- Sammamish High School, Stevenson Elementary School and Odle Middle School – May 2022
Click to enlarge map of 2022 RSA locations
Assessment locations for 2023
During the second year of grant funding, in 2023, the school areas listed below will be studied. Schedules and a map will be forthcoming.
- Lake Hills Elementary School, Big Picture School, Phantom Lake Elementary School and Tillicum Middle School
- International High School
- Newport High School
Improving Safety Near Schools
The city wants to know how road safety impacts access to schools. To learn, Bellevue is conducting six road safety assessments near 12 schools with grant funding from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. The goal is to gather local knowledge and community insights that may not be captured in a more traditional, technically oriented review process.
Outreach to Bellevue School District parents, students and staff, as well as neighborhood residents and other community stakeholders, is an important part of the road safety assessment process. We invite you to provide your insights via one or more of the following methods:
- Walking audits: The next upcoming walking audits will focus on corridors around Highland Middle School. Click the links to register your interest to participate on April 24th or April 30th. In May, two additional walking audits will focus on corridors around Sammamish High School, Stevenson Elementary School, and Odle Middle School. Click the links to register your interest to participate on May 15th or May 21st.
- Online questionnaire: A short questionnaire is available on the Engaging Bellevue webpage for community members to share their thoughts about road safety in the study areas.
- Focus groups: If you’re interested in taking part in a focus group, please reach out to Franz Loewenherz at FLoewenherz@bellevuewa.gov or call 425-452-4077.
About the Assessments
Most of Bellevue’s fatal and serious-injury collisions occur on a relatively small number of city streets, known as the high injury network (HIN). To help address safety concerns on specific HIN streets, Bellevue has implemented a series of road safety assessments to identify safety issues, particularly for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists. Examples of recently completed assessments are along Northeast Eighth Street and Factoria Boulevard Southeast.
Funding
Funding for the road safety assessments comes through a $150,000 grant from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and a $42,758 match from the city.
Contact
If you have questions, please contact Franz Loewenherz at FLoewenherz@bellevuewa.gov or call 425-452-4077.
Background material
- News release (Jan. 5, 2022)