King County Road Services announced this week that they recently took action to help calm traffic and increase road safety in White Center.

Road Services lowered the speed limit from 40 mph to 35 mph on Myers Way South/1st Ave South in October, 2022.

Traffic engineers conducted a speed study to help determine ways to improve safety on this section of Myers Way S. The team reviewed the layout of the road, looked at curves, intersections, and how wide the vehicle lanes and shoulders are.

“Lowering the speed limit will improve safety on this busy road,” they said. “Lowering the speed limit from 40 to 35 mph will let drivers have more time to respond to stopped or turning vehicles. The lowered speed limit will also improve sightlines for drivers.”

Myers Way S./1st Ave S. has three different speed limits because it goes through the City of Seattle, unincorporated King County, and the City of Burien. Each of these sets their own speed limits.

More info about the project is here: Kingcounty.gov/SpeedLimitReductions

Road Services also converted a shoulder into a pedestrian walkway.

“You told us how many students walk to school down 8th Ave SW between SW 102nd and SW 108th Streets so we changed the shoulder parking area into a pedestrian walkway,” they said. “Now kids have a safer and easier path to White Center Heights Elementary, Cascade Middle School, and Evergreen High School. Remember, vehicles are not allowed to park on the walkway.”

For more info is at Kingcounty.gov/SchoolPathways.

If you have any safety suggestions, send an email to [email protected].