Car-free Sundays?!? Many caught off-guard by mayor's plan

Mayor Greg Nickels' announcement Wednesday of a car-free Sundays experiment starting in certain neighborhoods in August quickly drew reaction from residents and business owners who said the plan caught them by surprise.

Business owners wondered how customers would reach their stores and restaurants.

"We might as well close for the day," said Joe Fraser, general manager of Duke's Chowder House on Alki. West Seattle is one of the neighborhoods affected.

"Closing the street for construction, I can understand. But closing the street just for the sake of closure, that does not seem well thought out," he said.

Fraser said summer Sundays are among the restaurant's best days, when customers come from throughout the region for dining on the deck or sidewalk.

And noon to 6 p.m., the time the mayor announced for closing the specified road, is a busy time, with lunch, an after-church crowd, happy hour and early dinners.

"It takes away a day for us, and it takes money out of our servers' pockets," said Fraser.

Nickels made the announcement Wednesday near the Beach on Alki Avenue Southwest, not far from Duke's.

Car-free Sundays are a part of NIckels' ongoing effort to get people out of their cars and green up Seattle. Select neighborhood streets will be closed on consecutive Sundays in August and September, one neighborhood each Sunday.

• On Aug. 24, 14th Avenue East will be closed from East Republican Street to Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill from noon to 6 p.m. The park's Western Loop will also be car-free.
• Rainier Avenue South will be closed between Orcas and Alaska streets on Aug. 31 from 3-6 p.m.
• Alki Avenue in West Seattle will be closed to motor vehicles from noon to 6 p.m on Sept. 7

Although the program is starting slowly, Nickels said the effort could expand next summer if it is successful.

The streets will be closed to cars, but open to walking, bicycling and skating.

"Neighbors will have three to six hours to experience our streets in a new way and to see how livable a city can be when people drive less," Nickels said. "This is our chance to experiment and to evaluate how these events work for people. And we'll be fighting global warming at the same time."

Nickels was braced for criticism, He suggested that everyone keep an open mind.

"It's just for one day, just chill. Get out of the car and walk," he said.

The experiment is part of the city's "Give Your Car the Summer Off" project to encourage citizens to drive 1,000 fewer miles a year. Citizens are encouraged to walk, bike, skate and have some fun in the car-free areas, he said. Segways will be allowed but no motorized scooters.

While many residents have concerns about getting to businesses, finding parking or reaching a relative in case of emergency, others were looking forward to strolling down the middle of the street and walking to neighborhood businesses on car-free Sundays.

Some business owners are planning street events, maybe moving sidewalk sales into the roadway or hiring street performers.

"It will be fantastic," said Christy Pudduck, co-owner of Coastal Surf Boutique on Alki Avenue. "It will create a less hurried environment. There are a ton of fun things we could do if there were no cars in the street."

People attending car-free days who do not live in the neighborhood are encouraged to take transit, bicycle or walk to the car-free locations, said Nickels.

Seattle Department of Transportation Director Grace Crunican said the experiment would illustrate how livable neighborhoods can be without cars.

On Alki, a lane will remain open for the Water Taxi shuttle, and people who live along the stretch can get in and out of the neighborhood by car. In the Volunteer Park area and Rainier Avenue location, residents are being asked to figure out a route so they don't have to drive through the closed areas. There will be exceptions for emergencies.

Despite the concerns of some business owners, the Mayor's Office said the event is expected to attract big crowds and will be a great way to promote business with sidewalk sales, more outdoor seating and outside events.

For those who ride their bikes to the car-free areas, extra bike parking will be provided.

If the small-scale experiment works, Nickels said more car-free days would be planned next summer. San Francisco recently announced it would close six miles of streets to cars for four hours on two upcoming Sundays. New York, Portland, Ore., Vancouver, B.C., and Bogota, Colombia, are other cities that have experimented with car-free days.

"This is a great opportunity to safely open our streets for families to enjoy walking and biking to and through popular destinations in our city," said City Councilwoman Jan Drago.