Neighbors have reported several shootings, including drive-bys, and residential streets being used as getaway routes.
SEATTLE — The City of Seattle installed four concrete barriers on side streets near Aurora Avenue on Friday in what Mayor Katie Wilson’s office calls a “traffic calming treatment” to combat violence.
The barriers replace homemade barriers installed by nearby residents after a series of incidents.
Neighbors have reported several shootings, including drive-bys, and residential streets being used as getaway routes.
“Gun violence along the Aurora corridor is alarming and unacceptable, and we share neighbors’ desire for immediate action to address safety concerns,” Wilson said in a statement.
The new barriers were placed at North 97th and North 102nd Streets, just west of Aurora Ave.
Another set will be placed North 98th Street soon.
They are staggered to form a chicane, which forces drivers to slow down and zig-zag through the barriers to avoid hitting them.
“I think it’s great. Having [them] is going to stop people from turning the corner and flying up the street. I think it’s going to help deter a lot of the people that use the street after gun violence, shooting up and down the street,” said Daniel Matedne. “I live within walking distance, and I walk my dog three times a day. I see a lot of crazy stuff we shouldn’t see.”
Residents recently built and placed makeshift barricades in neighborhood streets by piling dirt, gravel, logs and chunks of concrete into roadblocks that partially blocked access to three residential streets.
The city acknowledged the intent of the DIY solution, but said the new pattern provides better access for emergency responders and service providers.
“I like to see anything we can to better our neighborhood,” Matedne said. “There’s too much activity going on and I think most of us are tired of it.”
The mayor’s office is working with the Seattle Police and Fire departments and SDOT to determine if more permanent barriers are necessary.
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