Judkins Park Station Study: How Recent Crossing Improvements Have Lowered Speeds

The Judkins Park community in Seattle continues to grow. With the new Judkins Park Station now open, more people are walking, biking and taking transit. As the neighborhood grows, transportation improvements are leveling-up safety. We’re making it easier to travel on Rainier Avenue South at the Interstate 90 interchange.

The I‑90 ramps to Rainier Avenue South create busy intersections. That makes it challenging to walk, bike, roll or access transit. Cars move through these intersections quickly. Community members have shared concerns about vehicle speeds when crossing the ramps.

Data from the Judkins Park ramps shows that small changes can help reduce speeds. These changes improve safety for everyone traveling through the area. Here, you can see a raised crosswalk and crossing beacon installed by the Seattle Department of Transportation this year.

Our study focused on the safety, bicycle and pedestrian facilities at the ramp and Ranier Avenue South intersection, and access to transit. Our study identifies the recommends teeing-up the ramp intersections and eliminating one ramp. The ramp recommended to be removed is westbound I-90 to northbound Rainier Avenue South. These improvements are in the early stages of concept design. The next step in the process is a separate study to evaluate impacts to I-90. This study is subject to FHWA approval. Recently, we partnered with the Seattle DOT on an improvement project at this location. The project constructed the following quick-implementation improvements to three of the ramps:

• a raised crosswalk at the northbound Rainier to eastbound I-90 on-ramp. There was already a rectangular rapid flashing beacon here.
• a raised crosswalk and flashing beacon at the southbound Rainier to eastbound I-90 on-ramp
• a raised crosswalk and flashing beacon at the westbound I-90 to southbound Rainier off-ramp.

These improvements help slow the speed of vehicles traveling through the ramp intersections. We completed these improvements in March 2026. We also completed a before-and-after speed study to understand the effect of the improvements. We collected speed data for one-week periods before and after the changes. We used cameras installed at the crosswalks for this.

What the data shows

The study shows a small reduction in average speeds after the raised crosswalks and flashing beacons were installed. Even better, the results show a dramatic drop in the highest speeds recorded at each ramp.

Highlights include:

• Average speeds for vehicles at all three crosswalks are below 26mph. For reference, the speed limit on Rainier Avenue South is 25 mph.
• 85% of all vehicles traveled slower than 28 mph.
• The top speed at the crosswalk for the westbound I-90 off-ramp to southbound Rainier Avenue South dropped 45%, from 71 mph to 39 mph.
• The top speed at the crosswalk for the northbound Rainier Avenue South on-ramp to eastbound I-90 dropped 32%, from 68 mph to 46 mph.

The top speeds are the most challenging for people who bike, walk, roll or drive in the neighborhood. These changes in top speeds increase safety for all modes of travel.

Raised crosswalks have lowered vehicle speeds near the on- and off-ramps. Average speeds for vehicles at all three crosswalks are below 26 mph.

Why speed matters

Speed plays a key role in whether a crash results in serious injury or death. According to national safety research, you are more likely to survive a collision if vehicles are moving slower.

Small reductions in speed can have a big impact. By lowering both average speeds and the highest measured speeds, projects like this can enhance safety for everyone. Improvements like raised crosswalks make it safer for people walking, biking or rolling through the area.

Why these results matter

The joint SDOT/WSDOT project marks the first time that we have installed raised crosswalks on one of our roadways.

The results of the before-and-after study are consistent with what other agencies are seeing. Examples include a recent Hawaii DOT project and the Seattle DOT Speed humps. These combined results suggest that raised crosswalks can help calm and slow traffic. We’re helping communities take safety to the next level, even in areas like freeway ramps. These results will help us decide where to add raised crosswalks in the future.

Looking ahead

We are continuing to work on improving how people move through the area. With the Judkins Park light rail station now open, we are creating a multimodal transportation system. This means systems that work for everyone, whether they are walking, biking, taking transit or driving.

While there is more work ahead, these early improvements are a step forward. They show how targeted upgrades can make a big difference. Together, community input, data and smart design choices are helping unlock a safer, more connected Judkins Park area. These insights will continue to guide our decisions. We are working toward long-term improvements to safety, access and connectivity in the area.

We will continue to work with our partners to refine our recommended alternative. Read our fifth blog post about this project to learn more about the process. We’ll continue community engagement in the fall.

Study webpage: I-90 Judkins Park Station – Reconnecting Communities

Email updates: Sign up for Seattle area news and study updates.

Mobile App to replace I-90 text alerts to allow more efficient, user-friendly updates and information

Change may be as difficult as it is inevitable, but change can also be a good thing. In the fast-paced world of transportation, we know it’s important to keep you up to date in the most efficient, user-friendly way possible. Whether it’s weather changes, construction, or other travel information, we want to keep you informed.

That’s why a big shift is coming. On Aug. 31, 2026, the way we communicate I-90 travel alerts will transition to the WSDOT Mobile App.

But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. We’re excited to announce the new communication method available at your fingertips. You can still get important I-90 travel notifications by downloading the WSDOT Mobile App. After installing, turn on push notifications for Snoqualmie Pass I-90.

Here’s how to make the switch from text messages to notifications in the app:

• Download the WSDOT Mobile App from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Open the app and select Notifications.
• Select Snoqualmie Pass I-90.
• Turn on push notifications.

The Snoqualmie Pass I-90 notification still covers I-90 from North Bend to Vantage. That’s milepost 33 to 138, just like the text message service.

If incidents or activities will add 30 minutes or more to travel times or result in a closure, we’ll send you a notification. You’ll also receive advance notice of planned closures. That includes construction closures and winter avalanche-control work.

If you don’t want to turn on push notifications, you can still find Snoqualmie Pass I-90 alerts in the Mountain Pass section of the WSDOT Mobile App. This section shows current winter pass conditions and information about events that may cause delays along I-90.

You can do even more with the WSDOT Mobile App. It's a one-stop shop for travel information. It includes real-time travel alerts, mountain pass conditions, traffic cameras and roadway conditions.

We encourage you to set up Snoqualmie Pass I-90 push notifications by Aug. 31. That’s when the current I-90 text messages alert service ends.

Whether you’re commuting over Snoqualmie Pass, visiting family or traveling across the state, the WSDOT Mobile App makes it easy to get the travel information you need when you need it.