• The city’s Neighborhood Traffic Safety Service program is working to improve safety in the Eastgate neighborhood near Tyee Middle School. Beginning in 2019, the work has been done in phases that include building a new roundabout and a new sidewalk. The latest effort lowered the speed limit on streets near the school.  

    Speed limit reduction

    In response to community concerns about high vehicle speeds and traffic safety around Tyee Middle School in the Eastgate neighborhood, the Transportation Department lowered the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph on most public streets near the school in July 2022. The affected roads are between SE 36th Street and SE Newport Way, west of 150th Ave SE (map). This speed limit reduction is the next phase in a wider set of improvements that included a new sidewalk and mini roundabout. Existing speed limit signs will be changed to reflect the new speed limits and additional signs will be added at key locations.  

    Benefits

    • Create safer routes to school for children in the neighborhood
    • Create a more comfortable environment for people walking
    • Support the city’s Vision Zero effort to eliminate serious injury and fatal collisions on city streets by 2030

    Translations

    • 交通安全项目
    • 该项目计划将 Tyee 中学附近街道的速度限制降至 20 mph
    • 我们将就有效性对此较低的速度限制进行评估
    • 20 mph 的速度标志将取代 25 mph 的速度标志
    • 项目时间表
      • 该项目预计于 2022 年 3 月实施
    • Tyee 中学附近街道的速度限制将为 20 mph
    • 交通安全計畫
    • 將 Tyee 中學 周邊街道的速限降低至 20 英里/小時的計畫
    • 將評估降低速限的有效性
    • 將 25 英里/小時速度標誌替換為 20 英里/小時標誌
    • 計畫時間表
      • 預計 2022 年 3 月實施
    • Tyee 中學 周邊街道將限速 20 英里/小時
    • Proyecto de seguridad vial
    • Proyecto para reducir el límite de velocidad a 20 mph en las calles alrededor de la Escuela Intermedia Tyee
    • Este límite más bajo de velocidad será evaluado para determinar su efectividad.
    • Las señales de velocidad de 25 mph serán reemplazadas por señales de 20 mph
    • Cronograma del proyecto
      • Implementación prevista para marzo de 2022
    • Las calles alrededor de la Escuela Intermedia Tyee tendrán un límite de velocidad de 20 mph
    • 교통 안전 프로젝트
    • Tyee 중학교 주변 도로의 제한 속도를 20mph로 낮추는 프로젝트
    • 낮은 속도 제한은 효율성을 위해 평가될 예정
    • 25mph 속도 표지판은 20mph 표지판으로 교체될 예정
    • 프로젝트 일정
      • 2022년 3월 시행 예정
    • Tyee 중학교 주변 도로는 20mph로 제한될 예정
    • Проект по обеспечению безопасности дорожного движения
    • Проект по ограничению скорости движения до 20 миль в час на улицах вокруг средней школы Tyee.
    • Будет проведен анализ эффективности решения по снижению скорости движения
    • Ограничение скорости на дорожных знаках будет изменено с 25 на 20 миль в час
    • График выполнения проекта
      • Реализация необходимых мероприятий запланирована на март 2022 года
    • Скорость движения на улицах вокруг средней школы Tyee будет ограничена 20 милями в час

    "20 is Plenty" yard signs available

    Image of twenty is plenty yard sign

    Yard signs that indicate “20 is Plenty” are available to community members, by request, by contacting John Murphy and providing your address. These signs help reinforce the new speed limit. If requested, staff will coordinate with you to arrange a drop-off to your home.

    Evaluation

    Following the implementation of the speed limit reduction, a follow-up traffic study will be conducted and results will be compared to the earlier study. A community survey was also conducted. Results are being evaluated and a report will be posted once this is complete.

    The city is interested in reviewing speed limits on local streets as part of its Vision Zero program. Vision Zero is the city’s commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on city streets by 2030. In the city’s 2021 Vision Zero Action Plan, there is an action to “Develop a neighborhood slow zone program to reduce speed limits citywide to 20 mph.” The speed limit reduction project near Tyee Middle School is the third 20 mph zone in Bellevue and is supporting the larger effort to review the appropriateness of 20 mph speed limits on additional local streets in Bellevue.

    Speed limit reduction frequently asked questions

    Two other neighborhoods in Bellevue have 20 mph speed limits: Surrey Downs and along the East Bellevue Demonstration Greenaway. Both projects showed reductions in speeding following the implementation of the lower speed limit.
    A segment of 146th Ave. SE, between SE Allen Road and SE 36th Street, and on Allen Road, will remain signed at 25 mph as it is a transit route and carries higher vehicle volumes than many of the other streets in Eastgate.
    Currently, no. The city is interested in reviewing speed limits on local streets citywide as part of its Vision Zero effort to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on city streets by 2030. One of the actions in the city’s 2022 Vision Zero Action Plan is to “Continue expanding neighborhood slow zone program while advancing citywide efforts to implement a local street speed limit reduction policy reducing speed limits on local streets to 20 mph.” The speed limit reduction project near Tyee Middle School supports that effort. 

    There are approximately 12 existing 25 mph speed limit signs that will be changed to reflect the new speed limit. Additional new 20 mph speed limit signs will be added to neighborhood entrances off of Allen Road and Newport Way and on streets adjacent to 146th Ave SE. There will be some slight adjustments to the school zone signage surrounding Tyee Middle School. The sign changes will raise awareness and reinforce the new speed limit.


    Mini-roundabout and sidewalk

    Image of vehicle passing through intersection

    Neighborhood Traffic Safety Services developed a traffic improvement project for the Eastgate neighborhood around Tyee Middle School to make it safer for people to walk and to reduce the speed drivers. Construction began in June 2019 and was largely completed in early 2020. Project elements included a mini-roundabout at 138th Avenue SE and SE 40th Street and a new sidewalk on the west side of 138th Avenue from SE 40th Street to SE Allen Road. 

    This project responded to concerns about speeding and traffic volumes and the need for safe walking and bicycling in the neighborhood, including to and from school. City staff met with stakeholders to identify needs such as improved crosswalks, additional pavement markings and other features to calm traffic.

    Funding

    The cost of the mini-roundabout and sidewalk was approximately $1 million and was partially funded by the Neighborhood Safety, Connectivity and Congestion Levy. The budget for the speed limit reduction phase is approximately $40,000 and is funded by city's Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program. 

    Documents

    Schedule

    • December 2022: Traffic study conducted
    • July 2022: Speed limit reduction around Tyee Middle School
    • Early 2020: Project completion 
    • Summer 2019: Construction of mini-roundabout and sidewalk
    • Summer/fall 2018: Construction of school zone flashing beacons
    • February 2018: Project open house at Tyee Middle School library
    • Fall 2017: Project open house