By MATT PATNEAUDE

The future of the N. 45th street corridor, and how it will affect neighborhood businesses, was discussed at the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce meeting on March 16. A panel of representatives from Metro Transit, Seattle Transportation, and the City's Strategic Planning Office were on hand to present information on traffic, transit, parking, and pedestrian improvements in the area.

Many local business owners feel that vital issues such as parking and access to businesses need immediate attention and are not being addressed. Cecelia Hugo, co-owner of Bow Wow Meow Treatoria, said that potential customers call on the phone to say they drove by and liked the looks of her store, but were unable to park nearby. Hugo stated that she may have to move the business if access isn't improved.

Phill Briscoe of Allstate Insurance expressed that he was confused about the planning process and doesn't understand what each of the government groups does. It was also pointed out that a Wallingford Neighborhood Plan has already been completed detailing what local residents and businesses would like to see happen in the area.

The Wallingford Neighborhood Plan was submitted to the City in 1998. The plan includes having one unimpeded traffic lane in each direction of N. 45th with a center turn lane, parking and bike lanes as space permits, installation of pedestrian signals and safety devices, implementing an all-way stop/walk at 45th and Wallingford, developing a parking association to better manage scarce parking resources, instituting transportation enhancements to improve pedestrian, transit, and bicycle access, replacing dead street trees, and consolidating bus stops to improve transit speed.

Leonard Madsen from Metro Transit talked about ways to improve transit through the district. The No. 44 bus route, which is one of the busiest in the city, travels at only 8.3 miles per hour through Wallingford. Madsen said a more ideal speed would be over 12 miles per hour.

According to Madsen, bus stops have recently been consolidated in the Wallingford business district, the stretch of N. 45th running from Stone Way on the west to I-5 on the east. This was done in an attempt to improve transit speed and create more on-street parking spaces. Some other near term recommendations that could improve transit speed include traffic signal timing improvements, parking revisions, street striping improvements, and creation of bus bulbs so that buses stop in the traffic lane.

Joseph Costa of the City's Strategic Planning Office said that increased efficiency and attractiveness of transit is the key to transportation throughout the city. While he said that the elimination of on-street parking in Wallingford would not happen any time soon, it was one possibility being looked at to increase the speed of transit in the area.

On a positive note, John Marek of Seattle Transportation reported that $87,000 has been allocated for the rehabilitation of trees on N. 45th in the Wallingford district. The next step will be getting community and business participation to facilitate the tree improvements.

For more information contact the Wallingford Chamber at 632-3165.