NW 57th and 58th between 4th Ave NW and the Burke Gilman Trail at Seaview & 38th Ave NW; 17th Ave NW between NW 90th St & Ballard Ave.

Greenways are slow, low-traffic streets connecting parks, libraries, schools, and businesses for pedestrians and bicyclists who need safe and comfortable routes through the City. Formed in 2011, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, http://seattlegreenways.org/, began as a volunteer coalition representing many neighborhoods across Seattle to plan and advocate for the City to build neighborhood greenways. Ballard residents and Groundswell NW, along with other Ballard community organizations came together to support a greenway along NW 58th St. resulting in Ballard’s first greenway opening September 2013 with a second greenway along 17th Ave NW opening in 2016.

The group is now Ballard-Fremont Greenways and Groundswell NW continues to support the group with Microgrants for work on a future 6th Ave NW Greenway, improvements to 14th Ave NW in the brewery district, and their advocacy for neighborhood greenways as the City considers new routes in Ballard and Fremont.

Ballard-Fremont Greenways received a $500 Microgrant in the fall of 2023 to move planters donated by East Ballard Community Association down 14th Ave NW from Gemenskap Park to 51st and 53rd, creating safer intersections, especially for cyclists and pedestrians. Here are highlights from their final report:

We began in September with cleaning out the planters that were donated by the East Ballard Community Association. We completed most of the work that day, but had to return to finish with one that contained a wasps nest and another that contained a Strawberry tree. Two other planters with trees are still in their old locations, unfortunately. They thwarted us. https://photos.app.goo.gl/9dWv6ZRbavbuyZ7y9 

Our second volunteer day included renting a pickup (cost donated by a member) and moving the planters down to their new homes in the Brewery District–the right-of-ways in the intersections of NW 51st St. and NW 53rd St on 14th Ave NW. We all got a work out that day. https://photos.app.goo.gl/oKF54B1xG9TYHK5m7 

And finally we had a dirt moving party. By this time, two of our planters were taken, so when the dirt was delivered, we found we had too much soil. The rest was donated to local p-patches and community groups. The planters that remained were all filled with soil and plants purchased from Swanson’s Nursery were planted, along with a couple of donated bushes and some reclaimed daffodil bulbs and an iris from the original planters. https://photos.app.goo.gl/hw1vd9Gd5BfdeStp7 

All in all, there were over 95 hours of volunteer time completed by 15 members of the Ballard-Fremont Greenways group over 3 days. The planters are already doing their job keeping the intersections clear of illegally parking vehicles that block sight lines. Soon the City of Seattle Department of Transportation will install stop signs at all of the crossings of those intersections to also aid in slowing traffic and building safety for people crossing the street. The permit from SDOT has been fulfilled and approved. Thank you again for helping us make this project a reality!

Learn more

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BFGreenways

Join us

The Ballard-Fremont Greenways group meets monthly.

See ballardfremont.seattlegreenways.org for information and to sign up for future meetings.