Seattle Stairways in Jeopardy!

Do you live in Seattle and love our stairways? Then please help! The current Comprehensive Plan document is set to be revised, and one of the changes will be to delete an important policy that says keeping our Seattle stairways in good shape will remain a City priority well into the future.

We’d appreciate if you'd set aside what you're doing and take a moment to email each of our City Councilmembers asking for the policy to be reinstated in the Comprehensive Plan. Here's suggested text, and below that, a listing of the City Councilmembers' official email addresses:

"As someone who loves Seattle stairways, I'm writing to express my concern about the following proposed change to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, which would delete this existing policy:

"'T32 - Recognize that stairways located within Seattle’s public rights-of-way serve as a unique and valuable pedestrian resource in some areas of the City.  Discourage the vacation of public rights-of-way occupied by stairways, and protect publicly-owned stairways from private encroachment.'

"Deleting this strong policy statement about how the city views stairways is a big concern to myself and many others. It suggests that there will be a lessening of stairway maintenance, rebuilding and even abandonment of stairway right-of-ways. 

"Our stairways provide a unique aspect of livability to the City. It would be a huge loss to abandon them. We ask that you raise this issue, and join us in fighting this change to the Comprehensive Plan."

Here are the Councilmembers' emails:

sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov

tim.burgess@seattle.gov

jean.godden@seattle.gov

bruce.harrell@seattle.gov

nick.licata@seattle.gov

mike.obrien@seattle.gov

john.okamoto@seattle.gov

tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov

kshama.sawant@seattle.gov

Many thanks to all Seattle stairway lovers!

Stairs vs. Sidewalks: Which is "Healthier?"

The New York Times' health blog, "Ask Well," makes an interesting health comparison between walking and climbing stairs. Veteran health writer Gretchen Reynolds writes that slowly taking stairs will burn almost twice the energy than walking at an everyday pace along a flat surface.

Stairway walking also "activates more muscles," might have balance benefits, and increases cardiovascular fitness more quickly than regular walking on a level surface. Even walking down stairs seems to use up more energy than flat walking!

A really healthy way to have fun outside! (Howe stairs, Capitol Hill)