Are we on the road to a car-free Pike Place Market? Such chatter has been going since horse + buggies were still around, but has started to take off again more recently like flying fish. 🐟

Millions come through the Market annually, and pedestrians regularly take over the cobblestone streets, making navigating via car a slog. Often you'd only drive there if you took a wrong turn.

Let’s pump the brakes for a sec and discuss what’s on the immediate horizon.

⏰ The process will take some time

Councilmember Lewis tells SEAtoday he wants more dialogue with the Pike Place Preservation & Development Authority and people in the Market community on potential impacts.

Some obstacles — like handling deliveries, may be easily addressed. Others — like dedicated parking spaces, could be challenging. But Lewis says it’s important not to rush into something that isn’t implemented thoughtfully: “We can do it fast, or we can do it right.”

💡What might ‘doing it right’ look like?

Seattle Neighborhood Greenways (SNG) executive director Gordon Padelford suggests launching "a pilot program" in 2022. Though such an idea hasn’t been formally proposed yet, it would include temporarily prohibiting vehicles from entering the Market for stretches of time to get real-life data on what works + what doesn’t, ideally starting in warmer weather months.

Lewis is open to a pilot program, but emphasizes the need for full buy-in from Pike Place vendors, residents + other stakeholders before moving forward.

Pike Place has already been part of Seattle’s Cafe Streets sidewalk dining program, which is on a pathway to permanency after proving popular among Seattleites. Outdoor seating and new patios at the Market took up more space last summer to help local businesses, as a push for more open-air public spaces during the pandemic grew.

💬 You can participate in the discussion

Mark your calendars. SNG is hosting a meeting on Wed., Jan. 19 for people who want to learn more about the proposal + possibly volunteer for the effort.

Meanwhile, Lewis urges folks to think about what a plan could be beyond just eliminating cars: aplaza for more cafes? Pop-ups? Stages for musicians?

"This could be the most transformative change in the Market’s history,” he says.