Keep Pike Place Market open to traffic

The Pike Place Market is one of the oldest and most successful public farmers markets in the United States. Its unique and funky mix of small, owner-operated businesses, eclectic buildings, brick-cobbled streets, artists and street musicians, and views of the bay in the center of downtown, all come together to make this place the heart and soul of our region. During the last two years it was at many times the only positive pulse in the center city. The Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA), the Pike Place Market Historical Commission, the private property owners and the businesses in the Market all need to be congratulated and given our support.

Which leads to this recent question of closing off traffic and removing free parking along Pike Place Street. This idea, in fact, has come up over and over throughout the history of the Market. It was studied during the Market’s founding initiative in the 1970s. However, Victor Steinbrueck was very clear that we need to keep the street open to cars and people. But every few years the idea resurfaces of barring vehicles on Pike Place. While closing Pike Place to cars might seem to make the tourist and visitor feel more comfortable, the traffic is actually part of the success of the Market. The Market would be lessened without the traffic spine and interaction of transport and service-vehicle access which is essential to the health of the retail and accessible short-term parking.

Authenticity is key to the Market’s remarkable success. It is not a Disney version of a market, but an actual working farmers market, where the concept of “Meet the Producer” is not just a slogan. The zesty, bustling jumble of vendors, pedestrians, slow moving cars and delivery vehicles is what makes the Market unique and genuine. Pedestrians have the same right to be on Pike Place as the truck delivery vehicle, the rideshare drop off, the restaurateurs picking up supplies, and the van dropping off Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or elderly passengers. In fact, pedestrians dominate the street during the busiest times of the year, and there is a sense of safety in numbers over cars.

This circulation and access are critical to the health and vitality of a public market. In fact, it is part of the Market’s historic character. The flow of trucks and people keep the Market lively during the day and still active at night. Furthermore, as we emerge from the pandemic — with retail recovery still fragile — this is not the time to experiment with limiting access to vendors.  

We do agree that the Pike Place Market PDA, with use approval from the Historical Commission, be given authority to restrict general traffic at times when the summer weekend pedestrian foot traffic is so heavy that even the cars can’t get through. However, we strongly oppose the permanent closure of traffic in this excellent working people’s street. Has anybody thought to even ask the merchants and farmers what they think about street closure at Pike Place?

Today, the Market is the shining glory of Seattle’s downtown. Many folks from around the region will not come to the center city of Seattle due to safety concerns, closed storefronts and generally blighted conditions. However, the Pike Place Market is the one place everyone can feel safe and enjoy. It brings us together. It is free and real. It is the wrong time to strangle the lifeblood of the market. Rather than fixing what does not need fixing, let us instead bring our energy and resources to help the rest of downtown return to health and vibrancy.