Neighbor's Interesting History On Sand Point Way, Still a State Highway

The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) recently published the following information in a newsletter:

Sand Point Lane and State Road 513

Written by Jim Rupp, LCC administrator and historian

If you're using a navigation app, when you exit Laurelhurst onto Mary Gates Drive, the voice will direct you to turn onto NE 45th Street, and some apps will also refer to "State Route 513." What is all this?

Well, the 3.35-mile stretch that starts at Junction 520, goes over the Montlake Bridge and down Montlake Boulevard, then along Sand Point Way to the northeast 65th Street entrance to Magnuson Park, is still an interstate. It is the remnant of a longer highway, dating back to 1864, that once ran from downtown Seattle to the city limits at NE 145th Street.

Much of State Route 513 was prepared for the AlaskaYukon-Pacific Exposition, Seattle's first World's Fair held on the UW campus in 1909. At that time, the east end of Montlake Boulevard, where the UW parking lot is located. now, it used to be a swamp full of birds.

This was still true in 1934 when my father and his UW siblings collected tails to decorate a brother's party. In 1971, the southern terminus of the freeway was shortened to begin at Route 520, and in 1991, the northern terminus ended at Magnuson Park. Our rare stretch of highway is part of the National Highway System, which identifies it as an important asset to the national economy, defense and mobility.

The state still has jurisdiction over State Route 513, which is why the 35 mph speed limit was higher than surrounding highways until 2021. That higher limit was adopted by the Washington State Highway Commission in the 1970s, when my father was part of it. About a week after this change was implemented, my mother was walking home from a game of bridge in Washington Park around 11:30 pm when she pulled over to walk by the Hec Edmundson Pavilion. "Okay officer," she said, "I'm sure I wasn't speeding because my husband is with the State Highway Board and I know they changed the speed limit here to 35." The officer told him he was wrong and gave him a ticket BUT around midnight the doorbell rang and the officer was there. He apologized to my mother and took the return ticket. Mom was right again.

Last year, the state agreed with the city that the 30 mph speed limit would be safer, so in March 2021 new speed limit signs were installed. This was part of the city's ongoing efforts to end road deaths and serious injuries. speed limits here and there.

Share this post