Beacon Hill now has some more bike lanes. Some day this project will meet up with plans for S Columbian Way/Alaska between Beacon Ave and MLK, greatly enhancing connectivity between Beacon Hill (and the Chief Sealth Trail) and Columbia City. There are few good interneighborhood east-west routes in this area, so the new lanes should greatly help neighborhood bicycle mobility.
The outside lanes of South Columbian Way, between Beacon Avenue South and 15th Avenue South, were crumbling this spring. Now, with completion of the project to repave this segment, the roadway is smooth and pretty!
— Advertisement —
Since the outside lanes of the roadway had to be reconstructed, it was the perfect opportunity to install curbs, which help define the street edge and protect pedestrians from moving vehicles. Curbs also direct storm water to drains and help to eliminate puddles that can lead to hydroplaning and dangerous driving conditions.
To further improve drainage and hence improve safety, much of the existing sidewalk was rebuilt at a higher elevation so that water drains towards the roadway and into the storm drainage collection system. The repaving work included the planting of nearly 100 new trees, which now line the street, as well as new curb ramps; new bike lanes; a new two-way center turn-lane; and a new dedicated right-turn lane into the Seattle VA Medical Center. The work was funded by Bridging the Gap.
