The City of Kirkland will install bike lanes on eight blocks of 100th Avenue NE, making the road safer for all users and helping to close a segment of a key bike route between the Burke-Gilman/Sammamish River Trail and downtown Kirkland/Lake Washington Loop bike route.
There are still several sections of unfriendly and busy roadway on the route, unfortunately. But it’s also a small step closer to a more bike-friendly Kirkland.
Construction is scheduled to begin this month. More details from the City of Kirkland:
Project Overview: The Project includes new bike lanes on 100th Avenue Northeast between Northeast 124th Street and Northeast 132nd Street and new Rapid Flashing Beacons at two existing median island pedestrian crossings. The Rapid Flashing Beacons will replace the existing in-pavement lights that are no longer maintainable, and thus, out of service. Two existing median island trees will be replaced with more suitable columnar trees in order to accommodate the narrower median islands.
Rapid Flashing Beacons are user-activated flashing amber lights that supplement pedestrian warning signs at un-signalized intersections and mid-block crosswalks. The devices enhance safety by increasing driver awareness of the presence of pedestrians wishing to cross the street. Other work elements associated with the installation of the Rapid Flashing Beacons may include: replacement of existing non-conforming wheelchair ramps with new Americans with Disabilities wheel chair ramps and new pavement crosswalk markings.
Why: The Project will provide bicycle facilities on a key bicycle route. 100th Avenue Northeast connects Bellevue via downtown Kirkland and Juanita with the Sammamish River Trail in Bothell. Bicycle lanes exist over most of the corridor, and this Project will reduce the number of segments without lanes. See regional bicycle map.
When: Construction is anticipated to begin in early October and be substantially complete by the end of November. Typical hours of operation will be an eight-hour work day between the hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Comments
2 responses to “Kirkland will install bike lanes on 100th Ave, close part of key bike route missing link”
These lanes will go a long way towards completing this a safer connection between the BGT and Kirkland. I used to bike this stretch of 100th Ave NE and you’d have to be very comfortable riding with the cars, especially northbound. The rest of this route is mostly bike lanes and shoulders with a couple of gaps that lack separated bicycle infrastructure.
It’s a start… I’d like to see these become protected bike lanes in the near future — speeds are pretty high on this corridor, and traffic volume is too: Not too many people will feel comfortable riding on this street with just painted lanes — Bollards or concrete barriers like you see in Vancouver, BC would make a significant improvement to safety here.