Commuter visitors slowed Wednesday morning on Lakeway Drive, Ellis and Holly streets as bike lanes are being put in, a part of a trial challenge to make journey by way of downtown Bellingham safer for folks strolling and biking.
Set up of motorcycle lanes on Holly Road from Ellis to Prospect streets began Wednesday and needs to be completed Thursday, Natalie Monro, a spokeswoman for the Public Works Division, advised The Bellingham Herald.
“The bike lanes themselves needs to be painted immediately, and I imagine they’ll return and add the inexperienced bike containers within the intersections tomorrow,” Monro mentioned. “We might like to direct folks to provide us suggestions on their expertise with the brand new configuration of Holly Road as a driver, walker and biker.”
Crews started putting in bike lanes on Holly Road between Ellis and Prospect on Wednesday, Might 1, 2024, in downtown Bellingham, Wash.
Details about the challenge is reside on the Interact Bellingham web site and a survey in regards to the challenge will probably be reside as soon as set up of the bike lanes is full, Monro mentioned.
Bellingham officers introduced the challenge April 8, and the Metropolis Council unanimously accredited it.
Holly is downtown Bellingham’s busiest avenue utilized by about 12,000 drivers every day, in line with a 2023 metropolis visitors depend.
Visitors is slowed on Holly Road on Wednesday, Might 1, 2024, as automobiles are restricted to at least one lane whereas crews set up bike lanes on the road between Ellis and Prospect in downtown Bellingham, Wash.
In line with the plan, one in every of three Holly Road visitors lanes will probably be eliminated by way of the industrial core from Ellis Road to Bay Road. No parking will probably be misplaced. Eric Johnston, director of the Public Works Division, mentioned the plan was geared toward making it simpler for bike riders and other people on foot by slowing visitors by way of downtown.
Right here’s what’s deliberate:
▪ A buffered bike lane — utilizing painted pavement — is deliberate on Holly Road from Ellis to State streets, and visitors will probably be decreased from three lanes to 2.
▪ A “parking-protected bike lane” is deliberate on Holly Road from State to Bay streets, that means that the bike lane will run subsequent to the curb with automobiles parking on the left of the bike lane. Visitors lanes will probably be decreased from three to 2.
Crews started putting in bike lanes on Holly Road between Ellis and Prospect on Wednesday, Might 1, 2024, in downtown Bellingham, Wash. The set up is a part of a trial challenge designed to make journey within the space safer for folks strolling and biking.
▪ Crosswalk alerts will probably be timed to permit a “main pedestrian interval,” that means that individuals on sidewalks strolling parallel to visitors will have the ability to begin crossing just a few seconds earlier than drivers get a inexperienced gentle. It’s thought-about a solution to maintain drivers who’re turning from hitting pedestrians.
Joel Pfundt, assistant director of the Public Works Division’s Transportation Division, mentioned that the challenge will probably be evaluated utilizing public enter after a number of months.
The estimated value of the challenge is $55,000.
