‘Islands’ popping up along Roosevelt Way in Seattle
May 25, 2016, 11:36 AM | Updated: 2:09 pm
An improvement project is underway, as crews work on road and safety improvements along Roosevelt Way. (MyNorthwest)
(MyNorthwest)
Drivers who frequent Seattle’s Roosevelt Way have undoubtedly noticed the ongoing changes along the arterial roadway.
An improvement project is underway, as crews work on road and safety improvements. That includes the addition of “islands” being built parallel with the road.
According to the Seattle Department of Transportation, these islands will be for pedestrian use. That includes “transit islands,” which will allow buses to load and unload riders without having to pull up to the curb. A bike lane will run between the sidewalk and transit islands, which will be raised to sidewalk level.
The project along Roosevelt includes five zones that stretch from the University Bridge to 65th Street. Roosevelt serves Northeast Seattle, University of Washington, and Eastlake, and has also become a primary route to downtown Seattle. Marked by potholes and cracks, Seattle’s DOT set a goal to improve the roadway through summer 2016.
The city expects to open a protected bike lane from 65th Street to Ravenna Boulevard as early as this week. Crews continue work in the second section of the project from Ravenna Boulevard to about NE 53rd Street.
