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 2024-08-25 10:56:05

The City is now embarking on the second stage of the project where we begin the design and implementation of some of the recommendations made in the previous stage. To cover a wide range of factors and goals, this project has been broken up into several components.

Island Crest Way (ICW) serves an important north-south corridor through Mercer Island, providing vital connections to schools, parks, residential neighborhoods, places of worship, and commercial centers, as well as access to I-90.

Week of 6/24/2024 - Contractor mobilization and construction activities are planned to start the week of July 1st. To accommodate construction of the crosswalk improvements and to improve crosswalk sightlines, eight trees are anticipated to be removed adjacent to the SE 62nd Street, SE 63rd Street, and Island Park Elementary driveway crosswalk location Replacement trees will be planted in the upcoming wet season, October 1-April 1.

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At its March 19, 2024, Regular Meeting, the City Council will receive a project update and review several draft shared use path alternatives for the Island Crest Way Improvements Project.

Week of 9/23/24 - This week, the project team performed a punch list walk for non-electrical project elements to log minor outstanding work the contractor still needs to complete. Electrical equipment and poles are tentatively scheduled to arrive this winter, with installation anticipated to occur during the school's winter holiday break. The project team will perform another punch list walk for the electrical project elements once the pedestrian signal and RRFBs are fully operational.

The consultant team is finalizing the design of the three crosswalk improvements. The design includes rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) at SE 62nd St and SE 63rd St and a pedestrian signal at the Island Park Elementary driveway. Refer to FAQs on this webpage for RRFB and pedestrian signal descriptions.

The online open house has been postponed to provide a project update and preliminary draft of shared use path alternatives to the City Council for feedback and a decision on their preferred alternative. The City Council's direction will inform the next steps of the design and public engagement process. City Council agenda bills regarding this project will be linked to Let's Talk the Thursday before the City Council meeting.

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In 2022, the City conducted a corridor safety analysis. This extensive study included community input which helped the City identify recommendations and solutions to address pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety concerns. The findings resulted in the Island Crest Way Corridor Improvements Project to enhance safety along Island Crest Way from 90th Avenue SE to SE 68th Street.

Week of 8/26/24 - Crews installed pavement markings and new street signs earlier this week, ahead of Island Park Elementary’s first day of school. The pavement markings and signs emphasize the new crossing improvements and increase safety along the ICW corridor. Crews also restored landscaping areas surrounding the crosswalk improvements. Work is now suspended until the electrical subcontractor receives the poles, RRFB hardware, and other electrical components in several months. In the next week, the contractor will remove equipment and material that has been stored along the shoulder of Island Crest Way throughout the summer.

Also this week, City staff posted signs along Island Crest Way to encourage pedestrians to walk/bike/roll on the east-side of the Island Crest Way during construction. See the Alternative Pedestrian Route article.

Advertisement for construction bids will occur late March with construction anticipated to start in June 2024 after school is out. Most of the construction is planned for completion by the end of August 2024 prior to Island Park Elementary starting the 2024-2025 school year. Signal poles, beacons, and electrical equipment have long lead times and will be installed once they arrive later in the fall/winter. During construction, the existing RRFB at the Island Park Elementary driveway will remain operational until the pedestrian signal is fully up and running.

Week of 7/29/2024 - This week, contractor crews finished pouring curb lines and started pouring ADA curb ramps and sidewalks at all three project intersections. Please continue to walk/bike/roll around the fenced construction areas to allow concrete to cure. Next week, crews should complete pouring the concrete ramps and sidewalk areas. Crews will also prepare for asphalt path connections to the new sidewalks as well as patching of roadway areas in front of the new curb lines.

City Council Meeting: On March 19, 2024, the City Council will receive a project update and discuss alternatives. No decisions on the path alternatives will be made at this meeting.Agenda bill (AB6421) Island Crest Way Corridor Improvements Project UpdateShared Use Path Conceptual Design Summary Memo (exhibit 1 of AB6421)City staff will present information to the City Council in response to their questions and requests about the shared use path alternatives. and present a recommended shared use path alignment.

Phasing gets the project started, spreads costs over time, and provides time to pursue grant funding. The City Council made the following decisions regarding the project at their June 18, 2024 meeting.

The March 19, 2024 presentation to the City Council is just the first part of a multi-tiered process before any decisions are made. Here’s the process:

The City Council received an update on the three shared use path alternatives (east side, west side, and in-roadway bike lanes) and proposed phasing plan to implement the project over time. The phasing plan is shown below:

Week of 7/22/2024 - This week, contractor crews completed pouring foundations for the new rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs), light poles, and electrical pads. At all three project intersections, electrical junction boxes were installed, and new curb and gutter were poured, and crushed rock behind the new curb lines was compacted and graded in preparation for the sidewalk to be poured on top of the crushed rock.

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Shared Use Path Phase 1 (school to SE 60th Street) design and public engagementSE 53rd Place intersection safety improvements and the SE 68th Street pedestrian/bicycle safety improvements.

Week of 7/15/2024 - This week, the City’s contractor, Active Construction Inc (ACI), continued roadway excavation and poured concrete for some of the electrical pads and signal pole bases. Next week, crews will pour additional pole bases and begin forming and pouring new curb and gutter at all three Island Crest Way project intersections: SE 63rd Street, SE 62nd Street, and the Island Park Elementary school driveway. Crews are working weekdays from 7:00AM to 3:30PM. Single lane closures during work hours are planned with traffic delays expected. Work is scheduled to be mostly complete by the end of August ahead of school starting, with electrical work extending into fall/winter.

A construction contract was awarded to Active Construction, Inc. by the City Council on May 7, 2024. On May 28, 2024, City staff executed the contract so work can begin as scheduled in June 2024. A pre-construction meeting is scheduled for the week of June 10, 2024 to outline construction procedures and timelines with the contractor.

Following the staff presentation, City Council is expected to consider and select a preferred shared use path alternative and direct staff to proceed with the community engagement process. Input from the community engagement process will help to inform the design of the preferred shared use path alternative. Design is anticipated to start in 2025 pending inclusion of the Island Crest Way Corridor Improvements (90.25.0013) in the 2025-2030 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) planned for adoption on June 18.

During the week of July 22, 2024, City staff began posting signs (see image on the left) along the east-side path of Island Crest Way (ICW) from SE 63rd Street to the Island Park Elementary driveway to encourage pedestrians to walk/bike/roll on the east-side of the Island Crest Way during Crosswalk Improvement construction.

When construction work does not block pedestrian paths, walk/bike/roll between the orange construction fencing. The image on the right above shows the east-side path adjacent to the Island Park Elementary driveway.

We will be conducting traffic data collection the week of May 6th by applying tubes on the roadway and cameras along Island Crest Way between 90th Avenue SE and SE 68th Street. Tubes will collect speed, volume, and vehicle classification data, and the cameras will observe the number of pedestrians and bicycles utilizing the corridor and their direction of travel. Data collected will help inform the traffic analysis and design elements of this project.

Week of 7/8/2024 - This week, the City’s contractor, Active Construction Inc (ACI), began roadway excavation at all three Island Crest Way project intersections: SE 63rd Street, SE 62nd Street, and the Island Park Elementary School driveway. Trenches are being dug across Island Crest Way and electrical conduit is being installed to supply power to the new rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) and pedestrian signal. New concrete sidewalk landings will be constructed in the coming weeks. Crews are working weekdays from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Single lane closures during work hours are planned with traffic delays expected. Work is scheduled to be mostly complete by the end of August ahead of school starting, with electrical work extending into fall/winter.

The community can watch the March 19, 2024 City Council meeting live or any time after via the City Council YouTube Channel. Click here for more information.

Intermittently during construction, pedestrian paths may be blocked. Pedestrian escorts will be stationed near a path blockage to guide pedestrians through or around the work area. The image in the middle above looks south on Island Crest Way and shows an example of a pedestrian path blockage at the southeast corner of SE 62nd Street, and the location of a pedestrian escort. Please plan for delays on pedestrian paths when blockages occur.

Week of 8/19/24- Concrete curbs and sidewalk landings are completed and reopened for pedestrians and contractor crews have moved some of their equipment and supplies off the Island. Roadway pavement markings and new signs are planned to be installed next week. Crews plan to have the crosswalks at Island Park Elementary, SE 62nd Street, and SE 63rd Street remarked prior to school resuming next Wednesday. The rectangular rapid-flashing beacons and pedestrian signal will be installed in winter 2024 or early 2025, once the poles and electrical components arrive.

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Staff are suggesting the use of the east-side path to help reduce the number of pedestrian crossings on Island Crest Way and minimize overlap with construction work areas.

This will be an early preview for the City Council and no decisions will be made regarding any of the shared use path alternatives. At the meeting, the City Council will focus on design concepts and have an opportunity to discuss the alternatives as a body, ask questions, and make suggestions about the alternatives.

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At its June 18, 2024, regular meeting, the City Council will receive another staff presentation on the three shared use path alternatives. Elements of the staff presentation include:

Week of 8/12/2024 - This week, contractor crews completed asphalt patching at the intersections of SE 63rd Street, SE 62nd Street, and the Island Park Elementary driveway. Crews also poured the new median island in front of the Island Park Elementary driveway, consisting of extruded curb and stamped concrete. In the next two weeks, crews will install pavement markings and signage prior to school resuming. Due to long procurement time, electrical equipment and poles will likely be installed in winter 2024 or early in 2025.

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Week of 8/5/2024 - This week, contractor crews poured concrete ramps, curbs, and sidewalk areas. Crews also rotomilled the existing pavement at the intersections of Island Crest Way with SE 63rd Street and the Island Park Elementary driveway in preparation for repaving those areas next week. On Monday, August 12th, access to Island Crest Way from SE 63rd Street will be blocked. City staff placed door hangers on SE 63rd Street resident doors to provide notice of the upcoming paving work and advised using 84th Avenue SE and SE 68th Street as a detour to reach Island Crest Way.

City staff will present a recommended shared use path alignment for City Council consideration and inclusion in the 2025-2030 Transportation Improvement Program.

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Construction crews will be working between the hours of 7:00AM to 3:30PM, Monday through Friday. During these hours, please expect minor traffic delays within the project area. Island Crest Way and the cross streets of SE 62nd and SE 63rd Streets may be reduced to one lane at times, with traffic being directed by flaggers.

Information about the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program and the 2025-2030 Transportation Improvement Program adopted by the City Council on June 18, 2024 can be found here.

Week of 7/1/2024 - Construction crews removed trees and painted roadway excavation lines at each of the three project intersections. Next week, construction crews will begin roadway excavation work.

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