It’s that time of year where road construction activity seems to be everywhere and it can be both a good thing and a bit frustrating. Late spring and summer is the most active time for road construction thanks to more consistent good weather and longer days. With funding from the Bridging the Gap (BTG) transportation initiative the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews are very busy making Seattle a little smoother and easier to navigate!
If it seems SDOT crews are everywhere you would be mostly right. This year SDOT will repave 17 lane miles of arterial roadway, restripe more than 500 crosswalks and will restripe 850 lane line miles of arterial roadway. Crews will construct more than four miles of new greenways, install 25 miles of new bike route signs and make repairs to ten key locations along Seattle’s trail system. You will also see SDOT crews repairing more than 25 blocks of new sidewalks, constructing seven blocks of new sidewalk, implementing 45 crossing improvements and completing eight Safe Routes to School projects.
While construction season can bring small inconveniences – potential detours and slowdowns – it is worth it in the long run for smoother pavement, safer crossings and walking routes and newly striped roadways. So, give yourself a few extra minutes to get to your destination, slow down and give the road crews a little extra space. They are working to make Seattle a better place for all of us.
For more information on BTG and its accomplishments please visit the website.