The city started construction this week on the new Ballard Greenway that will run north and south throughout the neighborhood. The new route will be constructed on 17th Ave NW from Whitman Middle School up on NW 90th Ave all the way south to downtown Ballard.
Crews began work yesterday at NW 90th St, breaking ground on new curb ramps, and later will install a crosswalk. The curb ramp installation should take five working days and SDOT stays traffic will still be able to pass through.
Work also began yesterday to reconfigure the intersection at 17th Ave NW and NW Dock Place. The aim is to clarify the right of way and reduce conflicts between people walking, biking, and driving. SDOT says crews will paint the pavement and install flexible bollards at the boundary of the space to formalize the intersection.
On Thursday, September 3, crews will start building pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of NW 85th St. and 17th Ave NW. SDOT says they’ll only work on one side (north or south) of the intersection at a time in order to maintain traffic flow, but that 17th Ave NW will be closed during the construction. (Those needing to access 17th Ave NW will need to use NW 83rd St. or NW 87th St.) They’ll establish temporary pedestrian paths in the area during the construction, and ADA ramps will be installed. SDOT expects the work to last about 28 working days, or 6 weeks.
As SDOT works to complete the greenway, they say to expect the following:
- Temporary on-street parking restrictions
- Short-term single lane closures, where needed
- Pedestrian and bicyclist detours
- Noise, dust, and vibration typical of construction
- Weekday work hours from 7 AM to 5 PM
- Maintained driveway access to residences
They say the work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled if necessary.
