People biking between Georgetown and downtown were surprised yesterday to find construction crews tearing up the concrete barrier protected the bike lane on Airport Way S between S Alaska Street and the bridge. There was little to no notice about the work, though at least there is a sidewalk to help folks get around the closure.
We asked SDOT what was happening after receiving several notes from readers surprised by the work. All of this work is to move the bike lane barrier one foot, reducing the width of the two-way bike lane, to “correct a design error” at a skinny point in the street, according to an SDOT spokesperson. “The center lane needs to be wider so that large trucks and buses have room to turn without hitting the bike lane barrier.”
Rebuilding the barrier will require dry weather, so it is not yet clear when it will be complete though SDOT is hoping to finish next week. The bike lane “will remain at least 8 feet wide,” which is about the minimum width for a two-way bike lane.
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The bike lane was created as part of the Georgetown to Downtown Safety Project, which officially opened in September.
The full statement from SDOT:
We are adjusting the bike lane and center turn lane on Airport Way S between S Alaska St and S Edmunds St to make room for buses and trucks. Our plan is to rebuild the concrete curb protecting the bike lane by the end of next week, but this work requires dry weather. We will then return to this area when there is warmer and dryer to put the finishing touches on the striping.
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This work is to correct a design error at a narrow section of the street. The center lane needs to be wider so that large trucks and buses have room to turn without hitting the bike lane barrier.
The rebuilt bike lanes will remain at least 8 feet wide. Flaggers will be on site during construction to direct people biking and driving. We will tidy up the work zone so people may use the bike lane with caution when we aren’t actively working.
