Transportation improvements coming to Simonds Road

March 20, 2017 1:30 am
A map shows the planned changes at the intersection of Simonds Road and 84th Avenue NE. City of Kenmore/Submitted art
A map shows the planned changes at the intersection of Simonds Road and 84th Avenue NE. City of Kenmore/Submitted art

Developed as part of the city’s Neighborhood Transportation Plan Program (NTPP), a new project will be completed before the end of March to reconfigure the existing intersection of 84th Avenue NE and Simonds Road to improve safety.

Much of the existing pavement will be striped as a shoulder and be blocked by concrete planters, enhanced with reflectors for visibility. The southbound right turn lane on Simonds Road will be eliminated.

This is a low-cost project with large benefits, including:

  • Increased visibility for drivers turning onto Simonds Road;
  • Shortened pedestrian lane crossing distance; and
  • Calming traffic.

The concrete planters will be filled with decorative stone as a temporary condition and can be planted in the future. The city does not currently have the resources to maintain plantings. Contact Kenmore Traffic Engineer Brett Schock at bschock@kenmorewa.gov or 425-398-8900 if you’re interested in volunteering to enhance the aesthetics at this intersection.

The NTPP facilitated collaboration between citizens and city staff to develop projects with multimodal benefits across Kenmore. For more information on the projects from the NTPP program, visit www.kenmorewa.gov/ntppfinal or contact Schock.

The City of Kenmore places a high priority on road user safety. The Kenmore City Council passed a Target Zero resolution in 2014, and a Complete Streets ordinance in 2016, focusing on multimodal transportation safety.

The city has used an approach of engineering, education, and enforcement to support these goals and policies. The following projects are recent and upcoming engineering improvements that address the Target Zero goals.

The city has completed various improvements to Simonds Road/NE 170th Street for all modes of transportation over the past year, including:

  • Asphalt overlay between Juanita Drive and NE 162nd Court;
  • Sidewalk ramp improvements for accessibility;
  • New crosswalk with rectangular rapid-flashing beacons at 84th Avenue NE; and
  • Bicycle lanes with uphill buffer between Juanita Drive and NE 157th Street.

This is taken from a City of Kenmore news release.