I got a question from Traffic Talk reader David McCluskey the other day about what the rules are regarding walking in the street when the sidewalk is covered with snow.

If the sidewalk is obstructed, it is legal to walk in the street, wrote David Richards, traffic sergeant at Bellingham Police Department.

Now, with the snow mostly gone, I realize this isn’t a huge topic anymore, but I thought you’d find it interesting anyway.

When pedestrians do decide to walk in the roadway, they must, “when practicable, walk or move only on the left side of the roadway or its shoulder facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction and upon meeting an oncoming vehicle shall move clear of the roadway.”

Here’s an e-mail he sent me on Dec. 23, in case you’re curious:

It’s funny that Bellingham wants more urban infill yet they still ignore pedestrians. I walk up Woburn to get to work and it’s bad enough walking through the snow to do it, its three times as hard trudging through the piled up snow from the snow plows. Its great the seen the plows move the snow for vehicles, but has there been any thoughts to the pedestrians?

I don’t know if the COB was smart enough to think about it, or if it was just a frustrated walker, but someone drove a 4X4 all the way down Woburn on the side walk. It compacted the snow and at least made it easier to walk on. I hope the guy didn’t get a ticket, they should give him a medal.

IMAGE FROM GOOGLE MAPS, WITH LABELS BY ME

Here’s a small Q&A about school zone signs along Woburn Street:

From a reader:

I enjoy your blog. I live in the 2800 block of Woburn Street. This year I noticed that the school zone signs on this stretch of road are gone. There are now crosswalk signs, but I’m confused. Since this piece of road is closer to Roosevelt than the school zone on Orleans Street, I don’t know why it’s gone. The cars usually are accelerating in this area in antici-pation of the 35 mile zone up past Haggen, so it seems to be less safe in this area than Orleans. I figured you’d be the guy to ask.”

Here’s what Kim Brown, transportation options coordinator at the city of Bellingham, said:

The school zone signs were removed from Woburn Street because the School District boundaries were changed last year. Roosevelt Elementary students are no longer crossing Woburn to get to school. The school zone signs were moved to Orleans Street for students walking to Sunnyland Elementary.”

I got this e-mail late last week from a reader, Daniel Stenvers, who grew up along Yew Street Road. He was commenting on an article I wrote about how Whatcom County’s project to improve the entire unimproved stretch is dead in the water. It costs too much. The county is planning some degree of improvements, but it won’t be able to afford installing a sidewalk from Samish to the new Wade King Elementary.

Click here to read the article.

Also, my co-worker, Education Reporter Kira Millage had this to say this morning about Yew Street Road near Wade King Elementary (thanks, Kira!):

As school was starting at the new Wade King Elementary School, police officers on motorcycles were sitting in a driveway across from the school, waiting for people to speed through the new school zone. Moments after I noticed them, one cop pulled out with lights on, flagging down the driver who just flew through the zone.

Here’s what Stenvers had to say:

Hi Jared,

I grew up on Yew Street Rd. about a half mile or so south of the new “Wade King Memorial” school in the 50s - 60s. To begin with when I as young it wasn’t even paved and parts were even more treacherous than now. But to be clear I feel that stretch of road is still very dangerous.

My folks live out there still, the new South Hills area was our property and was my wooded playground. I’m slipping off of my point, which is; I’m so disappointed there will be no more real improvement for quite a while on Yew south of the new school. I’m in a wheelchair and I was hoping to be able to visit my folks as I ride WTA. With sidewalks I could get off the bus at a regular stop and wheel right to their place. As it is now I can’t.

WTA special transit busses will not take me there because the trees on Mom and Dad’s driveway scare the drivers. I don’t know why UPS trucks make it to the house, but WTA won’t go there. But anyway with sidewalks it would have been so much safer for children and me.

Don’t get me wrong, I love WTA. They do a great job, they are polite and kind and very helpful. I’d find it hard to live without them. I will however launch into an hours long tirade on the Bellingham School Dist.

Local officials and this hair-brained idea of building the school before any of the proper infrastructure is in place first. I am talking about, Power, Sewer and water not just the road. It’s ugly and the name doesn’t fit. Yew Street Rd. should have been completed FIRST.

What do you all think?

The city will begin construction of a new pedestrian plaza at Bay and Holly street next week.

The City Council recently approved a $777,000 bid from Tiger Construction to alter the intersection, bulb the sidewalks out and replace a nearby water main. The project involves building a pedestrian plaza — essentially an introduction to the arts district — where the northbound turn only lane in front of Bayou on Bay is.

Readers have told that its unsafe for pedestrians to cross there because northbound traffic on Holly comes roaring around the blind corner.

The project will force traffic in the righthand Holly Street lane to turn right onto Prospect Street. Right now, it can continue north but has to merge right in front of Rocket Donuts.

Bellingham Public Works Engineering Manager Ravyn Whitewolf told me today that the construction will necessitate closing the right lane of Holly and the short, one-way segment of Bay Street. Parking on that segment of Bay will be off-limits during the work because that’s where Tiger will have to store its equipment for the project, she said. The project will take a little over two months to complete CORRECTED AT 2:30 P.M. AUG 22 Work should be completed in late November.

She sent me a rendering of what the plaza will look like in front of Bayou on Bay, and it includes the piece of art called “The Sentinel.” I previously tried on here to describe it, and the best I came up with was a scepter. But my boss has a better description: A martini pick with several olives on top.

Here’s what it looks like:

Click here to see a draft rendering of the entire plaza.

Click here to see a plan for the entire intersection.

What do you all think?

Click here to see a previous post I wrote on the topic.

P.S.: I’m working on a short article to run in Sunday’s paper. In it, I interview the owner of Bayou on Bay and get his thoughts on the project and its impact on his business. Check it out.

I have to give credit where credit is due.

The Western Front, the student-run paper at Western Washington University, totally beat me to this story: The city will be removing about 50 parking spots along Highland Drive right near campus. The project involves installing a bike lane, parallel parking and an off-street trail, according to the article by Jory M. Mickelson.

Click here to read the article.

I’m surprised but I didn’t hear anything about this project previously. I’ve got a call out to Bellingham Public Works to get some more details. Mainly, I want to know what the timeline is and whether the city will be doing any repaving as part of it.

More to come …

Western Washington University is trying to slow traffic on a heavily walked street by installing speed tables with crosswalks on top of them. Speed tables are like large speed bumps, but they have a flat top and they’re wider.

Bid drawings show one speed table by at the south end, near Fairhaven College, and another at the north end, near the Steam Plant. An alternate (which means the university may or may not select this, but it wants to know how much the bidder would charge) shows a third speed table near the Communications Facility.

The project is valued at about $70,000. Right now, WWU is asking for bids on the project, and it held a pre-bid conference with interested bidders this afternoon. Consultants David Evans and Associates designed the project.

Bids will be open on July 30.

This stretch needs this work. This last term, when I’d drop off my girlfriend at the Communications Building, I was amazed at how many students file along the narrow sidewalks there and walk out in front of traffic. It can get really congested. WWU has installed temporary speed bumps there in the meantime.

What do you think about this project? Are there other areas on or near campus that need traffic calming?

IMAGE FROM GOOGLE MAPS

Residents in the Columbia neighborhood are concerned about the safety of school children crossing the street to get to Columbia Elementary, 2508 Utter St. They want a marked crossing at Jefferson and Walnut streets.

The following is an excerpt from the Columbia Neighborhood Association electronic newsletter, which was sent out a few minutes ago. There was a lot, so the following are just some snippets of comments from folks:

TRAFFIC SAFETY AT COLUMBIA SCHOOL
This is to follow up on repeated requests for a school crossing at the intersection of Jefferson and Walnut, adjacent to Columbia Elementary. Parents have been expressing concern about the safety of this intersection for years, and have made numerous requests for a crosswalk. As you all probably know, Columbia is a pedestrian school, with no buses, so there are many children and parents walking to and from school each morning and afternoon. In addition, the school grounds after hours are frequently used by school age children and the community for recreation and team practices.

Jefferson and Walnut is a popular crossing for students to and from school, especially since students enter and leave school via the playshed on the Walnut Street side of Columbia. There is no parking available for teachers or parents at Columbia, and therefore the street is used for necessary parking. Parked cars contribute to the challenge of visibility between child pedestrians and drivers.

An accident occurred on 6/12 involving a student and a vehicle at this intersection (see police case #08B22015)- luckily, the accident did not result in serious injury but could have. I’d like to believe that this is the type of community that is committed enough to community safety that we are not waiting for a more serious accident to occur before we take action.

I would like to see a crosswalk painted on the street AND signage highlighting this crosswalk area for drivers. In addition, parking should be prohibited on either side of the cross walk in order to permit better visibility. Please reply with your intended action plan and any support needed from the community. It would be a great success to see something installed before school begins again in the fall.

Thank you!
Michelle Smith
Park St

This is from Edie Norton, who is the president of the neighborhood association:

Thank you Linda, and also Michelle, for raising this serious concern. I fully support this request and ask that it be fulfilled as soon as possible. Certainly this kind of situation should not have to wait for the annual traffic safety requests from the neighborhoods.

If there is anything the Columbia Neighborhood Association board and members can do to support this project, please let me know. I believe our neighborhood will be in full agreement that the safety of our children is paramount.

I will appreciate being kept in the loop and also hearing what action is taken and when.

Thank you.
Edie Norton
CNA Board President

What do you think about putting a marked crossing there?

Lummi Nation is working on a project to make the walk to school safer for school children.

I saw a legal ad the other day from the Lummi Nation asking for bids for a project to build sidewalks along Lummi View Road from the K-12 school just north of the Stommish Grounds up to MacKenzie Road.

The project “will keep school age pedestrians and other safe from vehicular traffic,” according to the ad. The bids are due to the Lummi Indian Planning Department by 2 p.m. on Friday.

I’ve got a call out to Henry Cagey, chairman of the Lummi Indian Business Council, to see if I can get his thoughts on the project.

I got a question from a reader about the bike and vehicles laws regarding a crosswalk near the Barkley Haggen.

Here’s the question:

I have a question concerning bicyclist’s rights-of-way. Specifically, the city maintained Railroad trail where it crosses Woburn, near Barkley Haggen. The trail has crosswalk painted at the crossing, as well as stop signs posted at both sides to trail traffic. This intersection poses a couple of questions in my mind. Is a bicyclist required to stop and obey the posted stop sign, wait for an appropriate gap in traffic, and then cross? Or is motor traffic required to stop for a waiting bicyclist? Does it matter if the cyclist is mounted or dismounted?

The bicyclist is required to stop and wait until traffic stops before crossing, said David Richards, traffic sergeant at the Bellingham Police Department.

The STOP signs are there for the purpose of making the bicyclist STOP, look both ways and clear traffic for a safe crossing. Certain cyclists try to take the best of both worlds and end up frustrating many drivers, some who also happen to be bicycle riders. Even the pedestrian has to approach the crossing safely, look both ways and show INTENT to use the crossing before the motorist is required to stop for them. The key here is the stop sign regulates the pedestrian, runner and bike rider for their own safety. The STOP sign ended up being placed here to stop runners and riders from “blowing out” into the roadway in front of cars which normally take more distance to stop.

I suggest that they dismount and walk their bikes across for the safest crossing, otherwise they may STOP, make sure the roadway is clear and then ride across. By doing this they show clear intent that they are a pedestrian waiting to cross the roadway and thus a driver must stop. We should not forget that a person walking is approaching at a slower speed which gives the driver who, if doing the 25 MPH speed limit here is moving at 37 feet per second, time to react to seeing the pedestrian. In collision investigation we use 1.5 seconds as the average human reaction time (time of perception to time of motor muscle action being put into play). At 25 MPH this equals 57 feet in distance traveled. The bike rider approaches the crossing much faster than a pedestrian which decreases the time both rider and driver have to see each other and react.

The bike rider here who fails to yield to the vehicle would face a $103 ticket as well as injury and possibly responsibility for damages caused in a collision.

Western Washington University students living south of campus take note: The city will install a traffic signal or roundabout at the intersection of Bill McDonald Parkway and 25th Street.

City staffs are again proposing to do this project, after WWU agreed to kick in $400,000 for the $525,000 project, said Chris Comeau, transportation planner at Bellingham Public Works. It was previously removed from the city’s Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program list, an annually updated list of projects the city wants to do, because WWU didn’t commit funds to it, he said.

The city now has full funding for the project and expects to do it in 2009.

According to the TIP:

“High pedestrian volumes crossing Bill McDonald between Happy Valley and WWU coupled with limited sight distance due to road configuration are justification for improvements in this location. Further traffic analysis will determine if a signal or round-a-bout will be utilized. Pedestrian safety and transit access will be improved as part of the project.”

Whatcom Transportation Authority is kicking in $25,000 and the city $100,000 in taxes on the sales of real estate.

I drive that intersection often and can see how it needs some work, especially turning left onto the parkway. With the blind curve there to the east, I can see how it’s dangerous for pedestrians.

What are your thoughts on this project?

Click here to see the city’s proposed TIP (it’s project No. 7). The City Council will consider approving it on June 9.

I traded e-mails with Bellingham Project Engineer Derek Holzl the other day about the city’s project to install enhanced crosswalks along a busy stretch of James Street.

The City Council approved an $87,000 bid from Colacurcio Brothers to build two crosswalks, at Kentucky and Carolina streets. The work will also include “bulbed out” sidewalks near the intersections. The work should begin anytime.

Here’s what Holzl said about the project:

“The engineering challenge for this project was how to increase pedestrian safety for those already crossing James Street in this very busy traffic area. The most cost effective answer was to install “bulb-outs", cross-walks and overhead flashing warning sign (similar to those we installed on Old Fairhaven Parkway a few years back). The cost-effectiveness represents the dual safety purposes that this combination provides. The bulb-outs, (shortened) crosswalks and flashing warning lights will significantly increase the “see and be seen” factor for crossing pedestrians, particularly at night. Both locations are located strategically to tie into the existing trail and sidewalk system.

Construction of the project should be completed over the next three weeks. It won’t present a huge disruption to traffic, but flaggers will close off individual lanes, he said.

Click here to see a previous post I did on the crossings.

IMAGE FROM GOOGLE MAPS

Improving the intersection of Hannegan Road and East Pole Road could cost $4 million, a jump up from the original $2.4 million cost estimate, according to Whatcom County Public Works.

Whatcom County hopes to start work in the fall installing a signal, widening the road, adding turn lanes and sidewalks and lighting. According to a county newsletter sent out last week, the county has acquired enough right-of-way to let the project proceed. The right-of-way alone for the project is estimated to cost $1.4 million, wrote Jim Karcher, engineering manager at Public Works.

Buying land for the project has taking a while because the project involves buying developed or developing commercial property with access concerns, and the project involves lane addition and some restrictions to neighboring properties, Karcher wrote.

The project’s estimated costs have increased since the early 2005 estimate of $2.4 million, and the county is proposing to divert $3 million of county Economic Development Investment money to help pay for the project.

Whatcom County estimates the signal could be turned on in late spring or early summer 2009.

Bellingham Transportation Planner Chris Comeau announced this morning that the city will put an enhanced pedestrian crossing on Lakeway Drive on the city’s six-year transportation improvement to-do list (called the Transportation Improvement Program).

Click here to see a previous post on this topic. Commenters mostly said they supported installing a crosswalk along Lakeway between Interstate 5 and the Holly/Ellis intersection. Along this stretch, about 16,000 vehicles a day cut York neighborhood into two.

Here’s what Comeau had to say:

I would like to share some good news with all of you. The enhanced pedestrian crossing on Lakeway between Franklin and Grant will be placed on the 2009-2014 TIP.

Public Works will be able to use some unanticipated federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) funding from the Planning and Community Development Department’s Neighborhood Initiative Program to fund enhanced pedestrian crossings on both North Samish Way between Otis - Mason and Lakeway Drive between Franklin - Humboldt in relation to the Parks Department planned improvements to Franklin Park.

Using the CDBG/NIP funds for the North Samish Way pedestrian crossing will allow Public Works to shift $50,000 in 2010 Street Funds to the enhanced crossing at Alabama between Ellis and Iron (which will cost more) to supplement the $50,000 in 2011 Street Funds already programmed for this project.

If you have questions, please call me.

Chris Comeau, AICP
Transportation Planner
Bellingham Public Works
(360)778-7900
ccomeau@cob.org

IMAGE FROM GOOGLE EARTH

Should the city consider installing an enhanced, light-up crosswalk so people can get across Lakeway Drive in the York neighborhood easier?

City Council member Jack Weiss last week told Public Works officials he thought that was a problem spot, even though city staff isn’t proposing to put an enhanced crosswalk there.

The stretch in question is along Lakeway between Interstate 5 and the Ellis/Holly intersection, a stretch that cuts the York neighborhood in half with a four lane, busy arterial that sees about 16,000 vehicles a day.

City staff didn’t specifically include that project in the city’s proposed 2009-2014 Transportation Improvement Program list.

Staff didn’t think it was a higher priority than other projects because there are crossings at either end of the 3.5-block stretch, and putting an enhanced crosswalk (similar to the one farther down Lakeway, near Orleans Street) could inhibit traffic flow in the area, Public Works Development Manager Brent Baldwin said.

“That is one of our highest used arterial corridors in the city right now,” he said.

At the same time, “We don’t currently have any information that shows there’s a high need for a crossing at that location,” he said.

Weiss responded, “Anecdotally, I avoid people all the time that are trying to cross over in that particular area.”

“To me, it’s a safety issues and it’s just a time bomb right now. To me, it’s a priority.”

The proposed TIP is only a recommendation, and the City Council, which gets the final decision on the annually updated document, will hold a hearing Monday night on the update. The regular meeting starts at 7 p.m. I’m not sure when staff will schedule the committee discussion. Last week, they put the TIP on the agenda for the Public Works/Public Safety committee, but Weiss said it might be more appropriate for the council’s new transportation committee.

I’ll be posting more on the TIP. Click here to see this year’s proposed update.

In the meantime, what do you think about an enhanced pedestrian crossing along this stretch of Lakeway?

The city of Bellingham next month plans to start construction on a project to repave Northshore Drive and install sidewalks and space for bikes.

The last time that stretch of Northshore between Alabama Street and Britton Road was paved was when I was 1 years old, in 1983, according to the city.

City Project Engineer Freeman Anthony delivered to the City Council a presentation on the estimated $1.5 million project this afternoon. Basically, the project involves installing sidewalks in the missing gaps on the north side of the road, installing detailed stormwater treatment facilities (the city plans to use pervious surface on parts of the project), bike facilities and improvements to lighting.

Public Works got inspiration from a project last year by the city of Olympia, using pervi-ous bike lanes and sidewalks on RW Johnson Boulevard, near a sensitive stream leading to Black Lake.

The city plans to spend $175,000 in money from the state Transportation Improvement Board, with $1.025 million coming from the street fund and $300,000 from stormwater funds.

Public Works this month expects to put the project, which will finish this fall, out to bid. Public Works Engineering Manager Ravyn Whitewolf said the project won’t result in any major, complete street closures. According to 2007 traffic count figures, that stretch sees about 8,000 vehicles a day.

City Council member Stan Snapp praised the city’s decision to expand the project from a simple repaving project.

“Kudos for expanding this project,” he told staff. “I’m just really tickled to see pervious survace going in in the watershed.”

Snapp, who lives off of Academy Road, said he’d like to see the city repave Northshore between Britton and city limits.

CORRECTION AT 6 P.M. APRIL 23: The stretch of Haxton between Slater and Kwina has actually seen three deaths in the last seven years, not two, as previouly reported. I made the mistake because I was looking at DOT statistics that didn’t include the death earlier this year. With some more research, I also found that since late 1999, a total of five people have been killed along the entire length of Haxton.

I’m working on a story for Thursday about a county-Lummi project to build a 10-foot-wide paved trail near Haxton Way from Slater to Kwina roads. That stretch of road has seen three deaths in the last seven years, according to state Department of Transportation data.

The problem is the road is narrow, which makes it a problem for pedestrians and bicyclists using that main north-south road. In January, 48-year-old Bellingham resident Michael Hohm died after a car swerved onto the shoulder and hit him while he was riding his bicycle.

Lummi Nation is taking the lead on managing construction of the nearly two-mile pathway, but it’ll use funds from Whatcom County, the state Department of Transportation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The entire project will cost more than $2 million.

County Road Engineer Joe Rutan said tribal members should have an easier time than Whatcom County in purchasing the necessary right-of-way for the project.

I just saw that the Lummi planning department advertised the project design for bids. The bids closed on Tuesday, but I haven’t yet talked with the planning director about the results of the bid.

Rutan said he’s hoping that the project will be complete in fall 2009.

I’m curious to hear from you all about that road. Have you ever tried walking or bicycling on it, or have you ever driven it with walkers or bikers on the side of the road?