Construction workers today began widening a key stretch of Northeast Eighth Street to relieve congestion downtown and accommodate new development by one of the city's busiest roadways.

The project will add a third westbound lane on Eighth, between 106th and 108th avenues. The new pavement will become a right-turn lane onto northbound 106th.

Work is expected to be completed by July 1. During construction, the two westbound lanes will be shifted to the south and one eastbound lane of Northeast Eighth Street will be closed. Drivers should expect periodic delays during construction. The sidewalk north of Eighth Street also will be closed during construction; a new six-foot wide sidewalk eventually will replace it.

Transportation officials expect the project, budgeted at $4 million, will remove a downtown chokepoint for westbound drivers on Northeast Eighth Street, improving traffic flow toward Bellevue Way.

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