Based on the findings of the Safe Streets Corridor study, the city will modify NE 8th Street between 156th Ave NE and 164th Ave NE to apply complete streets principles and enhance the safety and comfort of all roadway users.
Background
This roadway segment was identified on the city’s High Injury Network and is within close proximity to the frequent transit network and does not meet the target for bike level of service, making it a good candidate for evaluation as part of the city’s Road Safety Assessments (RSAs). During the RSA, staff and community raised concerns including a lack of bicycle facilities, long distances between signalized crosswalks and high vehicle speeds which ultimately informed the preliminary study design.
Findings from the Safe Streets Corridor Study
The corridor study included a review of community input recorded during the RSA, an evaluation of how the existing road measures against performance targets outlined in Bellevue’s Mobility Implementation Plan (MIP) and review of traffic and safety data. Below are key findings from the study.
- The pedestrian crossing distance for multiple segments on NE 8th Street exceeds the desired arterial crossing spacing of 600 ft as defined in the MIP, suggesting midblock crossings as a potential countermeasure.
- Bicycle facilities on NE 8th Street located at approximately 160th Ave NE to 164th Ave NE do not meet Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) performance targets in the MIP suggesting protected and/or buffered bike lanes as potential solutions. Additionally, there is a missing gap between 156th Ave NE and 160th Ave NE which is identified in the MIP bicycle network.
- Some of the alternatives considered included repurposing a travel lane so a traffic analysis was conducted. The recommended solution includes one eastbound lane from 156th Ave NE to 160th Ave NE, at which point it already reduces to one lane. The traffic analysis included 2035 volumes to account for future growth. The recommended improvements met vehicle performance targets for average corridor travel speed and intersection capacity as defined in the MIP.
- The study also reviewed transit facilities and driveway access along the corridor but further engagement with business and King County Metro will be required during the design process to determine potential changes.
Recommended Improvements
- Crosswalks:
- Addition of a new midblock pedestrian crossing with a rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) system near 160th Ave NE to reduce spacing between marked crossings for pedestrians.
- Bicycle Lanes:
- Addition of buffered bicycle facilities from 156thAve NE to 160th Ave NE in the eastbound direction by repurposing one general-purpose travel lane.
- Widen bike shoulders from 160th Ave NE to 164th Ave to full-width bike lanes to reduce discomfort riders feel when they cycle close to traffic and improve multimodal mobility for this roadway.
- Extend the westbound bike lane to 158th Ave NE.
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Timeline
- Initiate design work
- Spring 2025
- Awarded grant funding
- November 2024
- Applied for grant funding
- February 2024
- Safe Street Corridor Study completed
- Fall 2023
- Road Safety Assessment completed
- March 2021
Background Materials
- Road Safety Assessment
- Safe Streets Corridor study documents