In addition to folks travelling for Thanksgiving amid some dark and rainy days, there are ongoing street construction projects that could impact traffic. (There's also a PSE project along Ohio Street which will involve some night work over the next few weeks.) Now that it's dark earlier, it is increasingly important to watch for pedestrians who may be in dark clothing, as well as cyclists and other cars. Please travel with care!
Cornwall Avenue at Laurel Street
Work is now underway on the waterfront: the Granary Avenue and Laurel Street project will include new public and franchise utilities, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, parking, landscaping and street lighting, as well as street access to the waterfront. Drivers should expect construction equipment and delivery vehicles coming and going from the former GP waterfront area at Chestnut as well as the Cornwall and Laurel intersection. For more information, contact Freeman Anthony, P.E., project engineer, at fanthony@cob.org or (360) 778-7924.
N. State Street, N. Forest Street, Orleans Street, Woburn Street
Work to improve roadway striping and add bike lanes on several streets around town is nearing completion, but is weather-dependent. The only markings left to install are on Orleans, Lakeway and Woburn. Drivers may experience short delays due to necessary lane closures, restricted parking, and at times, roads reduced to a single lane. It is imperative that drivers stay in the directed lane: do not drive over wet paint. Scheduling of work is weather dependent. For more information, contact Larry Scholten, P.E., project engineer, at ljscholten@cob.org or (360) 778-7923.
West Maplewood Avenue – Northwest Ave to Alderwood Ave
Construction is underway on this multimodal improvement project, which will improve sidewalks, street surfacing, bike lanes, drainage, access and illumination. Travelers and residents should expect flagging, temporary lane revisions, on-street parking restrictions, and intermittent delays for construction work. For more information, visit the City's web page for the West Maplewood Multimodal Improvements, or contact Stephen Day, P.E., project engineer, at smday@cob.org or (360) 778-7944.
James Street at Woodstock Way
Woodstock Way is open to traffic and the south leg of James Street is closed from the Woodstock intersection south. Work continues on Woodstock, with one-lane flagging at times. The closure will allow the James Street half of the intersection to be worked on while minimizing detour length. Traffic is routed to Orleans Street via Woodstock Way. The project is being done to improve safety as well as pedestrian and bicycle route connectivity. For more, visit the City's web page, Woodstock Intersection Improvements, or contact Craig Mueller, P.E., project engineer, camueller@cob.org or (360) 778-7922.
Silver Beach Ave and Arbor Court
Construction on the City's new water pretreatment plant inside Whatcom Falls Park is underway 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday, with occasional Friday work. Park visitors may experience traffic associated with that work with periodic flagging and limited trail access. Construction may be impacted by inclement weather. Parking at Arbor Court and adjacent access to the waterline trail is closed through 2018. For more information, visit the City's web page at DAF Water Treatment Plant or contact Freeman Anthony, P.E., project engineer, at fanthony@cob.org or (360) 778-7924.
WSDOT and Whatcom County
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) often have projects scheduled in or near Bellingham. To find out, visit https://wsdot.wa.gov/projects. For updates on Whatcom County Public Works traffic projects near Bellingham, visit http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/308/Public-Works.
Your Public Works team provides this “road report” as a public service, based on currently available information. When traveling through a construction area – whether walking, cycling or driving – please be patient, proceed with caution and obey flaggers at all times. Planned road closures and restrictions are necessary to allow for a variety of work including resurfacing, sidewalk construction, water and sewer main work, and utility cuts. Dates, times and work locations may change, depending on inclement weather or last-minute changes in work schedules. For questions, contact AskPW@cob.org.
