It's the beginning of a busy summer season, starting with tonight's Art Walk (the first Friday of every month) and KAPOW on State Street. And beginning Saturday at noon and running through Monday afternoon, there will be a “Peace Out / Camp Out” on the lawn at City Hall. And, in addition to these traffic impacts and driver distractions, there are some road closures pending. As always, it is important to focus on pedestrians and cyclists as well as traffic conditions. Unless otherwise noted, businesses near street construction ARE open.
James Street – at Woodstock Way
Coming soon: as of Monday, June 19, Woodstock Way will be closed for work on the intersection of Woodstock and James Street. There will be travel delays as drivers are redirected around Sunset Square Center from Woodstock throughout this project, which is being done to improve traffic safety as well as pedestrian and bicycle route connectivity. James Street will remain open to traffic until it can be routed to the new Woodstock way. For more information, visit the City's web page for the Woodstock Intersection Improvements project or contact Craig Mueller, P.E., project engineer, camueller@cob.org or (360) 778-7922.
NOTE re: Holly Street – downtown projects. For two days – Monday and Tuesday, June 5-6 – the two Holly Street projects will both have increased work activity. Both projects will be in a street-grinding phase, which is noisy, utilizes street-blocking equipment and impacts traffic flow.
Holly Street – from Railroad Avenue to Bay Street
Work to upgrade sidewalks and repave Holly Street between Railroad and Bay is approaching its grand finale. Traffic flagging and pedestrian route detours continue, as grinding and paving begin this week (weather-depending.) Paving is scheduled for overnight on June 8, followed by landscaping. Note: parking on Holly Street may be closed occasionally beginning in June. Parking should be available on cross streets and in the Commercial Street Parking Garage. For more information, contact Freeman Anthony, P.E., project engineer, at fanthony@cob.org or (360) 778-7924.
West Holly Street – from Central Avenue to Broadway
Paving prep work begins this week. Drivers should expect increased traffic disruption, noise and equipment during pavement-grinding operations. The grinding work begins at 5:30 a.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 5-6. Businesses remain open, though drivers may experience flagging, temporary lane revisions and on-street parking restrictions, as crews continue work on a watermain utility replacement project. Coming up the week of June 12: early morning paving work to restore the road surface on West Holly Street between Central Avenue and Broadway. The intersection at F Street and West Holly St will also encounter traffic delays, as crews replace signal detection sensors. For more information, visit the City's web page for the 2016 Watermain Replacement Program or contact Stephen Day, P.E., project engineer, at smday@cob.org or (360) 778-7944.
Silver Beach Ave and Arbor Court
Construction on the City's new water pretreatment plant inside Whatcom Falls Park will be limited to a four-day week, 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) may have projects scheduled in or near Bellingham. To find out, visit the Washington State Department of Transportation. For updates on Whatcom County Public Works traffic projects near Bellingham, visit http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/308/Public-Works.
Your Public Works staff 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.
