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Renton Avenue S Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project

Project is now complete

Nov. 22, 2022 – Take a peek at the finished sidewalk heading north down Renton Ave S. Crews will stripe the bike lane in December 2022.

Status update

January 31, 2023

Crews installed the handrail on the west side of the sidewalk on Renton Ave S at the end of January. The project is now complete.

There will be intermittent lane restrictions through February 10 so crews can finish the permanent lane striping. Thank you for your patience.

See the latest construction photos.

Project overview

King County Road Services improved safety for pedestrians and bicycles on Renton Avenue S between 68th Avenue S and S 112th Street. This project added a new section of sidewalk along the west side of the road, and re-striped the corridor to separate pedestrian and bicycle traffic from moving vehicles. Re-striping the corridor made room for a wider bicycle lane on the west side of the road and a new shared eight-foot-wide pedestrian/bicycle pathway on the east side. The road continues to have one lane in each direction and a center turn lane.

Additional safety improvements include:

  • New sidewalk for safer walking routes to school
    New sidewalk installed (west side of Renton Avenue S) and shared-use path (east side of Renton Avenue S) to and from Lakeridge and Campbell Hill elementary schools. 

     

  • Improved street lighting
    Upgrades to the existing street lights make pedestrians and vehicle traffic more visible at night.

     

  • Better visibility of on-coming traffic
    Intersection improvements at the corner of Renton Avenue S and S 116th Place.

     

  • Improved accessibility for pedestrians and transit riders
    Curb cuts were installed at each intersection. We also replaced the existing Metro Transit Route 106 bus stop (located on southbound Renton Avenue S across from S 116th Place) with a new, ADA-compliant bus stop accessible to all people.

     

  • Better routes for bicycles and pedestrians
    The re-striped roadway includes a dedicated 5-foot bicycle lane on the west side and a shared 8-foot pedestrian/bicycle facility on the east side of Renton Avenue S.

     

  • Less water pooling on roadway
    New drains, gutters and curbs help prevent water from pooling on the bike lane and shared-use pathway.

     

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24/7 Road Helpline

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Project map

The project took place in the unincorporated community of Skyway, Washington. It was the third phase of a three-phase project to improve pedestrian safety on Renton Avenue S.

Maps shows the improvements on Renton Avenue S from the beginning of the project area at 68th Avenue S to the end at S 112th Street. Larger view  PDF 134KB

Location map

Map of project location

Map shows the location of the project area on Renton Avenue S between 68th Avenue S and S 112th Street. Larger view PDF 166KB

 

Timeline

Construction starts: Early September 2022

Construction ends: January 2023

Funding

The total project cost is $2.8 million. Funding sources include a WSDOT Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Improvement grant ($2 million) and general funds from King County ($800,000).

Existing Metro bus stop

King County upgraded the existing Metro Transit bus stop shown above with a new, ADA-compliant version. The upgrades make the stop universally accessible to all people.

Construction photos

Finished sidewalk.

Nov. 22, 2022 – Take a peek at the finished sidewalk heading north down Renton Avenue S. Crews will stripe the bike lane in December 2023.

 

Cleaning and clearing driveway.

Nov. 14, 2022 – Multiple crew members clean and clear the driveway near S 116th Place and Renton Avenue S before it is paved.

 

Cleaning and clearing driveway.

Nov. 10, 2022 – The finished bike lane, sidewalk, and gutter stretch down the west side of Renton Avenue S.

 

Finished curb.

Oct. 17, 2022 – The finished curb continues north down Renton Ave S. The bike lane and sidewalk come next.

 

Sidewalk panel pour.

Oct. 24, 2022 – Contractor crews pour the first of many concrete sidewalk panels.

 

Massive hose cleaning debris.

Oct. 19, 2022 – It takes a massive hose to suck up any construction debris to clean the freshly poured gutter and curb. This makes sure the new drainage system is ready for wet weather.

 

Sneak peek of new construction

Oct. 14, 2022 – Here is a sneak peek of the new bike lane, sidewalk, and gutter under construction.

 

Supportive wall.

Oct. 5, 2022 – Crew members build a supportive wall for the sidewalk which will go down Renton Avenue S.

 

Westside shoulder prep work.

Sept. 29, 2022 – Crews prepare the westside shoulder of Renton Ave. S for a new curb, gutter, and sidewalk.

 

New sidewall and shoulder.

Sept. 23, 2022 – The new sidewall and shoulder is compacted before the new sidewalk is installed.

 

Crosswalk before improvements.

March 31, 2022 – The crosswalk at Renton Ave. S and S 116th Pl. before improvements.

Frequently asked questions

No. Once complete, Renton Avenue S will return to one lane in both directions and one center lane down the middle. The speed limit may be temporarily lowered while crews are working, but it will return to 30 mph after construction.
The existing shoulder on the east side of Renton Avenue S will be re-striped as a pedestrians and bicycle shared-use path.
  • The three travel lanes along this part of Renton Avenue S will be re-striped, but not repaved.
  • The bicycle lane on the west side of Renton Avenue S will be repaved.
  • The existing shoulder on the east side of Renton Avenue S will be restriped to make room for a new 8-foot-wide pedestrian and bicycle shared-use path, but this area will not be repaved.
The bike lane will be 5-feet wide. The pedestrian and bicycle shared-use path will be 8-feet wide.
The project length is one-quarter (.25) mile.

King County will:

  • Re-stripe S 116th Place to make the road more perpendicular to Renton Avenue. This will improve the sightline, making it much easier for drivers to see oncoming traffic before turning onto Renton Avenue S.
  • Relocate crosswalk across Renton Avenue S. This will make it safer to reach the bus stop on the opposite side of the busy street.
We will remove and rebuild the existing bus stop to current accessibility standards. The new bus stop will be wider and have a new handrail and curb ramp.
This project is the last phase in a three-phase-series to add sidewalks and improve pedestrian safety on Renton Avenue S in Skyway.
Phase one - 2012
Location: Renton Avenue S between 76th and 75th avenues south
Improvements: Slowed down speeding traffic by reducing the number of travel lanes and adding a center turn lane. Added a sidewalk along the east side (northbound) of Renton Avenue S. Installed a crosswalk equipped with bright flashing lights to help make pedestrians more visible to vehicles.

Phase two - 2016
Location: Renton Avenue S between 74th and 68th avenues south
Improvements: Slowed down speeding traffic by reducing the number of travel lanes and adding a center turn lane. Added a sidewalk and dedicated bike lane along the east side (northbound) of Renton Avenue S. Installed the “Welcome to Skyway” sign at the corner of 76th Avenue S and Renton Avenue S.
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