West Seattle traffic alert: SW Alaska rechannelization work

There’s been so much road work around West Seattle the past few months that you might not have even paid this much heed, but SW Alaska through The Triangle and Junction has extra work going on today – it’s the final phase of the work to rechannelize SW Alaska, linked to the RapidRide bus line starting in September. We already mentioned the parking removal that started taking effect earlier this month; now they’re working on the lane changes – our photo shows the crew that was installing overhead signage for the lane changes. Here are the toplines, from an SDOT news release published here in April:

· Install an eastbound business access and transit Lane (BAT) between 42nd Avenue SW and 40th Avenue SW

· Install a westbound BAT lane between Fauntleroy Way and 42nd Avenue SW

· Remove parking on the north side of SW Alaska Street between California Avenue SW and 42nd Avenue SW and north side of SW Alaska Street between 41st Avenue SW and Fauntleroy; remove parking on south side of SW Alaska Street between 42nd and Fauntleroy

· Install a westbound left turn pocket at California Avenue and SW Alaska Street

· Install an eastbound left turn pocket at 42nd Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street

· Install a westbound bicycle lane between Fauntleroy Way and approximately 30 feet west of 41st Avenue SW

This has all been in the works for more than a year; SDOT announced its decision last September.

3:32 PM UPDATE: WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli photographed some of the road-surface work that’s also going on:

We asked SDOT why there wasn’t a traffic-alert notice about today’s work, since they usually send alerts about something this significant. From spokesperson Peg Nielsen:

Work on the transit priority corridor in West Seattle is ongoing. Some work has been difficult to schedule in advance due to variable weather conditions. We expect the work will take another week or two before rechannelization changes are implemented, and are working on an update to send out tomorrow, including signage and pavement marking.

SDOT did send out an overall advisory when RapidRide work started weeks ago, but this round seems to be affecting traffic more than some of the other components, such as bus shelter and curb bulb installation.

WSratsinacage June 27, 2012 (2:12 pm)

I’m for anything that reduces accidents and increases traffic flow .. Hopefully this rechannelization project accomplishes both. Something is long over due for this intersection.

boy June 27, 2012 (4:31 pm)

With all the new apartment buildings going in and some with out parking this is a good time to talk about a new park and ride for WS. In the picture with the police man directing traffic I see a perfect spot. Do you see it? Right it is the big hole in the ground. You have under ground parking with a couple above street level and then an urban park on the roof. This be a perfect idea for a private developer. Our if the city does it it could be made into a transit hub.

eigenwijs June 27, 2012 (11:00 pm)

It’s a little subtle, but apparently “Install a westbound BAT lane between Fauntleroy Way and 42nd Avenue SW” really means “get rid of the option to make a right turn from the middle lane from Fauntleroy to Alaska”. You now can turn left only from the 2 left lanes, and right only from the right lane at that light. It was a little surprising this evening. The middle light had been changed to only have a left arrow but I didn’t see any signage telling me I could no longer go right from the middle lane as I have always done.