Evergreen Reporter

VANCOUVER – Thanks to input from the community, the Washington State Department of Transportation has picked the design for the new SR 500 pedestrian/bicycle crossing at NE 54th Avenue/NE Stapleton Road. WSDOT heard from people who walk, bike and roll in the area that their highest priorities for the new bridge were safety, future maintenance, cost, bicycle maneuverability, right‐of‐way, constructability and corridor continuity.

WSDOT incorporated those priorities into the final bridge design, which will restore access across the highway for non-motorized travelers. The new structure will accommodate two-way pedestrian and bike traffic by incorporating straight ramps with a gradual incline and wide turning radii so people on bikes, wheelchairs or other mobility devices can easily climb the grade and make the turns.

The bridge design also includes a landing midway along each ramp on both sides to provide a resting spot so users of all ages and abilities can take a break while using the bridge to cross the highway. To ensure continuity along the highway, the new bridge will be built of concrete like the nearby pedestrian overcrossing at Northeast Falk Road/Northeast 42nd Avenue.

Once complete, the physical separation between pedestrians, bicyclists and high-speed vehicles on SR 500 will create a much safer and more comfortable environment for the roadway’s most vulnerable users. As soon as mid-2023, and following the competitive bidding process, construction is scheduled to begin. The new structure is scheduled to being in late 2023.

For safety, due to a high number of crashes at or near the intersections of SR 500 and Northeast Falk Road/Northeast 42nd Avenue and 54th Avenue/Northeast Stapleton Road, WSDOT removed the traffic lights at this location in 2018 and made a commitment to return to restore the north/south connection across the highway for those most affected by the safety improvements - pedestrians and bicyclists of all ages and abilities who experience longer out-of-direction travel.

Original source can be found here.