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This project has concluded.
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a rolling 6-year plan updated annually with a focus on maintaining the existing transportation network and improving it in a thoughtful, safe manner working within financial constraints. The TIP covers City roadway, pedestrian, bicycle and other transportation projects. Review the 2023-2028 TIP here.
Note: The City has an existing long-term plan that identifies various future upgrades in pedestrian and bicycle facilities,many of which are adopted into the TIP.
Each year, public comment and staff input are gathered to inform new proposed additions to the TIP; then the City Council makes the final decision on each project's priority. Projects would be implemented between 2024-2029.
You can learn more about the TIP on this page and then post your comment or add a note to the interactive map (comments received by April 21 will be included in the materials for the May 2 public hearing). Some public comments may fall outside the scope of the TIP - please check the list below to see who else you might need to contact:
For general public works service requests (e.g. potholes, missing signs) please use our online tool.
For traffic enforcement issues (e.g. speeding, parking) please contact the MIPD.
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a rolling 6-year plan updated annually with a focus on maintaining the existing transportation network and improving it in a thoughtful, safe manner working within financial constraints. The TIP covers City roadway, pedestrian, bicycle and other transportation projects. Review the 2023-2028 TIP here.
Note: The City has an existing long-term plan that identifies various future upgrades in pedestrian and bicycle facilities,many of which are adopted into the TIP.
Each year, public comment and staff input are gathered to inform new proposed additions to the TIP; then the City Council makes the final decision on each project's priority. Projects would be implemented between 2024-2029.
You can learn more about the TIP on this page and then post your comment or add a note to the interactive map (comments received by April 21 will be included in the materials for the May 2 public hearing). Some public comments may fall outside the scope of the TIP - please check the list below to see who else you might need to contact:
For general public works service requests (e.g. potholes, missing signs) please use our online tool.
For traffic enforcement issues (e.g. speeding, parking) please contact the MIPD.
We encourage you to use the mapping tool ("Map Your Input") to attach your comment/suggestion to a certain location.
But if you have a general comment, you may also post it below; all comments will be considered as part of the public record and are reviewed by staff. You will be asked to sign in, or register (30-seconds), so that we can contact you if needed. Be a good neighbor and keep your comments civil - please refer to our moderation policy for more details.
Remember to include location information, such as an intersection or street address of the nearest house/building. Comments received by April 21 will be included in the materials for the May 2 public hearing. [ If you have a specific question about the TIP process, please contact the Public Works Department at PublicWorks@mercergov.org ]
This project has concluded.
Dear Esteemed Members of the City Council,
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Karl Archer, and I am the Director of Communications, Marketing, and PR at the French American School of Puget Sound, located at 3795 East Mercer Way, Mercer Island. I am reaching out to you with a pressing concern regarding pedestrian safety in our school zone.
Our school community is greatly appreciative of the city's efforts in maintaining safe roads and crosswalks. However, I wish to bring to your attention a particular crosswalk at the intersection of East Mercer Way and Frontage Road that urgently requires your intervention.
As the current situation stands, this crosswalk, heavily used by our teachers, staff, and students, lacks adequate safety measures. It is equipped only with a standard crosswalk sign, devoid of any lights or flashing signals. This absence becomes particularly perilous during the winter months when visibility is significantly reduced. The fast-approaching traffic, especially near the freeway onramp, poses a considerable risk to our community members, many of whom have reported alarming near-miss incidents. Rebecca O'Sullivan, Mercer Island Transporation Engineer, has evaluated the crosswalk, and based on her data and existing conditions, gave this project a medium priority level.
To enhance the safety of our school community and all pedestrians using this crosswalk, I propose the installation of an upgraded crosswalk system. Specifically, a system that includes a button-activated mechanism to trigger flashing lights on signs on both sides of the road. This upgrade will significantly improve visibility and alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians. We understand that connectivity to a power source might be a concern; however, solar-powered alternatives, similar to those in Bellevue, could be a viable solution.
The safety of our staff, students, and the broader community is a top priority, and we believe this upgrade is a crucial step towards safeguarding their well-being.
We deeply value the council's commitment to public safety and are grateful for your consideration of this request. Your prompt decision on this matter will be highly appreciated, and I am at your disposal for any further information or assistance required.
Thank you for your dedication to the safety and welfare of our city.
Warm regards,
Karl Archer Director of Communications, Marketing, and PR French American School of Puget Sound
Karl Archer
4 months ago
Removing bike lanes in city makes cycling more dangerous. [SP146] 77th Avenue SE Channelization (SE 32nd to North Mercer Way). This project will modify existing channelization to provide on-street parking from SE 32nd to SE 27th Streets in the Town Center and provide sharrows in the northbound and southbound travel lanes to connect to the I-90 Mountains to Sound trail in accordance with Town Center street standards described in MICC 19.11.120. This project is a placeholder and may be modified in the future based on the results of the Town Center Parking Study currently underway.
Apart from the erroneous view that these parking spaces will have a measurable impact on downtown shopping, the concept that sharrows are a safe alternative for separated bike lanes is a fallacy. Traffic research in Denver and Vancouver BC show that sharrows have no or a negative benefit on safety. Replacing bike lanes with sharrows is simply making cycling more dangerous. These bike lanes represent 50% of the bike lanes on the entirety of Mercer Island.
"A recent study by the University of British Columbia has noted that in fact, sharrows are more dangerous for cyclists than they are helpful; having sharrows is worse than having no cycling infrastructure at all. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that drivers are more likely to be more aggressive to cyclists around sharrows. However, this is greatly reduced when there are segregated bike lanes independent of the roadway."
SE 27th Street Realignment Study --> I don't understand the problem this is trying to solve. IMHO, this is the nicest and most walkable section of downtown. Our priority should be how we create *more* walkable, village-like sections of the town center like this, with businesses fronting onto a sidewalk that people use, rather than huge parking lots.
The curve + crosswalks are great, because they give pedestrians priority over cars. If anything is a problem, it's the Starbucks drive-through, with people pulling out nearly blind with their coffee in one hand. Several times (on a bike going < 20 mph), I've been cut-off by people trying to make a left out of Starbucks, and stopping half-way while still blocking the northbound lane. The solution is to only allow right turns out of the Starbucks drive-through.
Erik
about 1 year ago
-Please consider full funding for 86th Avenue SE Sidewalk Improvements (SE 42nd Street to Island Crest Way). This is critically needed to provide a required walking facility where none exists.
-I strongly oppose [SP146] 77th Avenue SE Channelization (SE 32nd to North Mercer Way). A sharrow is not the same as a bike lane, it is simply some paint applied to a normal traffic lane and provides zero protection for bicyclists on an essential North-South route. Dropping this project is particularly germane given the results of the recent parking study.
-I strongly support continued development of SP142 in the Island Crest corridor. This corridor will become even more important over time and I agree with the NIM recommendations here.
It's disappointing to see [SP146] 77th Avenue SE Channelization. This project will remove a critical bicycle route from the Town Center. We cannot simply replace this with sharrows; sharrows are a failed notion that leads to cyclist-vehicle conflict. The many children living in the Town Center would be endangered by directing them from a bike lane into the street.
We can come up with a design that allows for both on-street parking AND bicycle lanes. Perhaps by removing the center lane, the street could be configured to widen the sidewalk and add raised-level bike lanes along with parking on one or both sides of the street. Brooklyn Ave NE near the U-District Light Rail Station is an approximate example of this configuration.
kian
about 1 year ago
I am looking forward to [SPXXX] SE 27th Street Realignment Study. This section of roadway can be unpleasant to use outside of a car, despite being in the most walkable part of Mercer Island. During this study, please consider narrowing the roadway width to encourage slow speeds; consider adding a fully protected bicycle lane as a safe connection between the I-90 trail and the rest of the island; and consider adding frequent crosswalks to discourage mid-block crossing.
kian
about 1 year ago
Process
Gathering Input - Community Engagement
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2023 has finished this stage
Analysis and Distillation of Comments
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2023 has finished this stage
City Council Review of Draft TIP
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2023 has finished this stage
Final Adoption by City Council
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2023 is currently at this stage
Dear Esteemed Members of the City Council,
I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Karl Archer, and I am the Director of Communications, Marketing, and PR at the French American School of Puget Sound, located at 3795 East Mercer Way, Mercer Island. I am reaching out to you with a pressing concern regarding pedestrian safety in our school zone.
Our school community is greatly appreciative of the city's efforts in maintaining safe roads and crosswalks. However, I wish to bring to your attention a particular crosswalk at the intersection of East Mercer Way and Frontage Road that urgently requires your intervention.
As the current situation stands, this crosswalk, heavily used by our teachers, staff, and students, lacks adequate safety measures. It is equipped only with a standard crosswalk sign, devoid of any lights or flashing signals. This absence becomes particularly perilous during the winter months when visibility is significantly reduced. The fast-approaching traffic, especially near the freeway onramp, poses a considerable risk to our community members, many of whom have reported alarming near-miss incidents. Rebecca O'Sullivan, Mercer Island Transporation Engineer, has evaluated the crosswalk, and based on her data and existing conditions, gave this project a medium priority level.
To enhance the safety of our school community and all pedestrians using this crosswalk, I propose the installation of an upgraded crosswalk system. Specifically, a system that includes a button-activated mechanism to trigger flashing lights on signs on both sides of the road. This upgrade will significantly improve visibility and alert drivers to the presence of pedestrians. We understand that connectivity to a power source might be a concern; however, solar-powered alternatives, similar to those in Bellevue, could be a viable solution.
The safety of our staff, students, and the broader community is a top priority, and we believe this upgrade is a crucial step towards safeguarding their well-being.
We deeply value the council's commitment to public safety and are grateful for your consideration of this request. Your prompt decision on this matter will be highly appreciated, and I am at your disposal for any further information or assistance required.
Thank you for your dedication to the safety and welfare of our city.
Warm regards,
Karl Archer
Director of Communications, Marketing, and PR
French American School of Puget Sound
Removing bike lanes in city makes cycling more dangerous.
[SP146] 77th Avenue SE Channelization (SE 32nd to North Mercer Way). This project will
modify existing channelization to provide on-street parking from SE 32nd to SE 27th Streets in
the Town Center and provide sharrows in the northbound and southbound travel lanes to
connect to the I-90 Mountains to Sound trail in accordance with Town Center street
standards described in MICC 19.11.120. This project is a placeholder and may be modified
in the future based on the results of the Town Center Parking Study currently underway.
Apart from the erroneous view that these parking spaces will have a measurable impact on downtown shopping, the concept that sharrows are a safe alternative for separated bike lanes is a fallacy. Traffic research in Denver and Vancouver BC show that sharrows have no or a negative benefit on safety. Replacing bike lanes with sharrows is simply making cycling more dangerous. These bike lanes represent 50% of the bike lanes on the entirety of Mercer Island.
"A recent study by the University of British Columbia has noted that in fact, sharrows are more dangerous for cyclists than they are helpful; having sharrows is worse than having no cycling infrastructure at all. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that drivers are more likely to be more aggressive to cyclists around sharrows. However, this is greatly reduced when there are segregated bike lanes independent of the roadway."
https://cyclingincities.spph.ubc.ca/injuries/the-bice-study/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-05/study-sharrows-might-be-more-dangerous-to-cyclists-than-having-no-bike-infrastructure
SE 27th Street Realignment Study --> I don't understand the problem this is trying to solve. IMHO, this is the nicest and most walkable section of downtown. Our priority should be how we create *more* walkable, village-like sections of the town center like this, with businesses fronting onto a sidewalk that people use, rather than huge parking lots.
The curve + crosswalks are great, because they give pedestrians priority over cars. If anything is a problem, it's the Starbucks drive-through, with people pulling out nearly blind with their coffee in one hand. Several times (on a bike going < 20 mph), I've been cut-off by people trying to make a left out of Starbucks, and stopping half-way while still blocking the northbound lane. The solution is to only allow right turns out of the Starbucks drive-through.
-Please consider full funding for 86th Avenue SE Sidewalk Improvements (SE 42nd Street to Island Crest Way). This is critically needed to provide a required walking facility where none exists.
-I strongly oppose [SP146] 77th Avenue SE Channelization (SE 32nd to North Mercer Way). A sharrow is not the same as a bike lane, it is simply some paint applied to a normal traffic lane and provides zero protection for bicyclists on an essential North-South route. Dropping this project is particularly germane given the results of the recent parking study.
-I strongly support continued development of SP142 in the Island Crest corridor. This corridor will become even more important over time and I agree with the NIM recommendations here.
https://nextdoor.com/p/fh2tWmb9PLfm?view=detail
Here is my post on ND on the TIP.
It's disappointing to see [SP146] 77th Avenue SE Channelization. This project will remove a critical bicycle route from the Town Center. We cannot simply replace this with sharrows; sharrows are a failed notion that leads to cyclist-vehicle conflict. The many children living in the Town Center would be endangered by directing them from a bike lane into the street.
We can come up with a design that allows for both on-street parking AND bicycle lanes. Perhaps by removing the center lane, the street could be configured to widen the sidewalk and add raised-level bike lanes along with parking on one or both sides of the street. Brooklyn Ave NE near the U-District Light Rail Station is an approximate example of this configuration.
I am looking forward to [SPXXX] SE 27th Street Realignment Study. This section of roadway can be unpleasant to use outside of a car, despite being in the most walkable part of Mercer Island. During this study, please consider narrowing the roadway width to encourage slow speeds; consider adding a fully protected bicycle lane as a safe connection between the I-90 trail and the rest of the island; and consider adding frequent crosswalks to discourage mid-block crossing.