Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mercer Island staff present refined safety plan for Island Crest Way and Southeast 60 Eighth Street intersection
Summary
City engineers presented a refined design to improve pedestrian access and safety at the Island Crest Way / Southeast 60 Eighth Street intersection adjacent to Pioneer Park, keeping the existing four‑way stop while adding curb, ADA ramps and refuge islands; no construction funding is yet scheduled.
City of Mercer Island engineers presented a refined safety and accessibility concept for the Island Crest Way and Southeast 60 Eighth Street intersection at the Open Space Conservancy Trust meeting on April 29.
The project is in early design. City Engineer Patrick Yamashita and Transportation Engineer Rebecca Corleano said the refined concept retains the existing four‑way stop and southbound right‑turn slip lane, shortens crosswalk distances, adds curb and gutter at corners, provides ADA ramps and a curved refuge island to create safer waiting areas for pedestrians, and removes roadway encroachment into the park where possible. Corleano said the existing intersection “has approximately 57 square feet of roadway pavement within the Open Space Zone outside of right of way” and noted that permitted uses in the Open Space Zone do not include roadway pavement.
Why it matters: the intersection is a primary pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian access point to Pioneer Park. Staff said worn pavement markings and limited sight lines, especially at night, make pedestrian crossings harder to see. The refined concept is intended to improve sight lines and provide separated pedestrian space without introducing new roadway pavement into the Open Space Zone outside right of way.
Project details and constraints: the city considered a single‑lane roundabout in earlier feasibility work but did not advance that option because it would have required a larger footprint, tree removal and additional right‑of‑way or easements. The refined concept was recommended by the feasibility study because it meets safety needs with a smaller footprint. Corleano noted that with the refined layout “no roadway pavement would extend outside of right of way. Only permitted uses, such as trails and passive recreation, would be within the open space zone.”
Timing and funding: staff said design is currently a planning effort through 2026 and construction is not scheduled or funded in the Transportation Improvement Program. Corleano said the city recently obtained funding that supports acceleration of a separate shared‑use path segment (phase 1) to 2027; for this intersection she said the city may pursue grant funding for construction in the future but no construction year is committed.
Public questions and trust feedback: trustees raised questions about parking impacts, the location of a nearby bus stop, and whether the design accommodates large delivery trucks and horse crossings. Corleano and Yamashita said those operational details remain to be resolved in later design phases (60–90 percent) and that staff will coordinate with Metro Transit on any bus‑stop changes. Trustee Hildebrandt urged staff to check roadway widths and curb geometry for cyclist safety, noting raised square‑faced curbs can constrain cyclists. Trustee Burset asked staff to notify the Conservancy Trust before any construction that would require temporary park access changes; staff agreed to coordinate detour and safety plans with the trust.
Next steps: staff said they will proceed with the refined concept through design, continue to update the Open Space Conservancy Trust, and pursue funding opportunities for construction.
