Olympic Drive Non-Motorized Improvements

HOW TO STAY INFORMED:
Project notifications will be sent through the city's Notify Me listserv. Please encourage your neighbors and fellow commuters to sign up for project notifications via  "Notify Me" to receive project updates. Select "Olympic Drive NM Improvements” from the list.  

DESCRIPTION:
Olympic Drive is one of the busiest roads on Bainbridge Island — it's how most people travel to and from the ferry. The City of Bainbridge Island designed a project along Olympic Drive, from Harborview Drive to Winslow Way, to improve safety for all users — people who walk, bike and drive. Wider sidewalks, new bike lanes and other non-motorized improvements will ensure continued safety and accessibility to and from the ferry. The City secured $2 million in grant funding from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

PROJECT BENEFITS:

• Safety:
  • Separated bicycle, pedestrian and driving lanes improve safety for all modes of transportation.
  • Sidewalk widening improves safety for pedestrians, including those with wheelchairs and strollers.
  • Bike lanes and bike boxes improve safety for bicycles.
    • What is a bike box?  A bike box is a designated area of pavement that improves safety for people biking by making them more visible to approaching drivers. For more information, see the National Association of City Transportation Officials website. Watch a demonstration video of how to use a bike box here.  The video is courtesy of the City of Edmonton, AB.
      
• Utility upgrades: The project upgrades and undergrounds utilities, leading to fewer power outages.
• Stewardship:  Staff worked with certified arborists and the BI Parks Foundation to create a plan that carefully considers the trees and reduces impacts to the natural environment. The project was redesigned to preserve three large Douglas fir trees and two alder red trees. Fewer than 14 significant trees will be removed. By prioritizing the preservation of significant trees and adding greenspace along the new bicycle and pedestrian path, the city is preserving greenspace for present and future generations.

SCHEDULE:
Construction began mid-April 2019 and is anticipated to be completed in November 2019.