Central Way between Lake Street and 4th Street has five new curb extensions to help keep a safe distance between pedestrians and drivers.

The Police and Public Works Departments are teaming up to inform walkers and motorists of the benefits of the extensions – also known as bump-outs -and safety laws associated with them. From late-November to mid-December, plain clothes police officers will pose as pedestrians and join others crossing Central Way and Lake Street. Bump-outs improve the safety of pedestrians and drivers by increasing sight distance between them.

With bump-outs, pedestrians spend less time in the street, traveling shorter distances in the crosswalk. Drivers are more likely to see pedestrians standing on an extended curb. Additionally, bump-outs tend to reduce travel speeds by making the road appear more narrow.

The curb extensions were paid in part through a pedestrian and bicycle safety grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation. For more information on pedestrian safety programs, contact Public Works at 425-587-3800 or publicworks@kirklandwa.gov.