On Monday, the city of Kirkland began two capital improvement projects along Market Street meant to cost-effectively renovate more than 3,000 linear feet of city stormwater infrastructure, enhance safety for bicyclists and streamline transit access by providing a priority southbound bus lane.

Market Street stormwater project

This project renovates 3,050 linear feet of concrete stormwater pipe beginning at the intersection of Market Street and Central Way and extending north to 12th Avenue. The contractor will close Market Street one section at a time, beginning as early as 5 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The project closes the northbound lane only; there are no impacts to southbound traffic.

Northbound vehicles will detour onto First Street during the closures, reentering Market at 13th Street.

King County Metro will reroute the 234 and 255 bus routes to Third Street during weekday construction hours. Market Street access will resume as normal — for buses and vehicles — on weekends.

This project renovates stormwater pipes that have become degraded with age and root-intrusion, using a trench-less method of pipe refurbishment known as cured-in-place pipe. To accommodate this method, which eliminates the need to dig up the entire line, the project includes a period in mid-May when the contractor will work double shifts from 7 p.m. to 3 p.m. the following day for five consecutive nights/days. This is so crews can monitor the curing process.

In addition to the renovated stormwater pipe, the project installs catch basins at Fourth and Sixth avenues. It is anticipated that the work will be complete by June. More information can be found online at tinyurl.com/y6a9okvd

Lakefront bicycle and pedestrian improvements project

The Lakefront bicycle and pedestrian improvements project will realign and update the pavement markings on 98th Avenue Northeast (north of Market Street) between Forbes Creek Drive and Northeast 116th Street, creating a dedicated southbound lane for buses and bicycles. To create this lane, called a “queue jump,” the project permanently eliminates 250 feet of street parking alongside southbound Market Street, directly south of the entrance to the Juanita Bay Park parking lot.

The queue jump lane may be used at the intersection by vehicles turning right into the Juanita Bay Park parking lot.

Additionally, the project creates a “two-stage turn queue bike box” at Market Street and Forbes Creek Drive, to make it easier for southbound bikers turning left from Market Street onto Forbes Creek Drive. Two-stage turn queue bike boxes improve bicyclists ability to safely and comfortably make left turns by providing a formal queue space for bicyclists making a two-stage left turn and reducing turning conflicts between bicyclists and motor vehicles. Crews will perform the work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. More information on this project is available at: tinyurl.com/y2dlwh6m.