The city of Kirkland’s ribbon-cutting celebration on Park Lane Friday featuring local electric violinist Geoffrey Castle and a speech by Mayor Amy Walen marks the near completion of the renovation project intended to improve walkability in downtown.

The Park Lane project is designed as a curb-less plaza-style street, similar to a woonerf or living street design common in Europe, with a red and beige brick paver surface.

For many Park Lane businesses, the end of construction will be a welcome change as summer and better weather approaches. Originally scheduled to be finished at the end of April, work is anticipated to go on until June 12, according to Neighborhood Services Coordinator Christian Knight.

“There’s been several hiccups,” he said. “And that’s part of the construction process.”

One of causes was the 70-year-old water-main, which they found in a much more dilapidated condition than previously thought, requiring more time to replace.

Businesses the Reporter spoke to were mixed on how the construction ultimately impacted their bottom line. Cactus co-owner Marc Chatalas said the delays have hurt business at the restuarant more than they anticipated, while other stores that rely on takeout or delivery have seen less negative effect.

“Loyal customers are hard to get rid of,” Absolutely Fabulous Consignment Assistant Manager Marlette Wollenbek said.

Meanwhile, the City Council voted at their June 2 meeting Tuesday to make temporary changes to existing municipal code after it was discovered that a previously unenforced city code requiring six feet of walking space on the sidewalks would have severely impacted outdoor patio dining, which is essential for restaurants like Cactus. Chatalas, one of the more proactive Park Lane business owners in engaging with the city since the project was first announced, said at the end of April he inquired how much outside space he would be allowed. The walking space requirement, along with trees, benches and lampposts taking up additional space on the sidewalk, left him with only 36 inches.

The council vote reduced the walking space around outdoor cafes to five feet; the ordinance also gives retailers a maximum of three feet of space along their building to display products for sale, as long as six feet of walking space is maintained.

“Park Lane is designed to be a living street,” Knight said. “It’s a shared street, so pedestrians and motorists and drivers, they share all the space. If for some reason the pedestrian encounters an obstacle in the walking path they can sort of walk out around the obstacle on the edge of the road, and that’s all part of the function of the street.”

For businesses like Cactus that have a liquor license, the council vote also means they will be able to use surface demarcations on the sidewalk for their patio dining, rather than barricades. The State Liquor Control Board first created the barricade rule but later revised it in April to allow demarcations instead.

The ordinance will expire in June 2016, at which time the city plans to adopt permanent regulations.

Chatalas said the ordinance revision, along with allowing demarcations instead of having to use barriers, means more space than before for outdoor dining.

“I think it’s going to be better,” he said. “I think there’s a happy ending for everybody.”