Although commencement of construction on the Bike Skills Area (BSA) at Deane’s Children’s Park may be about three months away, the city is getting a jump-start in the safety improvement realm.

Recently, the city’s transporation engineer designed painted bump-outs where the trails reach 84th Avenue Southeast and the right-of-way team installed the pavement markings and a new painted crosswalk in the area. Since this is one of the sections where bicyclists exit Island Crest Park, the city aims to improve visibility of the trailhead and prompt drivers to begin calming their speeds now and prepare them for what’s forthcoming when the BSA opens. According to the city, the BSA is slated to open in the fall.

Other ways to increase visibility and apprise cyclists that a roadway lies ahead is through significant pruning along 84th and signage near the trailhead, according to Alaine Sommargren, the city’s Public Works deputy director.

“We’re kind of chasing down all the possibilities of how to improve the safety around this area,” said Sommargren, adding that additional key signage will focus on trail etiquette since pedestrians and cyclists share the paths within the park.

After the city council unanimously approved 30% design of the BSA at its March 7 meeting and gave a stamp of authorization to move forward with the project, the city has since applied for a host of construction permits. The chief documents are a SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) checklist, critical areas review 2 and a stormwater permit. Sommargren said the city hopes the permits will be issued by late summer and it will update residents on the process on Let’s Talk.

On the budget front, city council appropriated $75,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund in July 2022 to begin the 30% design. The project has an estimated total budget of $302,500.

American Ramp Company’s design features table-top jumps, wooden and dirt berm turns, beginner and intermediate jump lines, a zig-zag short, rollable sender, 45-degree roller corner and more. Along with designing the BSA, Sommargren said the company will vault into the building process when it receives the go-ahead.

Another key component of bringing the BSA to life will be calling upon the riders to lend a hand wherever possible.

“It’s really about us figuring out what are the best ways to get cyclists involved, invested and really buying into the stewardship of the site,” said Sommargren, adding that city staff are planning volunteer revegetation events to prep the site for construction this summer.

For more information, visit https://letstalk.mercergov.org/bike-skills-area-design

The city of Mercer Island’s right-of-way team recently installed safety improvements on 84th Avenue Southeast. Photo courtesy of the city of Mercer Island