Current construction along the crucial city connector corridor Island Crest Way is aimed at improving pedestrian, biker and driver safety and transit access, preserving the urban forest, providing connections to existing trail systems and more.

City contractors recently began roadway excavation at three Island Crest Way project intersections: Southeast 63rd Street, Southeast 62nd Street and the Island Park Elementary School driveway. Workers will install new rectangular rapid-flashing beacons and pedestrian signals to increase crossing safety. A forthcoming task will be the construction of new concrete sidewalk landings.

Crews are working from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, and residents should expect single-lane closures during work hours and traffic delays. Work is scheduled to be mostly complete by the end of August ahead of school starting.

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* Over at West Mercer Elementary School this summer, the school district’s facilities and capital projects teams have been installing new boilers and new carpet in the library. These updates were made possible through the Replacement Capital Projects and Technology Levy, which voters approved in February 2022.