August Start Promised for Town Center Traffic Signal Project

City traffic engineers will begin work on installation of two traffic signals in the Town Center later this month, according to a press release.

The signals will be installed at along SE 27th Street — one of Mercer Island's busiest thoroughfares — at the intersections of 77th and 78th avenues near , and . The stoplights are part of a series of capital improvement projects scheduled for construction this summer. The focus of the improvements will be on increasing pedestrian safety and improving traffic flow at these intersections that are currently 4-way stops. City Hall estimates the cost of the work is $1,180,000.

Totem Electric Co. will begin work in early August and will finish by October. The signals will include sensors that identify when vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians are waiting at the intersection to provide efficient signal operation for all users. The project also includes pedestrian signals and marked crosswalks at the two intersections to improve street crossings for pedestrians.

Some intermittent sidewalk and lane closures near the intersections are expected. For more information, contact Patrick Yamashita, City Engineer at 206-275-7722 or patrick.yamashita@mercergov.org.