By: Julie Moon
This spring, Northeast 85th Street in Kirkland is getting a fresh look!
Drivers will start using the new oblong roundabout at the new lower street level. This work is part of the I-405/Northeast 85th Street and Inline BRT Station Project.
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| New Northeast 85th Street configuration this spring. |
The roundabout will be on level one, which is the lowest level of the new three-level interchange. Right now, local traffic on Northeast 85th Street is using level two. This setup was temporary while crews dug down to build level one. Once it opens, level one will become the new permanent street for Northeast 85th Street.
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| Design visualization of the new three-level interchange on I-405 in Kirkland. |
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| Level one is Northeast 85th Street, the lowest level of the new interchange. |
114th Avenue Northeast roundabout
The intersection of Northeast 85th Street and 114th Avenue Northeast will also be changed into a roundabout. Traffic signals will be removed, and drivers will use the new roundabout pattern. Barrels and signs will guide traffic through the area.
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| The 114th Avenue Northeast intersection will be turned into a roundabout in May. |
People will still have access while crews finish building the roundabout at 114th Avenue Northeast. Crews are expected to finish the roundabout in June.
Roundabout besties with Northeast 132nd Street
If you've used the roundabouts at Northeast 132nd Street, this one will feel similar. It works the same way and helps traffic keep moving with fewer stops and delays.
The driving rules are the same as all our roundabouts:
- Slow down to the posted limit as you approach.
- Drive counterclockwise.
- Yield to vehicles already in the roundabout on your left.
Closures in March and May
Coming up in March, crews will close the northbound I-405 off-ramp to Northeast 85th Street (Exit 18) for paving and ramp realignment. In May, Northeast 85th Street will close for one weekend between 120th Avenue Northeast and 114th Avenue Northeast for a traffic shift. The closure will last from 11 p.m. Friday to May 8 to 4 a.m. Monday, May 11.
All ramps to and from I-405 at Northeast 85th Street will also close. Signed detours will be in place to get around Northeast 85th Street. When the road reopens Monday morning, drivers will use two new roundabouts: the new oblong roundabout and the 114th roundabout to the left of the interchange.
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| Aerial view of the work zone taken in January. |
Plan ahead!
These closures are needed to keep workers and drivers safe. Please plan for:
- Extra travel time. Use alternate routes and travel during non-peak hours if you can.
- Signed detours and flaggers to guide drivers around construction.
- Slower speeds and careful driving through work zones.
Looking ahead
After the roundabout opens, work will continue on level one. Crews will build walls, install utilities, and get the road ready for new ramps to level two. On level two, crews will place large bridge beams for the new Stride bus rapid transit station and the Sound Transit 2 Line platform. This middle level will serve multimodal users – bus riders, light rail riders, carpoolers, toll lane users, cyclists, and people walking and rolling.
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| Design visualization of the multimodal platform on level two, still under construction. |
Check out the WSDOT real-time travel map for up-to-date information. If you have any questions or would like to sign up for project updates, please email I405SR167Program@wsdot.wa.gov. Stay informed by subscribing to WSDOT updates for King County.
12 comments:
I foresee this as being a disastrous rat’s nest. Here, roundabouts cause congestion and slower traffic because nobody knows how to navigate them. I avoid the 132nd ones if at all possible. I’ve seen people let go of the wheel and panic mid-roundabout.
I agree with Mollie. I thought the roundabouts were a temporary annoyance while they were building a better roadway. Apparently not. This is intentional! It is gridlock throughout the day as it is with reduced lanes. It will become a demolition derby when they add more lanes. I am afraid to think about what will happen when the multimodal hub opens up and pedestrian traffic gums things up even more.
This is a great change! I can understand the confusion on Monday, especially with the temporary paint and bollards, but as of Friday traffic is already moving faster as people get used to it. Thanks for doing this!
Thanks to WSDOT for this well-designed improvement. Even in heavy traffic, I am able to traverse this roundabout twice per day with almost no delay. At its worst, it's far better than traffic signals. Here in America, drivers don't seem to know how to use roundabouts very well. Poor driving skills should not be held against great infrastructure improvements.
As I enter a roundabout, I turn on my 4-way flashers and repeatedly honk my horn. I reverted to hand-signals the one time I was caught in a continuous circle. I can't imagine navigating at night in the rain !
Drivers are unsure who has the right of way and poor sight distance.
You should not be licensed to drive if you can't navigate a roundabout.
Indeed, WA is populated with very, very poor drivers. This is all covered in the driver licensing manual, which is a quick read.
Once in the roundabout, large vehicles have a hard time navigating the tight curves. Just this morning a truck was next to me and had to come into my lane which would have forced me off the road if I didn't slow down (and that caused me to almost be rear-ended). So my choices were to risk being run off the road or risk getting rear-ended.
In the long run, the roundabouts will be better. People just need to take a little initiative and learn how to use them if they don't already know and it requires paying attention while you drive. It's not that hard. Although another commenter does have a good point about larger trucks maybe struggling with the tighter parts.
Here's an interesting Freakonomics episode on roundabouts: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/should-traffic-lights-be-abolished-ep-454/
SP, thank you for your feedback. The current configuration of the 114th Avenue Northeast roundabout is temporary and part of an active work zone. In its present condition, the roundabout and adjacent roadway will operate at reduced capacity and have movement restrictions until the final configuration is complete. Over the summer, the configuration of the 114th Ave. NE roundabout will continue to change as work advances toward the final design. Please use caution when traveling through the area and follow all posted traffic control signs.
SC, the City of Kirkland recently published a "how to" video guide along with WSDOT’s roundabout resources video. The interchange and roundabout at 114th Avenue Northeast are very much still under construction, and the current traffic configuration is temporary to provide the contractor room to complete the roundabout’s build-out. Due to both the adjacent City of Kirkland work and the temporary roundabout configuration, capacity on Northeast 85th Street is currently reduced, and certain movements through the roundabout are restricted. These restrictions will continue to change as construction phases progress over the summer, though the full operational benefits will not be realized until the project is completed later this year.
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