As you’ve probably noticed, two major projects are under way that will make it safer and easier for pedestrians and bicyclists to get around Lynnwood.

44th Avenue West
At 44th Avenue West near I-5, crews are building a pedestrian overpass that will span 44th Avenue West and the southbound I-5 on-ramp. They’ll also complete Lynnwood’s portion of the Interurban trail with a new section connecting the overpass to the existing trail. WSDOT says the project will give trail users safer and easier access to the Lynnwood Transit Center on the west side of 44th Avenue West. Right now, people must take a circuitous walk along busy city streets to go between the transit center and the Interurban Trail.

Crews have been busy building the concrete columns that will support the new pedestrian bridge. Next week they’ll set four girders to form the base of the new bridge. 44th Avenue West and the southbound I-5 on-ramp will be closed at night during this work.

Elsewhere, retaining walls and dirt are coming together for the foundation of the new connecting trail, which will eventually be paved. With good weather on their side, WSDOT says they’ll be done with the entire project this summer.

196th Street SW
Less than a mile to the north, pedestrians face a similar situation at the I-5/196th Street SW interchange. Walkers and bicyclists traveling between east and west Lynnwood must use a narrow sidewalk on 196th Street SW. To reach the Interurban Trail and Alderwood Mall Boulevard, they must cross 196th Street SW and wind their way through heavy traffic on city streets.

At this interchange, crews have been working since August to build a new elevated walkway and pedestrian bridge over the southbound I-5 off-ramp and add a wider sidewalk on the north side of 196th Street SW. They finished the foundation for the pedestrian bridge in March and are currently pouring concrete curbing that will provide a base for handrail.

This month they’ll focus their attention on adding a wider, barrier-separated sidewalk on the north side of the 196th Street SW bridge. They’ll close lanes on I-5 while they drill into the existing sidewalk to install concrete slabs. The slabs will overhang I-5 and support a new nine-and-a-half-foot sidewalk. If the weather cooperates, crews expect to open the new walkway and bridge to traffic in June.

The 196th Street SW project is funded by federal stimulus dollars.

– Thanks to Meghan Pembroke from WSDOT Communications for this information.

44th Ave. W. project photos

[flickr]https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157623461658221/[/flickr]

196th St. SW project photos

[flickr]https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157622927706308/[/flickr]