information from King County

A portion of 16th Avenue SW in White Center will close Thursday, Aug. 14, so crews can paint lane striping over fresh pavement that they installed as part of a pedestrian safety and traffic calming project.

King County Department of Local Services’ Road Services Division says the overnight work is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m., in two locations:

• 16th Avenue SW between SW 100th and 107th Streets. The roads that cross 16th Avenue SW in this section will be open. Drivers on this north/south section of 16th Avenue SW can expect delays of 10-20 minutes. Those on the east/west cross streets along this section should also plan for short delays. 
• SW White Center Cutoff between SW 100th Street and 17th Avenue SW.  

The striping work will mark a milestone for White Center, which has seen road construction in its main business district since last month as Road Services performed a much-needed road refresh. The striping is expected to mark the last day of night work this summer for the 16th Avenue SW Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Calming Project. King County anticipates crews working for King County Road Services Division will return this fall for the project’s final phase.

Performing this work overnight is necessary to keep crews safe, protect the fresh paint, and allow crews to complete the work in one night instead of spreading it out over several evenings. The overnight striping work could be rescheduled to Aug. 15 based on weather and the availability of equipment and crews.

During the closure, businesses are expected to be open during their regular hours, and the sidewalks along 16th Avenue SW will be open. Customers will be able to access most of these businesses via 15th Avenue SW or 17th Avenue SW. King County encourages all customers to park nearby.

“I want to sincerely thank the White Center community – especially the downtown businesses for their patience during the recent roadwork,” said Road Services Director Tricia Davis. “Even short-term overnight construction can have an impact, and we truly appreciate our neighbors’ willingness to work with us so we could complete this much-needed paving and striping.”

Crews working for Road Services Division will return in the fall to install the remaining pedestrian safety improvements that are part of the overall project.  These final upgrades will help make 16th Avenue SW even safer for everyone who drives, bikes, rolls or walks.