Bellevue will begin widening 120th Avenue Northeast to five lanes as part of an effort to accommodate expected growth downtown and in Bel-Red and Wilburton.

During the project, one lane of traffic will be closed in each direction from Northeast Fourth Street to just south of Northeast Eighth Street. The city advises drivers to take alternate routes to avoid delays.  Construction hours will generally be between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday (occasional early start times and night work may be required). Businesses along that stretch of 120th Avenue will be open during construction.

When the project is complete in 2014, 120th Avenue will grow to five lanes – two lanes in each direction with center-turn pockets in that four-block stretch. The project will also include a traffic signal at Northeast Sixth Street. Bike lanes and sidewalks will be included on both sides of 120th, along with landscaping and urban design treatments, street lighting, storm drainage and detention, retaining walls, and utility improvements.

The project will  accommodate a future intersection that will be created when  Northeast Fourth Street is extended. That work is anticipated to be complete in 2015.

This is the first stage of a project that will widen 120th Avenue all the way from Northeast Fourth Street to Northup Way.  Future stages of the 120th project will include  realigning the street through the Northeast Eighth Street intersection up to Northeast 12th Street (Stage 2), and continued widening between Northeast 12th Street and Northup Way (Stages 3 and 4).

The additional lanes along 120th Avenue and the extension of Northeast Fourth and Sixth Streets are all part of a plan to address continuing growth downtown and support planned growth in the Bel-Red and Wilburton areas.