A new extension of a major Bellevue arterial street opens this afternoon, Thursday, Oct. 15, providing easy access to downtown from a shopping complex.

The NE 4th Street extension will run from 116th Avenue NE to 120th Avenue NE, dividing what was previously a parking lot between Home Depot and Best Buy.Construction on the five-lane road began in April and officially opened to traffic 1 p.m. Thursday.

Two lanes in each direction and a turn lane are part of the extension, as well as bike lanes and sidewalks on each side.Additionally, where the extension meets 120th Avenue will now be a signaled intersection.

The extension crosses a BNSF rail line, one which could be converted to trail or transit in the future, the city said.

The quarter-mile extension is one phase of the Wilburton Connections effort, designed to improve mobility between downtown, the Bel-Red corridor and the Overlake area.

Other phases of that project include a NE 6th Street extension, a NE 5th Street neighborhood traffic plan and a widening of 120th Avenue NE.