The start of classes in the Bellevue School District, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Sept. 2, will boost traffic volumes near some schools. It also coincides with several construction projects expected to impact city streets.

The city urges motorists to be careful near schools and work zones. The road work includes:

Downtown pipeline project: Puget Sound Energy continues work on a new natural gas pipeline. Crews are trenching their way south on 110th Avenue Northeast and begin crossing the busy downtown intersection at Northeast Eighth Street today. Work will continue through Friday, Sept. 5, except for Sunday and Monday. No through traffic will be allowed from the north (Northeast 10th Street) or from the south (Northeast Sixth Street), but local access to businesses and residences will be allowed.

A second PSE crew working on the same pipeline project has begun construction on a different section, on 112th Avenue Northeast, between Northeast Second Street and Main Street. Lane closures will be required on 112th and delays are expected, but traffic will continue to flow in both directions.

148th Avenue Southeast: Crews have begun work to replace two traffic signals on 148th Avenue Southeast, at Southeast 16th Street and at Southeast 22nd Street. Lane closures will be required and could slow traffic. The new traffic lights are expected to increase safety at the two intersections.

In recent years, there have been several accidents where vehicles struck the signal poles, which are located on an island in the middle of the street. The signals were last upgraded in 1975 and are now considered obsolete. The new signals, on poles at the corners of the intersections, will include features such as an audible signal and a countdown sign for pedestrians. Work on the $380,000 project will be completed in December.

Bellevue Way: Crews will grind and mill the pavement on Bellevue Way, between Southeast Eighth Street and 112th Avenue Southeast, completing work at the same location where repairs were made in early August. The grinding work is scheduled to take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2, through Friday, Sept. 5. Workers will repave the road on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6 and 7. Lane closures will be needed and motorists are encouraged to take alternate routes to avoid delays.

The effort is part of Bellevue’s 2008 Overlay Program, an annual project to repave city streets most in need of repair. This year, Lakeside Industries, the Bellevue Transportation Department’s contractor for the work, will repave 22.6 miles of roadway citywide.