With East Link light rail construction on Bellevue Way and 112th Avenue Southeast, the city is implementing a three-month pilot program intended to discourage commuters from using neighborhood streets to access Bellevue Way on weekday evenings.

Starting Tuesday, Sept. 5, every weekday evening from 4-7 p.m., there will be turn restrictions placed at the intersection of Southeast 16th Street and 108th Avenue Southeast and at the intersection of Southeast 16th Street and Bellevue Way. A map showing the locations of the pilot project can be found on www.bellevuewa.gov/ELtraffic.

At 108th Avenue Southeast, a no-through restriction will prohibit through travel (southbound) on Southeast 16th Street. If motorists travel this stretch when the restrictions are active, they will have to turn right (west) onto 16th. The turn restriction on Southeast 16th Street at Bellevue Way will prohibit travel (westbound) on Southeast 16th Street and left turns (southbound) to Bellevue Way.

The restrictions do not apply to people bicycling or to transit vehicles, including public and school buses.

Commuters sometimes use neighborhood streets to bypass congestion on neighboring arterial streets. The pilot is intended to keep commuter traffic on the arterial street network. The city will collect traffic data at key locations during the pilot.

The pilot program is the result of work done by city staff and the Neighborhood Traffic Mitigation Committee. The committee was formed in spring 2016 to recommend mitigation that would discourage commuter traffic in neighborhoods during East Link construction on Bellevue Way and 112th Avenue Southeast. Committee members represent Bellecrest, Enatai and Surrey Downs neighborhoods and Beaux Arts Village.

For more about the committee and to submit feedback about the pilot program, go to www.bellevuewa.gov/ELtraffic.