Traffic will be impacted around the 12th St. and Commercial Ave. intersection as the city starts street re-construction between 11th and 13th Streets today.
Commercial Ave. will be open during construction but will have reduced driving lanes from 11th through 13th Street.
Because of the work, the city will be rerouting some traffic around that intersection, considered the city’s major intersection.
Access to downtown businesses and the state ferry terminal are shown on the map below. Use alternate routes when possible and follow all traffic signage.
The project is the first part of the city’s Commercial Ave. Complete Street project, which aims to make the corridor safer for walking and biking as well as strengthen economic development between 11th and 34th streets.
The City of Anacortes worked with design consultant firm Alta Planning + Design Inc. on the Commercial Avenue Complete Street project, which will implement multi-modal improvements from 11th Street to 13th Street.
This project will also provide a connection from the downtown central business district to the rest of the South Commercial Avenue Corridor as well as 12th Street. The project will advance a "complete street" that will safely accommodate vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.
The design includes wide sidewalks and protected bike lanes on both sides of the roadway with a planted buffer along the parking lane. Reduced lane width and planted medians will further improve safety by managing vehicle speeds and shortening pedestrian crossing distances.
Commercial Ave. south of 12th St. has minimal bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. Along the corridor there were ten pedestrian and bicycle collisions during a three-year period. There is also public sentiment to improve the aesthetics and economic vitality of the area.
The Commercial Avenue Complete Street Project Phase 1 is estimated at $2,500,000.
Funding received from:
- $1,300,000 WSDOT Bike and Pedestrian Grant
- $950,000 Washington State Transportation Improvements Board (TIB) Grant
- $500,000 City Utility Funds and/or additional grants
Improvememts further south on Commercial Ave. will come later.