City of Mercer Island
Island Crest Way Shared Use Path Phase 1
Island Park Elementary to SE 60th St
TIB Award Amount
$850,000
Region: Puget Sound   |   Legislative District: 41   |   Length: 1,480.00 ft. FY 2026 Urban Active Transportation Program (ATP)

Existing Conditions

Island Crest Way is the primary north-south route on Mercer Island, serving roughly 15,000 vehicles, 300 pedestrians, and 50 bicyclists on weekdays. The only continuous parallel routes are West and East Mercer Way, which are less direct and do not have sidewalks or dedicated bicycle facilities. In the project area, Island Crest Way is 2 lanes with no paved shoulders. There is an informal dirt pathway on the west side of the road that is used by cyclists and by children to walk to Island Crest Park and Island Park Elementary School. The path lacks pedestrian-scale lighting and drainage, making the path impractical for use during wet conditions. There is a 6-foot paved walkway on the east side of the street, which lacks pedestrian-scale lighting. There is not a marked crosswalk along the west side of Island Crest Way at the Island Crest Park main entrance. Two crashes occurred in the project area (last 3 years) between vehicles and pedestrians or bicyclists, both involving children.

Project Funding

  TIB Funds Local Funds Total Costs
Design 106,993 96,957 203,950
Right of Way 0 0 0
Construction 743,007 673,313 1,416,320
Project Totals $850,000 $770,270 $1,620,270

Local Match

TIB Participation Local Match Minimum Local Match
52.5% 47.5% 20%

Summary of Improvements

  • Improves pedestrian safety;
  • Extends improvements;
  • Creates direct access to school complex/business district/etc.;
  • Removes ADA barriers

Description of Improvements

The project constructs a 10-foot shared use path with a planter strip buffer along the west side of Island Crest Way between Island Park Elementary School (south driveway) and SE 60th St. The project includes installation of illumination, drainage improvements, and crosswalk markings. The project connects Island Park Elementary with the adjacent Island Crest Park and Deanes Childrens Park. Based on corridor pedestrian and bicycle counts, the west side path is expected to serve 60-70 pedestrians and bicyclists during the peak hour. The path will be designed as an all ages and abilities facility, friendly for children, families, the elderly, and less confident bicyclists. The project will also install ADA upgrades at intersections, improving accessibility for users with limited mobility, strollers, or mobility assistance devices.