LEAP (Localized Efficiency Action Program)

When the Business Tax Transportation Improvements (BTTI) Committee first began to review potential transportation system improvements, it became apparent that there were many small projects worth considering, projects that were either too large for City maintenance crews to handle or too small to be considered capital improvement projects.  In response, the Localized Efficiency Action Program (LEAP) was created and the BTTI Committee initially dedicated $1 million of business tax revenue to identify, design, and build small improvement projects to optimize the existing transportation infrastructure.

Two criteria have to be met before a project can be considered for LEAP funds:

• the project needs to be located in an area that provides specific benefit to the business community
• the estimated construction cost for each project cannot exceed $100,000

Since its inception, LEAP has received an additional $1,650,000 to fund small transportation improvements around the City.

LEAP projects encompass everything from retiming a traffic signal to constructing a missing piece of sidewalk.  These are some of the projects that have been constructed by LEAP:

Signs and Markings

Pictured at left: A "flying T” on Leary Way at 159 Place NE allows for simultaneous movements of left turns from 159 onto Leary and through traffic on Leary Way.

Additional new signs and markings include a left turn lane at NE 90 Street and 164 Avenue NE; eastbound dual left turn lanes from Willows Road to Redmond Way; southbound dual left turn lanes from Willows Road to Redmond Way; rechannelization on Willows Road at NE 90 Street to Overlake Church.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements

Pictured at left: A new in-pavement flashing crosswalk on 161 Avenue NE between Starbucks and Tulley's at the Bella Bottega Shopping Center.

Additional new pedestrian and bicycle improvements include bike lane extension on NE 90 Street at Willows Road; temporary sidewalks on 160 Avenue NE from NE 81 to NE 84 Street and on 165 Avenue NE from NE 83 to NE 85 Street; curb bulbs on Cleveland Street east of 164 Avenue NE.

 Traffic Signals

Pictured at left: A new pedestrian-actuated signal on Cleveland Street/Redmond Way and 168 Avenue NE near Value Village Shopping Center helps facilitate safer pedestrian crossings. 

Additional traffic signal improvements include new split phase timing on 164 Avenue NE at NE 83 Street; rephase on Leary Way at 159 Place NE;  signal retiming along the NE 85 Street and NE 40 Street corridors.