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POSTED: Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008

City to build pedestrian plaza at Bay, Holly streets

BELLINGHAM - The city will remove a separated turn lane and build a new pedestrian plaza at Bay and Holly streets, making it safer and creating an entrance to the arts district, city officials said.

This week, Tiger Construction will start the street-improvement project, creating a large plaza with artwork in front of Bayou on Bay restaurant. The city hired Tiger to do the work and replace a nearby water main for about $777,000.

"It should be safer for pedestrians and safer for vehicles," said Ravyn Whitewolf, engineering manager at Bellingham Public Works. "It'll be a much more pleasant place for people to hang out."

Construction should start Monday, Aug. 25, and last until late November, she said. The work will temporarily close the right lane of Holly Street and the one-way portion of Bay Street.

The project also will "bulb out" the sidewalk at the north end of the intersection (close to Rocket Donuts), reducing Holly Street to two lanes there. Currently, traffic in the middle and right lanes travel through the intersection and merge into one lane near Rocket Donuts.

Private donations provided $150,000 for the project, which will include a donor recognition wall. It'll also include a more than 22-foot-tall piece of artwork, which could be described as a martini pick with olives or a giant scepter.

The new street design also makes it easier to close Bay Street temporarily for public events, like the movie and musical performance that took place there last year, said Tara Sundin, special projects manager at the city's planning department. Street lighting there will be put on a separate circuit, so lights can be dimmed for movies, she said.

During construction, the city will post signs and a banner telling customers that businesses remain open.

Bayou on Bay owner Steve Crosier said while he's not excited about losing business because of construction, he expects the restaurant to be financially OK.

"We're just getting established, and to have this happen is a setback," he said. "Fortunately, I'm not on the brink, so I don't think it'll be a problem."

City officials told him he could post his own restaurant banner on temporary construction fencing, he said.

"I think, ultimately, it's going to make it a lot more appealing," he said. "Hopefully, this will draw people farther down (Holly) and then hopefully they'll go around the corner and find me."