Downtown Renton Construction: Wells Ave S and Williams Ave S open to one-way traffic

Calling all little ghouls, witches, and superheroes to downtown Renton! Test your sleuthing skills with an olde fashioned Halloween scavenger hunt anytime between October 23 to October 30. Find the clues posted in storefront windows throughout downtown and solve the riddle to complete your game card.

Register for free, online at rentonhalloween2021.eventbrite.com for the map, gamecard, and goodie bag.  

Please follow detour and business access signage. Park for free at the City Center Parking Garage on S 2nd St.

CURRENT CONSTRUCTION IN DOWNTOWN RENTON

1. Wells Ave S and Williams Ave S open while we prep for paving

The intersections at Wells Ave S and Williams Ave S and S 2nd St are now open to through traffic and operating as one-way traffic again. The intersections will continue to operate as all-way stops until the conversion to two-way traffic on Wells Ave S and Williams Ave S later this year.

We’re continuing to rebuild the remaining sidewalks near the S 2nd St intersections at Williams Ave S and Wells Ave S.

We’re also preparing to repave S 2nd St later in the fall. We’ll provide more details as we learn more.

Before beginning the prep work to install new concrete sidewalks, crews first install underground utilities that will later be covered by concrete.

We installed the base layer of asphalt on S 3rd St and depending on the weather, hope to finish the final overlay next week. When we pave again, S 3rd St will be closed during the day from Burnett Ave S to Main Ave S.

Paving is highly weather dependent, so we’ll keep you posted on the timeline for the final day of paving. As the saying goes, oil and water don’t mix. If the ground is too wet from a previous night of rain, paving will be rescheduled to a later date where there are better conditions for the asphalt’s adhesive to bind correctly to the ground.

3. Utility and sidewalk work on Houser Way S

We plan to start installing new sidewalk on Houser Way S at Wells Ave S. We’ll maintain access to businesses during business hours.  

We’re continuing to install the water main and have progressed to the northside of the Houser Way S and Williams Ave S intersection.

Expect traffic on Wells Ave S and Williams Ave S to be reduced to one lane at Houser Way S throughout the project.

Crews continued the trench north of the intersection and continue utility work.

Construction on the sewer main in S 2nd St progressed this week, with current activity between Whitworth and Shattuck avenues. Work will continue to move both east and west, ultimately all the way to Logan Ave S and Rainier Ave S. This work is anticipated to last through the month of November. Access to and from S 2nd St will be limited at Morris Ave S, Whitworth Ave S, and Shattuck Ave S. 

While work is occurring on S 2nd St between Morris Ave S and Shattuck Ave S, the two lanes north of the center island will remain open to traffic, while the two lanes south of the center island will be closed. Access to and from Morris Ave S and Shattuck Ave S will be set up through the intersections from north of the center island. Follow posted signage and flaggers for access.

Due to the lack of a traffic signal at the intersection of Whitworth Ave S and S 2nd St, access to and from Whitworth Ave S at S 2nd St will be closed overnight. Drivers will need to access Whitworth Ave S from S 3rd St, as shown on the map. During construction hours, access may be allowed, when it is safe to do so, with flagger assistance. Please follow the instructions from flaggers for safe passage through the intersection.

The City Center Parking Garage offers free parking for access to downtown businesses through December of this year and can also be used by residents during construction. The garage is accessible between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Overnight parking is allowed during our construction efforts, but please note that all garage doors are locked outside of these hours. In addition, street parking is available on S 3rd St.

Questions about construction?

Visit www.rentonwa.gov/ww or www.rentonwa.gov/duip for the latest updates.

Call 425-363-1007

Email wellswilliams@rentonwa.gov or duip@rentonwa.gov. 

Join us for virtual office hours every other Friday from 1-1:30 p.m.

For COVID-19 Resources for Businesses visit whyrenton.com, call the small business hotline 206-503-1742 or email thrive@rentonwa.gov.