You may see Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews working in your neighborhood this summer, and wonder what it’s all about. SDOT is installing $1 million worth of Neighborhood Project Fund safety improvements this year at 31 strategic locations on streets around the city. Communities have identified locations where the work will provide the most benefit, usually by a school, shopping area, park, or similar area.

Work in progress this week:

• Across the street from South Lake High School, on 50th Avenue South at South Cloverdale Street—crews have just completed a block-long concrete sidewalk and planting strip, ready for trees to be installed during this fall’s planting season.

• At the South Park Community Center at Eighth Avenue South and South Thistle Street—a curb bulb is being installed that will reduce the distance across the arterial street for children going to the playground.

• Near the Othello light rail station, across the street from the Othello Playground on 43rd Avenue South—a block of concrete sidewalk and planting strip are going in. The sidewalk provides a missing link in the sidewalk network leading to the light rail station.

• A block from the park around Green Lake, at North 76th Street and Winona Avenue North—work began last week on a curb bulb to provide a safer street crossing. The project will include a drainage swale and rain garden.

• Next to the Beacon Hill Public Library, at Beacon Avenue South and South Forest Street—crews paved the street crossing area, preparing for lights to be imbedded in the crossing later this summer.

• At the new Junction Plaza Park, 42th Southwest and Southwest Alaska Street—crews recently completed sidewalks around the park.

See photos taken this week of neighborhood work in progress.

See a list of all of the Neighborhood Project Fund work going in this year.