Ask Mr. Answer Person: "What's happening on Montgomery Street near the bike trail?"

Josie e-mails Mr. Answer Person: "Riding the bike trail today I noticed some construction going on (along Montgomery Street).  It looks like from marks on the trail and crosswalks, there might be more spots worked on?  Just wondering if there has been any word of what exactly they are doing, and if it will affect that portion of the trail at all, or for very long.

Mr. Answer Person says: "The construction work you see is being done to make it safer for bike riders and pedestrians to get to Trout Run Trail from the west side of Montgomery Street.  Crews are creating a traffic island in the middle of the street, near Medicap Pharmacy.  Bike riders and pedestrians will be able to cross the first lane, stop in the middle of the road on the island, then cross the second lane when traffic allows.

Here's what City Engineer Lindsay Erdman has to say about the project: "The island is intended to provide a refuge space for pedestrians and riders to allow the crossing of one lane at a time of the street. It is not expected to effect the trail, at least for long. It is likely that riders may need to dismount to cross due to the space available and distance traveled. This is really as much a pedestrian solution as a biking solution although it can serve both.

The crossing continues to function as a regularly marked cross walk. This is not intended at this time to be a signaled or flashing light type application. As with any crosswalk the pedestrian or bike should wait at curb side for a reasonable gap in the traffic and then proceed to cross. Once in the crosswalk the pedestrian has the right of way.

There will be crosswalk signage similar to what has been there and we are looking into whether additional signage is needed. There will also may be some plantings in the island to help identify the island while not "hiding" the pedestrian."