Last week, the City installed new vertical delineators, also known as "candlesticks," at the NE 170th Street (Simonds Road) and 68th Avenue/Juanita intersection. These white tubes visually narrow the road, encouraging drivers to slow down while clearly separating car lanes from bicycle lanes. The delineators are a continuation of the City’s Target Zero efforts to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

As city manager Karlinsey has said, "It's not just about pedestrian and bicycle safety, which is obviously important. It's also about pedestrian and bicycle comfort. If we want to encourage more cycling and walking, then our routes need to be more comfortable for these users, not just safe. Candlesticks provide an added layer of both safety and comfort for cyclists."

The new delineators replace previous models that did not meet performance expectations. The updated delineators are a more durable, crash-tested design that has shown positive results in other locations, including the Aurora Bridge.

Vertical delineators are a cost-effective safety improvement, with lower installation and replacement costs compared to other road modifications. They will be monitored and repaired or replaced as needed to ensure they continue to provide safety and value. Staff will be looking at strategic locations throughout the city to install more of these delineators as time and resources permit.

Learn more about candlesticks and the reconfiguration of the lanes on 170^th Street and 68^th Avenue on the City's Streets & Sidewalks webpage, specifically under the “Biking in Kenmore” section.