So, we all know that construction of the Burke Gilman Trail through the Missing Link is going to take a while, in light of the latest Environmental Impact Statement process.

In the meantime, the Seattle Department of Transportation has begun work on its "advisory bicycle lanes." Advisory bike lanes are used when the streets are too narrow for two full car lanes and two bicycle lanes, which is the case on NW 45th St.

So far SDOT has spray painted a line of dashes on the east end of the Missing Link on NW 45th St, which acts as kind of a sketch for what's to come. The outer lanes mark bicycle priority lanes while cars are supposed to use the inner lane, which will have no center divider. Motorists may go over into the bicycle lane after yielding to any bicycles to avoid oncoming traffic.

Above is what the advisory bicycle lane will look like when it's completed.

This is the first time advisory bicycle lanes have been used in Seattle, according to SDOT. According to the Seattle Bike Blog, the bike lanes are rare in the U.S., but widely used in the UK and other European countries.

Since most Seattleites will be strangers to the new method, SDOT says that they will be doing educational outreach regarding advisory bicycle lanes.

This is part of SDOT's South Ballard Corridor Safety Improvements Project, which will help make 45th and surrounding roads a little safer for bicyclists. It will include traffic calming, reducing the speed limit to 20 miles per hour, restriping four-way stops, a curb ramp at 24th and more.

For a full list and more info, visit http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/sbsafety.htm

Correction: Our original article said the advisory bike lanes were being painted on Shilshole Ave NW, which is not the case. They will be going along NW 45th St.

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