You’ll have a long time to wait before Seattle creates a Pike/Pine “superblock” but crews have already begun marking out the near-term bicycle future for Pike between downtown and Capitol Hill.

The Seattle Department of Transportation says it is checking on the start painting and parking restrictions along the route but the work crew laying down the preliminary markings Wednesday said the markings along the street will be painted Saturday, weather permitting.

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CHS reported on the community outreach process to collect feedback from businesses and residents along the route along with area bicyclists and advocacy groups to create the new lanes as a first phase start to including Pike/Pine in Seattle’s so-called Center City Bike Network, an effort to create travel corridors for people choosing to pedal their way around the central city and reduce single occupancy vehicles in the city’s core.

SDOT says the “redesigned” Pike is being re-marked and travels lanes shifted to create general travel lanes in each direction, “paint-and-post bike lanes,” and reconfigured load zones. SDOT is also removing parking along a handful of blocks on the route — mostly from the north side of the street:

Some parking changes will accompany the street redesign and new lanes on Pike St. This includes the removal of on-street parking on the north side of Pike St between Boren Ave and Broadway, and the removal of parking on the south side between Terry Ave and Crawford Pl.

To create more space for the new lanes, SDOT is also moving many load zones and pick-up, drop-off locations “around the corner or across the street from where they are today.”

“Our goal is to work with all adjacent building and business owners to understand parking needs and maintain on-street loading zones are on most blocks,” SDOT says.

A new left-turn restriction is also slated to be added at Minor.

Funding comes as part of the Washington State Convention Center Addition which was requited to provide a suite of public benefits in exchange for vacations of right of way required for the expansion, securing $10 million for the protected bike lanes project. Permanent lanes will be completed after the addition is finished, which is expected in 2021.

UPDATE: SDOT has provided this mailer with an overview of the expected construction which they confirm is set to begin this weekend and wrap up, weather permitting, next weekend. “New protected bike lanes can improve safety and calm traffic, increase ridership, and maintain transit priority,” it reads. You’ll see the old markings being ground off and new striping done during the first weekend. The wrap-up work includes pavement markers and the addition of the “green material” marking the bike lanes. Police and flaggers will be on hand to assist with traffic throughout the work. The mailer does not indicate that Pike will be closed to traffic during the work.