From Overlake to Redmond Ridge across to Rose Hill, there is plenty of construction orange peppered throughout Redmond these days.

Some would argue it’s a sign of inconvenience and hassle.

I would say it’s a sign of improvement and growth.

I recently got the opportunity to take a tour of two major construction projects in Redmond: the Northeast 36th Street Bridge project and the SR-520 widening project, between SR-202 and West Lake Samammish Parkway.

They are impressive projects, to say the least, that require extraordinary engineering, planning and execution. Both projects will help relieve traffic congestion, improve mobility and make Redmond a safer place for travel, whether it’s by car, bus, bike, foot or train. Sound Transit plans to build a light rail station in Overlake in the future and maybe if we’re lucky, a station will be built in downtown Redmond.

The Northeast 36th Street Bridge project will be a great connector for the ever-growing Overlake neighborhood and will provide an excellent alternative to the gnarly gridlock at 148th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 24th Street.

The 520 widening project will also be a blessing. Have you ever been stuck in traffic on 520 heading into Redmond? State Route 520 turns into “Parking Lot 520” between 5 and 7 p.m.

Once completed, a wider 520 will dramatically improve travel times, especially during peak commute hours and will reduce collisions in the area.

The Washington State Department of Transportation estimates that the morning commute times could be shortened by 60 percent and evening commute times by 75 percent. Widening 520 will also cut down on people using side streets as a way to side step traffic jams.

“The SR 520 widening directly helps people living east of Redmond, but I hope it will make downtown more of a destination and less of a cut-through because SR 520 is blocked,” said Redmond Mayor John Marchione.

I know it may sound insane, but all this construction orange in town is a good thing.

But I think, sometimes, when we are forced to take unknown detours and battle heavy traffic congestion because of lane closures, we lose sight of the bigger picture.

The many construction projects in Redmond are not meant to make us mad, but instead, ultimately glad.

New housing is popping up all over and it’s vital that the city makes sure the infrastructure and traffic flow constantly gets updated. If these projects don’t get done, then Redmond will be in a world of hurt.

Growth is a good thing. It shows Redmond is a desirable place to live and raise a family. And these project show that the city is working hard to make sure infrastructure keeps pace with the growing population.

Also, if you are going to build something, now is the time with construction costs at an all-time low. More construction is on the way.

The whole downtown is slated for a traffic reconfiguration from one-way to two-way streets, with the first step starting in May when construction on the 161st Avenue Northeast Extension project gets going. Other projects in the design phase include the 185th Avenue Northeast Extension through UPS, the Bear Creek Rehabilitation, which will move the creek farther away from newly widened 520 and Fire Station 17, among others.

For a complete list of current and upcoming construction city projects, go to http://www.redmond.gov/insidecityhall/publicworks/construction/construction.asp.

Bill Christianson is the editor of the Redmond Reporter. He can be reached at bchristianson@redmond-reporter.com or at (425) 867-0353, ext 5050.