A sunken stretch of Renton Avenue South will be closed and repaired starting Monday (Sept. 17),  sending traffic and Route 106 buses on a temporary detour during three weeks of construction.

King County Road Services is scheduled to repair Renton Avenue South between South 128th and South 130th streets, replacing a culvert and rock wall damaged by stormwater in 2010. Construction cones have shifted traffic away from the damaged roadway since 2010. Federal emergency repair funds will pay for the work, which also rebuilds the curb, gutter and sidewalk and repaves the road.

Four Route 106 bus stops will temporarily close during construction, replaced by two temporary bus stops – one in the southeast area of South 130th Street and Renton Avenue South, and one west of 78th Avenue South on Renton Avenue South. A map posted online shows the locations of the detour and closed and temporary bus stops. Resident and business access will be maintained during the construction closure.

The construction contract bid was approximately $490,000. The road is expected to reopen to traffic by mid-October.

Sidewalk improvements also are planned in coming months on Renton Avenue South between South 75th and South 76th streets using federal and state grants. The finished project will include a new sidewalk, planter strip, parking and a bike lane on the east side of the street.