PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles City Council has approved a design contract for improvements to the Race Street corridor, including a paved trail from Front Street to Olympic National Park Visitor Center.
Council members voted 7-0 last week to award a $450,267 professional services agreement with Exeltech Consulting Inc. of Lacey for 100 percent design, specifications and estimate documents.
The 2021 project includes a 1.1-mile, shared-use path on the west side of Race Street from Front Street to the national park visitor center in Port Angeles.
“I think it’s great having a trail that goes from Front Street all the way up to Olympic National Park,” Council member LaTrisha Suggs said at the meeting.
The Race Street project, which was recommended in a 2009 American Institute of Architects study, will include vegetation buffers and sidewalks with improved wheelchair access.
“I think that this is going to be an improvement that will really take Race Street a huge step forward, not only in aesthetics and in safety, but also in attractiveness for small businesses that are going to be along that corridor,” Council member Mike French said.
“I think that this is a good first step.”
The city received $500,000 in federal Surface Transportation Improvement Program funding for the Race Street project.
“A stipulation of these funds is the requirement to be obligated for construction by spring 2021,” said Allyson Brekke, city Community and Economic Development director.
Brekke asked the council to approve the design contract on April 7 in order to meet grant and construction obligation deadlines.
“I know that this is something that isn’t related to the crisis, but I think it’s really important that routine things do continue to go, especially when there’s grant money on the line that I know that city staff has worked hard to obtain,” French said.
The council had previously taken a series of votes related to the COVID-19 emergency.
The city had acquired $399,939 in Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) funding for the Race Street project because it serves a national park.
The city will cover remaining design costs with $50,328 in FLAP funding and provide a $6,794 match in real estate excise taxes, according to an executive summary.
French said the PA Forward Committee worked with staff on design elements for Race Street.
“I will support this, and I thank city staff for continuing this and making sure that it doesn’t fall off the back burner during these crazy times,” French said.
Brekke said the multi-user trail will be built on existing sidewalks or new surfaces along Race Street.
“There’s a lot of portions that do not have sidewalk, and so the trail would continue within those sections,” Breeke said at the meeting.
Exeltech Consulting was the second contractor the city hired to design the Race Street project.
The city hired Alta Planning + Design in May 2017 for preliminary design.
“After completion of 30 percent design, the City and Alta Planning + Design were unable to extend the agreement beyond 30 percent PS&E (plans, specifications and estimate) due to an increase in estimated design costs,” Brekke said in a memo to the council.
“The contract lapsed in July 2019.”
Brekke said the initial 30-percent design included “very important environmental work specific to wetland analysis as well as cultural resources.”
Mayor Kate Dexter said the Race Street project would be a “really nice addition” for the city.
“I appreciate that, had we not been able to address it at this meeting, we may have missed a very significant opportunity,” Dexter said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
