PORT ANGELES — The city of Port Angeles plans $2.8 million worth of street improvements this summer, which will include an asphalt overlay of downtown streets.
City Engineer Steve Sperr said the downtown streets haven’t had an asphalt overlay since 1982.
Funding comes from $545,000 in state grants and all of the city’s $316,000 in federal stimulus money.
The City Council approved the allocation of those funds in a 6-0 vote Tuesday, with Deputy Mayor Betsy Wharton absent.
City Public Works and Utilities Director Glenn Cutler said the city received approval for the stimulus funds last month.
Although the city sought $9 million of stimulus funding, Cutler appeared satisfied by the amount the city received.
“We thought the worst they could do is say no,” he said, when asked why the city requested $9 million.
Cutler said in March that he didn’t expect the city to receive any more than $600,000 in stimulus funding.
Summer projects
The downtown paving is one of four paving projects totalling $765,000 that the city plans to do this summer, sometime after Labor Day.
The other streets that will be paved are Lauridsen Boulevard from Tumwater Truck Route to L Street, L Street from 18th Street to Lauridsen Boulevard and Race Street from Park to Olympus streets.
Sperr said those roads aren’t the only ones on the city’s list for another layer of asphalt.
“The locations are due to the amount of traffic and the biggest bang we could get for the buck,” he said.
The largest project this summer is referred to as “Peabody Street reconstruction.”
Cutler said the $1.02 million project will take place on Peabody Street between Fifth and Eight streets and on Fifth Street between Liberty and Ennis streets.
Peabody Street
On Peabody Street, the road’s concrete panels will be repaired, along with potholes.
The city also will take advantage of temporary road closures to conduct work on its water lines under the street, create additional “curb outs” on sidewalks at pedestrian crossings for disabled people and repair nearby alleys, Cutler said.
On Fifth Street between Liberty and Ennis streets, the city will extend a sidewalk, and pave the road with another layer of asphalt.
Exeltech of Lacey will manage the Peabody Street reconstruction project for about $50,000.
Cutler said the city needs to contract with a firm to manage the project, because he doesn’t have enough staff to handle all of the work this summer.
The city also had hired Exeltech to manage the construction of the Eighth Street bridges and The Gateway transit center.
Widening?
City Council member Larry Williams asked staff why Fifth Street between Liberty and Ennis streets wasn’t being widened while it is paved.
“I thought we were going to do a full-meal deal there,” he said.
Cutler responded by saying that such work had not been part of the city’s plans.
“The intent is to improve drivability at this point in time,” he said.
Sidewalks
Also getting sidewalks will be the north side of 16th Street from E to G streets and up G Street to Stevens Middle School, and from Front Street between Golf Course Road and Liberty Street. Those two sidewalk projects will total $893,000.
Another project this summer is replacement of a traffic signal pole at Front and Lincoln streets, and for the first time, such poles will be placed at First and Peabody streets.
On Tuesday, the City Council also approved:
• Reimbursing participants in the “Our Community At Work: Painting Downtown” project for the cost of right-of-way permits.
• A lease agreement with Clallam County YMCA for a building at 1431 Ediz Hook Road to be used to store rowboats for the organization’s Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association.
The lease will be $100 for the first year and $200 for the next year.
After the second year, the rate will be adjusted based on the consumer price index.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
