PORT TOWNSEND — The city sidewalks now have federal funding for a much needed face lift — or at least a lift of the lids.
The City Council this week unanimously approved resolutions accepting three Federal Emergency Management Agency grants that will pay to repair the sidewalk lids over hollows along Taylor Street and Water Street between Adams and Madison streets, and a seismic retrofit of the Port Townsend Library.
Public Safety Analyst Ken Horvath said the three grants would help improve the safety of the downtown streetscape and make repairs to the Carnegie Library at 1220 Lawrence St.
“The library will have work done to the foundation, the internal structure and seismically retrofit the building,” Horvath said.
“Downtown, we will have the actual tops of the sidewalks lifted or repaired.”
“I don’t know exactly what will be done, but the rebar in those sidewalks has completely deteriorated.
“They are OK to walk on right now, but you don’t want to put any weight on them or put something like a fire truck stabilizer on them.”
The sidewalks throughout most of downtown Port Townsend are hollow underneath and are being supported by 100-year-old structural steel and cement.
Horvath said the most accessible void is under Taylor Street — there people may enter the empty space from a flight of stairs on the sidewalk on the west side of the street.
Also under Taylor Street is the UnderTown, a coffee house and wine bar that opened earlier this year.
Joe Ruth, manager of the UnderTown, said he was happy to hear the council approved the repairs.
“It’s a change, and it’s a good change,” he said.
‘I am excited they will be fixing it because you can see it needs it.”
Along the entrance to the UnderTown, the decaying rebar is visible along the underside of the sidewalk lids.
“I don’t worry about it, but it is something that could be good for business so I’m happy to hear this,” Ruth said.
Horvath said the grant for the library is for $1.092 million.
Improvements on Water Street have been awarded $878,186.
For Taylor Street, the city received $463,131.
Horvath said a 12.5 percent match from the city is required in each grant.
City Manager David Timmons said while there was a match involved, the fund source was a good deal for the city as the sidewalks are in need of repair.
“While it does create a liability for the local match, the return is significant,” Timmons said.
Timmons also said the projects would be planned during the coming years and it may be up to three years before work on the sidewalks is completed.
Horvath said there would be no filling of the voids, but rather a removal of the old sidewalk lids and a full reconstruction of the sidewalks.
He also said he would be seeking a third grant for remaining sections of Water Street that need to be repaired.
The history of the holes and the reasons for their existence vary.
In some cases, sidewalks were built over old basements, coal chutes or fuel-storage tanks.
In others, only piers hold up the sidewalks, Horvath said.
Advised in 2007
In most cases, decay has eaten away the support structures of some areas of sidewalk.
In 2007, the city was advised by a structural engineer to take immediate action to reinforce the sidewalks.
City officials had heavy, brick tree planters removed from the walkways along Taylor Street, and some sections of sidewalk were given temporary reinforcement while the grant money was sought.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com
