PORT ANGELES — The benches and bike racks have been designed and the tree species and color schemes selected.
After 1½ years of planning, the Port Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved the final design for the esplanade, a waterfront walkway intended to make the shoreline a more vibrant, pedestrian-friendly place.
The esplanade, to be located on the west side of the ferry terminal, is expected to be built this summer.
Its construction will kick off the first phase of the city’s waterfront redevelopment plan, which also includes a new park between Oak Street and the Valley Creek Estuary, as well as a slew of new landscape and lighting improvements along Railroad Avenue and City Pier.
The total plan could cost $17 million if fully implemented. The first phase, which includes revamping the far west end of Railroad Avenue and a small portion of Oak Street, is anticipated to cost $3.26 million.
The roads will become narrower to allow for wider sidewalks and more parking spaces, and rain gardens and other vegetation will be planted. That part of phase one work is expected to finish late this year.
The city has pledged $3.5 million for the work this year.
Out of that, $2.5 million comes from the economic development fund, and another $1 million is split between the general fund and the city’s share of a grant for The Gateway transit center.
The council is considering asking voters to approve a new special property tax levy later this year to provide up to $6 million in funding for waterfront redevelopment.
The project, partially modeled after similar efforts in Bremerton and Bellingham, is intended to show off the city’s waterfront while also promoting economic development downtown.
“We want the people who live here to be proud of our downtown, our waterfront,” Mayor Cherie Kidd said.
“I think it’s going to be very uplifting for our citizens.”
Although the design of the esplanade is completed, how much it will cost to maintain remained unclear Tuesday.
Mark Hinshaw, vice president of urban design for LMN Architects, told the council that the project is designed to require as little maintenance as possible.
But neither city staff nor Hinshaw and the other consultants present had an estimate for how much maintenance could cost.
City Manager Kent Myers said that will be considered as part of the 2013 budget.
Kidd said she expects to see an estimate before the council approves a construction contract.
“We’re working on it,” she said. “It’s not set in stone.”
Funding sources to implement the rest of the waterfront project also remain undetermined.
The city is pursuing grants.
The council has identified the park as the next phase to complete.
The park would include a beach, art sculptures, water spouts and could possibly be the new location for the Arthur D. Feiro Marine Life Center, which is now on City Pier.
Design of the park is between 30 percent and 60 percent complete.
Past estimates have pegged its cost at $2.8 million.
City staff have said “private partnerships” could help cover maintenance of the park.
The city has not identified when Railroad Avenue east of the ferry terminal would be improved.
For more information, visit www.pa-waterfront.org.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
