City considers Prairie Street for possible congestion relief

By Matthew Nash • April 18, 2018 1:30 am
City of Sequim staff look to improve Prairie Street in the coming years to better connect possible industrial areas and to relieve congestion off Washington Street. One possibility could be a traffic signal at the South Sequim Avenue/Washington Street intersection to better control traffic flow, city staff said. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash
City of Sequim staff look to improve Prairie Street in the coming years to better connect possible industrial areas and to relieve congestion off Washington Street. One possibility could be a traffic signal at the South Sequim Avenue/Washington Street intersection to better control traffic flow, city staff said. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

As Washington Street’s traffic flow continues to grow, drivers could be looking a few blocks south for a new option.

Staff with the City of Sequim are investigating Prairie Street as a possibility to relieve congestion from Sequim’s main thoroughfare.

“Western Washington Street mid-day is at capacity,” said Matt Klontz, Sequim city engineer. “There’s a need for an east-west alternative for drivers. This could take the pressure off.”

City staff received confirmation Monday that it received a $1 million loan from the Washington State’s Public Works Board at 1.56 percent over 20 years to pay for preconstruction planning to improve Prairie Street.

Cost estimates have the total preconstruction phase of the project at $1.372 million with the $1 million loan covering a majority of the estimated $1.229 million needed for right of way, followed by $118,000 for technical feasibility and concept level designs, $16,000 for public outreach, and $9,000 for environmental permitting.

Klontz said the idea to improve Prairie has been in place in some capacity with multiple city plans including the Transportation Master Plan, 6-year Capital Improvement Plan, and its Comprehensive Plan.

He told Sequim City Councilors, who unanimously agreed to accept the loan at their March 26 meeting, the preliminary design would give about 30 percent of the scope of the project for the public to see the direction the city is going.

“It’s not just the Prairie Street we see today, but the future of Prairie Street,” he said.

Why Prairie?

Klontz said they chose Prairie Street because it falls halfway between US Highway 101 and Washington Street. It’s also a more complete stretch than other parallel roads south of Washington Street, he said.

One major component of the plan is connecting two Economic Opportunity Areas near US Highway 101 that were created in the city’s updated 2015 Comprehensive Plan. Improving Prairie Street could connect these areas for possible incoming businesses, Klontz said, but if the Economic Opportunity Areas were to develop and the road wasn’t improved then congestion could worsen on Washington Street.

City staff said a Prairie Street improvement is needed because recent improvements including the planned reconstruction of Fir Street by Sequim schools starting in 2019 mostly fall north of Washington Street.

“We desperately need this on the south side,” Councilor Ted Miller said. “I think this (loan) is a golden opportunity to do it.”

Klontz said the project could also help add better sidewalks, possibly add bike lanes, and help with property values.

“There’s always been an idea of revitalizing neighborhoods through the streets,” he said.

Neighbors’ input

By the end of summer or early fall, city staff plan to begin outreaching to city residents for input on the project.

“We want them to have a voice especially if they’re going to be impacted along the street,” Klontz said.

The city may hire a consultant for the community conversations, he said.

Sequim has two years to complete the preconstruction plans following the $1 million loan’s guidelines, but Klontz said it’s likely the city could apply for an extension if needed.

To cover the remainder of the approximate $372,000 in preconstruction costs, city staff said city councilors could approve transferring funds from the city’s Real Estate Excise Tax, general fund and/or Transportation Benefit District if needed.

Following right of way purchases, community input and predesign work, Klontz said the project will be attractive in many facets for future grant and loan opportunities to cover construction costs which have not been estimated.

Developers in the Economic Opportunity Areas may also pay for nearby improvements too, he said.

Some of Prairie Street has been resurfaced so there’s not a lot of utility work that would need to be done, Klontz said.

As for how long of a stretch of Prairie Street would be redone is undetermined at this time.

Klontz said the construction could be broken up depending on funding and the city’s Transportation Master Plan forecasts expanding Prairie to South Ninth Avenue from its current stopping point at South Seventh Avenue. The final construction plan could also call for a traffic signal on Sequim Avenue and Prairie Street, too, he said.

For more information on the preconstruction plans of Prairie Street, contact the City of Sequim, 152 W. Cedar St., at www.sequimwa.gov or 360-683-4908.

The City of Sequim recently obtained a $1 million loan to help purchase right of way on Prairie Street and complete early designs to improve the roadway for pedestrians and vehicles. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

The City of Sequim recently obtained a $1 million loan to help purchase right of way on Prairie Street and complete early designs to improve the roadway for pedestrians and vehicles. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash