For years, complaints about city traffic lights’ wait times permeated Sequim.
After years in development, however, City of Sequim staff have contracted a plan to improve communication and timing between a majority of the city’s lights, including downtown Sequim.
“I think it’s going to make a significant impact on the flow along Washington Street,” said Sequim public works director Sarah VanAusdle.
Part of that effort includes the traffic signals being able to communicate across most of Washington Street and on Fir Street, she added.
Sequim city councilors agreed at their Dec. 12 meeting — with an excused absence for mayor Tom Ferrell — to contract with Western Systems of Everett for up to $482,918.29 plus a 10 percent construction contingency to improve six city intersections.
VanAusdle said the city is eyeing a start in March with a finish date before summer’s heavier traffic flow.
Originally, city staff looked to upgrade most of the infrastructure for the Sequim Avenue and Third Avenue signals on Washington Street.
However, after sending it out to bid in September 2021, staff only received one bid ($778,958.50) — nearly double the city engineer’s estimate, according to a city staff report.
The project was reposted in April this year, but no bids were received. So city staff revised the project and partnered with Washington’s Department of Enterprise Services to seek bids, according to city documents.
Staff budgeted up to $550,000 in 2023 for the project, and received a bid that’s about $67,000 less than budgeted.
VanAusdle said contractors will replace controllers, or “the brains,” in signal cabinets, and add video detection and radios at multiple intersections to increase communication between signals.
“Hopefully it’ll improve travel times through town and people won’t have to stop at every single traffic light,” she said.
“Another city goal is to limit emissions. We don’t like cars sitting there, idling.”
She added that the new video detection cameras don’t record vehicles and can anticipate vehicles and change lights faster.
As for the original project, VanAusdle said there were various circumstances for its delay and increased costs, such as staffing changes, COVID-19 related supply chain issues and labor shortages.
The project also included plans to replace the entirety of signal cabinets, pedestrian push buttons and more at two intersections, which added to the costs, she said.
Seventh Avenue water update
City staff announced on Dec. 14 that underground work for the North Seventh Avenue water main is complete but temporary traffic measures will remain in place until the road can be paved, likely in early spring.
VanAusdle said when construction finished, the city passed the timeline for paving, so now they’re waiting for asphalt plants to open and for good weather in the city
Since the project didn’t receive federal funding that holds timeline restrictions for paving, she said the city might be able to pave in early 2023 if there’s favorable weather.
Sequim agreed to a contract with Jamestown Excavating for up to $861,980.20 with a 10 percent contingency to install new water mains, valves, hydrants, sidewalk and more at North Seventh Avenue from West Spruce Street to West Fir Street, and North and South Spalder Loop.
With sizable water leaks in recent years due to the road not being properly bedded, VanAusdle said city staff opted to fully repair the area rather than continue patching pipes and roads.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash Traffic provisions are set to remain in place along North Seventh Avenue after underground water work was completed as city staff await warmer and drier weather for paving.
