The Olympia City Council approved four resolutions for the Fones Road improvement project.
The project, which costs $24.5 million, aims to enhance safety for all corridor users, including motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Jim Rioux, project manager with Olympia Public Works Engineering, presented details of the project to the council on Tuesday.
The design for the Fones Road project, which has been in the city's Capital Facilities Plan for over 20 years, focuses on slowing traffic through and increasing safety for all users, including those using wheelchairs.
Rioux showed three renderings that provided a visual overview of the design elements of the Fones Road Improvement Project. The first rendering presented the enhanced crossing at the Woodland Trail, featuring a raised intersection to act as a speed bump, a pedestrian refuge island, improved signage and lighting, and permanent rectangular rapid flashing beacons.
Rioux emphasized that the project will not create another speed corridor in the city.
The second rendering depicted the design of the separated bike lanes and sidewalk along Fones Road. The project manager mentioned that the pedestrian would see a six-inch curb, a planter strip, a five-foot bike lane, and a seven-foot sidewalk.
The third rendering highlighted the compact roundabout to be installed at the south entrance to Home Depot, intended to slow traffic while maintaining smooth and continuous flow through the intersection.
The $24.5 million project is funded through federal grants, state funding, and the city's capital facilities funds.
The city also secured a $2 million state funding grant from the Transportation Improvement Board.
The remaining funding comes from the city's capital facilities funds, which are the Transportation, Drinking Water, and Wastewater Capital Funds.
Rioux noted that Transportation is carrying a significant portion of the project's financial burden, which is $14.7 million. He mentioned that the city is waiting for the approval of an additional $5.2 million in redistributed federal funds from the FHA.
If approved, this would reduce the city's contribution to under $10 million.
After hearing the project's presentation, the city council approved a contract award to Pivetta Brothers Construction for $13,469,491.12.
The city council approved a resolution extending the consulting services contract with KPG PSOMAS for $2,685,896.
"This is a fairly large contract for construction support because we decided that it was important for us to completely turn the construction management over to a consultant so that we could retain city resources to advance other projects that we need to get done for other utilities," Rioux explained.
The city council also approved a resolution authorizing the construction agreement with Puget Sound Energy, which obligates the city to $828,730.38 in shared costs for the underground utility work.
The Olympia Council also authorized City Manager Jay Burney to execute all documents regarding grant funds that the FHWA may offer, specifically the $5.2 million in potential supplemental funding.
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olyhiker
It's about time. Big apartment complexes on that road and dangerous for walkers without a sidewalk. I don't see why it has to be so fancy, though.
Friday, August 16, 2024 Report this
Carolyn Byerly
I am totally delighted to hear this -- sidewalks will be wonderful. However, about speed bumps for slowing down traffic, hey, as long as the Fones Road is so full of ruts and uneven pavement, there's no way to speed on that road! As a fairly new resident and someone who travels that road often, I can't wait for these improvements. If improvements have been in the plans for two decades, though, we can keep counting on all the ruts to slow down the traffic, I guess :)
Friday, August 16, 2024 Report this
ValSpoonerKelly
This will be a wonderful improvement over the "Linear Speed Bump" that was Fones Road for so long.
Please take down the 35 MPH signs that are posted currently. Change to 25 MPH? Thanks
Friday, August 16, 2024 Report this
50yrOlyResident
Does anyone know which of the three versions of this Fones Road Improvement Project will be implemented?
Saturday, August 17, 2024 Report this
Somney
I love this. I agree a design that lowers speed would be nice. Whether speed bump or other design feature, just designing it to encourage drivers to recognize the road is a shared space and multi-modal in nature is good for the community.
Monday, August 26, 2024 Report this