PORT TOWNSEND — The city of Port Townsend has identified its top 30 transportation priorities, and state and federal funding has vaulted Discovery Road to the top of the list.
The City Council approved its six-year transportation improvement program following a public hearing Monday night. Approval by June 30 is required each year to be eligible for funds from outside agencies.
First on the list is to add bicycle and pedestrian lanes on Discovery Road from Rainier to Sheridan streets.
The $2 million project, slated to begin next year, also will rebuild the roadway, add sidewalks, drainage and shoulder improvements.
Public Works Director Greg Lanning told council members the higher-profile projects on the city’s transportation plan tend to receive state and federal funds.
“Most of you know roads are expensive,” Lanning said. “They are expensive to build, and they are expensive to maintain.”
Lanning said the city has about 90 miles of roads, and each road cost about $500,000 to build.
“There might be $45 million or $50 million in assets,” he said.
Discovery Road moved to the top of the priority list last year after the Howard Street extension was completed, city engineer Dave Peterson said.
The city applied for grants last August and received the funds to start on the project in 2020.
The state awarded $1.3 million and more than $400,000 in federal dollars came in for the Discovery Road project, a span that stretches about three-quarters of a mile.
Port Townsend will contribute $250,000 to the project. Part of the construction might go into 2021, Peterson said.
The city broke Discovery Road into multiple projects and also has it listed as its No. 2 priority because it’s only getting sidewalks and bike paths on one side of the street this time around, Peterson said.
That should help the city’s case in future years.
“Because we have grant money for the sidewalks, that’s going to help with the grant application this year,” Peterson said.
The 30 projects listed are based on an overview map from the state Department of Transportation. It focuses on the city’s arterials and collectors and is primarily used to expand infrastructure, Peterson said.
Only the top priority is currently funded.
The third project is on Washington Street from Monroe to Taylor streets, where the city aims to make streetscape improvements such as a new curb, gutter and pavement along with a sidewalk repair and replacement. The city has earmarked $2.35 million for possible work in 2024.
The fourth and fifth priorities are both along Sims Way.
One seeks to add turn lanes and improvements to the shoulder and intersection for 1.6 miles from Sheridan Street to the ferry terminal. The budget calls for $6.6 million in state funds and also would add bike lanes, transit pullouts and sidewalks in addition to the mitigation of ferry traffic impacts.
The other Sims Way project has a $5.6 million budget in state funds and would focus on intersection improvements from Logan to Sheridan streets.
Both Sims Way projects are listed for possible construction in 2025.
For more information, see https://tinyurl.com/PDN-pttip.
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Jefferson County Managing Editor Brian McLean can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 6, or at bmclean@peninsuladailynews.com.
