Some folks have been wondering about the condition of the roadway on 5th Avenue between Elm Way and Walnut Street following the waterline replacement project. Here’s the answer: City of Edmonds officials plan to improve the pavement with an overlay but are delaying the work to see if they can obtain a grant to cover the costs.
According to a news release sent by the city, the 2011 Waterline replacement project is nearly complete. Edmonds Public Works crews had planned to overlay the northbound travel lane of 5th Avenue this summer to improve the pavement condition over the new watermain trench, but the work has been “briefly postponed” to allow time for a federal grant application that would cover the entire roadway between Elm Way and Walnut Street.
“This grant could provide the necessary funds to complete a comprehensive rehabilitation of the pavement that would likely last 20 years or more” said Phil Williams, the City’s Public Works and Utilities Director. The project would also include reconstruction of the pedestrian curb ramps to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
The city will be notified in June if a paving grant has been received. Grant funds would be made available in January 2013 and the project would begin in spring or early summer 2013. If the City doesn’t receive the grant, it will proceed with northbound-only lane paving this fall.
“We believe this approach gives us a great opportunity to get a much better driving surface on Fifth Street with no additional impact on the city budget,” the news release said. “The local matching money for the grant would come from Water Utility funding that we were already planning to spend on a one-lane patch. If the grant application is successful we will, for the same investment, get a complete new street surface, over three times the quantity of new pavement, and upgraded pedestrian ramps. Overlaying the entire street instead of leaving a wider patch will provide a longer-lasting and smoother surface.”
Added Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling: “I believe a short delay in providing a final patch on Fifth Street is a small price to pay for the opportunity to really do this project the right way. With Edmonds’ chronic lack of funding for street paving we must get creative to make any progress. This partnership with our Water Utility could allow us to leverage their investment for a far better result.”
This seems like an excellent plan. I frequently drive the northbound lane and find it to be ok. Paving the entire width of the street is desirable for a better appearance, so hopefully the grant application will be successful..
The roadway was last resurfaced in 1991 and partially funded by a grant. The pavement has reached its useful life. It’s great that there is another grant opportunity to repave the entire street and replace the obsolete pedestrian ramps.