The Mountlake Terrace City Council May 23 approved a contract to reconstruct the intersection of 216th Street Southwest and 48th Avenue West, despite reservations about the intersection’s design.
The WSDOT Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program awarded the city a $468,194 grant to rebuild the intersection. The city also allocated $200,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding toward the project in 2023.
Public Works Director Jesse Hoffman presented the contract proposal and outlined the work that B and B Utilities and Excavating would perform:
– Four curb bulb-outs
– Eight ADA-compliant curb ramps
– Improvements to the stormwater open infiltration runoff system. A stormwater system will replace the open drain, and run under the intersection.
– Rectangular rapid-flashing beacons
– Grading the intersection to meet ADA compliance requirements
– 340 feet of new sidewalk to fill in the missing gaps in the existing sidewalk system
– A retaining wall to accommodate new sidewalks
– A new stormwater conveyance system to route surface water under the intersection
– 90 feet of 12-inch water main to provide for future development
However, the rectangular rapid-flashing beacons were the focus of discussion between the council and Hoffman.
The proposed flashing lights would be activated by pedestrians crossing the street. The council saw an issue with them: speeding traffic heading to the light rail on 48th Avenue West.
Councilmember Laura Sonmore was the first to question whether a four-way stop wouldn’t be a better idea. Sonmore noted the speed at which cars frequently traveled down the road and predicted it would worsen as people “race for the light rail.”
“[Commuters] are going to use that street instead of 44th,” Sonmore said. “They’re going to speed and there have been accidents.”
Councilmember Erin Murray pointed out that her GPS navigation system frequently takes her down 44th Avenue West when she goes to Mountlake Terrace High School and raised the question of whether technology is being considered when planning traffic.
Mayor Kyoko Matsumoto Wright noted that children walk to school in the dark during the winter. She felt the stop signs were a good idea and shared that she had almost been hit several times while driving along 48th Avenue West.
Hoffman scheduled a question-and-answer session on the topic with City Engineer John Marek for the June 6 city council meeting.
The council agreed to move the contract to the June 6 consent calendar with the understanding that stop signs can be added if necessary.
In other business, Snohomish County Councilmember Jared Mead presented the county’s priorities to the city council.
Mead, a Democrat who represents the council’s 4th District, said that Snohomish County is expected to grow by 300,000 residents over the next 20 years, with most people moving from areas south of Snohomish County and settling in the southern region — such as Mill Creek, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace.
A study of Snohomish County staff salaries and benefits shows they are below the market rate. Mead said it would cost about $26 million a year to balance the wages, and the county could not make that financial lift. However, they are working on “chipping away” at the difference.
The county is projected to run a structural deficit for the next five years. Mead explained that one factor contributing to the financial shortfall was the county not using its banked property tax capacity, which is currently at 6.5%.
Mead explained that roughly 60% of the money in the county’s general fund comes from property and sales taxes. The top expenditure from the general fund is public safety, at 63%, and the second highest is parks and recreation, at 5%.
For total budget spending, public works account for 21% of the total budget, followed by public safety at 15.6%, human services at 7.6% and parks and recreation at 7%.
Mead said that, starting this year, the Snohomish County Council is implementing a biannual (twice a year) budget to help combat the shortage.
Snohomish County policy priorities focus on increasing middle housing, including policies on permitting accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and offering multi-family tax exemptions, he said.
To see the presentation in its entirety, click here.
Community and Economic Development Director Christy Osborn then presented updates on community and economic development in 2023. According to Osborn, 27 construction projects were started in 2023.
Osborn said in 2023, the city received the following permit applications, which came to a total value of $77,289,849:
– Pre-applications: 17
– Building: 1,348
-Electrical: 454
– Fire: 48
-Land Use: 96
– Driveway: 15
– Civil: 6
– Business Licenses (first time and reapplication): 2,010
A sampling of the projects is below:
To see the presentation of all 27 projects, click here.
The council also:
– Approved moving the contract extension for David Evans and Associates’ construction management services to the June 6 consent calendar. The amendment extends the contract until 2025 and lifts the spending cap from $100,000 to $300,000. Public Works Director Hoffman said that although the company offers land surveying and computer-aided design (CAD) services, the city primarily uses David Evans and Associates for construction management for large capital projects.
– Heard a fourth-quarter 2023 financial report from Finance Director Janella Lewis. The quarterly review examines the revenues and expenditures of each operating fund, reserve balances and changes in the local and regional economy that influence long-term financial planning.
– Held an executive session on property acquisition. No action was taken.
The next council meeting will start at 7 p.m., June 6, at Mountlake Terrace City Hall, 23204 58th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace.
To attend the meeting online, visit zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID 810 1113 9518; no passcode is needed.
To make a public comment remotely, complete the registration form within 24 hours of the meeting’s start at cityofmlt.com/FormCenter/City-Council-17/Remote-Public-Comment-Request-Form-12.
To listen via telephone, call 1-253-215-8782 and enter the same meeting ID.
You also can view livestreamed meetings and past video recordings at www.youtube.com/cityofmlt.
The agenda can be viewed here.
— By Rick Sinnett
Were provisions made for requiring the actual amount needed for off-street parking for building residents, employees, visitors and any customers? The new construction so far in the city is requiring imaginary low-ball estimates of the amount of off-street needed. The consequence is excessive permanent, excessive on-street parking and potential customers going outside MLT for meals, purchases and services.
This is actually one thing I agree that this is where city could “do the right thing” The city council pays “consultants ” to get monies for improvements. They use to do the work themselves but now they are too lazy to do it themselves. That intersection is a nightmare for school children. It does not need a 4 way stop. The flashing crosswalk light is perfect. Our mayor goes overboard on everything including forcing our citizens to pay thousands to bury power lines when remodeling.