Leavenworth City Council moves forward with Osborn Playground, Glacier Lot and road safety study

LEAVENWORTH –  City Council had a packed agenda for its Mar. 26 meeting. Main highlights included approving a playground equipment purchase, Glacier Lot construction bid award, and a grant for a road safety study.

The Neighborhood Playground Committee (NPC) will move forward with its equipment purchase for the new Osborn Playground after receiving unanimous approval from the City Council. After receiving feedback through the community survey, the NPC will add the inclusive whirl, sensory dome, and vista arc sphere. The purchase totals just over $1.1 million.

The City awarded a construction bid to KRCI, LLC of East Wenatchee for the Glacier Lot Improvements Projects. According to Deputy Public Works Director Andi Zontek-Backstrum, the project was originally estimated to cost between $2.7 and $3 million, but modifications were made to the restrooms during the bid opening, raising the engineer’s estimate to $3.3 million. KRCI, LLC had the lowest bid for construction, with a total just over $3 million. Zontek-Backstrum said the project would be incurring additional costs, but was reassured by Finance Director Chantell Steiner that it was within the city’s means.

“I am very confident there is funding to cover this,” said Steiner.

The City Council also unanimously accepted a grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop a Safety Action Plan. The plan would result in a study of the city’s most dangerous sections of road and allow for future funding from FHWA to improve them.

The plan is part of FHWA’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, which is intended to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. Under the agreement, FHWA would contribute $158,700, and the City would contribute $31,740 from the street fund.

“Not only is this the right move in the long term, because it does open up funding depending on what type of projects we'd recommend as part of the plan, but it also is an evaluation for us to know what the safety concerns are on our roadways. We do have collisions that happen in the city, and this will investigate why and what the primary pattern is between those,” said Zontek-Backstrum.

In additional action items, Icicle Rd. and US 2 roundabout had two on the agenda. First, the City Council authorized a payment of just over $231,000 to Link Transit for the construction of the City’s water main, which was completed as part of the roundabout project. The second item on the agenda was the approval of an agreement between the City of Leavenworth and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), clarifying each one’s responsibilities for operating and maintaining the roundabout.

Two public hearings were approved for the Church of the Nazarene’s partial vacation requests of Park Avenue and the alley south of Park Avenue. The hearings are expected to be held at the Apr. 23 meeting.

Public Works was granted authorization to purchase a 10 foot by 24 foot, two-room mobile office structure for just over $100,000 to address staff overcrowding. 

Lastly, the City Council authorized a local agency agreement with WSDOT for the preliminary engineering phase of the Ski Hill Drive Active Transportation Improvements Phase 2 project. The preliminary engineering phase is estimated to cost $77,000, and 86.5 percent of the cost will be covered by federal funds.

The next City Council meeting is tentatively scheduled for Apr. 9.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media