Six-Year Transportation Plan is Accepted with Minor Changes

After yet another discussion on how to properly motion a vote, the City of Leavenworth decided to accept the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan with some small changes attached to their vote.

Scott Bradshaw presented the Royalty Choice Award plaque that the Autumn Leaf Festival association received from the Washington State Apple Blossom Festival. The Autumn Leaf Festival Association was voted best float by Apple Blossom Royalty.

After the applause died down, Bradshaw gave the award to the city. He told the council that the Autumn Leaf Festival will be headed to New Westminster, British Columbia for the Hyack International Parade & Festival on Saturday, May 28.

The public hearing for the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) began, starting off with Bob Fallon suggesting that a connection between Titus Road and Chumstick Highway, near the Meadowlark project, be included in the plan. He explained how this connection would help relieve some traffic tension in that area, especially with the new Meadowlark project.

The public hearing ended shortly after Fallon’s comment, who was the only citizen to comment on the TIP.

The council meeting resumed with another discussion on how they can properly deliver a motion and whether that should be before or after the council holds discussion. Anne reminded Mayor Carl J. Florea that the council may want to motion after discussing in case they want to amend certain items, so as to avoid voting for a motion twice and taking up more time. The mayor insisted that the motion be introduced before discussion and then acted upon after, stating that that is how Robert’s Rules of Order works.

Council eventually went into discussing Bob Fallon’s suggestion, along with Councilmember Jason Lundgren asking if the $4.5 million for the proposed US-2 Pedestrian Underpass had to be at the P1 and P2 parking lots. Lundgren later asked if the underpass could be saved as a placeholder for further discussion.

Public Works Director Tom Wachholder asked the council if it would help to make the location of the proposed US-2 pedestrian underpass more broad.

Hessburg asked if the funding had to specifically go towards an underpass in that specific location. Wachholder said that it did not, only that the money go towards pedestrian use.

Finance Director Chantell Steiner reminded the council that both the city’s TIP and the State’s TIP need to match in order to receive funding. In light of the proposed changes, council passed the TIP, along with Fallon’s suggestion to find a connector between Titus Road and Chumstick Highway, along with striking the location for the US-2 Pedestrian Underpass at P1 and P2 parking lots.

Afterwards, the council confirmed the NIMS adoption, along with accepting two new costs added onto the 14th Street Rehabilitation Project budget.
The rehabilitation would install new roads, sidewalks, and a new water and stormwater infrastructure system. The project should last from May 16 to June 30, with the project area closed to traffic aside from alley access on 14th Street, Front Street, and Commercial Street.
The first amendment was for an additional $31,432 cost to be added for construction administration services on the rehab project. The new total for the entire rehab project should not exceed $93,423.57. Wachholder explained how insufficient the water main was on 14th street. 95% of the project would be reimbursed back to the city from the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB).

The second amendment added to the 14th Street rehabilitation project was to approve a Professional Services Agreement with RH2 Engineering, Inc. for no more than $23,187. Costs would go towards construction inspection services between Commercial Street to Front Street.