Bonney Lake prepares road projects ‘wish list’

This year’s draft TIP plan — which is slotted to be voted on during the June 27 meeting — outlines roughly $45.5 million in various road projects all around the city. The projects are broken down into four different categories, and each have their own funding sources, most of which are not from the city’s accounts, because transportation funding is scarce.

By Ray Miller-Still • June 22, 2017 10:40 am
The Fennel Creek Trail is one of many transportation projects Bonney Lake hopes to tackle in the next six years. This project would expand the trail to the Cimmer and Willowbrook properties near Angeline Road to Victor Falls. Image courtesy of the city of Bonney Lake
The Fennel Creek Trail is one of many transportation projects Bonney Lake hopes to tackle in the next six years. This project would expand the trail to the Cimmer and Willowbrook properties near Angeline Road to Victor Falls. Image courtesy of the city of Bonney Lake

Last week, Bonney Lake residents were given the chance to officially comment on the city’s plans for road improvements for the next six years.

The public hearing on Bonney Lake’s 2018-2023 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) was held during the June 13 council meeting.

No one commented on the plan.

While the state requires cities to submit the TIPs in order to request grant funding for pricey road improvement projects, it’s little more than a wish-list of what Bonney Lake hopes to have completed in the next few years.

This year’s draft TIP plan — which is slotted to be voted on during the June 27 meeting — outlines roughly $47.5 million in various road projects all around the city.

The projects are broken down into four different categories, and each have their own funding sources, most of which are not from the city’s accounts, because transportation funding is scarce.

“Since transportation funding is so limited, we consider the 6 year TIP simply a ‘wish list’,” said City Administrator Don Morrison. “Very few of the projects would ever be undertaken unless we received a sizable grant from the state or feds.”

TIP Plan Draft by Ray Still on Scribd

INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS

The city has six different projects on the books that would improve “traffic signalization and channelization at intersections” around the city, the TIP plan reads.

City staff estimates these projects would cost roughly $5.3 million.

The priciest improvement project, around $1.6 million, is expected to be made at Church Lake Road and West Tapps Highway East, where the city plans to put a signal and additional turn lanes.

The city also hopes to put new traffic lights and turn lanes on Veterans Memorial Drive and Angeline Road East, Church Lake Road and West Tapps Highway East, and 214th Avenue and Entwhistle Road.

Additionally, there are plans to put a new signal arm and turn lanes on the south side of SR 410 and 192nd Ave, near the Walmart. The city also aims to remove the Walmart entrance off of 192nd Ave and regrade the street.

Finally, there are plans to upgrade the signal at SR 410 and 214th Avenue East.

ROADWAY MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS

Bonney Lake’s list of major road improvements is easily the longest and most expensive list on this TIP, coming in at 23 projects for $32 million.

The largest project involves widening the stretch 214th Avenue East between 96th Street East to the city’s southern limits at South Prairie Road East to five lanes and upgrade the signal at the 96th St intersection.

Another stretch of road to be widened to five lanes is 200th Ave Court East from South Prairie Road East to 104th Street East. The city also hopes to add bike lanes, sidewalks and stormwater elements to this area.

198th Avenue East from Sumner-Buckley highway to SR 410 is also slotted to receive bike lane and sidewalk installations.

The Veterans Memorial Drive and Angeline Road East intersection is planned to receive additional turn lanes and a sidewalk connection to Locust Avenue East.

ROADWAY RECONSTRUCTION

While other TIP projects will be tackled with funds and grants become available, the city hopes to do some roadway reconstruction every year through 2022.

Morrison said the city will know more about which roads it wants to repair when the results of a pavement condition survey are completed either this year or next year.

TRANSPORTATION STUDIES

The only study Bonney Lake plans to have performed in the next six years is an update to the city’s Mobility Plan, which includes updating the city demographics, traffic counts and traffic models.

The study is expected to be performed in 2021 and cost around $200,000.

MULTIMODAL PROJECTS

While other sections of the TIP focus mostly on motor transport, this section of the plan focuses on walking trails, bike routes and sidewalks.

The only project on this TIP is the Fennel Creek Trail, which would receive three improvements, if the city gets its way: a trailhead at the Cimmer property (along Angeline Road between Sumner-Buckley Highway and the Angeline bridge), connecting the Cimmer property to Willowbrook (a subdivision off the east side of Angeline Road between the bridge and Rhodes Lakes Road), and connecting Willowbrook to Victor Falls.

In total, these improvements are expected to cost around $6 million.

Correction: In the print version of this article, printed 6/21, it was stated the total estimated amount for these projects would be around $45.5 million. The correct amount is $47.5 million.