HomeMy WebLinkAboutTyler Ahlgren Mayor and Council members
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City of Port Angeles, Wa 98363 JUN 7 2016
CITY OF PORT ANGELES
CITY CLERK
June 6' 2016
Council members,
As the City once again contemplates the
construction of the Race St/Lauridsen Blvd By-pass, I am
providing a copy of the proposal I submitted to the City in 2004
for consideration.
As those who were involved at the time may remember,
representatives from the Washington Dept. of Transportation
were very excited with this proposal, and carried it to Olympia.
Of course, they are reliant on the political will of elected
representatives to allocate appropriate funding. That effort was
never made.
In 2004, the proposal headlined with "The Single Biggest
Problem Affecting Port Angeles". The text, 12 years later, still
is relevant. Additionally, the recent police action highlighted the
realities of how the community currently has only one way in
and out of town, and how the entire area in vulnerable.
There is no doubt the proposed alignment is an expensive
undertaking. Can the Federal Highway Administration, and
others needed be convinced to make this kind of investment for
the Olympic Peninsula? What kind of rationales can be
developed to support it? Can this proposal spur new concepts to
address the problems it identifies?
Tyler
Ahlgren
The Single Biggest Problem Affecting
Port Angeles
Everyone knows what it is. It affects property values, the success of businesses, tourism, and it defines
the downtown experience, every day. Many projects have been proposed, and some undertaken to draw
more people to Port Angeles. Meetings have been held, and money spent to"improve" the downtown. But
this problem prevents any real progress from being achieved.
What is this problem?
The through traffic created by the routing of U.S. Hwy.101 through downtown Port Angeles. The noise
and congestion of heavy trucks, commercial vehicles, RVs and vehicles pulling large boats dominates
every facet of daytime downtown Port Angeles in very negative ways. And, very few of these vehicles
even WANT to be there! How often does one see a log hauler, chip truck or RV parked on a downtown
street?
This problem is not new. Virtually all regional planning documents such as the Clallam County and
City of Port Angeles Comprehensive Plan dating back to 1976 have identified this problem, and advocated
that solutions be found and implemented. The State of Washington initiated the 1999"U.S.101 Port
Angeles Alternative Study", which was never completed, and did not identify a preferred alignment.
The current plan being pursued by the City is to direct the through traffic along Race Street and
Lauridsen Blvd, but this route will be problematic, as well. Lauridsen Blvd has Jefferson school at the
west side, and the entrance/egress to and from Peninsula College on the East side, both with state
mandated 20 mph speed limits. Midway is the Port Angeles Library, and the Mount Angeles Boy's and
Girl's Club is located east of that. There are 5 pedestrian crosswalks between Lincoln Ave. and Race
Street. Race Street has 20 mph speed limits near the bridge, and 9 pedestrian crosswalks between Front
Street and Lauridsen Blvd. There is a recreational complex midway on Race Street, comprising of an
athletic playing field (Civic Field) and viewing stand used for after school and other sports activities, a
number of tennis courts, a toddler playground (Erickson Playfields), and a proposed/approved skate board
park. There are also churches, medical care facilities and residences along this proposed realignment of
U.S. Hwy 101. Almost all of these facilities are used during the day time, during business hours, during
the times most likely to be used by commercial truck and recreational traffic, slowing them down. During
the times most likely to create safety conflicts with children and neighbourhood traffic circulation.
And, this alignment offers no solutions for the increasing congestion on First Street and Front Street
east of Race Street.
But, there IS another way to solve these problems. A way to increase the traffic circulation options
throughout the city without the negative impacts associated with rerouting heavy truck and other through
traffic through existing neighbourhoods. An alternative that will allow local residents as well as visitors
ways to get around different parts of Port Angeles, and that will reduce both travel times, and congestion.
An Alternate Routing of U.S. 101
Through Port Angeles
A description of the proposed alternative begins on the west side of Port Angeles, west of the Tumwater
Truck Road heading east on the existing U.S. 101. The Tumwater Truck road is retained, with additional
roads built to provide safe entrance and egress for traffic originating from both direction of U.S. 101 and
Tumwater Truck Road. This allows full access to all the areas this road currently serves.
East of Tumwater Truck Road past Pine Street, two tunnels will be built, each to carry one-way traffic.
One bore eastbound, the other westbound. This is a safety feature, preventing head on collisions inside the
tunnels. Roads will be built to allow traffic on U.S. 101 to access Lincoln Ave, Lauridsen Blvd, etc, and
for traffic originating from those streets to access both directions of U.S. 101.
The tunnel alignments will be south of Lauridsen Blvd, and their respective entrances and exits built
just east of Race Street at the beginning of the Bonneville Power Authority utility easement. Here, roads
will be constructed to allow traffic to access both directions of Race Street, Lauridsen Blvd, and for traffic
from these streets to access both directions of the new U.S. 101.
The new roadway will continue eastward along the BPA utility easement where it will intersect Golf
Course Road, Monroe Road, and Mount Pleasant Road. Each of these intersections will allow traffic to
travel to (and from)the existing commercial enterprises along the current U.S. 101 to the north, as well as
to access the residential areas to the south of these roads.
At Morse Creek, a bridge will provide a much needed second East/West transportation option to the
existing bridge on the current U.S. 101. On the east side of Morse Creek, the alignment intersects with
Deer Park Road before it rejoins the existing U.S. 101 at South Bagley Creek Road.
This proposed alignment will require bridges at White Creek, Ennis Creek, Lees Creek, East Fork Lees
Creek, and Morse Creek.
Signage is proposed to inform motorists of the transportation and destination options the various
intersections along the new route will provide.
Tunnels? Are they feasible?
Tunnels offer many advantages in addressing many of today's challenging transportation issues, and
are being selected in ever increasing numbers. Regionally, a tunnel is being advocated as the preferred
construction choice for the replacement of Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct. The Greater Seattle Chamber
of Commerce, in their May 26, 2004 letter states" The Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce supports
replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel, as outlined in the DEIS. The benefits of the tunnel are
numerous....."
As of September 8th 2004, the Washington Department of Transportation has eliminated all other
Alaskan Way Viaduct project alternatives except for the Tunnel and Fix Existing options.
Closer to Port Angeles, the City of Bremerton is in the process of designing a tunnel under First
Street and Pacific Avenue that would exit under Burwell Street,to address exiting ferry traffic in the
downtown area. The project is estimated to cost $25 million, and has the support of both U.S. Sen. Patty
Murray and U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks.
" George Behan, a spokesman in Dick's office, said the tunnel was the highest priority for Dicks."
" Sen. Murray came out and took a look at the project, and she supported it in the Senate", Behan
added".
"U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks understand the transportation needs of our
citizens, and we are fortunate they are in a strong position to ensure our state receives the federal funds it
needs and deserves" Macdonald said."
From" The Sun" Feb 23 2003
Port Angeles Deserves an Opportunity to
Fulfill it's Potential !
The routing of all east/west traffic on the North Olympic Peninsula through Port Angeles's
downtown, and/or through it's residential neighbourhoods has long been a negative impact. Merchants
complain of the noise, dust, dirt and vibrations caused by heavy trucks driving on downtown streets. The
near constant impacts prevent the enjoyment of what otherwise is a valuable location. Businesses open
and close with a certain regularity, in part because of the impacts of the traffic.
The proposed tunnel/BPA alignment offers the first significant change in these negative impacts,
which have influenced Port Angeles for many decades. This alternative traffic circulation option provides
the businesses and heavy industries on both sides of Port Angeles the ability to move their products and
supplies more efficiently, more quickly, more safely than is presently possible. Tourists and visitors are
more likely to form favourable impressions of their experiences of downtown Port Angeles without the
disrupting and negative impacts of the heavy truck traffic. Port Angeles indeed IS "The Center of it All",
as the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce brochure states, but it is doubtful it will ever realize it's
economic, tourist, recreational and cultural potential as long as the downtown remains the U.S.101
east/west thoroughfare.
And, re-aligning the"truck route" to the residential neighbourhoods on Lauridsen Blvd and Race St
is not the solution this community deserves.
Port Angeles deserves an alternate circulation route to, through and around Port
Angeles!
Port Angeles deserves an opportunity to fulfill it's potential... an opportunity to"upgrade"... an
opportunity to finally become the attractive, desirable, economically diverse and successful waterfront
community it has the attributes to facilitate.
Please, lend your assistance and support to accomplish this critical goal.
This proposal is submitted for consideration by Tyler Ahlgren
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