Stadium Way Upgrades May Be On Their Way. Finally.
A contract for work on Stadium Way that goes before Tacoma’s City Council this Tuesday will include a new traffic signal at South 4th, bike lanes, and more – oh, and stopping the street from caving in on itself.
The low bid, coming in at $10,740,776.99, including sales tax, will receive funding budgeted from grants, the Streets Special Revenue Fund, various utility funds, and the Capital Projects REET (Real Estate Excise Tax) Fund. The most pressing issue is the “geotechnical stabilization” of the road, which you may have noticed has been settling in on itself for some time now. That settling is due to the fact that it was built over “non-engineered fill,” which has produced that very particular road-feel you may be familiar with.
The project, covering Stadium Way from South 9th Street to Tacoma Avenue South, will stabilize the subsurface of the street. Plans include consideration of Complete Streets concepts, a traffic signal at South 4th, bike lanes and designated pedestrian routes, ADA accessibility, solar-powered pedestrian crossing lights, a rain garden, concrete intersections, re-use of existing ornamental street lights, and more trees planted than removed. The construction will be coordinated with the installation of utilities to minimize construction updates. Other streets affected include Commerce Street, North E Street, North 1st Street, and Division Avenue to Broadway.
This project was originally advertised in December of last year. All nine bids received exceeded available funds, and so were rejected. The project was “value engineered to identify cost-saving opportunities,” and re-advertised in March. The recommended award is approximately 1.5 percent below the pre-bid estimate. If this week’s purchase resolution goes through, and all goes according to plans, the project would be expected to wrap up sometime around September or October of 2013.
So, how ‘bout it? We just heard how much Tacomans want to see their road surfaces improved. This project has been in the works for a while, and it would be nice to see Stadium Way get a bit of a facelift. Now how about that streetcar …
For more information, visit the City of Tacoma’s Stadium Way Arterial Project page.
Filed under: City Projects, Stadium Way
11 comments
F fredo May 7, 2012
If the city could somehow remove the prevailing wage requirement from this project we could probably expand the project to include other streets in the area too at the same price.
J Jake May 7, 2012
Why does 4th need a signal? Is it just for traffic calming?
J Jesse May 7, 2012
More stuff like this! Pretty this town up!
A adam May 7, 2012
Are future T-Link tracks part of this project? Stadium Way is often cited as the most logical expansion of the T-Link, and in my mind, Tacoma would do well to consider it…
T talus May 7, 2012
Good news — it will be nice to have a reasonably graded bike route across downtown, and this should fit in well with the bike improvements (I hope?) coming on Pacific Ave.
I agree they should incorporate room for a T-Link extension — I wonder if there’s any way this project could be used to leverage part of the Sound Transit match we’re owed if we can come up with the local investment?
While we’re in the neighborhood, what is going on with the permitting for McMenamins? What’s the hold up?
A AreteTacoma May 7, 2012
According to everything I’ve read about the project, they will be optimizing the roadway section for streetcar tracks, but they won’t include them at this time. I’m guessing that optimizing includes moving utilities and other items out of the way where future tracks may go. I saw some drawings a while back and I liked the fact that unneeded parking was removed to create a more walkable and bikeable route. It is going to be a great addition to the hillside that has already been improved so much by the Broadway LID.
On the streetcar issue, I don’t know why the 10million that they found for this project couldn’t be considered matching funds to activate 10million in Sound Transit money. This work would be required for any future extension up the hill. I’m not sure how the agreement was worded, but It seems to me that this could reasonably be considered for the Sound Transit match. Honestly, if we can’t get matching funds for optimizing our roads for their streetcars, I don’t know what we’d have to do for that money.
J Jim C May 8, 2012
When’s the last time any of you saw a pedestrian on Stadium Way? Truthfully, please.
T tacoma_1 May 8, 2012
If Stadium Way was safe for pedestrians, they (we) would use it.
T talus May 9, 2012
Right on, tacoma_1. The view side of Stadium Way will be a great place to walk once there’s a sidewalk there. And in spite of its current dilapidated sidewalk, I see people walking on the other (inland) side of the street pretty often.
W why? May 11, 2012
I agree with Jake. This project looks good except for one part: the traffic light. Why on earth do we need yet another traffic light? If it’s for pedestrian crossing, why not make it a pedestrian signal instead of a regular light so everyone doesn’t get stopped at 6:00AM for ONE car making a right turn onto Stadium Way from 4th. It’s just a waste of time and fuel.
O OkayThen May 11, 2012
talus/AreteTacoma have a great point. Somebody needs to ask ST what “matching funds” means if not this. Maybe the ST money is going the way of the parking fund.
PS: Lights for “traffic calming” are dumb, expensive and often cause other problems.