The city of Vancouver and its Neighborhood Traffic Safety Alliance are paying for seven neighborhood projects that will address traffic safety concerns and increase community livability.
Proposed and championed by residents, the projects will be funded by the city’s Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program, real estate excise tax revenues and a federal Community Development Block Grant. In the traffic-calming program’s third year, signing and striping work along Southeast 19th Street has been completed, and work on Grand Boulevard/ Watson Avenue is almost done.
The following projects have been awarded 2015 funding and are expected to be finished next year:
Signing and striping
• Riveridge and Wildwood neighborhoods: Edgeline stripe on south side creating walking path to elementary school on Southeast 19th Street from Southeast Talton Avenue to Southeast 130th Avenue. Cost estimate: $14,000.
• Fourth Plain Village neighborhood: Crosswalks, edgeline stripe, signage on East 28th and 29th streets from East Fourth Plain Boulevard to 33rd Street. Cost estimate: $29,000.
• Airport Green neighborhood: Signing, striping at the intersection of Northeast Ninth Street and Northeast 139th Avenue. Cost estimate: $12,000.
• Arnada neighborhood: Crosswalks and signage at the intersection of East 22nd Street and F Street and bike “sharrow” markings from Fourth Plain to McLoughlin boulevards. Cost estimate: $25,000.
Physical device/ infrastructure project
• Vancouver Heights neighborhood: Speed cushions, signage, striping, fog lines on Middle Way from Lieser Road to Columbia Ridge Drive. Cost estimate: $18,000.
ADA curb ramps
• Cascade Highlands neighborhood: Ramps on Southeast Park Crest Avenue at Southeast Meadow Park Drive (northeast and southeast corners); Southeast Greenpark Street (northeast and southeast corners); Southeast McGillivray Boulevard (all corners). Cost estimate: $80,000.
• Arnada neighborhood: Ramps at D Street and East 19th Street (northwest, southwest and southeast corners); D Street and East 20th Street (northwest, southwest and southeast corners); C Street and East 20th Street (northeast and southeast corners); and Broadway Street and East 17th Street (northeast, southwest and southeast corners). Cost estimate: $120,000.
In 2016, the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program will have roughly $170,000 to allocate for residential street enhancements such as signing and striping, speed cushions, pedestrian refuge islands, curb extensions, radar feedback signs or street trees.
For any project to be considered for funding, project proponents must work closely with the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Alliance and city staff as they proceed through the program. The first step for proposing a project is to give a brief presentation at a NTSA meeting regarding the traffic problem and proposed solution.
For more details, go to www.cityofvancouver.us/TrafficCalmingProgram. An updated 2016 program document will be posted in February.
