MINUTES - April 25, 2005

Highway 2 Safety Coalition Meeting

Community Center Room, 319 Main Street

Sultan, Washington 98294

Meeting called to order at  7:00 PM

Attendees:

• Fred Walser, H2SC Chairman
• John Seehuus, Councilman, City of Sultan and H2SC Charter Member
• Jim Flower, Sultan Council
• Josie Fallgatter (Sultan Planning Commissioner)
• Bart Dalmasso (Sultan Planning Commissioner)
• Lorna Goebel, Council member, Town of Skykomish
• Kamuron Gurol,  Corridor Planning Mgr., Urban Planning Office, WSDOT (arrived late)
• Loreena Eng, P.E., Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, WSDOT
• Rick Mitchell, WSDOT (no title available for these minutes)
• Tina Rogers, Snohomish County Public Works Department (no title available for these minutes)
• Dongho Chang, WSDOT Engineer (presented DVD of Roundabouts, responded to questions)
• John Light, Public Works Director, City of Gold Bar
• Loretta Storm, Temporary H2SC Secretary
• Kenneth Hale, 7 C’s Video, Sultan business owner
• Bill Goodwin, Consulting Services Manager, The Transpo Group
• Mark Fallgatter, local resident

Introductions

OLD BUSINESS

Status of Route Development Plan

Rick Mitchell provided a quick update (until Kamuron Gurol arrived).  Reported that the consultant selection was set for Wednesday, April 27^th in Monroe; the four firms bidding are Zollars, W & H Pacific, HW Lochner and The Transpo Group.  The review/award selection board consists of:  John Light, City of Gold Bar; Connie Dunn, City of Sultan, Kamuron Gurol, WSDOT Hiller West, City of Monroe; and John Dewhurst from Snohomish County Public Works.

Status of PSRC Grant:

Chairman Walser reported that Perteet representative delivered the grant application proposal to him today and will be sent to PSRC tomorrow. Perteet completed this application at no charge to the Coalition.

NEW BUSINESS

5^th Street Signalization

Filling in for Connie Dunn, Sultan’s Public Works Director (who was ill), Rick Mitchell offered an update on the 5^th Street signalization project in Sultan. The expectation is that the ground will be turned in either June or July, with the expectation that late fall or maybe early winter it will be completed and in operation (just in time for the Skiing season).

Presentation on Round-about options – Rick Mitchell

Rick Mitchell introduced Dongho Chang to present the DVD video of the various round-abouts.  Mentioned that this might be one of the tools that could be applied to the U.S. 2/Old Owen Road area.  Gave a brief report of areas that have experienced significant intersection slow-downs at which round-abouts have been used with excellent results (i.e., Rt. 203 approx. one mile south of Duvall, in Greenwich and Monroe).

Some discussion and concerns from participants followed, during the DVD viewing:

Jim Flower asked how a round-about could handle some of the large industrial-level traffic, such as gravel truck-and-pup, extended-length logging trucks, large mobile home transporters, etc.  Mr. Chang’s DVD showed such vehicles running smoothly through such round-about areas.  Diameters of “average”  round-abouts tend to be 140-145 feet or so, but also frequently provided are “aprons” which offer greater areas for larger vehicles.

John Light agrees that the round-about has greatly improved the 203 round-about traffic, it has seemed to result in morning traffic back-ups at the Duvall in-city traffic light. Someone else suggested the back-ups are primarily due to the increased volume from growth.

Bart Dalmasso asked about the traffic counts at 203 at the round-about area. Chang indicated 203 was about 13,000 ADTs with 5,000 on 124^th.  By comparison, Highway 2 through Sultan is about 20,000 ADTs.  Dalmasso indicated it was 25,000 ADTs.

Lorna Goebel champions the round-about in Monroe, as it has eliminated the back-up to the bridge south of Monroe, and also likes the Duvall 203 round-about, as it has eliminated the Snoqualmie Valley back-up.

Jim Flower suggested that the footprint (s.f.) required for the US2/Old Owen Road area would be too constrained by existing rights-of-way; i.e., BNSF.  Chang responded that the footprint is larger than it looks, in part because of the inclusion of the apron to facilitate larger vehicles.

Kamuron Gurol suggested that Chang explain the pedestrian and cross-highway safety constraints resolved by the round-abouts, which have significantly facilitated safe and speedy pedestrian passage. The highest concentration of accidents occurred at the intersection where the crosswalk is located, because drivers were not seeing or expecting to see pedestrians, but vehicles, and thus, became surprised.  But with the roundabout, the pedestrian facility occurs after the intersection occurs.  It also now has a two-step crossing of the roadway, from one side to the median, then cross the other side. Washington has had no pedestrian accidents at roundabouts, which is a fairly phenomenal record.

Chairman Fred Walser asked Kamuron Gurol if this, or similar roundabout would be something that the Route Development Study would look at or consider?  Kamuron Gurol responded “Absolutely,” that this would be an item that would and should be considered.

Rick Mitchell mentioned that as far as round-abouts are concerned related to the RDP, they can be done in two steps:  As an interim step until funding can be secured to effect part of an ultimate solution. But it’s a good alternative and/or tool by which to accomplish the modeling by which to make comparisons.

Bill Goodwin (The Transpo Group) indicated the costs associated with a round-abouts versus signalization is a factor; i.e., while the initial cost of a round-about may be greater in terms of construction, the long-term costs may be less, especially considering the impacts of adding lanes to the intersection to accommodate increases traffic flows.

Jim Flower indicated that as growth has occurred, the primary complete is that drivers cannot make a left-turn lane.  But the Old Owen Road finally allowed breaks in traffic flow in-between which folks could access U.S. 2.  The 5^th Street signal was another mechanism for access.  John Seehuus echoed that, but also indicated a huge issue for the 5^th Street Signal was to allow school buses access.  Flower indicated that if WSDOT smoothes out the traffic flow so that there are no breaks or slow-downs, citizens would be back at Square One again, where they will not be able to access.

Rick Mitchell agreed that 5^th Street would stop traffic, but within the signals there would also exist a heavy queue of cars which would produce the same problem Flower just described.  A round-about will allow traffic to flow rather than congeal between signals.  WSDOT would encourage Sultan to discontinue progress on constructing a signal at 5^th Street, but perhaps a roundabout there and elsewhere.  Flower indicated that is the signal they have worked toward for five years and the only one they can currently afford.  The most important project is the Sultan Basin Road interchange, which is “the most dangerous intersection in the state.  I’ve been told many times that the Sultan interchange up there has the highest accident rate.” Rick Mitchell, Kamuron Gurol and Chairman Walser all indicated that was not a correct statement. Flower supported his assertion because his “business is located just below” that intersection” and that is the comment he has heard almost daily.

Rick Mitchell clarified for the record that the Sultan Basin Road intersection is not the highest accident rate intersection, but it was currently listed as WSDOT’s #1 needed left-turn channelization, and explained the criteria applied to that list.  Flower continued, stating that it was still a very dangerous intersection and that the SBR intersection was the City’s priority.  His opinion is that after spending $1 million on 5^th St. improvements, the city would not be disposed to pour more funding into that area when SBR was a more pressing concern.

Rick Mitchell basically was advocating that the City view long-term solutions rather than getting tunnel-visioned into a particular solution or intersection, especially in light of the fact that it’s a U.S. and State highway, not just a city roadway. It’s a good time to look at all the alternatives, and roundabouts seem to be promising and long-term solutions for maximum taxpayer bang for their bucks.

Lorna Goebel asked Rick Mitchell about the efficacy of using a round-about in the Sultan Basin Road area which are fraught with environmentally sensitive areas and slopes.  Mitchell said all of those features need to be considered and it might be that study would prove that area untenable for a round-about.

Josie Fallgatter asked whether the environmental studies which have already been performed for currently-approved intersections could be used for a future round-about.  Mitchell responded that if the City considered roundabouts, it would be part of an overall route study that would also support other potential roundabouts as part of a single plan.  Fallgatter asked whether WSDOT had done any modeling to determine the difference between installing a roundabout now, rather than after the 5^th Street signal is installed? Mitchell said their modeling with the signal indicated some pretty miserable results because of the spacing with the bridge, businesses and other constraints that would be avoided if a roundabout had been considered. Short discussion regarding future funding issues ensued between Mitchell and John Seeuus, neither one wishing to waste funding already expended for the 5^th St. Signal, but also not wishing to have to redo and “re-spend” funding for intersection improvements upon enlargement to four lanes.

Gurol urged a step back from a timing perspective. Once rural route development study is performed, it may be that a roundabout is the most cost-effective and efficient long-term solution, especially as the State gains experience and compiles accident data and analyses on roundabouts.

Loretta Storm asked Gurol how the RDP and long-range efforts are being interspersed and interfaced with the County’s 10-year comprehensive plan, currently in process. Gurol stated that his office is looking at the county plan and that Tom Washington is coordinating it and will be making comments on the Comp Plan.

Fred Walser summarized his frustration on the notable absence of funding by the legislature for U.S. 2 improvements.  (Someone commented – Loreena Eng?) that the big benefit of having an RDP is presenting a more powerful position with the Legislature by which to obtain needed funding. 

Kamuron Gurol summarized the RDP process as follows: (1) select a consultant to formulate the RDP; (2) proceed with the scope of work and the contract for the consultant; (3) begin contacting interviews with agencies, interest groups and other stakeholders for input (late May or June); and (4) gain input from corridor cities (while RDP workgroup will periodically update individual cities, perhaps early fall 2005).

Gurol ended the meeting by confirming that the grant application to the PSRC for $100,000 for the RDP  was submitted in a timely manner.  He will unfortunately be leaving WSDOT (he has accepted another position with the City of Sammamish), so Rene Zimmerman will be replacing him. Fred Walser thanked him for all his work and effort on behalf of this RDP effort, then adjourned the meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 8:08 PM.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Loretta Storm, September 22, 2005.