Estimates released for Third Avenue redesign
Financing of Moses Lake street to be discussed during budget process later this
year
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake City Council caught a glimpse of the preliminary price tag Tuesdaym of what some changes to the city's downtown will cost.
An engineer's estimate has priced the reconstruction of one block of Third Avenue at approximately $775,000. That preliminary design will bring wider sidewalks and extended curbs to the downtown street, along with other changes that city officials hope will revitalize the downtown area.
No formal action was taken by the council after seeing the costs, other than a nod of approval from council members. The discussion was one of a number taken up at Tuesday's council meeting, which also included the annexation of 5.7 acres of property into the city limits.
Preliminary figures for the Third Avenue redesign estimate the cost of one block of the street, between Division and Ash streets. Third Avenue is just one part of the city's redevelopment plan, with city officials also working on a separate plan that would bring a stage and landscaping to Sinkiuse Square next to the Moses Lake Post Office.
City Manager Joe Gavinski and Municipal Services Director Gary Harer answered questions of council members on the cost estimate, which they said will also include the reconstruction of the Third Avenue intersections at Division and Ash streets on either end of the block. An estimate not including the reconstruction of the two intersections on either side has been priced at approximately $615,000.
"You can take care of a good part of downtown just with this one block," Gavinski told the council, adding that additional architectural renderings of the plan would be brought to a future meeting.
Estimates include landscaping and electrical additions to Third Avenue, but do not include any changes to the adjacent Sinkiuse Square.
When asked by Mayor Ron Covey, Harer said the cost does include the price of a planned roundabout on the corner of Third and Ash. Harer acknowledged that the roundabout would be a little different than others within the city limits, and would be designed more with a traffic-calming effect in mind.
"This isn't a roundabout per se, like at Yonezawa and Division," Harer said comparing another intersection in Moses Lake. "It's more of a circle."
Councilman Richard Pearce asked where the money for the redesign would come from. Without mentioning specifics, Gavinski told Pearce and the council that he had a financing plan the city is working on that will be presented to the council during discussions on the city budget later this year.
Covey showed his appreciation for the design costs and also urged a need to bring construction on this stage of the project next year.
"I'm very pleased with the estimates that have been presented this evening," he said.
Also at Tuesday's meeting:
? Council members unanimously approved the annexation of approximately 5.7 acres of property located south of Interstate 90 and east of Potato Hill Road.
? The council approved awarding a contract to Anderson Environmental Contracting of Kelso for the cleanup of soil contamination at the city's Operations and Maintenance Facility on Penn Street. The project was awarded to Anderson with a bid of $668,308.21.
? Council members unanimously approved a plan by city engineer Gerry McFaul to apply for a Transportation Improvement Board and QUADCO grant to improve Peninsula Drive and Lakeshore Drive, south of Interstate 90. The plan was approved following a discussion between council members on the different options the city could take when improving the street.