Safety priority of advisory group for Mattawa's Government Road

MATTAWA - According to Chairman Lars Leland, the Government Road Advisory Committee has a few improvement ideas so far, and all of them have to do with safety.

The GRAC has met once. The next meeting will be at 10 a.m. at city hall on Tuesday. Feb. 17. It is open to the public.

The committee has 12 members. They represent the police department, fire department, the city council, the school bus department, the medical community, business, farming, Mattawa Public Works, banking and Grant County Economic Development Council.

The city's engineers were at the meeting, as was City Planner Darryl Piercy.

"He's kind of like my guide, especially on the technical stuff," said Leland, who oversees water systems at the Port of Mattawa.

The committee was formed to help the city develop a plan for improving Government Way, from one edge of town to the other. The council will include the final plan in the effort to win an improvement grant from the state.

So far, Leland said, suggested ideas include street lights, traffic lights and fire department warning lights for when trucks and ambulances must come onto the street to answer a call.

Other ideas include three lanes, with a center turning lane. The street's right of way is already wide enough.

Other suggestions are curbs, sidewalks and parallel parking.

"Someone suggested the purchase of land in the area of the Red Apple Market for a community parking lot," Leland said.