Good News, Bad News: Update on Fifth Avenue South Paving Project

Hang on, folks.

The City of Edmonds reports that the 2011 on Fifth Avenue South between Elm Way and Walnut Street is nearly complete. But relief for the leading into downtown will remain that way a little longer.

The City had planned to overlay the northbound stretch of Fifth Avenue South this summer to improve the pavement condition over the new watermain trench. This work has now been postponed to provide time to pursue a new opportunity for a federal grant to pave the entire width of Fifth Avenue South between Elm Way and Walnut Street.

“This grant could provide the necessary funds to complete a comprehensive rehabilitation of the pavement that would likely last 20 years or more” said Phil Williams, the City’s Public Works and Utilities director. The project would also include reconstruction of the pedestrian curb ramps to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

The City will be notified in June if a paving grant has been received. If successful, funds would be made available in January 2013, and the project would begin in spring or early summer of 2013. If the City does not receive the grant, we will proceed with paving the northbound lane only this fall.

"We believe this approach gives us a great opportunity to get a much better driving surface on Fifth Avenue with no additional impact on the City budget," said Williams. "The local matching money for the grant would come from water utility funding that we were already planning to spend on a one-lane patch. If the grant application is successful we will, for the same investment, get a complete new street surface, over three times the quantity of new pavement,  and upgraded pedestrian ramps. Overlaying the entire street instead of leaving a wider patch will provide a longer-lasting and smoother surface."

Said Mayor Dave Earling: “I believe a short delay in providing a final patch on Fifth Street is a small price to pay for the opportunity to really do this project the right way. With Edmonds’ chronic lack of funding for street paving we must get creative to make any progress. This partnership with our water utility could allow us to leverage their investment for a far better result.”