Motorists should expect the eastbound lane of Discovery Road to be closed, between 14th and McClellan streets, from Wednesday, Nov. 15 to March 21 of next year.
This closure is part …
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Motorists should expect the eastbound lane of Discovery Road to be closed, between 14th and McClellan streets, from Wednesday, Nov. 15 to March 21 of next year.
This closure is part of the City of Port Townsend’s Discovery Road bikeway, roadway and sidewalk project, which is being constructed on the roughly three-quarters of a mile between the Rainier Street roundabout and the Salish Coast Elementary School.
Construction on the project began Oct. 30 and is progressing on schedule, according to Shelly Leavens, communications and marketing manager for the City of Port Townsend, who added that Discovery Road’s eastbound lane is being closed to complete construction on the road’s south side safely.
At the same time, Leavens noted this project is “dynamic,” so all these dates are subject to change.
Planning for the Discovery Road project started in 2018, and is funded by grants from multiple state and federal agencies.
“A project of this scale requires many years of planning, and a combination of federal, state and local dollars,” Leavens said. “The city went through a rigorous grant application process, and can only use the awarded funding for the Discovery Road project.”
The project’s grant funding comes from the Transportation Improvement Board, Washington State’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program, and the Regional Surface Transportation Program.
“In order to do large construction projects like Discovery Road, the city must rely on receiving grants from various agencies,” said Leavens, who credited the support of “three generous grants,” received by the city in 2018, 2019 and 2020, with making this project possible.
The city received state pedestrian and bicycle safety program funding for $1,442,082, and federal regional Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds for $621,515, as well as a grant from the state Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) for $2,493,288.
The city’s matching funds, including utility funding, brings the current total project budget to $5.5 million.
“With $5.5 million, the city can afford to install bikeway and pedestrian facilities, as well as reconstruct the roadway,” Leavens said.
The Discovery Road bikeway, roadway and sidewalk project will provide:
• A new bikeway and new sidewalks.
• Enhanced pedestrian crossings.
• New connections to existing bike and pedestrian routes.
• Ties to the existing sidewalks and bikeways by Salish Coast Elementary and the Rainier Street roundabout.
• Street lighting.
• Low-maintenance landscaping.
• Water and sewer upgrades.
• Stormwater management, using drainage swales and other low-impact development strategies.
• Enhancements to the wetland on the north side of Discovery Road, across from Howard and Eddy streets.
Leavens elaborated that the work between Rainier and McClellan streets will include repaving the road and constructing sidewalks on both sides of the street, while a two-way bikeway will be constructed, to connect the bike facilities on Rainier Street with the bike facilities in front of the elementary school.
The construction contract has a duration of 140 working days, so depending on weather and other unforeseen conditions, Leavens predicted the project would likely be finished in late May of 2024, when the sidewalks, road and crossings should be able to re-open for all users.
“School access is a critical component of the project,” Leavens said. “During the construction phase, students and (school) employees will have normal access to Salish Coast Elementary School, and school buses will continue to pick up and drop off students at the usual locations.”
Those using the single lane along Discovery Road are advised to plan for delays of at least 20 minutes, if not longer, especially during high-traffic times of day.
Leavens assured all of Discovery Road’s adjacent residents that they would retain access to their driveways, as will any neighbors who live on side streets connected to Discovery Road. “There will be message boards, signs and flaggers that will help direct traffic,” Leavens said. “Impacts to bus or transit routes and stops have been coordinated with those agencies, with advance notice.The city asks that all motorists drive slowly near the work zone, and in the surrounding area, as a courtesy to the school (and) neighborhoods,” as well as “for safety.”
Leavens encouraged those who are impacted or interested to remain up-to-date on the Discovery Road project through the City of Port Townsend’s website, email updates, utility and project newsletters, and social media accounts.
Project newsletters are sent out every two months to adjacent property owners, and those who request it.
If you have questions about the project, please contact the city’s Discovery Road project manager, Laura Parsons, at lparsons@cityofpt.us or 360-774-3017.
City staff will send out periodic email messages about the Discovery Road project to those who sign up at cityofpt.us/newsletter/subscriptions online.
Past newsletters and background information on the project can be found on the city’s website at cityofpt.us/publicworks/project/discovery-road-bikeway-and-sidewalk project online.
