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Council approves TIP amendment, authorizes TIB grant application for Basin Street pedestrian improvements
Summary
Council approved a TIP amendment and authorized submission of a Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) grant application to fund pedestrian and sidewalk repairs along a six-block stretch of Basin Street; the application requires a 10% local match and staff proposed using $55,000 as the city match to leverage roughly $551,000 in work next year.
The City Council voted to amend the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and to authorize submission of a TIB grant application to fund pedestrian and streetscape improvements along a six-block stretch of Basin Street. Council adopted Resolution 25-49 to authorize the grant application and Resolution 25-50 to amend the TIP to include the project.
City staff described the project as an opportunity to secure outside grant funds to address broken and lifted concrete, tripping hazards, and other safety issues in a six-block downtown stretch from Second Avenue Southwest to Fourth Avenue Northwest. The staff presentation said the TIB grant requires a 10% local match. Staff proposed using $55,000 of the city’s previously budgeted $100,000 downtown-improvement allocation as the 10% match to enable roughly $551,000 of work if the grant is awarded.
The project scope discussed in the packet and at the hearing included pedestrian-safety repairs (curb, sidewalk, and stamped-concrete replacement), stormwater/watering system work tied to downtown landscaping, and conceptual streetscape amenities such as hanging baskets and decorative lampposts. Staff said amenities beyond the basic street repairs would be subject to additional design work and park commission and council input; the hanging baskets and decorative features were presented as conceptual options rather than finalized design elements.
Council members raised a few design concerns. One councilmember cautioned against placing a pedestrian island between Division and First (in front of Peta Pit), saying the turn lane there is heavily used and a pedestrian island could reduce vehicle turning capacity. Another asked about long-term maintenance for hanging baskets; staff said the parks commission and later design phases would address maintenance and irrigation, and the grant could support installation of a watering system.
After discussion, Councilmember Hal moved to adopt Resolution 25-49 (authorization to submit the TIB Basin Street grant application) and council approved it by voice vote. Council then moved and approved Resolution 25-50 to amend the TIP and add the grant-funded project to the capital plan.
Why it matters: the grants and amendment pair outside funding with a modest local match to address immediate pedestrian and safety issues downtown while preserving options for streetscape improvements subject to further design and funding.
Next steps: staff will complete and submit the TIB grant application, pursue detailed design if the grant is awarded, and return to council and the parks commission for amenity decisions and final design approval.
