Lakewood proposes sidewalk gaps, Pacific Highway overlay and Lakewood Station access in 6‑year transportation plan

Lakewood, Washington — The city’s transportation and public works staff outlined a short list of additions and removals to the six‑year transportation improvement program at Monday’s study session, citing project readiness and right‑of‑way needs.

The staff presentation proposed removing four near‑term projects that are already in procurement or nearing construction and adding four projects: an overlay on Pacific Highway from the railway bridge to 108th Avenue, a short sidewalk infill on Gravelly Lake Drive between Pacific Highway and Nyanza, a multi‑option project on Nyanza Park Drive (Nyanza Road to Clover Creek Drive) that may prioritize an off‑street shared path to save oak trees, and an overlay on SR‑96 between South Tacoma Way and the eastern city limits.

Public works staff said the Gravelly Lake Drive sidewalk is primarily a right‑of‑way purchase — roughly $750,000 with about $650,000 of that budgeted for right‑of‑way acquisition. Nyanza Park Drive raised tree preservation concerns; staff suggested exploring design alternatives such as a single sided wide shared‑use path rather than curb-and‑gutter sidewalks to limit impacts to significant oak trees.

Staff also described a coordinated Lakewood Station access program: the city plans to improve 115th Court SW from Bridgeport to the cul‑de‑sac and connect to Sound Transit’s planned pedestrian improvements across the rail corridor; Sound Transit will fund design and construction inside its right‑of‑way and the city will build the adjacent street segment.

Public comment and council questions focused on preserving trees during sidewalk construction, timing relative to Sound Transit work, and whether sufficient funding is reflected in the six‑year plan. No formal action was taken; projects will proceed through design, right‑of‑way and grant funding steps.