Yakima bicycle-pedestrian advisory committee reviews multiple projects, raises ADA safety concerns after recent cyclist fatality

Jennifer (Chair) called the Wednesday meeting to order and said, “We do have a quorum.”

The Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee on March 12 approved the minutes from its February meeting and spent the remainder of the session reviewing a range of city bicycle and pedestrian projects scheduled or proposed for 2025 and beyond. Committee members discussed funding sources, construction timing, design choices (separated bike lanes vs. shared pathways), and ADA gaps at several intersections — most notably 16th Street and Fruitvale Avenue, an intersection participants said should be reprioritized after a recent bicyclist fatality.

The discussion matters because several projects are already on the city’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) or have funding commitments, meaning design choices now will shape how people walk, roll and bike in Yakima for years. Committee members focused on ensuring new and replacement infrastructure include up-to-date pedestrian-accessible signals and curb ramps, continuous bike/ped connections for greenways and canals, and traffic-calming where crash data indicate elevated risk.

Most immediately, members reviewed these items: Nob Hill Boulevard at Fair Avenue (a TIP-listed project with signal replacement, curb, gutter, sidewalks, mast-arm signals and drainage upgrades with an amount noted in committee materials as $7,989,461); Fifth and D Street (sidewalks and pedestrian-leading signals funded in recent grant packages and construction activity that committee members said is underway); Powerhouse Canal/Greenway connections between 30th and 40th avenues and the River Road/Fruitvale corridor; and multiple planned pedestrian-leading (also called pedestrian-leading interval) signals. The group also discussed roundabout designs on 40th and other corridor projects slated for later construction and questioned how bicycle users will be accommodated through roundabout approaches.

Committee chair Jennifer and other members pressed staff follow-up on signal choices and ADA hardware. Jennifer asked that staff confirm use of modern accessible pedestrian signals (APS) and pedestrian-leading-signal hardware when intersections are rebuilt or signals replaced, and suggested emailing Robert Washbaugh for technical follow-up. Bill Preston, the city traffic engineer (discussed throughout the meeting), presented project updates to the council at a prior briefing and his materials were the basis for much of the committee’s project status conversation.

Members repeatedly raised 16th and Fruitvale, noting that the intersection currently lacks curb ramps on all four corners and that the city’s ADA transition plan assigns specific annual funding to retrofit curb ramps and APS signals. The committee’s exchange included a reminder that an individual ADA complaint can raise project priority and, under federal requirements, create a legal timeline for remediation. The committee heard that the city is “seeking funding” for that intersection and that, absent secured funding, any near-term improvements are unlikely — though members urged the city to treat the location as higher priority given a recent fatality nearby.

On the subject of greenway connectivity and pavement markings, members reported that Yakima Valley Council of Governments (YVCOG) allocated roughly $50,000 for green pavement markings (referred to in the meeting as “green paint” or vinyl markings) that have not yet been spent; engineering staff indicated locations are being identified and the committee expects an engineering update for member input. Committee members said green paint and vinyl treatments remain a priority for greenway approaches and conflict zones where the canal path meets roadway crossings.

Traffic calming was another recurring topic: the committee noted that historically allocated traffic-calming funds had been used for other safety hardware (including an RRFB at Chestnut and 40th and some green paint), and that a refreshed list of candidate traffic-calming locations will move forward this year (areas discussed included Scenic Avenue between 50th–60th, Seventh Street between East Adams and Pacific, and Tenth between Mead and Spokane). Members asked the city to formalize a point-based traffic-calming policy or ordinance to complement existing policy guidance.

Design trade-offs were emphasized for the Sixth Avenue corridor project, where members said preliminary options include a shared 10–12 foot multiuse path (William O. Douglas Trail) alongside the roadway and alternatives that would retain trolley tracks or restructure travel lanes. Committee members reiterated a general preference across the city for separate bicycle facilities where feasible but acknowledged that right-of-way limits and adjacent parking can force trade-offs between a multiuse path and on-street bike lanes.

Project-specific numbers or clarifications mentioned during discussion: - Nob Hill/Fair Avenue (TIP listing): $7,989,461 noted in project materials for signal replacement, ADA ramps, lighting and drainage upgrades. - YVCOG green-marking grant: committee cited about $50,000 available for green pavement/vinyl treatments. - Third and Division intersection contract: members referenced a construction contract of approximately $725,000 (Noble Electric listed as contractor in project notes). - Sixth Avenue trolley-track work: members noted an estimated $280,000 to reinstate trolley crossing work across BNSF pavement and a larger rough order-of-magnitude (about $4 million; described in meeting comments) for more extensive track rebuilds along the corridor.

Formal action taken: the committee approved the February 2025 meeting minutes. An unidentified committee member moved to approve, Jennifer seconded, and the chair called the voice vote: “Aye.” The chair recorded approval and the committee moved on to project items. Two committee members (Jesse Dixon and Neil McClure) were noted as absent at the start of the meeting.

Members asked staff and the engineering consultant (HLA, named in the meeting) for more detailed project schedules, specifics on which intersections will receive APS/pedestrian-leading-signal hardware this year, and clearer descriptions of where green pavement markings will be applied so the committee can provide advisory input during design phases. The committee also signaled interest in reviewing the ADA transition-plan funding schedule and any formal complaint records that affect project prioritization.

The committee adjourned early after completing the scheduled items.