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Council approves design contract for Cedar Falls Way sidewalk, public raises septic and stormwater concerns
Summary
The council authorized a design contract not to exceed $332,000 for sidewalks, bike lanes and storm drainage improvements on Cedar Falls Way; residents urged careful study of septic systems and stormwater impacts while parents and neighbors supported pedestrian safety improvements.
The North Bend City Council on April 1 approved a professional design contract with PH Consulting, authorizing up to $332,000 for engineering design of a pedestrian and stormwater improvement project along Cedar Falls Way.
Project scope and schedule: the project covers the Cedar Falls Way corridor from the arterial at 430 Sixth Avenue (near I‑90 Exit 32) nearly a mile west to Maloney Grove Avenue. Staff told the council the area has seen approximately 400 new homes in the past 12 years, adding an estimated 1,000 residents; the project will add sidewalks, ADA ramps, intersection lighting, and storm drainage improvements, and the city has applied for a $2,000,000 construction grant. Staff said the target design year is 2025 and that construction could occur in 2026 if the grant is awarded.
Residents and safety: Councilmembers emphasized safety and minimizing disruption to schools. Staff said work near Obstet Elementary School would be scheduled for summertime — a conditional construction window starting around mid‑June with contract language allowing up to roughly 75 working days prior to the school year start.
Public comment focused on stormwater and septic impacts. Michael Thomas, a North Bend resident, urged the city to study aging stormwater conveyance and the many septic systems that lie near the corridor. He warned that moving curbs and changing runoff patterns can increase costs for nearby septic owners, potentially require different septic designs on replacement, and in some cases could make onsite systems infeasible; he asked the city to plan mitigation and consult county septic experts. Other speakers, including Sarah Cooley Brochart and a nearby resident who described positive experience with a similar sidewalk project, supported the safety improvements and asked to be kept informed.
Technical work: staff said the design contract will include topographical surveying, geotechnical engineering and stormwater planning, and that adding curb and gutter will require catch basins and infiltration or detention solutions rather than simple sheet flow.
Action taken: Council approved AB25‑033 authorizing the mayor to execute a design contract with PH Consulting for up to $332,000. The vote was unanimous.
Ending: Staff said design will include multiple cross sections to evaluate impacts and that the chosen design will be reviewed by the Transportation & Public Works Committee and returned to council with details and mitigation measures for adjacent septic systems and stormwater concerns.
