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Lake Stevens council says 1-way couplet will not be implemented; alternatives to be evaluated
Summary
After public feedback and staff review, Lake Stevens officials said July 1 they will not move forward with the one-way couplet conversion of 116th/117th; staff will study alternate, cost-effective designs and return to council July 15 with metrics and next steps.
Lake Stevens city staff told the City Council on July 1 that the city will not proceed with a permanent one-way couplet conversion for 116th/117th avenues and will instead evaluate alternative designs.
The decision follows months of public outreach and a draft metrics memo from the project consultant. City Engineer Kim Plinker said the city has reviewed a draft memo from the consultant and will provide a full memo in the coming weeks. "I can confirm that we are not moving forward with the 1 way couplet implementation, any additional or permanent," Plinker said. She added staff will evaluate alternatives that are cost-effective and bring a design update to council on July 15.
The issue drew multiple public comments at the meeting. Ray (last name not specified), a resident who spoke during public comment, urged the council to keep safety improvements at the forefront, mentioning speed control measures and school-zone protections. Council members said the public feedback and data did not support continuing with the couplet in its current form.
Ben Arunadji, senior civil engineer, said the city has draft metrics posted on the website and that staff will return with a full evaluation and proposed next steps. Council Vice President Shipman noted the couplet status: "The couplet is dead," and the council did not require a separate motion to confirm staff's announcement.
Plinker said staff will study alternative designs that could be more cost effective and will kick off the next phase of design work before the council's midyear capital update on July 15. The city indicated the couplet project will be placed on its TBD list for follow-up work.
Council members and residents discussed options that include traffic-calming measures used in similar Washington cities, and emphasized a desire to use data and community feedback to shape the next design. No formal ordinance or funding decision was made at the July 1 meeting.
Council and staff scheduled the next substantive update for the July 15 meeting, when staff will present draft metrics, public responses and initial alternatives for council direction.
