Council approves $1.21 million amendment for SR 507/Bald Hill Road roundabout final design

The Yelm City Council voted Jan. 28 to authorize Mayor de Pinto to sign Amendment No. 4 to a professional services agreement for final design work on the SR 507/Bald Hill Road roundabout, approving an amount not to exceed $1,206,048.

Brad (staff) described the amendment as covering final design, ready-to-bid plans, specifications and cost estimates. He told the council “this agreement with Parametrics is not to exceed amount of $1,206,048 for the final design.” The council record and staff clarified the project is funded 100% by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

Council members asked for design clarifications. Councilmember Wood asked whether a nearby brick feature at the intersection by the Starbucks would need removal; staff said that at this stage they do not expect to have to touch it but that final design work will determine stormwater and right-of-way needs. Councilmember Ross said she wanted to preserve the brick feature; staff replied they would “do everything in our power to make that happen.”

Council discussion included questions about alternatives that had been considered. Staff said a five-legged roundabout option had been studied but required substantial additional right-of-way acquisitions and would have required relocating two homes; traffic modeling indicated the five-leg option did not function as well as the chosen alternative. Several council members asked to review the traffic modeling data before final design, and one councilor requested a meeting to examine the study inputs and try alternative scenarios.

A voice vote was taken; the motion carried by voice vote with no roll-call tally recorded in the transcript.