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Staff back 4-to-3 road diet and bike lanes on 48th Avenue NW; council seeks neighborhood outreach and more data
Summary
Public Works staff described a proposed road diet on 48th Avenue Northwest to add bike lanes and a center turn lane, citing the Comprehensive Transportation Plan; council members requested additional study and a town-hall with residents before committing funds.
The city’s public works team presented a proposal on Jan. 23 to convert a section of 48th Avenue Northwest from four lanes to a three-lane cross section with a center turn lane and bike lanes, and several council members asked staff to hold neighborhood outreach and provide additional traffic and crash data before final action.
The public works presentation, led by the public works director (unnamed) and David Riesland, transportation engineer, tied the proposal to the city’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) and the 2014 comprehensive plan. Staff said the section under discussion runs from Main Street north to Robinson and that a separate, legally obligated project funded by the 2019 transportation bond will convert Robinson to Tecumseh to a three-lane section; staff proposed making the entire corridor consistent by converting Main Street to Robinson as well.
Staff said the improved cross section is compatible with the CTP’s multimodal goals and that the most opportune time to add bike lanes is when the pavement is milled and a fresh overlay is applied. The presentation referenced prior work: the corridor’s first 400 feet south of Robinson was re-striped about seven years ago and the city has traffic studies, speed feedback trailer data and police patrol records for the corridor.
Public works staff emphasized they use established standards in evaluation, including MUTCD and Federal Highway Administration guidance, and that the corridor’s traffic volumes and low density of driveways make it a candidate for a road diet. Staff also noted concerns raised by neighbors and said the city withdrew a resolution (R242578) that would have reallocated street-maintenance bond savings to mill-and-overlay work on 48th so staff could pursue outreach and additional review.
Council members questioned timing and alternatives. Mayor Ecklund and Councilor Montano asked for additional study and a public meeting with neighbors; Councilor Montano specifically suggested exploring other speed-mitigation measures such as flashing crosswalks or a HAWK system (a signalized pedestrian beacon) as alternatives and emphasized that the AIM transportation plan will update the broader planning guidance. Councilor Brink asked about landscaped medians or curb treatments; staff said those features would require a larger, more costly project and likely a bond-funded scope rather than a routine mill-and-overlay.
Staff said there is no current bond funding for the Main-to-Robinson section; the withdrawn resolution would have reallocated accumulated savings from street-maintenance bond projects to the 48th Avenue overlay and a separate Interstate Drive overlay to create a viable bid package. Staff said if the council prefers to delay the road diet, staff will remove the request for funding and reassign the maintenance funds elsewhere.
No formal council action was taken at the committee meeting; members asked staff to schedule neighborhood outreach and return with crash and traffic-count comparisons from similar road-diet projects and with collision data for recently completed projects such as James Garner Boulevard and the roundabout.
