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Public works committee hears business concerns about Twelfth & Commercial improvements; coalition warns about 'bigger trucks' proposals
Summary
Council’s public works committee reported that WSDOT-required bike lanes for the Twelfth and Commercial intersection improvements will remove 13 on‑street parking spaces used by nearby businesses; the committee also received a presentation from the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks about nationwide efforts to allow heavier/longer trucks.
The Anacortes public works committee told the City Council on Oct. 20 that upcoming intersection improvements at Twelfth Street and Commercial will remove a total of 13 on‑street parking spaces used by businesses along Oaks Avenue and nearby blocks.
Committee members said the loss results from WSDOT’s requirement to provide multimodal facilities under the state’s complete streets policy; the project adds bike lanes without expanding pavement width, which eliminates the previous parking strip. Businesses on both sides of Twelfth Street spoke to the committee about how losing those spaces will affect access and customer parking. The committee plans to consult with Public Works staff on alternative solutions — constrained in part because WSDOT owns sections of Twelfth — and will return with recommendations.
At the same committee meeting, members received a presentation from the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks. Committee members said the coalition warned of recurring federal policy proposals that could authorize heavier single‑trailer trucks, longer doubles or even three‑trailer configurations on interstate highways and, potentially, local streets. The coalition pointed to a 2016 U.S. Department of Transportation study that recommended no change to truck length/mass rules and listed constituent organizations of the coalition, including the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities and the American Public Works Association. Committee members said they will consider sending a draft letter to the city’s congressional representatives expressing local concerns if the issue resurfaces in the federal legislative or regulatory calendar.
Council members raised the parking‑loss issue at the full council meeting and requested more clarity and follow‑up with Public Works; one councilmember noted they were not aware the Twelfth improvements would affect Oaks Avenue east of the intersection and asked staff to return with more detail.
