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Tumwater commission backs roundabout monument, asks carvers for design sketches
Summary
The Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission voted to move forward with a proposed carved stone monument for a Trosper Road roundabout and to map historic-route signage across the city. The commission authorized staff to negotiate with stone carvers on design mock-ups and formed a subcommittee to work on signage placement.
The Tumwater Historic Preservation Commission voted Oct. 16 to pursue a carved stone monument for the large roundabout on Trosper Road and to develop a citywide plan for historic-route signage, after hearing technical input from the city engineer and a presentation from local carvers.
Commission Chair Dave Shipway said the design concept—based on a stone globe with an engraved band marking the 47th parallel and relief panels showing historic road insignia—had generated community interest. "I make the motion to proceed with the project as a preliminary scope in this discussion," Shipway said, moving the item forward with a second and an aye vote from commissioners.
The commission’s action empowers staff to negotiate with a group of stone carvers to produce multiple draft concepts for review. Commission discussion and the city engineer’s comments focused on safety, maintenance and foundation requirements for placing a multi-piece stone monument in the center of a traffic roundabout. City Engineer Bill Lindauer said sight distance in a roundabout is generally acceptable for a central aesthetic object but cautioned that utilities converge under the roundabout and any installation should allow for removability and lift points so utilities can be maintained.
Commissioners, staff and the carvers discussed size, materials and visual treatment to avoid confusing drivers. Lindauer advised against features that would read as directional wayfinding; the panel suggested inscriptions and carved relief rather than sign-like replicas. Commissioners also discussed long-term public understanding of a monument placed in a traffic circle and asked that interpretive context be provided off the roundabout (for example, in park signage, brochures or online) because there will be no pedestrian access to the center of the circle.
The commission also voted to create a subcommittee—Commissioner Dave Shipway and Commissioner John Prosper were named in the motion—to work with city staff on a map showing where historic-route markers (College Trail, Pacific Highway, Primary State Highway 1 and US 99) might be sited across the city. That subcommittee motion passed by voice vote.
Commissioners and staff noted budget constraints and timing. Shipway and staff reported the commission’s account held $10,000 for 2025 and a similar allocation available in 2026, providing roughly $20,000 in commission-controlled funds for early-stage work. Staff and commissioners said full project costs (installation, foundation work, civil adjustments, electrical or irrigation if required) will be higher and likely require staged fundraising, department art funds, or additional council allocations. Several commissioners said they expect the full project—from design to carving, permitting and installation—could take two to three years.
The motions passed with aye votes and without a roll-call tally recorded in the meeting minutes. Design mock-ups and procurement terms will return to the commission for review once staff negotiate scope and cost with the carvers.
The commission indicated it will coordinate monument design work with the city’s sign and traffic standards and will seek design concepts that do not function as directional signage.
Two next steps were identified: (1) staff negotiation with the stone carvers to produce three draft concepts and (2) a commission subcommittee (Shipway and Prosper) to overlay historic-route sign candidates on city maps and return recommendations to the commission.
