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Council approves $133,465 design amendment for South Commercial Avenue to add ADA push‑button crosswalk features
Summary
Council authorized a $133,465 contract modification with Osborne Consulting Inc. to add design work — including push‑button junction boxes and updated channelization plans required by WSDOT — to the South Commercial Avenue (Thirteenth–30th) project, increasing the total design contract to $253,905 after debate over costs and phasing.
The Anacortes City Council on Oct. 27 approved a $133,465 modification to contract 16097TRN001 with Osborne Consulting Inc., bringing the total design price to $253,905 for the South Commercial Avenue project between Thirteenth Street and 30th Street.
Public works staff told council that WSDOT had required replacement of crosswalk systems and ADA‑compliant push‑button junction boxes at multiple intersections and that the additional design work includes updated channelization plans and the electrical/junction‑box design necessary to submit for WSDOT review. Staff said the extra work could more than double the design cost for that component, and that the city cannot complete the project without adding the push‑button design.
Councilmembers questioned the cost of the additional design — "It—s shocking to me the cost of the push‑button design," one member said — and discussed whether to phase the larger project, the likelihood of WSDOT providing additional construction funding, and how phasing would affect costs and mobilization. Staff responded that WSDOT did not offer additional funds for the new design requirement and that the city would continue to seek grants or other funding as the project advances.
Councilmember Fantini moved approval; Councilmember Walters seconded. The motion carried on a recorded vote.
Why it matters: The modification prepares the project to meet state ADA and channelization standards required for work adjacent to or involving state highway facilities; council members weighed design cost against the need to keep the overall capital project shovel‑ready and competitive for future funding.
Implementation: With the design amendment authorized, staff said the project will move to full design completion; council debated whether to phase construction depending on available funding.
