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Council weighs sidewalk easements, design trade-offs for 3rd Avenue and Hayes Street reconstruction
Summary
City and consultant MSA presented designs for the 3rd Avenue Southwest and Hayes Street reconstruction and identified about seven properties where existing sidewalk lies on private land; council directed staff to contact owners to seek easements before finalizing sidewalk alignment.
City officials and project consultant MSA Professional Services discussed design decisions and right-of-way issues for the planned 3rd Avenue Southwest and Hayes Street reconstruction during the Jan. 12 Cascade City Council meeting.
Jake Deaver of MSA told the council that survey work showed roughly seven properties south of 3rd Avenue where existing sidewalk currently sits on private property. “If we put the sidewalk back as it is, then half that sidewalk would be on private property,” Deaver said, explaining the city would need either permanent easements or to omit the sidewalk on that stretch.
Deaver outlined alternatives and trade-offs: shift the roadway to avoid private land (which he said would offset the street by about 2–3 feet and add driveway and construction costs) or negotiate permanent easements/right-of-way with property owners. He recommended permanent easements based on his understanding of state law governing public sidewalks and right-of-way.
Council members raised practical and precedent concerns. One member asked whether a temporary construction easement could be used instead of permanent easements; Deaver said the question should be reviewed with the city attorney and reiterated his professional recommendation for permanent easements or right-of-way. Councilmembers also noted prior instances in the area where the city had paid for retaining walls and projects and worried about setting a precedent if the city removed existing sidewalk.
The presentation included site-specific notes about connectivity: sidewalks currently end at the south side of 5th Avenue and there is limited pedestrian continuity beyond that block, increasing the safety value of preserving or replacing sidewalks where feasible.
On next steps, Deaver and a staff colleague said they would reach out to the affected property owners to gauge willingness to grant easements, either in a single meeting or by individual visits. The council directed staff to perform that outreach before finalizing the sidewalk alignment in the project design.
The project is funded in part by bond proceeds received Dec. 30, 2025. City staff later confirmed a bond draw of $1,420,000 designated for the 3rd Avenue and Hayes Street project.
The council did not vote on a final design at the meeting; staff were directed to report back after contacting property owners.
