Hanford seeks $565,000 design change order to convert East Lacey Boulevard to "complete streets"
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Summary
Council reviewed a $565,000 change order to QK to redesign East Lacey Boulevard from a five‑lane arterial to a complete‑streets corridor (one travel lane each direction, protected bike/ped facilities, medians, transit stops); staff said the redesign increases total design costs to about $1.6M but unlocks major grant eligibility.
City engineering staff asked council to approve a $565,000 design change order with QK to convert East Lacey Boulevard's prior five‑lane arterial concept into a complete‑streets corridor that prioritizes pedestrians, bicycles and transit while accommodating truck turns and business access.
City Engineer Lisa Donk and Frank Centeno explained the change order would revise curb alignments, center medians, turn pockets, street parking locations, protected bicycle lanes (with buffer zones), raised medians and bus stop configurations. The change order also includes a new water main crossing under the Union Pacific Railroad, storm‑drain basin plans, and conduit/electrical infrastructure stubbing so future improvements can be added without trenching.
Donk said the change order increases the project's total design fee to about $1.6 million, which the staff described as roughly 8 percent of an estimated $20 million construction cost—below typical industry design‑fee percentages for complex corridor work. Staff emphasized that converting the corridor to a complete‑streets design broadens eligibility for federal and state transportation grants (including a transit‑rail capital program and Safe Streets for All funding) and supports the high‑speed rail station entryway planning.
The consultant will conduct property‑owner outreach, meet one‑on‑one with affected owners and evaluate truck turns and business access to minimize negative impacts to operations and parking. Councilors asked questions about on‑street parking, truck clearances for existing businesses and how the design will be adapted on east (residential) and west (business) sides of the railroad tracks; staff said the plans account for those needs and will return with refined design details and further outreach.
