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Staff ties Tremont multi-use path to Port Orchard Boulevard to boost grant chances
Summary
To improve competitiveness for a Ped/Bike grant, staff proposed packaging Tremont phases 2/3 with a Port Orchard Boulevard road-diet and multi-use pathway; committee members discussed phased construction, tradeoffs between a grant-competitive cross-section and city-funded 6-foot bike lanes, and the long timeline and funding constraints.
City staff presented a grant strategy that pairs Tremont phases 2 and 3 with a Port Orchard Boulevard road-diet to strengthen a Ped/Bike funding application. The plan would prioritize a north-side multi-use path as the grant's primary element and include a 6-foot bike lane where city funds are used.
"It wasn't gonna be competitive as a standalone project, so I had to tie it in with the Port Orchard Boulevard project," Chris Hammer said, explaining that together the projects are more compelling for grant reviewers. He added the city's cross-section in the application demonstrates eligibility for future funding even if only portions are built immediately.
Council members noted tradeoffs: a more grant-competitive cross-section would require larger dimensions (a 7-foot bike lane plus buffer) that the city may not be able to fund without external dollars; a city-funded option could use a 6-foot bike lane and standard sidewalk but would be less attractive to grantors. "For planning purposes...we had committed to a 6 foot bike lane, but not the 7 foot and the 2 foot buffer thing, which is what makes it more grant fundable," Hammer said.
Members also discussed sequencing, equity of phased facilities (concern about half-built bike infrastructure), and the reality that the full buildout could take many years without major grant awards. Port Orchard Boulevard was described during the meeting as a relatively inexpensive priority project that could be advanced sooner than Tremont phases depending on funding.
Why it matters: packaging projects can improve chances of state or federal grant funding and shape which corridors get bike and pedestrian upgrades first. The committee asked staff to continue refining cross sections and to present the previously discussed profile that members preferred.
Next steps: staff will refine the schematic, confirm grant scoring implications for cross-section choices, and return with detailed profiles showing the tradeoffs between grant-driven and locally funded designs.
