Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Improvement Program topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mount Vernon holds public hearing on 2027–2032 Transportation Improvement Program; residents press for crosswalk lights, bike lanes
Summary
At a June 10 public hearing on Mount Vernon's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2027–2032, residents urged crosswalk lights, protected bike lanes, sidewalk fixes and better ADA access. Staff said projects lacking six-year funding remain 'not programmed' but are being tracked; council is scheduled to consider adoption June 24 to meet a July 1 statutory deadline.
Mount Vernon city staff opened a public hearing June 10 on the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2027–2032, during which residents urged immediate safety fixes and stronger bicycle and pedestrian connections while staff explained how projects are prioritized and funded.
Capital projects manager Frank Reinhart said the draft TIP was posted May 20 and that the council is expected to receive a recommendation to adopt the final TIP at its June 24 meeting to meet a statutory deadline of July 1. Reinhart noted several corrections to tables and project descriptions and said the document distinguishes between 'programmed' projects with identified funding in the six‑year horizon and 'not programmed' projects that are earmarked but lack current funding.
The hearing included two written comments read into the record. Kate Selting Smith urged "projects that prioritize protected bike lanes and improved connections between existing public trails," calling out the Riverwalk–Colton Trail connection. Ingrid Hannon of the Sedgevalley Bike Coalition asked that the proposed pedestrian bridge be prioritized, recommended dyke trail improvements and urged that Riverside Drive receive ADA and safety upgrades; she also suggested stormwater and street-tree elements be incorporated into designs.
Multiple residents described near-miss incidents and hazardous crossings. Andrea (Mount Vernon) said the intersection at 15th and Blackburn is dangerous and asked for crosswalk lights, saying, "I am very concerned I'm going to get hit when I'm standing at the corner." Sam Irons asked for a crosswalk near Trumpeter Drive and flagged a large hole in a sidewalk on North 18th Street near the UFCW building that blocks mobility devices. Other commenters urged traffic-calming measures on approaches to the freeway and improvements to narrow or overgrown sidewalks.
Reinhart and Public Works staff responded that items listed as 'not programmed' remain on the TIP as priorities but lack identified funding within the six-year window; he warned the unprogrammed list contains many projects and roughly "a $100 million of projects on it right now," arguing for breaking large efforts into incremental, fundable pieces and aligning TIP priorities with the comprehensive plan. Public Works Director Chris Phillips described the city's traffic-safety submission process: residents can file a traffic-safety form (a fillable PDF) on the Public Works website; submissions go to a safety committee including police and staff and will generate a staff response.
No formal vote was taken on the TIP at the hearing; staff said they plan to return June 24 with a recommendation to adopt the final TIP. The hearing closed after council discussion about project phasing and interim fixes.
