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Grant‑funded study presents three approaches to fix dangerous SR‑17/Stratford interchange; staff leans multimodal/Broadway interface work
Summary
Consultants showed safety data that the study area accounts for 45% of city crashes and proposed three approaches—bike/ped only, multimodal changes, and a full re‑envisioning of SR‑17. Staff recommended prioritizing multimodal safety improvements and Broadway waterfront connectivity while using remaining grant funds for design and community outreach.
Consultants from Tool Design and Pertit presented a phase‑1 study funded by a $685,000 state bike/ped grant to address the SR‑17/Stratford interchange and a one‑mile secondary area. "This project is about opportunity," Dustin Kukukuk, Tool Design, told the council, outlining that the corridor lacks pedestrian and bicycle facilities and concentrates a high share of the city's serious crashes.
The consultants presented three high‑level approaches: (1) pedestrian/bicycle‑only investments such as a pedestrian/bicycle bridge or a new crossing using a nearby railroad alignment; (2) multimodal improvements that change lane configurations, add intersection treatments and reconfigure access (roundabouts, parallel routes or a diverging diamond concept) to reallocate space to people walking and biking; and (3) a large 'reenvisioning' that would systematically change the character of SR‑17 — a concept that would require coordination with WSDOT and significant investment.
The study shows roughly $285,000 spent to date with about $400,000 remaining in the grant for conceptual design and competitive grant positioning. Staff framed next steps as using the remaining funds for conceptual design and cost estimating to strengthen competitiveness for larger grants; the staff recommendation was to prioritize safety and Broadway‑and lake‑interface improvements to draw visitors to downtown and create more connected pedestrian routes.
Council members expressed interest in near‑term safety fixes around the Walmart/Stratford intersection and asked for refined cost estimates for the multimodal options; several council members said they favored multimodal options that improve pedestrian safety while keeping future grant competitiveness in mind.
Next steps: staff will prepare concept‑level designs and cost estimates for the multimodal approach(s) prioritized by council and collect additional community input before returning with refined plans and grant strategies.
