Wenatchee redraws Sellar Bridge plan
Saturday, September 26, 2009
World graphic/Carmen Hoffmann This map shows the newly approved revised traffic plan for the west side of the Sen. George Sellar Bridge project.
WENATCHEE — The City Council on Thursday approved a new traffic plan for the west end of the Sen. George Sellar Bridge that will allow existing businesses to stay put and reduce construction costs by $6.7 million.
The plan seeks to reduce congestion at the bridge’s west-end intersections.
The structure carries some 60,000 vehicles daily across the Columbia River. Under the new plan:
• Crews would build a bridge off-ramp westbound that would run at ground level alongside Crescent Street and Locomotive Park. The ramp would end at a new traffic light at Crescent and Ferry streets. From there, motorists could turn either left or right onto Ferry.
• Motorists westbound across the bridge could turn left or right onto Mission Street, but no longer continue straight ahead onto Stevens Street, which would end in a cul-de-sac.
• Westbound vehicles that exit the bridge by turning right onto Mission would no longer be able to turn left onto Ferry.
• Vehicles eastbound on Ferry would no longer be allowed to turn left onto Mission.
• Crescent Street would become a one-way street southbound, with two-way access along Park Street.
• Mission Street would be widened only at the intersections, allowing existing bridge-area businesses, including 7-Eleven, the Union 76 gas station and the Bridge Car Wash to remain in place. These businesses would have had to relocate under the old plan.
Steve King, public works director of engineering for the city, said the new plan is similar to existing traffic patterns.
The revised west-end project will cost $19.8 million, according to DOT estimates, down from the former plan’s $26.5 million. Construction should begin in summer 2012.
It costs less because less land needs to be purchased from private landowners, he said.
The plan is designed to meet traffic needs through at least 2030.
Traffic exiting the bridge along the new Crescent Street off-ramp would be divided from Crescent Street traffic by a median wall, King said.
The existing parking lot for Locomotive Park would move to the west side of Crescent at its intersection with Ferry. The old lot would be planted with grass and become part of the park.
A collection of businesses on Crescent Street — Elements Salon & Wellness Spa, Bikerstown USA and Global Car Care — won’t be affected by the new off-ramp, officials said.
Eric Pierson, DOT project engineer, told the City Council that those businesses have yet to be notified of the new traffic plan.
The idea to use the Crescent Street route for a bridge off-ramp had been simmering several years among city and local DOT officials, King said.
They proposed the revision to DOT officials only last month.
The west-end improvements are part of a $64 million, three-year state Department of Transportation (DOT) project that will add an extra eastbound lane of traffic to the bridge, add a new “outrigger-style” pedestrian walkway along the bridge’s south side and improve east-side intersections.
Bridge work began this year.
Christine Pratt: 665-1173
pratt@wenatcheeworld.com
Comments
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oregon730 (Jason Wyles) says...
I like the new traffic plan. In terms of the five lanes I'm still trying to figure out where all the snow is going to go during the winter? Seems like a lot of money is being spent on a fifth lane when maybe the amount spent should have been put towards a third bridge, possibly connecting 5th street with Sunset highway, to alleviate traffic pile ups at both ends of town. Yes, this would have been much more costly but in the long run maybe it would have been a better alternative than adding a fifth lane. Not sure if it's just me but the lanes don't seem as wide. Maybe that is just short term during construction? My concern is the drivers who daily disregard the no talking while holding a cell phone law as well as the no driving while texting law which are both accidents waiting to happen. I'd like to see see the same lane width to reduce the number of accidents caused by these drivers.
September 26, 2009 at 3:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MY2CENTS (my 2cents) says...
A little late to post your opinion. That was last year during public forums. All lanes will remain tight, to accomodate the new lane. Cell phone law is a joke. Lets see that one get enforced!!
September 26, 2009 at 4:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Cactus (Jerry Patterson) says...
The cell phone law is only a joke because it is a secondary offense. It should be a primary...and triple the fine. Maybe these danderous, selfish idiots would get off the phone and DRIVE instead of endangering the public at large. I came inches away from a fool in a taurus side-swiping me in the middle of the bridge $ 40mph just yesterday cuz he was LOOKING DOWN AT HIS STUPID PHONE instead of his eyes being on the road, where they should be. Your call is completely un-important..it should be eyes ON THE ROAD...or TAKE LINK. The day you get nailed for liability..youll figure it out.
September 26, 2009 at 7:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
frogmandude (Russell Schwaberow) says...
The new path to congestion should work fine on paper and only reality will show for sure. Build it and we will drive it into the ground, but a new bridge connecting troubled pavement from both counties would favor a better long term solution and would carry us into a better future. Last time the valley had a new bridge built was in 1974 aka Olds Bridge. We are long overdue. Should we tell the Governer?
September 26, 2009 at 7:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Psycho (Yeah Right) says...
Cactus, Sorry but the cellphone law makes it illegal to hold it to your head. Not dial, not talk on speaker or hands free, basically why its a joke. Studies have proven that the problem is where your mind is, not how the phone is used. Yet somehow a law was passed that forced many people to buy hands free / blue-tooth devices that change nothing. CORPRATE AMERICA CONTROLS THE LAWS NOT THE VOTERS.
September 26, 2009 at 8:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Brundage (Scott Brundage) says...
Ah! Now I see the lght! Thanks to Psycho.
If we would NOT legislaye what we DO but instead legislate "where you mind is" things would be much better.
Next step. Outlaw car radios. KPQ with it's right wing worship on the air is driving thinking people CRAZY. Get radio out of our cars along with outlawing talking whiled driving and we will all live longer and happier lives.
September 26, 2009 at 11:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Brundage (Scott Brundage) says...
Oooops!
Please forgive my spellment and grammers. As a broadcaster who started his career at KPQ back in '65, I was striked bye lite ning as I typed my earlier post and it afflicted my write-ability!
Scott
September 26, 2009 at 11:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Cactus (Jerry Patterson) says...
Regardless of where your "mind" is...its a little hard to control where your CAR is (lanewise) when your head is pointed towards your lap, reading some pointless fwd text message your buddy just sent you. The guy in the taurus nearly side swiped me before I laid on my horn, and even then, still didnt take his eyes off his phone. After I passed him, he crossed the center line SIX times while crossin the bridge. This proves that people messing with their phones really do have the same driving habits as a DRUNK driver. Funny how folks have been listening to the radio in their cars, and having conversations with passengers for decades and its never been proven to cause accidents...But when it comes to cell phones, excuses that don't add up and justify reckless behavior are cool too...I guess.
September 27, 2009 at 7:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Psycho (Yeah Right) says...
Cactus, I wasn't disagreeing with you, just pointing out that the cell phone law doesn't fix the problem. It should be illegal to dial, or operate a phone at all while driving.
The study I remember actually compared a drunk driver to a cell phone user, and a cell phone user with a headset. The DRUNK was safest. Second was the plain phone, last was the hands free. My point was that the law doesn't cover any of the problems, just forced a lot of people to buy hands free devices.
September 27, 2009 at 7:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BeenThere (John Smith) says...
"The City Council on Thursday approved a new traffic plan for the west end of the Sen. George Sellar Bridge"
"Eric Pierson, DOT project engineer, told the City Council that those businesses have yet to be notified of the new traffic plan."
What is with this so called City Council. How can you approve something without talking with the people it affects?
DUMB!!!!!
September 27, 2009 at 8:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BeenThere (John Smith) says...
"A collection of businesses on Crescent Street — Elements Salon & Wellness Spa, Bikerstown USA and Global Car Care — won’t be affected by the new off-ramp, officials said."
I guess if their customers don't mind driving all the way to East Wenatchee and then back to use the ramp. They can't get on Park driving south. I guess you follow Mission, flip a u-turn and drive back to park. Either way, it seems it will effect them alot. But what does the City Council care. They make such great decisions. Maybe they are hoping to use the savings on their White Elephant Center.
September 27, 2009 at 8:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MRlogical (Justin W) says...
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I enjoy how the image of the new improvement is so very large. I'm not in need of glasses and it's even hard for me to see.
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Secondly, I think the space between Mission and Wenatchee Avenue are by far too close for a 3rd light between them
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And about the not notifying people before approving a plan, well it's called "right of way" Government can come in and take your land, but they will surely pay you top dollar. Though it's pain to have to move and so forth.
September 27, 2009 at 9:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BeenThere (John Smith) says...
Hey, City Council. Try thinking outside the box. Leave Crescent Street at two way street and make a right turn lane about half way to Ferry. Think about the businesses there (for a change). I know, they aren't big powerful friends of yours but don't leave your head in the buried in the sand.
It is a shame no one wants to be on the Council and we get stuck with . . .
September 28, 2009 at 12:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )