Funding Application
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1 of 9 Funding Application Competition Regional TAP Application Type Bicycle and Pedestrian Status submitted Submitted: September 19th, 2017 9:24 PM Project Information 1. Project Title Green River Trail Connector to TUC Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge 2. Transportation 2040 ID Exempt (was TUK-50) 3. Sponsoring Agency Tukwila 4. Cosponsors N/A 5. Does the sponsoring agency have "Certification Acceptance" status from WSDOT? Yes 6. If not, which agency will serve as your CA sponsor? N/A Contact Information 1. Contact name Cyndy Knighton 2. Contact phone 2064312450 3. Contact email [email protected] Project Description 1. Project Scope This project will replace approximately 700 feet of existing 8-ft wide Green River Trail which is currently paved in asphalt with no illumination with 12-ft wide concrete trail and 2-ft gravel shoulders with illumination and security cameras. Bright illumination for users will create an inviting pathway commensurate with the amenities on the new bridge and along the Baker/Christensen section. A new pedestrian plaza will also be constructed where the Green River Trail intersects with Christensen Road including way-finding signs to major destinations. The trail work was designed as part of the larger TUC Pedestrian-Bicycle Bridge Project and the related Baker Boulevard Non-motorized Improvements Project, both of which will be completed in 2017. The wider trail section will be built to provide the extra capacity necessary to accommodate the intermingled capacity of Green River Trail and Ped/Bike Bridge users. The project is fully designed and permitted and the grant funds will be used exclusively for construction related activities. 2. Project Justification, Need, or Purpose Tukwila has been implementing a key walkable “spine” in the north portion of Southcenter to support the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) area defined in the City’s comprehensive support the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) area defined in the City’s comprehensive 2 of 9 plan. This walkable and bike-able east-west corridor connects the new Tukwila Transit Center (at the west end of Baker Blvd.) to the Tukwila Station, serviced by Sounder and Amtrak as well as King County Metro bus service east of West Valley Highway. The missing section of this pedestrian spine is the section of the Green River Trail between Christensen and the new Bridge. This "spine" runs east-west approximately along the Baker Boulevard alignment. Tukwila is actively building the infrastructure to support the existing and future land uses and increased density. The new TUC Pedestrian-Bicycle Bridge over the Green River and the Baker Boulevard Non-motorized Improvements Projects will be completed before the end of 2017. A grant has been awarded to Tukwila, as a sub-recipient to King County, for design and construction of wider sidewalks on West Valley Highway from the new Pedestrian Bridge to Longacres Way and design of sidewalks along Longacres Way from West Valley Highway to the end of the City owned right of way. Work will begin no later than 2018 for this segment. Tukwila recently submitted a grant application to the Transportation Improvement Board for the West Valley Highway project which, in addition to improved road capacity, will complete the gaps in existing sidewalks along the east side of the highway build a pedestrian signal mid- block between Strander Boulevard and Longacres Way. This corridor provides a walkable option for commuters as well as hotel patrons wishing to access the Southcenter area amenities or the rail options at Tukwila Station. Approximately 13,700 jobs, more than existing 1,200 hotel rooms on the east side of the Green River, and nearly 300 hotel rooms and 500 residential units under construction or in design review on the west side are within the half mile radius of the project. Project Location 1. Project Location Green River Trail 2. Please identify the county(ies) in which the project is located. King 3. Crossroad/landmark nearest the beginning of the project Christensen Road 4. Crossroad/landmark nearest the end of the project Green River 5. Map and project graphics Vicinity_and_Overview_Maps.pdf, Green_River_Trail_Photos.pdf Plan Consistency 1. Is the project specifically identified in a local comprehensive plan? Yes 2. If yes, please indicate the (1) plan name, (2) relevant section(s), and (3) page number where it can be found. Plan name is "Tukwila Comprehensive Plan" Southcenter - Tukwila's Urban Center, Element 10 Vision Statement, bullets 2 and 4 (p 10-5) Urban Development Goal 10.2 Implementation Strategy bullet 5 (p 10-11) Urban Development Policy 10.2.5 (p 10-13, indirect reference to "spine") Transportation, Element 13 Purpose, referencing the Background Report and Walk & Roll Plan (p 13-2), project is specifically identified in these reports Transit Section (p 13-16), 3rd paragraph references a new link connecting the Tukwila Station to areas near Westfield Mall at Southcenter is this project. Transit Policy 13.4.4 (p 13-18) 3. If no, please describe how the project is consistent with the applicable local comprehensive plan, including specific local policies and provisions the project supports. consistent language Federal Functional Classification 1. Functional class name 00 Not applicable (transit, enhancements, Etc.) 3 of 9 Support for Centers 1. Describe the relationship of the project to the center(s) it is intended to support. For example, is it located within a designated regional, countywide or local center, or is it located along a corridor connecting to one of these areas? The project is located in the heart of the Tukwila Urban Center, a designated Regional Urban and GTEC Center currently serving as a significant center of employment and shopping for south King County. Concentrating employment and residential growth in these centers is a primary strategy of the Growth Management Act. Good access by a variety of modes of transportation is one of Tukwila’s – and the region's -- primary goals for centers. Within a regional center, its street and sidewalk network is a key factor to support pedestrian and transit circulation and access. 2. Describe how the project supports existing and/or planned population/employment activity in the center. The goals, policies and implementation strategies in theTukwila Urban Center Plan reflect these regional growth center concepts. The Plan specifically identifies the pedestrian- oriented improvements needed to support the planned growth and land uses and connect the multi-modal stations within the Center. The larger project site is part of a planned mixed- use pedestrian spine that will link the Tukwila Station (Sounder and Amtrak) to the Southcenter core - 90 acres of office, retail, lodging, and entertainment. Currently, this project is the remaining unfunded section of the larger pedestrian/non-motorized backbone. The non-motorized spine will be a short trip on foot or bicycle between Southcenter Mall and Tukwila Station once the bridge is completed in late 2017. People already travel from the Sounder Commuter Rail/Amtrak Station to Tukwila's urban center; however, many do so by car or bus due to lack of an amenable pedestrian/bicycle environment, and the long distance between the station and the urban center. Of the 13,700 employees within the 1/2 mile radius from the project (within Tukwila), more than 90% of them are located on the west side of the Green River. Currently, people walking or bicycling to the urban center from the Tukwila Station must travel nearly a mile along West Valley Highway and Strander Boulevard (six-lane and four-lane roads, respectively) - both with high traffic volumes and vehicle speeds. The larger project improves public access to the station from all parts of Southcenter, and provides a direct, safe and enjoyable walking experience. Investing in this urban level amenity will be critical to attracting the types and densities envisioned for a regional center. The larger project has been built with the high level of amenities expected in a dense, vibrant area leaving this 700 foot section of existing trail with very basic urban design. Providing a wider trail with bright illumination, security cameras, and wayfinding to match the remainder of the corridor will go a long way in making this a highly desirable amenity that will continue to attract new residential and employment growth. 3. Describe how the project helps the center develop in a manner consistent with the adopted policies and plans for the center. The project will enhance the pedestrian experience and serve as an important component of the Tukwila Comprehensive Plan’s strategies for improved pedestrian/bicycle/transit amenities linking the Southcenter Mall area to the Sounder Commuter Rail/Amtrak Station. The enhancements are a focal point in the Southcenter and Transportation Elements as well as the City's Walk and Roll Plan. Ultimately, the goal of the project is to meet the needs of existing pedestrians and bicyclists, and riders of buses, Commuter Rail and Amtrak, as well as planning for the transportation needs of projected growth in the Tukwila Urban Center. Criteria: Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects 1. Describe how the project extends or completes a regional or local bicycle and pedestrian system, and/or adds facilities to an existing bicycle and pedestrian system or network. The proposed project widens approximately 700 feet of the existing Green River Trail that connects between two pedestrian and bicycle improvements currently under construction. The first project,the TUC Pedestrian-Bicycle Bridge, crosses the Green River, landing just west of West Valley Highway on the east and at the Green River Trail on the west roughly on the Baker Boulevard alignment, if extended. The second project, Baker Boulevard Non- motorized Improvement Project, runs along Christensen Road, immediately south of the Green River Trail connection, to Baker Boulevard, and then along Baker from Christensen west to Andover Park W.