City Council holds public hearing for transit plan

CHENEY — The City Council held a public hearing for the purpose of adopting the Transportation Improvement Plan 2024-2029 at their regular meeting on June 27.

The hearing was carried out and then the plan was approved unanimously by council.

The proposal includes 5.8 miles of arterial improvements with 1.83 miles of funded local access street and 3.97 miles of Arterial Streets, according to a city memo.

Streets included in the planning map are the intersection of Betz and Murphy Roads in the north of the city.

The residential street plan 2024-2029 is estimated at $ 2.26 million for funded preservation work and $ 2.51 million for planned grant matching funds.

The arterial street plan 2024-2029 is estimated at $ 8.15 million. The 2024 to 2029 plan funded local access streets has decreased 3.49 miles from last year’s 2023 to 2028 plan.

This is due to the increased costs for street preservation, estimated at $ 260.00 a lineal foot.

The 2024-2029 arterial street program qualifies for federal and state preservation funds as staff will continue to apply for these funds when available.

Funding for these projects is currently coming through an energy tax.

That is because there are certain properties that don’t pay property tax, but do pay energy tax. Eastern Washington University was used as an example and council said the university pays for about 30 percent of the road repairs.

Public Works Director Todd Ableman gave the presentation on upcoming projects that are in the plan.

It also includes the entirety of Al Ogdon Way just east of Betz Road, and Elm Street from Washington Street in the west to U.S. Route 904 in the east.

A roundabout is also in the plans at the intersection of Betz Rd. and N. 6th.

It was also noted that even though Mike McKeehan Way is one of the newest roads in town, it already is getting repaved.

According to Ableman, the road is falling apart already. He said they have been getting tests done and recommendations to remove the pavement and re-grade the road.

“We got the results back,” Ableman said. “What they’re recommending is we remove the pavement and then we re-grade and actually add a cement base into it and compact it down and re-overlay it.”

B Street between Elm Street and U.S. Route 904 will also see some repaving.

Other projects include renovations to C Street between Fourth Street and U.S. Route 904; Sixth Street between Union Street and G Street; and Salnave Road from U.S. Route 904 to the city limits, including the intersection of Washington Street.

Cheney resident Corinna Donnerberg asked Ableman about the neighborhood she lives in, which she said has limited routes in and out.

“I noticed our street is one of the one’s that will be repaved and there’s not a lot of ways to get out of there,” Donnerberg said. “So during the time it’s being paved how long will that take and how will folks know so we can kind of plan.”

Ableman answered and told her there will be detours in place and no complete closures are planned.

Additional arterial and residential maintenance plans are included in the documentation available on the city website.

 

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