[Vision2020] City, Third Street residents spar over multimodal bridge

[Moscow Cares]

Courtesy of today's (August 24, 2017 Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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City, Third Street residents spar over multimodal bridge
Construction is scheduled for fiscal year 2018
A multimodal bridge - one providing access for motor vehicles, bicycles and walkers - crossing Paradise Creek at East Third Street has been discussed and debated for years, and now $580,000 for the design and construction of the bridge is budgeted for upcoming fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1.

Public Works Director Les MacDonald said there is no timeline for design and construction of the bridge at this point since the project was just recently approved in the budget, but the intent is to construct the bridge in 2018.

The project has upset many nearby residents, who worry about increased traffic, safety concerns and property values decreasing, but MacDonald said providing another east-west route through Moscow is necessary, especially as the east side of town continues to grow.

The city has limited opportunities for establishing east-west connective streets. MacDonald said some east-west routes have been lost through the years, including A Street when the North Couplet was constructed and Spotswood Street when the South Couplet was constructed. The lost routes have forced traffic onto fewer streets, thus increasing traffic on those streets, MacDonald said.

MacDonald, who also serves as the Moscow Transportation Commission staff liaison, said the transportation commission has been recommending the multimodal bridge option to City Council over the years. The commission's most recent recommendation was to proceed with the multimodal bridge unless it would not be constructed within the next eight years, and in that case the commission recommended a pedestrian/bicycle bridge be built, MacDonald said.

The City Council approved a resolution in 2007 that endorsed a pedestrian/bicycle bridge, but, MacDonald said, the project stalled as not enough private donations were received.

The Harvest Hills Addition subdivision, which will be located east of Mountain View Road and the current terminus of East Third Street, is one of the examples of expected growth on the east side of Moscow, MacDonald said.

"All of that (growth) is going to cause more and more demand for east-west connections through town and through the residential area," MacDonald said.

He said police and fire personnel have been supportive of the multimodal bridge in past discussions since it will provide another route to the east side and potentially a quicker one.

Traffic calming measures will be included when the bridge is built to help mitigate potential increases in traffic, MacDonald said. He said he is not sure what the measures will include at this point, but they could be narrower lanes, bike lane additions and curb bulb outs.

MacDonald said he also anticipates traffic control measures at certain Third Street intersections. He said the city will take a good look at the Third and Blaine streets intersection, the location of Lena Whitmore Elementary School, to maximize safety measures for students.

City Councilman Walter Steed said the multimodal bridge will provide a logical connection.

"It just makes sense," Steed said. "I just believe while traffic will increase between Mountain View and Hayes, no doubt about it, Third is not going to become the thoroughfare that people fear."

While many have voiced their displeasure for a multimodal bridge and support for a pedestrian/bicycle bridge, Steed said others have told him privately that they are in support of the multimodal bridge.

"We hear from the people that are upset and we're glad to hear from them," Steed said. "We want people talking to us."

Amy Ball, president of Citizens for a Livable Community, Inc. and a resident of Third Street, said she is concerned the multimodal bridge will drastically increase traffic on Third Street. Unlike the other east-west streets in Moscow, Third Street is a direct continuation of state Highway 8, which carries a great deal of traffic, Ball said.

"It's reasonable to assume that any of the traffic on the highway that wants to get across town to the neighborhoods on the other side of Mountain View will use Third Street," she said.

She said residents and Lena Whitmore students who live on Third between Hayes and Mountain View will be particularly affected by traffic caused from the multimodal bridge since that section receives limited vehicle congestion.

Ball said it is simply asking for disaster to add more traffic to a street that contains abundant pedestrian and bicycle traffic since the street is generally flat and home to Moscow High School, the 1912 Center, East City Park and Lena Whitmore.

She said the larger issue that concerns her is that city planning tends to emphasize the ease of traffic flow instead of safety and preserving neighborhoods and walkability.

"I'm concerned that this decision is part of a larger series of decisions that are ignoring the things that many Moscow residents value about our community," Ball said.

She said it should also be assumed the increased traffic on Third Street will cause more congestion at the street's intersection with Washington and Jackson streets, however, MacDonald said he would not anticipate a huge change in traffic at those intersections.

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Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
   
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