Continued B Street closure concerns city

 

Last updated 4/28/2021 at 7:57am



The continued closure of a city emergency route during a long-stalled federal construction project is worrying the city council in Grand Coulee.

During their April 20 meeting, the Grand Coulee City Council discussed the continued closure of B Street during construction of the US Bureau of Reclamation’s fire station located along SR-155.

The bureau awarded the $13.6 million construction contract in 2016. Construction began in April of 2017 and was originally scheduled to be complete in the first half of 2018.

Numerous delays, including contracts between the bureau and contractor being terminated, have pushed back the completion date and the reopening of B Street, which connects to SR-155 through the bureau-owned Industrial Road.

The city’s agreement with the bureau expired in October of 2020, and the city hasn’t heard from the bureau regarding the issue, City Clerk Lorna Pearce told The Star.


She also explained that since the bureau owns Industrial Road, which connects B Street to the highway, they can keep it closed with or without the city’s permission. 

The closed route is normally also a way to reroute traffic if there is an accident on SR-155, the main road through the city, she said.

The road will be open during the upcoming Colorama Parade in May, according to the chamber of commerce, which got word late last week that the Bureau will be opening B Street as a detour route to allow Midway Avenue (SR-155)  to be used for the parade. 

During the April 20 council meeting, Councilmember Tom Poplawski said he was disappointed someone from the bureau couldn’t attend the meeting to discuss the issue. 

“It would have been nice to have a representative to talk to in this situation, which is catching the ire of the public and raising traffic issues for response times,” he said. 

Councilmember Gary Carriere agreed. “We understand their project has gotten very sideways, but that doesn’t negate the fact they should talk to us,” he said.

Carriere noted that the road closure blocks the bureau from accessing its own project from the back way. 

Mayor Paul Townsend said the bureau could finish the road aspect of the project while the fire station is delayed. 

“That fire station is a major issue; that road could be taken care of,” he said. “Somebody could look at the smaller picture on this.”

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/20/2024 04:36